Bassel received his B.A. from the University of Hawaii in 2005 and his Law Degree from Washington & Lee University in 2008. After graduating from law school, he served as a magistrate conducting bond hearings as well as probable cause hearings for the issuance of search warrants and arrest warrants. For over the past decade, he has devoted his entire practice to defending clients in serious criminal cases. He has received recognitions by various lawyer awards such as Super Lawyers and CoVA Biz Magazine, but he's most proud of the cases he has won for his clients. Bassel has successfully fought back against the government in numerous high profile cases including getting all charges dropped against an Uber driver falsely accused of rape in a case that received national media attention. In 2021, Bassel successfully led the fight in city council to raise the salary of public defenders in Virginia Beach. He co-founded Westendorf & Khalaf to provide honest, effective, and aggressive representation. Bassel lives in Virginia Beach with his wife and three children.