Robert Faigin is the Executive Director of the Office of Independent Review (OIR) for the County of Orange, California. The primary mission of the OIR is to review systemic issues and specific incidents involving the Orange County Sheriff-Coroner Department, Probation Department, Office of the District Attorney, Office of the Public Defender and the Social Services Agency.
Prior to his appointment with the OIR, Robert Faigin served as Director of Legal Affairs/Chief Legal Advisor for three elected San Diego County Sheriffs over 21 years. Robert was responsible for providing legal advice to the Sheriff, Command Staff, and other departmental personnel. As head of the Legal Affairs Unit, Robert and his staff provided legal opinions, conducted research on a variety of legal issues affecting the department, reviewed pleadings and departmental documents for legal sufficiency, and coordinated various litigation matters for County Counsel.
Prior to joining the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, Robert served as a Deputy District Attorney in Solano County and a Senior Deputy District Attorney in Lassen County. He has tried over 50 jury trials to verdict in addition to hundreds of bench trials. Robert has had numerous articles published in national magazines and teaches classes to law enforcement attorneys and personnel across the country.
Robert is currently the immediate past Chair of the International Association of Chiefs of Police – Legal Officers Section, and previously served as the State Chair of the California Peace Officers Association, Police Legal Advisors section. Robert is a member of the Police Executive Research Forum, and the National Sheriffs’ Association. He is a past member of the California Peace Officers’ Association, and the California State Sheriff’s Association.
Robert holds a Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University School of Law, a Master of Science degree in Public Administration from California State University Dominguez Hills, and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with a minor in Political Science from the University of Nevada Reno.
Robert is admitted to practice law in California, Nevada, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
