Catherine (Katie) Cherkasky is a former federal prosecutor and military veteran. She has risen to fame in the legal community for her tenacious logical approach to the law. Katie is a national news personality focused on legal analysis of criminal law, Constitutional law, presidential authority, sexual assault, and military law. Katie is regularly featured on Fox News, CNN, NewNation, and Newsmax. She has contributed national editorials to the USA Today and The Hill. She is the author of an upcoming book, anticipated to be released in the Spring of 2024, published by Post Hill Press.
As an active duty military member, Katie served as an Air Force Officer and Judge Advocate during America’s War on Terrorism.
Katie began her legal career as a federal prosecutor where her case load focused on sexual assault, national defense document/classified record crimes, violent crimes, drug offenses, and other felony level cases. After years of her various positions within the federal government, Katie transitioned to private practice where she continued her work in federal courts for criminal matters, civil litigation, and complex appeals. Currently, as the Vice-President of Operations for the firm, Katie focuses the majority of her attention on the management of client relations, appellate defense, civil litigation, and written administrative defense matters.
Katie’s tenacity is rooted in her decision to serve her country through military service starting at the age of 18-years-old during the height of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
Expertise
Criminal trial and appeal lawyer – with experience as a federal prosecutor, defense attorney, and special victims counsel.
Constitutional scholar – currently specializes in appeals with Constitutional implications, and previously served as a clerk (extern) at the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, editor to her school’s Law Review, and extensive experience with Constitutional issues while on active-duty in the Air Force.
Independent political analyst – Provides national news analysis on current political issues and legal issues. She specializes in justifying her position with logical and sound justification based on legal precedent and established legal principles.
Experience
On a daily basis, Katie focuses the majority of her attention on the management of client relations and supervision of written litigation. She regularly handles some of the highest profile federal (military) criminal appeal cases, primarily dealing with Constitutional issues involving individual rights and the powers of the Executive and Legislative branches of Government. She also handles in-court defense of complex trials, including allegations of homicide, rape, sexual assault, drugs, national defense/classified record cases, and many more. She credits her tremendous success in criminal law on the breadth of experience she has from her years prosecuting and defending complex felony crimes.
In her final position in the United States Air Force more than a decade ago, she was selected to be the Air Force’s first Special Victims Counsel to represent alleged victims of sexual assault. In this position, she says “I learned exactly the extent to which the military will go to destroy a person accused of sexual assault and protect at all costs the accusers, no matter how weak or obnoxious the facts of the case.” She uses the knowledge gained in her position as a prosecutor to defend her clients against the injustices of the Department of Justice and other federal prosecutors.
Throughout her legal career in the Air Force, Katie often focused her time on providing legal advice regarding Constitutional issues, including the ending of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policies, and matters concerning the appropriations of congressional funding and the Executive branch’s authority to use those funds.
In her first assignment at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, Katie was identified as the best litigator in the office, despite being the most junior attorney. As a result, she was assigned to prosecute high profile cases that came through, including sexual assault, larceny, and drug offenses. Throughout the rest of her career, Katie was recognized for her abilities as a stellar legal advocate and legal writer.
Education
Katie attended law school at Chapman University School of Law. From the very beginning, she loved everything about law school – the theory, the case studies, and especially the legal writing. In law school, Katie received eleven awards for getting the top grade in a class. She was also picked to be an editor of the law school’s most prestigious law journal. She had the rare honor of an externship with a 9th Federal Circuit Court judge.
Katie graduated summa cum laude as the valedictorian of her class. Not only was she ranked #1 at the end of her law school education, she had obtained the #1 ranking every semester of her three years at the school.Prior to law school, Katie received an Air Force ROTC Scholarship to attend college. She attended the University of San Diego. Katie split her time between her ROTC obligations, outstanding academic performance, and an active social experience as a member of the Alpha Phi sorority. Katie attributes her ability to so effectively communicate with clients, juries, and other legal professionals to her wide range of experiences academically and socially.
Additional Information
Katie is licensed to practice law in Illinois, California, and New York. She is also permitted to practice in all military courts, and most federal courts.
Graduated from Chapman University School of Law in 2009, summa cum laude, valedictorian. She was an editor of the school’s law review, Teacher’s Assistant for a number of classes, and Research Assistant.
Externship with Judge Kim McClane Wardlaw, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 2007-2008.
Graduated from University of San Diego with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and minors in Spanish and Sociology in 2006.
