For the Defense - Vol. 7, Issue 2 - 38

For the most part, I do not miss the troubled and
troublesome clients, the difficult judges, and sometimes
unrealistic and unreasonable prosecutors. What I do miss
is the everyday banter, interaction, and exchange of ideas
with my friends in the PACDL. We have been at it for a
long time, have accomplished so much, and had some fun
while doing it. I stay in touch with my friends in PACDL
regularly - whether they like it or not. I tend to think they
do.
I was asked to write this article in For The Defense.
Looking back, I want to share with you some thoughts
and remind us all just how important our community is
and how meaningful and valuable it is on a professional
and personal level. I look back with a degree of sadness
and, on occasion, a tear in my eye. You are my friends,
we are all each other's friends, supporters, defenders, and
confidants.
We started with eight lawyers in the spring of 1988 in
Art Donato's home. Everyone knows the growth trajectory
since then. But, what I remember most and what I think
is more important is the collective relationships we forged
and memories we made. To quote John Lennon: " Life is
what happens while you're busy making other plans. " It
has been an amazing journey, it is not nearly over, and we
can only make it better.
Edwin Meese was the Attorney General of the United
States in 1986. The Department of Justice, under Meese,
took aim at the Criminal Defense Bar, with fee forfeitures,
disqualifications, threats of money laundering allegations,
and other coercive tactics. NACDL responded to protect its
members and recognized the strength in numbers.
In 1986, the National Association of Criminal Defense
Lawyers held a meeting in Chicago. The theme of that
meeting was " Strength In Numbers " and it was designed
to inspire lawyers from the fifty states to organize our
own criminal defense associations on the state level. Art
Donato attended that meeting in Chicago. It was at that
time, that the idea of the Pennsylvania Association of
Criminal Defense Attorneys was born.
In June of 1988, about fifty of us from across the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania met. When this eclectic
collection of lawyers got together, it was at a time when
there was no mandatory Continuing Legal Education.
There were no cell phones or emails. Having a fax machine
was a big deal! We communicated in a more personal,
more intimate way. We spoke on the phone, got together
for lunch or for a cup of coffee. We stopped by each
other's offices when we were on the road. This personal
touch and extraordinary value of the human connection is
the most meaningful thing we can do. Now that COVID is
hopefully behind us (for the most part) our meetings are
in person for the first time in years.
38 For The Defense l Vol. 7, Issue 2
There is a real opportunity now to shake off the
accumulated COVID dust and get back to these personal
touches and human connections. The opportunity to have
as it was in 1988; and, as in 1988, let us make the most of
it.
Our first annual meeting was in the fall of 1988 at Toftrees
in State College. Again, there was no mandatory CLE; but,
sixty-four lawyers from across the Commonwealth showed
up. It was a celebration of sorts. Lawyers and their families
came. Young Linda Donatoni, at four months of age, and
Caroline Donato, at age two months, were at Toftrees.
Our Keynote Speaker was Neal Sonnett, an icon of the
defense bar with a national reputation and practice. At
the time, he was representing the Panamanian dictator
Manuel Noriega on federal narcotics charges. Neal flew
in from someplace out of the country, had dinner, gave
an inspiring speech, and flew back out of the country very
early the next morning. He did it without asking for, or
accepting, a dime. As a Past President of NACDL, he freely
gave his time to help us get started and was thrilled to do
so. We came home from that meeting feeling ever more
invigorated and more committed.
Our early meetings took place at Toftrees, The
Woodlands, Grantville, Hershey, and Seven Springs. The
attendance became larger and larger, the friendships
expanded, and the community grew. The stories are
endless, and the memories are real.
We went to these meetings for the substantive lectures
for sure. But there was always something more: the sense
of togetherness. I know now that we went to the places
so we could get together, talk with each other, and have
dinner with each other. Social interaction! We needed
that.
We made our work fun, and it was even better when
we worked together on a case. Criminal defense law
can be lonely, and one can feel isolated. The answer was
and is simple - pick up the phone and call. Do not email,
do not text - call. It is more personal. It will foster the
communication we have. Your call will be accepted or
promptly returned - that I promise.
The work of our committees has been exceptional. For
example, our Amicus Committee has had an impact on
every major case for 30 years. When PACDL is on a Brief,
the appellate courts take notice.
What else does PACDL do? We protect each other. Let
me give you a couple of examples.
Several years ago, one of our members was put in
a difficult position because he received a cash fee in
excess of $10,000, where he was required to file a
Currency Transaction Report (CTR-IRS Form 8300). Our

For the Defense - Vol. 7, Issue 2

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For the Defense - Vol. 7, Issue 2 - 1
For the Defense - Vol. 7, Issue 2 - 2
For the Defense - Vol. 7, Issue 2 - Contents
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