50th Anniversary Gala
Hotel Nikko | San Francisco | December 9, 2023
CACJ
is celebrating 50 years
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In 1973, I received a letter from George Porter inviting all “criminal defense” lawyers to a meeting at the San Francisco Airport. Some seventy “name“ lawyers received this invitation. Fifty-six lawyers of showed up for the meeting. This was the first time I met [George Porter].
Porter chaired our first meeting. He asked every person in attendance to speak for one minute to state whether we favored the creation of a criminal defense bar? At the time, the only organization we knew catered to civil or political ends. He articulated the voice of the criminal defense. It was a simple, but profound, question; did we want to join forces to balance the judicial-prosecutorial dialogue? Fifty-Six yes answers followed.
At the second meeting, he chaired a debate about our name, our by-laws, our dues, our functions and our structure.
We spent over one hour debating the name. Some of us wanted to emphasize “criminal defense bar.” Some questioned the word “criminal.” Some argue for “bar association.” Some argue for the more fundamental concept of “justice.” It took an hour to iron out “California Attorneys for Criminal Justice.” Not a “bar”, not an “association”. Just “attorneys” for “criminal justice”.
Ephraim Margolin
CACJ Founding Member, CACJ Past President 1974, CACJ Lifetime Member
Life Achievement Award Recipient 2012
Who We Are
George Porter
Ephraim Margolin
Senator Steven Bradford
Legislator of the Year
SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE AWARD
Alex Landon
Heather Rogers
Skip Glenn Award
Donald Specter
Charles Garry Award
Stephen Dunkle
President’s Award
Nate Gartrell
Journalistic Integrity Award
Mary McComb
President’s Award
50th Anniversary Gala Award Recipients
Alex Landon
SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE AWARD
Donald Specter
Charles Garry Award
Senator Steven Bradford
Legislator of the Year
Nate Gartrell
Journalistic Integrity Award
Mary McComb
President's Award
Heather Rogers
Skip Glenn Award
Stephen Dunkle
President's Award
Learn More
We are thrilled to announce that our organization is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in style, and we would like to invite you to be a part of this milestone event! As we prepare to honor the outstanding individuals and achievements that have shaped our journey, we are offering an opportunity for you to be featured in our printed program by placing a tax-deductible ad congratulating the award recipients.
6p
Cocktail Hour
Enjoy tapas and drinks with friends, while enjoying the beautiful Hotel Nikko
Our Agenda
7p
Dinner & Tributes
Plated dinner and remarks hosted by our EmCee Lisa Wayne, Executive Director of NACDL
8p
Awards
Celebration
Join us in honoring our awards recipients
9p
Desserts
and Dancing
You'll get to dine, then dance your heart out
Our Legacy
We are not joiners. We are proud, tough individuals. We had seen these organizations before. They were little more than chowder and marching societies. They were social clubs that entertained judges and included within their membership district attorneys and other prosecutors. We were skeptical.
We had an idea – it was not as majestic as a dream;
simply an idea. It was an idea to join together.
People told us that it could not be done. There were too many big egos. The state was too large, too diversified and the problems so different in many areas. We were also told that our organization was not self-interested enough. People had the temerity to suggest that such an organization would be self-defeating. If we were able to help people who were accused of crime through legislation and otherwise, we would lose money.
We did it however. We started with goals to change the police/prosecutor monologue into a dialogue. We had a goal to tell the other side of the story to the Legislature, to the courts and to other lawyers, and we further promised to bind together to help one another with common problems. We succeeded and we succeeded beyond our expectations.
Paul Fitzgerald, President 1975
Sponsors
Champions of Liberty
Protectors of Civil Rights
Patrons of Justice
Event Venue
Hotel Nikko
San Francisco
San Francisco Boutique Hotel in Union Square
Attractively located in the center of San Francisco, Hotel Nikko San Francisco has 5-star accommodations close to Union Square and Moscone Center. Guests of this luxurious hotel will experience the fine art of hospitality and the ultimate in personal service starting with the warm demeanor and gracious service of its staff.
Book your Room
Getting There
By car:
222 Mason Street, San Francisco
Parking:
Nikko Valet -Enter on Ellis St
Additional garage on O'Farrell and Mason
BART:
Powell Street station
Our Founders
Richard Alexander, San Jose
Jules Bonjour, Hayward
Marvin S. Cahn*
Ramon Castro*
Richard Erwin*
Paul J. Fitzgerald*
Albert Caesar Garber*
Charles Garry*
Martha Goldin, Los Osos
Gerson Horn*
Louis S. Katz*
John W. Kennedy, Jr.*
Matthew Kurilich*
Ephraim Margolin, San Francisco
Michael McClure, Santa Ana
Luke McKissack*
Dennis G. Merenbach, Santa Barbara
James H. Newhouse, Monterey
George Porter*
Sheldon Portman, Las Vegas Nevada
Robert Roberson*
Harriet Ross, San Francisco
Marshall Schulman*
Spencer Strellis*
Barry Tarlow*
Gerald Francis Uelmen, Santa Clara
George Walker*
Howard L. Weitzman*
*Deceased
LIFE MEMBERS James J. Brosnahan | Michael R. Mcdonnell | Frank R. Ubhaus | William H. Dubois | Richard Alexander | Thomas L. Roehr | Gerald Blank | Blackie Burak | Joe Vandervoort | Richard P. Berman | Jack M. Earley | James R. Homola | Michael R. Levine | Christopher H. Wing | Paul Fromson | Marcia A. Morrissey | John Cotsirilos | Edward Tabash | W. Allan Williams | Timothy B. Rien | John Patrick Dolan | Andrew M. Stein | Jennifer L. Keller | Ilan Funke-Bilu | Cristina C. Arguedas | Ted W. Cassman | H. A. Sala | Richard M. Steingard | Nancy S. Pemberton | John V. Stevens | Robert J. Wilson | David A. Torres | Daniel L. Barton | Douglas L. Rappaport | Susan Roe | Mark Reichel | Kenneth Rutherford | Christopher C Melcher | Robert Tayac | Jonathan Franklin | Eric H. Schweitzer | Kristin J. Matsuda | Robert Marshall | Jay Leiderman | Annie Davidian | Jeremy M. Delicino | Rebecca Simmons | Yan Goldshteyn |
Looking to the Past, Shaping the Future
California Attorneys for Criminal Justice Foundation
1610 Arden Way, Suite 140 | Sacramento, CA 95815
Email Address
info@cacj.org
phone number
(916) 643 - 1800