Award Recipients
Annually, PACDL selects individuals to recognize for their service to the association and the criminal defense bar. Nominations for awards are sought from January 1 - February 28. If you want to nominate an individual for an award, please complete the interactive nomination form or print and email or scan the form and timely submit it to PACDL's staff. Please see below for a list of the individuals who have received recognition over the past several years.
2024 Award Recipients
Liberty Award - Marissa Bluestine
Alan Jay Josel Advocacy Award - Lee Rothman and Paul Boas
Charles P. Gelso President's Award - Peter E. Kratsa, Joel Trigiani, and Michael Winters
President's and Directors Commendations - Elizabeth Lippy, Spencer Bradley, Brian McNeil, Donna Walsh, Sarah Hyser-Staub, James T. Clancy, and Charles Jones, III
2023 Award Recipients
Liberty Award - Governor Joshua Shapiro and Gregg M. Bender
Charles P. Gelso President's Award - Caroline M. Roberto
Alan Jay Josel Advocacy Award - Lee Awbrey and Christopher J. Welsh of the Delaware County Public Defender's Office and David B. Miller from the Chester County Public Defender's Office
President's and Directors Commendations - Christopher Casey, Ryan Monahan, and Robert Byer of Duane Morris; Ryan Smith of Armstrong Teasdale (now with the Delaware County Public Defender's Office) and Chris Patterson of Lancaster
2022 Award Recipients
Charles P. Gelso President's Award - Leonard Sosnov
Alan Jay Josel Advocacy Award - Brian McMonagle
President's and Directors Commendations - Ashley Shapiro, Cheryl Brooks, Jed Silversmith, and Sheryl Willson
2021 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: The Atlantic Center for Capital Representation, Marc Bookman Executive Director
Charles P. Gelso President's Award: Mark Sheppard
Alan Jay Josel Advocacy Award: David Rudovsky and Leonard Sosnov
President's and Directors' Commendations: Michael Winters, Philip Gelso, Wana Saadzoi, and Heather J. Mattes
2019 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: Andrew Christy
Charles P. Gelso President's Award: Ellen C. Brotman
Alan Jay Josel Advocacy Award: Christopher Hall and Justin Danilewitz
President's and Directors' Commendations: Jed Silversmith, Petra Gross and Laurel Gift
2018 Award Recipients
Senator Stewart J. Greenleaf for service to criminal justice reform
Liberty Award: Bradley Bridge
Alan Jay Josel Advocacy Award: Brian J. McMonagle, Philadelphia
Charles P. Gelso President's Award: Philip Gelso
President's and Directors Commendations: Amicus Committee and Authors; Maria Goellner, Harry J. Cancelmi, Jr., Paul Boas, and Philadelphia Chapter of PACDL
2017 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: Leonard Sosnov
Charles P. Gelso President's Award: Michael Engle
Alan Jay Josel Advocacy Award: Paul Titus, Arleigh Helfer, III, and Peter Goldberger
President's and Directors' Commendation: Peter E. Kratsa
2016 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: Pennsylvania Innocence Project
Charles P. Gelso President's Award: Barbara Zemlock
Alan Jay Josel Advocacy Award: Ronald Levine and Abraham J. Rein
President's and Directors' Commendation: Heather J. Mattes and Steven Breit
2015 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: Ellen Greenlee
Charles P. Gelso President's Award: Robert Dunham
Alan Jay Josel Advocacy Award: Abigail Horn and Aaron Marcus
President's and Directors' Commendation: Ari Weitzman, Brian Jordan, Barb Zemlock, Jordan Barnett and Edward Spreha
2014 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: Bradley Bridge
Charles P. Gelso President's Award: Jules Epstein
2013 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: Jules Epstein
Charles P. Gelso President's Award: Arthur T. Donato, Jr.
