Lawyer Makes Case for Rehab

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Criminal defense lawyer Darren Kavinoky wants his clients to spend more nights in rehab and less time in jail.

The Century City attorney has helped a slew of alleged drunk drivers, thieves and drug users avoid jail, but now Kavinoky – a certified interventionist – wants to help clients turn their lives around by referring them to his network of drug and alcohol counselors as part of his representation.

“When the handcuffs go on, it opens an opportunity for a real pivotal change,” he said.

That’s why Kavinoky is replacing his “1-800-NO CUFFS” TV ads this month with a new campaign centered on his personal story of recovering from alcohol and drug abuse.

The one-minute commercial starts with a clip from his original ad, launched two years ago at a cost of more than $1 million, then cuts to a scene of him in a living room, turning off the TV to speak to consumers about the importance of recovery.

“The authenticity of a lawyer truly being who he is, is something I hope and expect the marketplace will reward,” Kavinoky said. “On a personal level, it feels so powerful to share who I am with the world. When I wore those handcuffs myself, I felt that my life was over.”

The shift has been in the works for nearly a decade. Kavinoky’s joy after a judge dropped several drug-related charges against one of his clients faded when the client overdosed and died five months later.

“That has really changed the course of my practice,” he said. “I got a clear message that it wasn’t enough for me to help people with just their legal problems.”

– Cale Ottens

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