Attorney Alan Ellis, The Law Offices of Alan Ellis, San Rafael, California

95.6% of federal criminal cases results in a guilty plea. (US Sentencing Commission) 75.6% of federal criminal defendants are convicted following trial. (Dept. of Justice) 82.8% of federal criminal defendants receive a prison term. (US Sentencing Commission) 97% of Federal Criminal Defendants are Sentenced

Federal Sentencing, Prison, and Post-Conviction Law Firm

Alan Ellis
Mill Valley, California

Owner
phone	(610) 658-2255 (415) 380-2550
fax	(415) 380-2555
email	Email Me

Alan Ellis is a criminal defense lawyer with offices in San Francisco, Philadelphia, and soon to be opened Hong Kong. The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in a published decision has described him as a nationally recognized expert in federal criminal sentencing. Federal Lawyer Magazine has described him as one [of] this country's pre-eminent criminal defense lawyers. Mr. Ellis is a past president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He is also a contributing editor to the American Bar Association's Criminal Justice magazine for whom he writes a regular quarterly column on federal sentencing. He is a sought after lecturer in criminal law education programs and is widely published in the area of federal sentencing, Bureau of Prisons Matters, appeal and other post-conviction remedies with more than 90 articles to his credit. Amongst his publications are the highly acclaimed Federal Prison Guidebook the Federal Sentencing Guidebook and the Federal Post Conviction Guidebook.. Mr. Ellis also publishes Federal Sentencing and Post Conviction News. He has recently authored several articles on the United States Supreme Court's decision in United States v. Booker entitled All About Booker, Litigating in a Post-Booker World. And Representing the White Collar Client in a Post-Booker World. In the area of international criminal law, he has recently authored Americans Arrested Abroad, a companion article to his earlier Going Home: An Introduction to International Prisoner Transfer Treaties. More than one legal commentator has referred to Mr. Ellis as the go to guy in America for federal sentencing, Bureau of Prison matters, and post conviction remedies.

Areas of Practice:: Federal Criminal Law; White Collar Crimes

Litigation Percentage:: 75% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions:: Pennsylvania, 1968; U.S. District Court Northern District of California, 1987; U.S. District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1970; U.S. District Court Middle District of Pennsylvania, 1975; U.S. District Court Western District of Pennsylvania, 1999; U.S. District Court Northern District of New York, 1995; U.S. District Court District of Colorado, 1999; U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit, 1986; U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit, 1980; U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 1989; U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1983; U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1987; U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit, 1988; U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1982; U.S. Supreme Court, 1968; U.S. Supreme Court, 1978

Education:: Villanova University School of Law, Villanova, Pennsylvania, June, 1967
J.D.
Honors: Constitutional Law Award
Law Review: Villanova Law Review, Editor; Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, June, 1964
Bachelor of Arts
Honors: Dean's List

