Most children dream of a profession. Few, unlike Charles Windon, however, actually realize that dream. On a routine day like any other, while in the 5th grade, he told himself that he would become an attorney. And through a lifetime of study and preparation, he did.
Having a talented attorney at home for a father and a first-generation immigrant mother from Sweden, hard work and determination was instilled in Charles at a very young age. This was the perfect training ground for him to work toward that goal.
“There was definitely exposure. I would go to court with him when I was little. It was more of like a field trip to me, rather than any work and I got so familiar with it. That passion developed over time,” Charles shared.
The Los Angeles native enjoyed an adolescence filled with legal learning. Because the law, or lack thereof, had personally touched the Windon family. His father’s sister was hit and dragged by a bus in the 1950s, which severely injured her. Despite this, no attorney would represent a black plaintiff against the powerful bus company.
“There are many inequities and inequalities in the legal system that we’re still trying to combat, especially in criminal defense and personal injury.”
Although he was exposed to the law from an early age, Charles received his formal law training at Temple Law School in Philadelphia. While there, he was a member of the Black Law Students Association, or BLSA for two years. He obtained his Juris Doctor from this institution in May 2017 and passed the California Bar in early 2018. Before attending Temple Law School, Charles earned a BA degree in Ethics, History, and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University.
Before joining Adamson Ahdoot, Charles worked as a deputy public defender at the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office. He is a member in good standing of the California Bar Association and licensed to practice before all state courts in California.
An avid golfer since youth, when Charles isn’t working to help his clients, you can find him on the golf course. This love of golf, led him to multiple selections to the Tiger Woods Junior National team from 2004 to 2006. He is a fan of the LA Lakers and Pittsburgh Steelers.