The Paul Bell Memorial Fellowship is awarded by the board of directors of Appellate Defenders, Inc., in memory of Paul Bell, beloved assistant director of ADI until his untimely death in July 1997. It recognizes his dedication to indigent appellate defense and his deep concern for the development of promising attorneys, by providing the recipient a unique and superb opportunity to learn more about the craft of appellate advocacy.

Coverage of fellowship: The fellowship will send the recipient to attend the annual National Legal Aid and Defender Association Appellate Defender Training program. The program takes place in New Orleans and the date varies each year. The fellowship includes conference tuition, air fare, hotel accommodations, and an allowance for ground transportation and meals.

Program: The four-day program includes intensive training and individualized workshop activities with nationally known appellate advocates. Among the topics are development of facts and themes, storytelling skills, issue selection and framing, interrelation of law and facts, persuasive writing, briefing techniques, oral argument, and petitions for discretionary review. Past winners have all said the program is excellent and enormously beneficial.

Qualifications: Applicants for the fellowship must be members of the ADI panel. Since the program emphasizes training, applicants who are not yet doing serious complex appeals will be preferred, although others may be chosen. Applicants must demonstrate dedication to representation of the indigent on appeal and the potential to be an outstanding appellate advocate.

Dates: The application must be received in the offices of ADI no later than (varies by year). It may be made by letter or e-mail in care of Elaine Alexander: 555 West Beech Street, Suite 300, San Diego, CA 92101, or eaa@adi-sandiego.com. The letter or e-mail should describe how the applicant meets the criteria mentioned above and how the applicant will benefit from the training offered. It may also indicate any significant relevant information about the candidate not provided to ADI with the attorney’s application to the panel. The recipient will be selected by the ADI board of directors and notified no later than (varies by year).

Further information about the training program: Call NLADA at (202) 452-0620; or consult its website.

Past winners:

1997 Nancy King
1998 Richard Pfeiffer
2000 Marta Stanton
2001 Eric Larson
2002 Leslie Barry
2003 Maria Morrison
2004 Christian Buckley and Kevin Sheehy
2005 Tom Owen, Stephen Hinkle
2007 Allison Simkin (Stanley) and Neale Gold - seminar cancelled, winners allowed to go next available time
2008 Liana Serobian and Niccol Kording
2009 Hassan Gorguinpour, Lisa Holder, Cathy Lintvedt
2010 Jonathan Demson, Helen Irza, Lauren Johnson