Published Works:: Mitigation of Punishment: A Collection of Sample Memoranda., NCCD Houston, Texas, 1979; The View of the Lawyer, 4 Champion 3, November, 1980; More Work After the Trial, 4 Pennsylvania Law Journal-Reporter 1, January, 1981; Federal Plea Bargaining, Sentencing, Prisons and Parole, NACDL Mid-Winter Symposium, February, 1983; Materials on Federal Sentencing, Prisons, Parole and Good Time, Philadelphia Bar Association Program on Effective Representation at Sentencing, April 16, 1983; Oppose Abolishment of Exclusionary Rule, 46 The Shingle 12, Spring, 1983; Federal Sentencing, Criminal Defense Manual, 1983; Lawyers Under Siege: A Primer on Grand Jury Subpoenas of Lawyers, Attorney Contempt in the Advocacy Setting and Pretrial Disqualification of Criminal Defense Lawyers based on Conflicts of Interest, NACDL Lawyers Assistance Committee Strike Force, June, 1984; Recent Developments in International Criminal Law, 8 Champion 22, November, 1984; Analysis of Select Forfeiture Provisions of the Comprehensive Crime Control Act 1984; Manual on Federal Sentencing, Prisons, Parole and Good Time, 1984; A Defense Attorney's Analysis of the Sentencing Provisions of the Crime Control and the Criminal Fine Enforcement Acts of 1984, 4 Champion 18, May, 1985; The United States' Treaties on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters: A Comparative Analysis, 19 International Lawyer 189, Winter, 1985; The Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984 and its Impact on Individuals Currently Serving a Sentence, 1985; Comprender La Ley (Know the Law): Rights of Hispanics Imprisoned in the United States, 1985; An Overview of the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984, 31 The Practical Lawyer 31, 1985; An Introduction to the Federal Parole System: What Every Prisoner Should Know, 1986; Rule 32 Alert: Hope for the Prisoner with an Inaccurate Pre-Sentence Investigation Report, 1986; Primer on Federal Post-Conviction Lawyering, 13 BNA Criminal Practice Manual, 141:122, October, 1987; Federal Sentencing Guidelines: How to Grid and Bear It, Part I, The Champion, November, 1987; Federal Sentencing Guidelines: How to Grid and Bear it, Part II, The Champion, January - February, 1988; How to Dispute Material Facts Under the New Federal Sentencing Guidelines, ALI-ABA Course Materials Journal, April, 1988; There is Still the Time and the Need to Understand the Federal Parole Guidelines, Corporate Criminal Liability Reporter, Vol. 2, No. 3, Summer, 1988; How to Get Your Client into "Club Fed", CACJ/Forum, March/April, Vol. 17, No. 2, 1990; Mandatory Minimums: The Tide May be Turning, The Champion, December, 1990; Indigent Defense: Wakeup Call for Mr. Scrooge, The Champion, January/February, 1991; Sticker Shock and Prison Impact Statements, The Champion, March, 1991; Time to Draw the Line on Police Power, San Francisco Chronicle, March, 1991; Who's Doing Time? Not NecessarilyWillie Horton, The Champion, April, 1991; Race and Juries: Burden Could Shift to Defense, New York Times, April, 1991; The Trouble with the Crime Bill, Los Angeles Daily Bar Journal, April, 1991; Defense Lawyers' Chief Attacks Bush Crime Plan, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April, 1991; An Anti-Crime Bill in Name Only, The Champion, May, 1991; Lawyers are 'Constitutional Cops' on Freedom 'Beat,', Courier Express, May, 1991; Crime Control: A Call for a National Commission on the Causes of Crime, The Champion, June, 1991; Green Light for Mayhem, Marin Independent Journal, June, 1991; Racism in the Criminal Justice System, Oakland Tribune, July, 1991; President's Crime Bill Assaults Basic Liberties, San Francisco Chronicle, September, 1991; Criminal Defense Lawyers Deserve Credit for Preserving Basic Rights, Contra Costa Times, October, 1991; Crime Bill Undermines Centuries-Old Protections, San Francisco Chronicle, October, 1991; Of Race and Incarceration, San Francisco Recorder, December, 1991; A War on Drugs - Or on Blacks, San Diego Union, December, 1991; Racism and Criminal Justice, Marin Independent-Journal, December, 1991; Vital Legal Protection Is In Jeopardy, Chicago Tribune, December, 1991; Defense Lawyers Seeking Cushy Prisons, Not Softer Mercy Pleas, Salt Lake City Tribune, December, 1991; Lawyers Offered Tips on Getting Clients into 'Club Fed', Pittsburgh Press, December, 1991; How to Get Your Client Into 'Club