Washington, DC (July 29, 2024) – The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) presented criminal defense lawyer Pat Cresta-Savage with the Champion of Justice Legal Award at the Association’s 2024 Annual Meeting in Seattle.
Champion of Justice Awards are bestowed upon those individuals who – through legislative, journalistic, philanthropic, or humanitarian pursuits – have staunchly preserved or defended the constitutional rights of American citizens and have endeavored to ensure justice and due process for persons accused of crime.
As a devoted member of the criminal defense bar and NACDL, Cresta-Savage has served on the Board of Directors and numerous committees, including Women in Criminal Defense and Fourth Amendment. She currently chairs the Corrections Committee. She has lectured at numerous NACDL seminars and has hosted various Engage and Exchange Discussions. Cresta-Savage also served as President of NACDL’s DC affiliate from 2007-2014.
As chair of NACDL’s Corrections Committee, Cresta-Savage has been responsible for a wide range of projects in support of the Committee’s mission to advocate for safe and humane conditions in jails, prisons, and any other type of correctional facility; as well as promote conditions and policies which assist individuals in their re-entry into society upon release. One such project was the creation of a resource tracking prison and jail communications that provides detailed insights into the systems across the country and lawyers’ ability to communicate with their clients confidentially. This significant resource was accompanied by a manual on how to navigate the federal prison system’s policies, procedures, and practices.
"Pat Cresta-Savage embodies the spirit of relentless advocacy and dedication that the Champion of Justice Legal Award seeks to honor. Her unwavering commitment to criminal legal reform and the cause of justice is unparalleled," said NACDL Immediate Past President Michael Heiskell. "As a devoted member of NACDL, Pat has tirelessly worked to preserve the constitutional rights of American citizens and ensure due process for the accused. Her leadership, particularly as chair of NACDL’s Corrections Committee, has resulted in significant advancements in promoting humane conditions in correctional facilities and supporting the successful re-entry of individuals into society. We are proud to recognize Pat Cresta-Savage's extraordinary contributions to the defense bar."
After finishing law school, Cresta-Savage opened her own firm as a solo practitioner and began taking court-appointed adult criminal cases. She served as Vice President of the DC Superior Court Trial Lawyers Association, successfully leading advocacy in Congress for long-overdue pay increases for Criminal Justice Act lawyers. She handles over 100 court-appointed felony and misdemeanor criminal matters each year, including as a sole defense counsel in murder trials and other serious felony charges. She also handles civil rights litigation matters and practices employment, small business law, and security clearance litigation.
