Attorney Biographies
Andrew T. Elders
Andrew Elders has represented thousands of clients in private practice and as a former Assistant Public Defender for Fairfax County. As a Public Defender, he handled the full range of traffic and criminal misdemeanor charges including Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), Reckless Driving, Assault, Petit Larceny, and Possession of Marijuana. He also has handled numerous felony charges, including Grand Larceny, Obtaining Money by False Pretenses (Fraud), Drug Possession and Distribution, Aggravated Sexual Battery, Malicious Wounding and Aggravated Malicious Wounding, Rape, and Murder.
Mr. Elders is an experienced trial attorney whose jury trials have resulted in numerous acquittals, including acquittals for life offenses. He also has extensive experience guiding clients suffering from mental illness and substance abuse through the complexities of the criminal justice system.
Mr. Elders graduated cum laude from Duke University in 1999 and earned his law degree cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in 2002. During law school, he served as an intern for the Honorable Ellen Segal Huvelle of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Before working at the Office of the Public Defender, Mr. Elders worked for a Washington, D.C. securities and litigation defense firm.
Email Andrew (andrew.elders@ezblaw.com)
Todd M. Zinicola
Todd Zinicola is a former Assistant Public Defender for Fairfax County. During his legal career, he has defended clients charged with misdemeanor crimes and traffic offenses including Reckless Driving and Speeding, Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), and Hit and Run. His felony experience includes Grand Larceny, Fraud, Possession with Intent to Distribute and Distribution of Controlled Substances, Burglary, Robbery, and Sex Offenses.
Mr. Zinicola has tried cases before over a dozen juries and has represented clients in courts throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. He shared his expertise at the Fairfax Bar Association's 2011 Seminar on DUI Defense as a guest speaker.
Mr. Zinicola is a lifelong resident of Fairfax County. He grew up in Reston and attended South Lakes High School. He graduated from James Madison University in 2000 with a degree in business and earned his law degree cum laude from the University of the District of Columbia in 2004.
Email Todd (todd.zinicola@ezblaw.com)
Patrick M. Blanch
Patrick Blanch is an accomplished and innovative trial attorney with particular experience dealing with legal and technical defenses. Patrick has been counsel on cases as minor as littering and as serious as rape and murder, and he has obtained acquittals or dismissals for clients charge with “life” offenses including rape and robbery.
Patrick also maintains a robust Appellate practice for individuals who have been convicted at trial but who believe that the Court made errors during their trial. Patrick’s experience in such cases extends to the Court of Appeals of Virginia and Supreme Court of Virginia, where he has successfully briefed and argued numerous cases. Patrick was trial counsel and appeal counsel in the case of Grant v. Commonwealth, in which the Virginia Court of Appeals set aside the conviction because the Commonwealth had violated his client’s right to confront his accusers as established by the United States’ Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts. Mr. Blanch has also served as a consultant for cases being argued at the United States Supreme Court.
The Virginia State Bar requires every practicing attorney to attend Continuing Legal Education seminars on an annual basis to ensure that attorneys stay up to date on legal developments. Patrick has been recognized by his peers for his legal abilities by being asked to speak at four Continuing Legal Education seminars: the 2008 Fairfax County Bar Association DUI CLE, the 2010 Virginia Statewide Public Defender Conference in Virginia Beach, and the 2010 Virginia CLE Program “DUI Defense – Smart Strategy, Creative Tactics” in Fairfax County and in Charlottesville.
Before joining Elders, Zinicola & Blanch, Patrick gained valuable experience as an Assistant Public Defender for Fairfax County, representing clients charged with misdemeanors including Driving While Intoxicated, Reckless Driving, Driving on a Suspended License, Petit Larceny, Possession of Marijuana, Assault, Sexual Battery, and Indecent Exposure. Patrick also served as counsel on many felony cases including Grand Larceny, Embezzlement, Construction Fraud, Drug Possession and Distrubution, Felony Assault, Robbery, Aggravated Sexual Battery and Rape. Mr. Blanch graduated from the George Washington University Law School after earning his Bachelor of Arts degree at Millersville University of Pennsylvania. During law school, he worked at a Corporate Compliance and Lobbying firm in Washington, D.C.
Email Patrick (patrick.blanch@ezblaw.com)
Sarah C. Bruns
Sarah Bruns served as an Assistant Public Defender for Loudoun County for three and a half years. While there, she defended clients charged with misdemeanor crimes such as Larceny, Assault, and Drug Possession, traffic offenses including Reckless Driving, Driving on a Suspended License, Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), and Hit and Run. Her felony experience includes Larceny and Fraud Offenses, Felony Traffic Offenses, Distribution of Controlled Substances, Burglary, Felony Assault, and Murder. While some crimes carry more harsh penalties than others, she has always practiced with the idea that every case is equally important to the person charged and should be treated that way.
Prior to her work as a Public Defender, Ms. Bruns clerked for the Honorable William D. Hamblen in the Circuit Court of Prince William County. There, she learned firsthand what a judge typically expects regarding professional behavior and effective advocacy.
Ms. Bruns was born and raised in Prince William County, Virginia, attending Woodbridge Senior High School. She graduated from Centre College in 2003 and thereafter from the George Mason University School of Law. During her third year in law school, Sarah was a Writing Fellow in the First Year Legal Writing Program, teaching first year students how research and write legal briefs.
Email Sarah (sarah.bruns@ezblaw.com)