Fed,', The Champion, December, 1991; Racism and Criminal Justice: Black Americans Bear the Brunt of Draconian Drug Laws, Los Angeles Daily Journal, January, 1992; El Racismo En La Balanza, La Opinion, February, 1992; How 'Tooth Fairy' Bureaucracy Slowed Convict's Parole, San Francisco Chronicle, February, 1992; A Secret Tooth, San Francisco Chronicle, February, 1992; Racism and Injustice in the Criminal Justice System, San Francisco Chronicle, May, 1992; A Glaring Contrast: Criminal Justice in Black and White, Wall Street Journal, May, 1992; Feds Won't Let Ex-Con Take Law Job, San Francisco Weekly; Mill Valley Lawyer Helps Inmates and Ex-Inmates Battle for Freedom, Mill Valley Times, September, 1992; The Fate of Habeas Corpus Under Clinton, Los Angeles Daily Journal, December, 1992; Seizure of Assets Under Drug Law Hotly Debated, Los Angeles Times, January, 1993; Federal Pre-sentencing and Post Conviction Newsletter; At a Minimum: Obtaining the Best Prison Security Level, Los Angeles Daily Journal, 1995; The Basic Tools of Federal Post Conviction Relief, Part III - Collateral Attack: 2255 Motions and Habeas Petitions, The Aleph Institution National Liberator, Spring, 1996; Federal Felony Convictions, Collateral Civil Disabilities, ABA Criminal Justice, Summer, 1996; How to Secure a Favorable Prison Designation for Your Client, Criminal Justice Magazine, July, 1996; It's Not Too Late -- The Time Period for Filing 2255 Motions Under the New Habeas Corpus Reform Law, The Champion, July, 1996; It's Not Too Late, Part II - Filing Second and Successive 2255 Motions under the New Habeas Corpus Reform Law, The Champion, Jan/Feb, 1997; Baker's Dozen: Tips for the Experienced Advocate, Criminal Justice, Winter, 1997; A Plea for a Pre-PSI, ABA Criminal Justice, Spring, 1997; Let Judges be Judges! Downward Departures After Koon, Criminal Justice, Winter, 1998; Let Judges be Judges! Post-Koon Downward Departures: Part 2: Post Offense Rehabilitation, Criminal Justice, Spring, 1998; Let Judges be Judges! Post-Koon Downward Departure: Part 3: Aberrant Behavior, Criminal Justice, Summer, 1998; Let Judges Be Judges! Post-Koon Downward Departure: Part 4: Civic, Charitable, or Public Service, Criminal Justice, Fall, 1998; Let Judges Be Judges! Post-Koon Downward Departures: Part 5: Combination of Factors, Criminal Justice, Winter, 1999; Let Judges Be Judges! Post-Koon Downward Departures, Part 6: Substantial Assistance, Criminal Justice, Spring, 1999; Let Judges Be Judges! Post-Koon Downward Departures, Part 7: Family Ties and Responsibilities, Criminal Justice, Summer, 1999; Answering the "Why Question: The Powerful Departure Ground of Diminished Capacity, Aberrant Behavior, and Post-Offense Rehabilitation", Federal Sentencing Reporter, Vol. 11, No. 6, May/June, 1999; Going Home: An Introduction to International Prisoner Transfers, The Champion, July, 1999; Representing the White Collar Client at Sentencing, Criminal Justice, Winter, 2000; Federal Prison Designation and Placement: An Update, Criminal Justice, Summer, 2000; Apprehending and Appreciating Apprendi, Criminal Justice, Winter, 2001; Baker's Dozen, Part II: Advice for the Advocate, Criminal Justice, Spring, 2001; Counseling Your Clients on Doing Time, Criminal Justice, Winter, 2002; A Federal Criminal Appeal Primer: A Guide for Clients and their Family and Friends, Criminal Justice, Spring, 2002; A 2255 and 2241 Primer, A Guide for Clients, and Their Families and Friends, The Champion, April, 2002; Alan Ellis' Federal Prison Guidebook, 1998; Alan Ellis' Federal Prison Guidebook, 2000; Alan Ellis' Federal Prison Guidebook, 2002; Alan Ellis' Federal Sentencing Guidebook; Alan Ellis' Federal Post Conviction Guidebook; Litigating in a Post-Booker World, Criminal Justice, Spring, 2005; Getting Out Early: BOP Drug Program, Criminal Justice, Summer, 2005; Representing the White Collar Client in a Post-Booker World, The Champion, Sept./Oct., 2005; Reducing Recidivism: The Bureau of Prisons Comprehensive Residential Drug Abuse Program; Securing a Favorable Prison Placement, Criminal Justice, Fall, 2005; Alan Ellis' Federal Prison Guidebook, 2005 Edition, October, 2005; Philadelphia Magazine, 1982; Criminal Justice Magazine, Federal Pre-sentencing and Post Conviction Remedies (Contributing Editor); How to Secure a Favorable Prison Designation for Your Client, Criminal Justice Magazine, July, 1996

