Life Member Directory

Life members are attorneys who have made an extraordinary commitment to support the work of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. By supporting NACDL at the highest dues level, they are accorded a lifetime membership as long as they continue to meet the standards for NACDL membership. In addition, they are listed in this special expanded life member directory, including bio and photograph, and receive a special award in recognition of their support for NACDL’s work.

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  • Matthew Abel

    Matthew Abel

    Contact Information
    • Bloomfield Township, MI
    Social Media
    Biography
    Matthew Abel is retired from the law firm, cannabiscounsel.com.
     
    He is a lifetime member of the International Cannabis Bar Association, where he is a founding member and served on the founding board of directors. canbar.org
     
    Education
    • Undergraduate: Central Michigan Univ., BA, 1978
    • Graduate: Central Michigan University, MSA, 1980
    • Law School: Wayne State University Law School, JD, 1985
    Bar Information
    • Michigan 1986
  • Elkan Abramowitz

    Elkan Abramowitz

    • Partner, Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello PC
    Contact Information
    Biography
    Fellow, American Coll. of Trial LawyersColumnist, "New York Law Journal" White Collar Crime (1989-Present)
    Education
    • Undergraduate: Brown University, , 1961
    • Law School: New York University Law School , , 1964
  • Elliot Abrams

    Elliot Abrams

    • Cheshire Parker Schneider, PLLC
    Biography
    Practice Areas
    • Appellate Advocacy
    • Capital Defense
    • Controlled Substances
    • Corporate Compliance
    • Federal Practice
    • International
    • Juvenile Defense
    • White Collar Crime
  • John Ackerman

    John E. Ackerman

    Contact Information
    Biography
    President, NACDL (1982-1983)Dean, National Criminal Defense CollegeFirst President, Association of Defense Counsel, ICTYCo-Author, "Practice and Procedure in the ICTY"Recipient, Lifetime Achievement Award, HCCDLA (2002)
    Education
    • Undergraduate: University of Wyoming, , 1961
    • Law School: University of Wyoming School of Law, JD, 1967
    Bar Information
    • 5th Cir., US Supreme Ct., Intl. Crim. Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
    Practice Areas
    • Appellate Advocacy
    • Federal Practice
    • International
    • Military Justice
    • White Collar Crime
  • Samuel Adamo

    Samuel D. Adamo

    • ADAMO/ADAMO LAW FIRM
    Contact Information
    Biography
    Vice President, Harris County Criminal Defense Attorney's AssociationAV Rated, Martindale HubbellCriminal Law SpecialistTexas Board of Legal SpecializationNamed, "Houston's Top Criminal Defense Lawyers," H Texas Magazine Top Criminal Defense Attorney; Recipient, Top 100 Trial Lawyers, American Trial Lawyers Association Texas Monthly "Superlawyer"Adjunct Professor in Criminal Law & Procedure at San Jacinto College
    Education
    • Undergraduate: St. Louis University, B.A., 1968
    • Law School: South Texas College of Law, Juris Doctorate, 1971
    Bar Information
    • Southern, Northern & Western Dists. of TX, 5th Cir., US Supreme Ct.
    Practice Areas
    • Appellate Advocacy
    • Capital Defense
    • Controlled Substances
    • DUI
    • Federal Practice
    • Sex Crimes
    • White Collar Crime
  • Christopher Adams

    Christopher W. Adams

    • Adams & Bischoff, LLC
    Contact Information
    Biography
    President, NACDL (current)
    Board of Directors, NACDL (2004-2009, 2010-2016)
    Faculty, National Criminal Defense College
    Former Director, Georgia Capital Defender
    Former Adjunct Professor, Emory, Georgia State, and Charleston
    Education
    • Undergraduate: West Georgia College, BS, 1988
    • Graduate: East Tennessee State University, MA Storytelling, 2016
    • Law School: Georgetown University Law Center, JD, 1992
    Practice Areas
    • Federal Practice
    • Sex Crimes
    • White Collar Crime
  • Richard Adams

    Richard Scott Adams

    • Adams & Associates, PC
    Contact Information
    Biography
    Recipient, Clarence Darrow Award (2000)
    Education
    • Undergraduate: University of Central Oklahoma, , 1986
    • Law School: Oklahoma City University Law School, 1989
    Practice Areas
    • Appellate Advocacy
    • Capital Defense
    • Controlled Substances
    • DUI
    • Federal Practice
    • Juvenile Defense
    • Sex Crimes
    • White Collar Crime
  • Scott Albers

