General

Elissa B. Heinrichs practices criminal defense throughout Eastern Pennsylvania. She is a skilled litigator who is known for her aggressive, thorough and creative advocacy in criminal jury trials. Elissa’s experience, her familiarity with the criminal justice system and her commitment to the needs of her clients have contributed to her reputation for achieving dismissals, reduced charges and verdicts of acquittal.

Criminal Practice

• Drug offenses
• Aggravated Assault
• Domestic Violence
• Robbery
• Weapon Possessions
• DUI
• Burglary/theft
• Traffic violations
• Post-conviction matters
• Identity Theft/fraud
• Parole/Probation violations
• Juvenile offenses
• Criminal Forfeiture
• Pardons/Expungement

Other Areas of Practice

Dependency Matters
Represents parents whose children have been removed from their custody by County Social Services due to allegations of abuse or neglect. She is familiar with the range of programs available to adults who need drug and alcohol treatment, mental health services, parenting classes and housing assistance. Successful completion of these programs has led to the reunifications of many of her clients’ families.

Administrative Matters
Represents professionals who are subject to discipline by a state licensing agency because of a criminal conviction.

Represents corporations and individual who are seeking to obtain or renew a Private Detective License.

Prior Experience

Associate, Mellon, Webster & Shelly, 2006-2010
Assistant District Attorney, Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, 2004-2006
Legislative Counsel, New York City Comptroller’s Office, 2002-2004
Law Clerk, Hon. Wayne Saitta, Kings County Supreme Court, Criminal Division, 2001
Campaign Manager, New York City Councilwoman Diana Reyna (D-Brooklyn), 2001
Legislative Counsel, Assemblyman Vito J. Lopez (D-Brooklyn), 1998-2000

Education

The University of Texas School of Law, Juris Doctorate, 1998
Mount Holyoke College, Bachelor of Arts, 1994

Admissions

State of New York, 2000
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 2004
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 2007
United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, 2008

Membership

Bucks County Bar Association

• Board of Directors, 2008-present
• Chair, Bench Bar Planning Committee, 2011
• Chair, Race Judicata 5K Subcommittee, 2008 — present
• Member, Criminal Law Section, 2006-present
• Member, Pro Bono Committee, 2006-present
• Chair, Pro Bono Committee, 2009

National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys

• Indigent Defense Committee, 2009 — present
• Diversity Task Force, 2010 — present

Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys
Pennsylvania Bar Association

Awards

Pennsylvania Rising Star, Thompson Reuters and Pennsylvania Magazine, 2010
Arthur B. Walsh, Jr. Pro Bono Publico Award, Bucks County Bar Association, 2008
National Member of the Order of Barristers, 1998

Teaching Positions / Continuing Education

She has been a frequent course planner of continuing legal education seminars on criminal defense topics sponsored by the Bucks County Bar Association.

She was a Panelist on the Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s sponsored seminar, Driving After Imbibing.

She was the co-developer of the course, Law & Responsibility, which she teaches to at-risk youth who are under the supervision of the Bucks County Juvenile Probation Department.