2012 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: Dante Bertani
Charles P. Gelso President's Award: Marc Bookman
Alan Jay Josel Advocacy Award: Peter Goldberger
President's and Directors' Commendation: Arthur T. Donato, Jr., Albert J. Flora, Jr. and Brad V. Shuttleworth
2011 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: Bernard L. Siegel
Charles P. Gelso President's Award: Ronald L. Greenblatt
Alan Jay Josel Advocacy Award: Caroline M. Roberto
President's and Directors' Commendation: David B. Chontos, Arthur T. Donato, Jr., Joseph Gavazzi, Philip Gelso, and Anne Gingrich Cornick, Steven A. Mimm, Kelly J. Stewart, and Peter F. Vaira
2010 Award Recipients
Charles P. Gelso President's Award: James A. Swetz
Alan Jay Josel Advocacy Award: Wieslaw T. Niemoczynski
President's and Directors' Commendation: Brad V. Shuttleworth, Bernard L. Siegel, and L. Roy Zipris
2009 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: The Juvenile Law Center
Special Plaque for John L. Heaton, Secretary, Pennsylvania Board of Pardons
Charles P. Gelso President's Award: Peter Goldberger
President's and Directors' Commendation: Diane L. Morgan, Philip Gelso, and Marissa Boyers Bluestine
2008 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: Hon. Justin M. Johnson
Alan Jay Josel Advocacy Award: L. Roy Zipris
President's and Directors' Commendation: Ellen Brotman, John A. Knorr, and Tim Lucas
2007 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: The Federal Community Defender Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Capital Habeas Corpus Unit; The Federal Public Defender, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Capital Habeas Corpus Unit; and The Federal Public Defender, Western District of Pennsylvania, Capital Habeas Corpus Unit
President's Award: Senator Stewart Greenleaf
President's and Directors' Commendation: Dante G. Bertani, John A. Knorr and William Ruzzo
2006 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: Fred R. Goodman and Andrea I. Konow
President's Award: Senator Vincent J. Fumo
President's and Directors' Commendation: Debra H. McGovern
2005 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: John W. Packel
Alan Jay Josel Advocacy Award: Robert Brett Dunham, Jules Epstein, Bernard L. Siegel and Nathan M.Schenker
President's Award: Michael J. Engle
2004 Award Recipients
Alan Jay Josel Advocacy Award: John P. Moses
President's and Directors' Commendations: Anne M. Dixon and John J. Waldron
2003 Award Recipients
President's Award: David R. Crowley
2002 Award Recipients
President's Award: Theodore E. Hinckley
2001 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: Robert M. Rosenblum
President's Award: Anne M. Dixon
2000 Award Recipients
Alan Jay Josel Advocacy Award: Sharon R. Meisler
Meeting dedicated to the memory of Arthur L. Goldberg
1999 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: Robert Brett Dunham, Ellen Berkowitz, Billy H. Nolas, and James H. Moreno (LEADA)
President's Award: David R. Crowley, Roy K. Lisko, Debra H. McGovern, and Deby M. Kurtz
1998 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: Robon L. Dahlberg, Claudia Davidson, Jere Krakoff, and Witold J. Walczak
President's Award: Arthur T. Donato, Jr., Betsy J. Moore, and Andrew F. Schneider
1997 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: John B. Mancke, Esquire
President's Award: Ann Beck, David R. Crowley, Joseph P. Green, Jr., Caroline M. Roberto, and Sara M. Webster
Special Awards: outgoing President Joel P. Trigiani, and a special plaque to Superior Court Judge Joseph P. DelSole
1996 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: Bradley S. Bridge
President's Awards: Robert N. Tarman, John Packel, Leonard G. Ambrose, III, Burton A. Rose, David R. Eshelman,and Stanton D. Levenson
Special Awards: John P. Flaherty, Chief Justice of Pennsylvania and President Charles P. Gelso
1995 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: the staff attorneys of the Public Defender Offices of Pennsylvania
President's Awards: Arthur T. Donato, Jr., Joseph P. Green, Jr. Joshua D. Lock, John B. Mancke, Richard K. Renn, and Sara M. Webster
Special Award: President, J. Richard Gray
1994 Award Recipients
No areas of recognition
1993 Award Recipients
No areas of recognition
1992 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: Arthur L. Goldberg
1991 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: Thomas Livingston
1990 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: Arthur T. Donato, Jr.
President's Award: Joshua D. Lock
Special Recognition: Joel P. Trigiani (CLE), Lester Nauhaus (Newsletter), Joseph P. Green, Jr. (Membership), Kenneth Rapp (Legislation), and Michael Kennedy (Keynote Speaker)
1989 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: A. Charles Peruto, Sr.
President's Award: David M. McGlaughlin
1988 Award Recipients
Liberty Award: Bruce Ledewitz
Special Recognition: Neal Sonnett (Keynote Speaker)