Classes/Seminars Taught:: Instructor of Business Law, University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business and Finances, 1969 - 1970; Assistant Professor of Law, Golden Gate University School of Law, San Francisco, CA, 1970 - 1971; Advanced Criminal Law Seminars, Parole and the New Sentencing Commission, Aspen, Colorado, 1986; Overview of Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984, Alabama Bar Institute for Continuing Legal Education; Bail and Pre-Trial Detention, Sentencing, Forfeiture of Legal Fees, Alabama Bar Institute for Continuing Legal Education, Birmingham, Alabama, 1985; The Second National Institute on Federal Sentencing Guidelines, American Bar Association, San Francisco, California, September 24, 1992 - September 26, 1992; 17th Annual National Institute, Criminal Tax Fraud 2000, American Bar Association-Section of Taxation, Washington, DC, November 1, 2000 - November 3, 2000; 17th Annual National Institute, Criminal Tax Fraud 2000, American Bar Association-Section of Taxation, San Francisco, California, December 6, 2000 - December 8, 2000; 19th Annual National Institute, Criminal Tax Fraud 2002, American Bar Association-Section of Taxation, San Francisco, California, December 6, 2002 - December 8, 2002; Federal Sentencing Guidelines, American Bar Association-White Collar Crime Institute, San Francisco, March 4, 1999; Federal Prisons, American Bar Association-White Collar Crime Institute, San Francisco, March 5, 2003; Roundtable on Federal Sentencing Practice Tips, American Board of Criminal Lawyers, San Diego, California, February 13, 1999; Federal Sentencing Guidelines, American Bar Association-National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Washington, D.C., 1988; California Attorneys for Criminal Justice, American Law Institute-American Bar Association (ALI-ABA), Los Angeles, California, 1988; Federal Sentencing Guidelines, American Law Institute-American Bar Association (ALI-ABA), Washington, D.C., February 5, 1988; Federal Sentencing Guidelines, American Law Institute-American Bar Association (ALI-ABA), Chicago, Illinois, February 26, 1988; Organizational Sanctions under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, CLE-TV, American Law Institute-American Bar Association (ALI-ABA), 1991; The War on Lawyers, Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey, 1985; The War on Lawyers, Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey, 1991; What Every Defense Attorney Should Know About the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Association of Federal Defense Attorneys, Los Angeles, California, 1995; Super-Star Seminar on Criminal Defense Litigation Federal, Atlanta Bar Association, Atlanta, Georgia, 1988; Federal Practice Seminar, California Attorneys for Criminal Justice, San Diego, California, 1993; Federal Sentencing Guidelines, Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Hartford, Connecticut, 1989; Federal Prisoners' Post-Conviction Rights and Remedies, Federal Correctional Institution at Pleasanton, California, 1987; Federal Prisoners' Post-Conviction Rights and Remedies, Federal Correctional Institution at Safford, Arizona, 1989; Annual Western All Star Conference and Confabulation, Federal Defenders of Eastern Washington and Idaho, Boise, Idaho, September 9, 1999; Seminar on Litigating Substantial Assistance Motions, Federal Public Defenders of Hawaii, December 1, 2001; Workshop for Judges of the First and Third Circuits on Federal Sentencing Guidelines, Federal Judicial Center, Charleston, South Carolina, 1988; Workshop for Judges of the First Circuit on Federal Sentencing, Federal Judicial Center, Hyannis, Massachusetts, 1997; Round table discussion on Post-Conviction Issues and the Bureau of Prisons, Federal Public Defender's Office, San Jose, California, 1999; Workshop on Sentencing, First Circuit Court of Appeals Judicial Conference, Hyannis, Massachusetts, 1996; The Crime Bill, Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Miami, Florida, 1991; Sentencing Advocacy, Florida Bar Association, 1983; Defending the White Collar case: In and Out of Court, Georgetown University Law Center Continuing Legal Education & National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Washington, D.C., September 22, 2005; White Collar Crime Seminar, "Sentencing the White Collar Criminal Defendant", Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia, December 2, 1999; Advanced Sentencing Advocacy, Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1988; Law and All That Jazz Seminar, Federal Presentence and Post Conviction Remedies, Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1996; The War on Lawyers, Maryland Criminal Defense Attorneys' Association, Baltimore, Maryland, 1985; Impact of the New Federal Sentencing Guidelines, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc., Boston, Massachusetts, 1988; An Anti-Crime Bill in Name Only, Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, St. Louis, Missouri, 1991; Federal Plea Bargaining, Sentencing, Prisons and Parole, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 1983; Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Chicago, Illinois, 1985; Advanced Federal Sentencing Guidelines, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, New Orleans, Louisiana, February 14, 1988; How to Get Your Client into Club Fed, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Santa Monica, California, 1996; Lawyering on the Edge: Pushing the Limits of Aggressive Advocacy - Creating Judicial Flexibility in Sentencing Guidelines, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Chicago, Illinois, November 6, 1999; When Serving Time is Inevitable: An Interview with Alan Ellis on the Federal Prison System, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Las Vegas, Nevada, 2001; Federal Sentencing, National Association of Sentencing Advocates, San Francisco, California, May 2, 1997; Sentencing Course and Practical Guide, Advisory Committee Meeting, National Judicial College, Reno, Nevada, February 7, 1997 - February 8, 1997; Federal Sentencing Practice, New York Criminal Bar Association, New York, New York, 1986; Federal Sentencing Guidelines, New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, New York, New York, 1987; How to Get Your Client into "Club Fed", Northern California Criminal Trial Lawyers Association, San Francisco, California, 1990; Defense of a Criminal Case, "Ten Golden Nuggets of Sentencing", National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, Key West, Florida, 1994; How Do You Defend Those People?, Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, State College, Pennsylvania, 1996; Grand Jury Practice and Strategies: A Defense's Lawyers Perspective, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, 1984; Providing Effective Representation at Sentencing, Philadelphia Bar Association, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1983; Comprehensive Crime Control and Fine Enforcements Acts of 1984, Philadelphia Bar Association, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1985; National Conference on Sentencing Advocacy, Practicing Law Institute, Washington, D.C., 1989; National Conference on Sentencing Advocacy, Practicing Law Institute, Washington, D.C., 1991; Post-Conviction Representation of Federal Criminal Defendants, San Antonio Bar Association, San Antonio, Texas, 1987; Advanced Criminal Law Program, Post-Conviction Lawyering, State Bar of Texas, Dallas, Texas, 1987; How to Get Your Client into Club Fed, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Houston, Texas, 1993; Criminal Pre-Trial Motion Practice in Pennsylvania, Trial Advocacy Foundation of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1985; Federal Sentencing Guidelines, A Defense Lawyer's Perspective, United States Attorneys for the Middle District of Florida, Marco Island, Florida, 1988; Federal Sentencing Guidelines, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1987; New Developments in Federal Criminal Law, University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law, Kansas City, Missouri, 1985; Post-Conviction Representation of Criminal Defendants, Villanova University School of Law, Villanova, Pennsylvania, 1983; Plea Negotiations and Sentencing, "Ten Golden Nuggets of Sentencing", Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, 1995; ALI-ABA Courses of Study, Criminal Law Planning, Co-Chairperson