    Scott Alan Albers

    Contact Information
    Biography
    Chief Public Defender, Ofc. of the Chief PD for Cascade County (1995-97)District Defender, Missouri PD System (1989-95)Lawyer of the Year, Montana Association of Criminal Defense (1999)
    Education
    • Undergraduate: St. Louis University, , 1982
    • Law School: University of Missouri Law School, , 1986
  • John Albright

    John M. Albright

    • Albright Law, Ltd.
    Contact Information
    Biography
    Practice Areas
    • Appellate Advocacy
    • Controlled Substances
    • DUI
    • Federal Practice
  • Leslie Aldrich

    Leslie Johnson Aldrich

    • Johnson Law Office, P.C.
    Contact Information
    Biography
    Education
    • Undergraduate: St. Cloud State, BA, 1979
    • Law School: University of North Dakota, JD -With Distinction, 1983
    Bar Information
    • Fedl. & State ND, Fedl. & State MN, US Supreme Ct.
    Practice Areas
    • Appellate Advocacy
    • Controlled Substances
    • DUI
    • Juvenile Defense
  • Jarrett Ambeau

    Jarrett P. Ambeau

    • The Ambeau Law Firm
    Biography
    Education
    • Undergraduate: Thomas Edison State University, Bachelors of Arts in Philosophy, 2004
    • Graduate: University of Florida, College of Pharmacy, Master's Degree in Forensic DNA and Serology, Fall 2019 (anticipated)
    • Law School: Paul M Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University, Juris Doctorate, 2008
    Bar Information
    • United States District Court, Middle District of Louisiana; United States District Court, Western District of Louisiana
    Practice Areas
    • Capital Defense
    • Controlled Substances
    • Federal Practice
    • Juvenile Defense
    • Mental Health Defense
    • Sex Crimes
    • White Collar Crime
  • Anthony Anderson

    Anthony F. Anderson

    • Anderson Legal
    Contact Information
    Biography
    Former Chairman, Criminal Law Sec., Virginia State Bar Assn.Member, Committee on Virginia Jury Reform Task ForceAV rated by Martindale-Hubbell Member, Virginia Criminal Justice Conference Work GroupMaster of the Bench, Ted Dalton American Inns of CourtNamed, Virginia Legal Elite for Criminal Law, Virginia Business (2003, 2006)Recipient, Best Local Lawyer (2002), The Roanoker magazineNamed in Best Lawyers in America for 2007 and 2008Named in Virginia Super Lawyers for 2009
    Education
    • Undergraduate: Roanoke College, , 1978
    • Law School: George Mason Univ. Sch. of Law, 1981
  • Kevin Anderson

    Kevin R. Anderson

    • Anderson & Welch, LLC
    Contact Information
    Biography
    Education
    • Undergraduate: Florida State University, B.S., Criminology, 1990
    • Law School: Syracuse University, College of Law, J.D., 1994
    Bar Information
    • Florida; Northern, Middle & Southern U.S. District Courts of Florida; U.S. Supreme Court
  • Donald Andrews

    Donald John Andrews

    • Attorney at Law
    Contact Information
    Biography
    Education
    • Undergraduate: Michigan State University, BA, 1991
    • Law School: Detroit College of Law, JD, 1994
    Practice Areas
    • Controlled Substances
    • DUI
    • Federal Practice
    • Forfeiture
    • Public Defense
  • Patrick Arata

    Patrick J. Arata

    • Patrick J. Arata
    Contact Information
    Biography
    Education
    • Undergraduate: Indiana University, , 1976
    • Law School: Univ. of the Pacific School of Law, 1979
    Bar Information
    • Fedl. 7th Cir., US Supreme Ct.
    Practice Areas
    • Controlled Substances
    • DUI
    • Federal Practice
    • Juvenile Defense
    • White Collar Crime
  • Stephen Ariagno

    Stephen T. Ariagno

    Contact Information
    Biography
    Natl. Criminal Defense Coll. (1996)President, Wichita Bar Young Lawyers (1996-1997)President, Kansas Assn. of Criminal Defense Lawyers (2001-2003)President, Wichita Bar Assn. (2004-2005)Chair, Wichita Bar Criminal Practice Comm. (1998-1999)
    Education
    • Undergraduate: University of Kansas , Bus admin/ accountin, 1987
    • Law School: University of Kansas Law School, JD, 1990
    Practice Areas
    • Controlled Substances
    • DUI
    • Federal Practice
    • Forfeiture Reform
    • Juvenile Defense
    • White Collar Crime
  • William Aronwald

