The O'Flaherty and Associates Team
The O'Flaherty and Associates team has over 50 years of combined experience working for DMV. Our associates have been DMV Hearing Officers and decision makers and have actually trained many of the DMV officers who may decide your case. Because of our background with the Department we have real advantages at DMV hearings. We are not Attorneys but specialists in Administrative Law, focused primarily in representing individuals at DMV administrative hearings. O'Flaherty and Associates also provides consultation services to Transportation companies, Labor Unions, School Districts and Lawyers.Joseph N. O'Flaherty, President / Principle
Joseph O'Flaherty is the principle advocate for O'Flaherty and Associates and recently retired from DMV after fourteen years with the Office of Driver Safety. Prior to 1990 Mr. O'Flaherty worked in private industry for a variety of organizations, including Sara Lee Direct, March and McLennan Associates, California Chamber of Commerce, Blue Cross, California Manufacturers Association,Unicare Health Services and Yolo County Community Care Health.He is a past president of The Driver Improvement Association of California and a past member of the board of directors of Yolo County Alliance for the Mentally Ill and Pine Tree Gardens Board and Care Homes. Mr. O'Flaherty has been a committed advocate for the serious mentally ill and has been honored by the San Francisco chapter of Sales Promotion Executives Association, The Sacramento Advertising Club and the California Chamber of Commerce.
As a Driver Safety Manager for DMV and the Department Advocate for Special Certificates, Mr. O'Flaherty offers real and unique benefits to individuals appearing at DMV administrative hearings. In addition to spending several years as a hearing officer and mentor for new hearing officers he has been a DMV instructor for schools, medical groups and law enforcement groups. He has provided instruction and assistance to California Highway Patrol School Pupil Safety Officers and has participated on DMV legislative committees leading to the passage of special Certificate statutes.
Because of his expertise in Special Certificate matters Mr. O'Flaherty is available to consult with Labor Unions, school districts, transportation companies, attorneys, law enforcement and individual certificated drivers. He has also appeared as an expert witness on DMV issues in court.
In his spare time Mr. O'Flaherty has run dozens of marathons and ultra marathons and is an active member of Screen Actors Guild.
Josephine Abrams, Associate
Josephine Abrams attended the University of Fullerton majoring in accounting and began working for DMV in 1972 in Southern California. She came north to the Seaside office in 1985 as Driver License Manager. In 1992 she transferred to the Driver Safety Branch as a Hearing Officer and retired in December 2003 from her position as Principle Hearing Officer.She has been one of DMV's Driver Safety principle Hearing Officers for several years and is recognized as a specialist in APS (DUI) hearings.
Josephine is available to do in-person hearings in the Santa Cruz and Monterey areas, as well as phone hearings from any where in the state. She is highly experienced and qualified to do all applicable DMV hearings.