The Board of Directors
of
Appellate Defenders, Inc. & Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc.
Present
Date: Friday, April 25, 2025
Time: 5:00pm
Location: The Westin Gaslamp Quarter
This award is named in honor of Stan Conant and John Cleary. Stan Conant was the founding Director of the Defenders Program in San Diego. He was widely respected as an advocate and tried many death penalty cases. Under his direction, that office successfully established itself in the community and paved the way for the establishment of the Office of the Public Defender in the mid-1980’s. John J. Cleary was the first Executive Director of Federal Defenders from 1971 to 1983. It was during this time, that Federal Defenders developed into a distinguished and highly respected office, where attorneys were trained extensively in federal law and trial skills, and expected to aggressively represent clients from trial and through appeal.
Past Recepients of the CONANT-CLEARY AWARD:
2019 | Barton C. Sheela III |
2018 | Jami Ferrara |
2017 | Kara Hartzler |
2016 | Zaki Zehawi |
2015 | Kurt Hermansen |
2014 | Laura Berend |
2013 | Knut Johnson |
2012 | Mark Adams |
2011 | C. Bradley Patton |
2010 | Robert Boyce |
2009 | Linda Brown |
2008 | FDSDI GITMO Team -Ellis (Trip) Johnston, Shereen Charlick, Reuben Cahn, Luciano Silva, Marie Acuna, Zaki Zehawi, Heather Rogers and Stephen Demik. |
2007 | Gary Gibson |
2006 | Elizabeth Missakian and John Lanahan |
2005 | Knut Johnson |
2004 | Chris Plourd |
2003 | Benjamin Rayborn |
2002 | Janeen Kerper |
2001 | Steve Binder |
2000 | Mary Ellen Attridge |
1999 | Gerald Blank |
1998 | Allen Bloom and John Cotsirilos |
1997 | Mario Conte |
1996 | Peter Hughes |
1995 | Benjamin Rayborn |
1994 | Carmela Simoncini |
1993 | Kathleen Coyne |
1992 | Elaine Alexander |
1991 | Judy Clarke |
1990 | Robert Grimes |
1989 | Jeffrey Reilly |
1988 | John Cotsirilos |
1987 | E. Miles Harvey |
1986 | Alex Landon |
1985 | John Cleary |
1984 | John Mitchell |
1983 | Steven Feldman |
1982 | Elisabeth Semel |
1981 | Charles Sevilla |
1980 | Thomas Ryan |
The Paul Bell Award is presented in honor of excellence in representation of the indigent accused on appeal. The Award is given annually by the Board of Directors of Appellate Defenders and Federal Defenders in memory of Paul Bell, beloved Assistant Director of Appellate Defenders until his untimely passing in July 1997.
Our
Members of the Federal Defenders team share a commitment to excellence and a passion for justice in representing indigent people accused of myriad federal criminal offenses. We combine hard work, constant training and intense dedication in the defense of each of our clients.
EL CENTRO OFFICE
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