    William I. Aronwald

    • Aronwald & Pykett
    Contact Information
    Biography
    Past President, New York State Assn. of Criminal Defense LawyersExecutive Committee, Criminal Justice Section, New York State Bar Assn.
    Education
    • Undergraduate: Hofstra University, BA, 1962
    • Law School: Brooklyn Law School, Juris Doctor, 1965
    Bar Information
    • NY State, SDNY, EDNY, NDNY, Second Circuit, US Supreme Court
    Practice Areas
    • Appellate Advocacy
    • Controlled Substances
    • Federal Practice
    • Sex Crimes
    • White Collar Crime
  • Daniel Arshack

    Daniel N. Arshack

    • Arshack, Hajek & Lehrman PLLC
    Contact Information
    Social Media
    Biography
    NACDL Board Member, Past President,-New York State Assn. of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Co-Chairman- NACDL Intl. Affairs Committee,Governing Council- Intl. Criminal Bar Committee, Co-Founder and Former Attorney in Charge of the Bronx Defenders, President of the Center for Community Alternatives, Vice President of The Restorative Center. Consulting Attorney to Pregnancy Justice. 

    Daniel N. Arshack focuses on the criminal defense and civil rights of individuals and businesses in state and federal courts in the United States and throughout the world. He graduated from Brandeis University and the University of Stockholm in 1978 and started his career as a systems analyst at Abt Associates, a social science think-tank in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

    He obtained his law degree from the Antioch School of Law in 1982 and thereafter practiced criminal and civil rights law in Washington, D.C. before moving to New York and becoming a public defender in Manhattan. He completed Medical Bio-Ethics training at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons and Einstein Medical School.


    Dan has successfully defended a wide range of cases, from securities fraud and international arms-dealing to homicide, domestic violence and professional malpractice. He has represented thousands of clients in forty years of practice both as a Public Defender and in private practice. He has successfully fought for his clients in every level of court throughout New York, in other states, in the Supreme Court and in courts throughout the world. He is regularly called upon to represent foreign diplomats and foreign missions in courts in the United States.

    In 1996,  Dan co-founded a new public defender’s office in The Bronx known as The Bronx Defenders and thereafter supervised 25 lawyers and the necessary support staff to handle 13,000 cases/year.

     Since 2015, He has been consulting counsel to the National Advocates for Pregnant Women and in that capacity has represented women across the United States charged with crimes associated with being pregnant.

    Dan was U.S. counsel on a case heard in the International  Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and was Learned Counsel on an extradition case heard in Kenya.   He has been asked to speak and/or teach trial advocacy in Oklahoma,  Beirut, Paris, British Columbia, Budapest, the Hague, Tokyo, Sophia, Amsterdam and the Cardozo School of Law.


    Dan served as President of the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He has previously served on the Board of the NACDL and was Co-Chairman of its International Committee.

    He led the first NACDL training initiative to Liberia, participated as NACDL’s representative in various UN activities, organized NACDL co-sponsored trainings in British Columbia, and  participated in NACDL training on defending women charged with crimes associated with perinatal infant demise.

    He was the elected representative to the Council of the International Criminal Bar and was a member of the Board of Directors of the International Criminal Defense Attorneys Association – USA.

     Dan also helped found and is Vice- President of the Center for Restorative Justice, an organization which provides restorative justice training and interventions.


    Since 2016,  Dan has been President of the Center for Community Alternatives which is New York’s  only statewide organization focusing, as does NACDL,  on redressing racism in the criminal legal system by  providing alternatives to incarceration for legal system involved adults and children, reintegrative services and award winning housing for formerly incarcerated people and state and national grassroots organizing and advocacy on  criminal justice issues such as Clean Slate legislation, bail reform, ban the box and mandatory minimums.
     
    Education
    • Undergraduate: Brandeis University, University of Stockholm BA, 1978
    • Law School: Antioch Law School , JD, 1982
    Bar Information
    • NY State and Federal , Supreme Court, Pro Hac Vice in Mississippi, Oklahoma, Virginia, Arkansas, California
    Practice Areas
    • International
    • Pregnancy Related Prosecutions
    • Public Defense
    • White Collar Crime
  • Charles Asher

    Charles A. Asher

    • Defense Map, Inc.
    Contact Information
    Biography
    Charlie Asher is an AV-rated attorney, now largely retired from the active practice of law except for pro bono work.  He now leads the creative team behind DefenseMap.com, a resource for improved defense preparation and case presentation.   
    Education
    • Undergraduate: Earlham College, BS, 1974
    • Law School: Indiana University School of Law, JD, 1977
    Bar Information
    • United States Courts of Appeals for the Sixth and Seventh Circuits, United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, State of Indiana.
  • Beattie Ashmore