Honors and Awards:: Executive Committee Award, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Sentencing Commission Liaison Committee Activities, U.S., 1986; President's Commendation Award, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Lawyers Assistance Strike Force Activities, 1985; President's Commendation Award, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Lawyers Assistance Strike Force Activities, 1984; Robert C. Heeney Memorial Award, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1983; President's Commendation Award, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Amicus Curiae Committee Activities, 1982; Who's Who in American Law, 1984 - Present; National Directory of Criminal Lawyers

Professional Associations and Memberships:: American Bar Association; Criminal Justice Section; American Board of Criminal Lawyers; Fellow; American Civil Liberties Union of Central Pennsylvania, 1976 - 1980; President; National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1990 - 1991; President; National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1989 - 1990; President Elect; National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1988 - 1989; First Vice-President; National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1987 - 1988; Second Vice-President; National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1986 - 1987; Third Vice-President; National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1985 - 1986; Secretary; National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1981 - 1985; National Board of Directors; National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1985 - 1987; Chairperson, Sentencing Committee; National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1983 - 1985; Chairperson, Lawyers Assistance Strike Force; National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1980 - 1983; Chairperson, Amicus Curiae Committee; National Council on Crime and Delinquency, 1991 - 1994; Board of Directors; Philadelphia Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, 1984 - 1986; Executive Committee; Prison Law Offices, 1989 - 1994; Board of Directors; Bureau of National Affairs, Inc., Criminal Practice Manual; Former Member, Editorial Advisory Board; Clark Boardman Ltd., Drug Law Report; Member, Editorial Advisory Board

Past Employment Positions:: Hon. Raymond J. Broderick, Judge, United States District Court for Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Law Clerk, 1973; Golden Gate University School of Law, San Francisco, California, Assistant Professor of Law, 1970 - 1971; Wharton School of Business and Finance at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Instructor in Law, 1969 - 1970; Hon. John W. Lord, Jr., Chief Judge, United States District Court for Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Law Clerk, 1967 - 1969

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California

495 Miller Ave.
Suite 201
Mill Valley, CA 94941

Phone 415 380 2550
Fax 415 380 2555

aelaw1@alanellis.com

Pennsylvania

50 Rittenhouse Place
Ardmore, PA 19003

Phone 610 658 2255
Fax 610 649 8362

aelaw1@alanellis.com

With offices in San Francisco, California (Mill Valley), and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Ardmore), the Law Offices of Alan Ellis provides a full range of sentencing, Bureau of Prison (BOP) designation, placement and other problems, and post-conviction services to lawyers and defendants throughout the United States, including California (such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, San Diego, and Sacramento), New York (such as New York City), Florida (such as Miami, Tampa, and Orlando), Texas (such as Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio), Illinois (such as Chicago), Pennsylvania (such as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh), Ohio (such as Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati), Michigan (such as Detroit and Grand Rapids), Georgia (such as Atlanta and Savannah), and North Carolina (such as Charlotte and Raleigh