Palm Beach Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (PBACDL)

The Palm Beach Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers has been active for decades, although its website does not identify a specific original founding date. Its current bylaws state that they were initially adopted on November 15, 1988 and subsequently amended several times, including in 1990, 2007, 2013, 2015, and 2017.

The organization's past-presidents roster provides additional evidence of its longstanding presence in the Palm Beach County legal community. Former presidents include Donnie Murrell, Gregg S. Lerman, James Eisenberg, Richard G. Lubin, Carey Haughwout, Jack Goldberger, Nellie King, John M. Howe, Anthony J. Natale, W. Grey Tesh, Greg Rosenfeld, Benjamin Eisenberg, Timothy Wang, and Michael Work. The organization has continued to develop as a local forum for criminal defense attorneys to obtain training, exchange information, mentor other attorneys, and address issues affecting criminal practice in Palm Beach County.

According to PBACDL's About Us page, the organization focuses on strengthening the local criminal defense community while promoting effective representation for people accused of crimes. Its primary activities include:

• Continuing Legal Education – PBACDL provides continuing legal education and seminars addressing criminal law, trial practice, and issues relevant to defense attorneys.

• Professional Networking – The organization creates opportunities for private attorneys, public defenders, conflict counsel, investigators, and other defense professionals to develop professional relationships.

• Mentoring – PBACDL promotes mentoring within the criminal defense community, allowing experienced practitioners to share knowledge with newer attorneys.

• Protecting Constitutional Rights – The organization's mission emphasizes ensuring that accused people receive zealous defense representation and the full protections afforded by the Constitution.

• Strengthening Criminal Defense Practice – PBACDL works to elevate the overall quality of criminal defense practice within Palm Beach County.

The organization's bylaws also establish standing committees devoted to continuing legal education, judicial matters, membership, social activities, and community outreach.

PBACDL provides several categories of membership depending on a person's professional role.

Regular Membership is available to Florida Bar members who are actively engaged in the defense of criminal cases and meet the organization's professional and ethical requirements.

Law Student/Graduate Membership is available to students enrolled in accredited law schools and graduates with pending applications for admission to The Florida Bar.

Associate Membership is available to people who are not themselves actively engaged in representing criminal defendants but whose professional duties contribute to criminal defense or support the organization's goals. This category can include investigators and other defense professionals.

PBACDL's bylaws specifically exclude employees of prosecutors' offices and other criminal prosecution authorities from membership. Employees of the State Attorney's Office, U.S. Department of Justice, Florida Attorney General's Office, or other prosecutorial agencies are therefore not eligible to join. A member who later becomes employed by a prosecutorial agency or becomes a judge automatically loses membership eligibility.

PBACDL's current registration system separates dues according to professional category and experience, including private attorneys with fewer than ten years of practice, private attorneys with ten or more years, public defenders and regional conflict attorneys, law students and graduates, affiliate members, and FACDL life members. Membership lasts for one year, with dues generally payable by January 1st.

PBACDL's bylaws establish several standing committees that help carry out the organization's work:

• Continuing Legal Education Committee – Coordinates educational programming for criminal defense attorneys.

• Judicial Committee – Addresses issues involving the courts and judiciary that affect the defense bar.

• Membership Committee – Handles matters relating to membership and recruitment.

• Social Committee – Organizes social and networking opportunities for members.

• Community Outreach Committee – Coordinates the organization's involvement with the broader Palm Beach County community.

The president may also establish additional committees when necessary. Standing committees are generally required to meet at least quarterly and report their activities to the Board of Directors.

PBACDL provides a local professional network for criminal defense attorneys in West Palm Beach and throughout Palm Beach County. Because the organization is focused specifically on criminal defense practice, its members can exchange information and receive education relating to issues encountered in local state and federal criminal cases.

The association also provides members with connections to other organizations and agencies involved in the Palm Beach County criminal justice system. Its resources include links to the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Public Defender's Office, Palm Beach County court services, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, the State Attorney's Office, the Palm Beach County Bar Association, and the statewide Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Attorneys who participate in PBACDL can therefore combine local professional resources and networking with the broader statewide benefits available through FACDL.

Membership in the Palm Beach Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers gives attorneys and other defense professionals access to educational opportunities, professional connections, and resources focused specifically on criminal defense practice in Palm Beach County. Benefits of membership include:

• Continuing Legal Education – PBACDL sponsors seminars and continuing legal education programs covering criminal law, trial advocacy, evidence, procedure, and other developments important to criminal defense attorneys.

• Networking with Local Defense Attorneys – Members have opportunities to build relationships with private criminal defense lawyers, public defenders, regional conflict counsel, investigators, and other professionals working within the Palm Beach County criminal justice system.

• Mentoring and Professional Development – PBACDL encourages experienced criminal defense attorneys to mentor newer lawyers and share practical knowledge about criminal defense practice, courtroom strategy, and local procedures.

• Information About Local Court Practice – Participation in a local criminal defense organization helps members stay informed about developments involving Palm Beach County courts, judges, procedures, and other issues that can affect the representation of criminal defendants.

• Professional Advocacy – PBACDL provides a collective voice for the Palm Beach County criminal defense bar and maintains a Judicial Committee devoted to issues involving the courts and judiciary that affect criminal defense attorneys and their clients.

• Community and Social Events – Through its Social Committee and other association activities, PBACDL provides opportunities for members to meet and communicate with colleagues outside of the courtroom.

• Statewide Connections Through FACDL – PBACDL is affiliated with the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, allowing members to participate in both a local criminal defense organization and Florida's larger statewide defense bar network.

• Opportunities to Participate in the Organization – Members can become involved with PBACDL committees addressing continuing legal education, judicial matters, membership, community outreach, and social activities, providing opportunities to help shape the organization's work in Palm Beach County.

Together, these benefits allow PBACDL members to strengthen their criminal defense practices while remaining connected to other attorneys who regularly work in the same courts and encounter many of the same legal and practical issues.