    Beattie B. Ashmore

    • Beattie B. Ashmore, PA
    Contact Information
    Biography
    Asst. US Attorney, Dist. of SC (1990-1996)Beattie B. Ashmore, P.A.AV rating, Martindale-HubbellSouth Carolina Super Lawyer
    Education
    • Undergraduate: College of Charleston, , 1981
    • Law School: Univ. of South Carolina School of Law , , 1986
  • Charles Atwell

    Charles E. Atwell

    • Jay Daugherty Mediation & Arbitration
    Contact Information
    Biography
    -MACDL President 1989-1990-NACDL Board of Directors 1990-1996-Appointed Circuit Judge in August 1996-Voted best Circuit Judge in the State of MO in 2007-Presiding Judge for Jackson County, MO 2010-2012-Special Judge on MO Supreme Court & MO COA Western District-Member & Chairman of MO Supreme Court Committee on Procedures in Criminal Cases-NACDL CLE Chair 1992-1994-ADA 1977-1981-AUSA 1983-1984-Law Partner of James Wyrsch & J.R. Hobbs 1985-1996
    Education
    • Undergraduate: University of Kansas, BS in Education, 1972
    • Law School: University of Missouri-Kansas City, JD, 1978
    Bar Information
    • Supreme Court of the USUS District Courts for KS & the Western District of MO
    Practice Areas
    • Appellate Advocacy
    • Capital Defense
    • Corporate Compliance
    • Federal Practice
    • White Collar Crime
  • Al Avignone

    Al Avignone

    • Avignone, Banick & Williams PLLC
    Contact Information
    Biography
    Founding Life Member, Montana Assn. of Criminal Defense LawyersPresident, Montana Assn. of Criminal Defense Lawyers (2009-2010)Recipient, Criminal Defense Lawyer of the Year, Montana Assn. of Criminal Defense Lawyers (2003)State and federal court approved for appointment in capital cases
    Education
    • Law School: Rutgers University Law School, JD, 1984
    Bar Information
    • MT Fed. Dist. Ct., NJ Fed Dist. Ct., 9th Cir. Ct. App., US Supreme Ct.
    Practice Areas
    • Capital Defense
    • Controlled Substances
    • DUI
    • Federal Practice
    • Juvenile Defense
    • Sex Crimes
    • White Collar Crime
  • Simon Azar-Farr

    Simon M. Azar-Farr

    • Simon Azar-Farr & Associates
    Contact Information
    Biography
    Education
    • Undergraduate: University of Utah, BA, 1982
    • Graduate: University of Utah, MA, 1985
    • Law School: University of Utah, JD, 1990
    Bar Information
    • United States Supreme Court, US Fifth and Tenth Circuit Courts, a number of federal district courts
    Practice Areas
    • Appellate Advocacy
    • Capital Defense
    • Controlled Substances
    • Federal Practice
    • Immigration
    • White Collar Crime
  • Sara Azari

    Sara Azari

    • Law Office of Sara Azari, APC
    Contact Information
    Social Media
    Biography
    2009 to Present - Super Lawyers2012 to Present - Top 50 Women Lawyers in California (Super Lawyers)
    Education
    • Undergraduate: University of California Los Angeles, BA, 1995
    • Law School: Southwestern Law School, JD, 1999
    Bar Information
    • U.S. Dist. Court, Central District of CA
    Practice Areas
    • Controlled Substances
    • Corporate Compliance
    • DUI
    • Federal Practice
    • International
    • Investigator
    • Juvenile Defense
    • White Collar Crime
  • Shandor Badaruddin

    Shandor S. Badaruddin

    • Shandor S. Badaruddin, PC
    Contact Information
    Biography
    Shandor graduated from Emory University School of Law in 1990 and has defended criminal cases for over thirty years. In 2005, he became a founding member of the law firm of Moriarity& Badaruddin, PLLC. Since that time he has represented plaintiffs in civil actions and defended criminal cases in state and federal trial and appellate courts in Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, California, Oregon, New Mexico, and Nevada.
    Education
    • Undergraduate: University of Chicago, , 1987
    • Graduate: Emory University, , 1990
    • Law School: Trial Lawyers College, Trial Lawyer, 1994
    Bar Information
    • MT, WY, UT, AZ, GA, IL, 9th Cir., 10th Cir., 11th Cir., Fed. Cir., U.S.Sct., and all USDC's in GA, AZ, MT, UT, and Wy.
    Practice Areas
    • Appellate Advocacy
    • Capital Defense
    • Controlled Substances
    • DUI
    • Federal Practice
    • Forfeiture
    • Juvenile Defense
    • Sex Crimes
    • White Collar Crime

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