PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
LAW OFFICES OF ALAN ELLIS, Mill Valley, California and Ardmore, Pennsylvania.
1973 to present. Founder and senior partner of a criminal defense law firm with emphasis on the pre-sentence and post conviction representation of federal criminal defendants in connection with plea negotiations; sentencing; prison designation, transfers, and disciplinary matters; Rule 35 motions; parole; direct appeals; Supreme Court practice; habeas corpus 2241 and 2255 petitions; prisoner transfer treaty work for foreign inmates and Americans arrested abroad; and international human rights.
FEDERAL CLERKSHIP, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1973. Law Clerk to the Honorable Raymond J. Broderick, Judge, United States District Court for Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF LAW, San Francisco, California.
1970 to 1971. Assistant Professor of Law, Golden Gate University School of Law. Full-time teaching position. Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Corporations.
INSTRUCTOR IN LAW, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1969 to 1970. Instructor in Law at the Wharton School of Business and Finance at the University of Pennsylvania. Business Law.
FEDERAL CLERKSHIP, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1967 to 1969. Law Clerk to the Honorable John W. Lord, Jr., Chief Judge, United States District Court for Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
BAR AND COURT ADMISSIONS:
Admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar (1968)
Admitted to practice before:
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (1968)
Supreme Court of the United States (1978)
United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (1986)
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (1980)
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (1989)
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (1983)
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (1987)
United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (1988)
United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (1982)
United States District Court for the Northern District of California (1987)
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (1970)
United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania (1975)
United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania (1999)
United States District Court for the Northern District of New York (1995)
United States District Court for the District of Colorado (1999)
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS:
American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section
American Board of Criminal Lawyers
American Civil Liberties Union of Central Pennsylvania, President, 1976-80
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
President, 1990-1991
President Elect, 1989-90
First Vice-President, 1988-89
Second Vice-President, 1987-88
Third Vice-President, 1986-87
Secretary, 1985-86
National Board of Directors, 1981-85
Chairperson, Sentencing Committee, 1985-1987Chairperson, Lawyers Assistance Strike Force, 1983-85
Chairperson, Amicus Curiae Committee, 1980-83
National Council on Crime and Delinquency, Board of Directors, 1991-1994
Philadelphia Bar Association, Executive Committee, Criminal Justice Section, 1984-86
Prison Law Offices, Board of Directors, 1989-1994
LISTINGS:
Philadelphia Magazine, 82 People to Watch in 1982.
Who's Who in American Law, 1984 - present.
National Directory of Criminal Lawyers.
PUBLICATIONS:
Alan Ellis' Federal Prison Guidebook, James Publishing Company (June 2008);
Supreme Court Finally Fulfills Promise of Booker, ABA Criminal Justice (Spring 2008);
Alan Ellis' Federal Sentencing Guidebook, (April 2008);
Healthcare in the Federal Prison System, ABA Criminal Justice (Summer 2008);
Federal Sentencing for the occasionally Federal Practitioner, The Champion (May 2008);
Securing the Best Placement and Earliest Release, ABA Criminal Justice (Winter 2008);
Bureau of Prisons Revamps Prison Designation Process, The Champion (December 2007);
Maximize Benefit of Client's Cooperation with Government, ABA Criminal Justice (Fall 2007);
Inside Baseball: Interview with Former Federal Probation Office, ABA Criminal Justice (Winter 2007);
Federal Sentencing Practice Tips: Effect of United States v. Booker et al., The Verdict (January 2007);
Federal Sentencing and Post Conviction News (Fall 2006);
Practice Tips: Part 3, ABA Criminal Justice (Fall 2006);
Americans Arrested Abroad, ABA Criminal Justice (Summer 2006);
Reducing Recidivism: The Bureau of Prisons Comprehensive Residential Drug Abuse
Program, The Champion (July 2006);
Federal Sentencing and Post Conviction News (Spring 2006);
Practice Tips: Part 2, ABA Criminal Justice (Spring 2006);
Securing a Favorable Prison Placement, The Champion, (April 2006);
Practice Tips: Part 1, ABA Criminal Justice, (Winter 2006);
Federal Sentencing and Post Conviction News (Winter 2005);
Alan Ellis' Federal Prison Guidebook, 2005-06ition (October 2005);
Representing the White Collar Client in a Post-Booker World, The Champion (Sept./Oct., 2005);
Federal Sentencing and Post Conviction News (Summer 2005);
Getting Out Early: BOP Drug Program, ABA Criminal Justice (Summer 2005);
Litigating in a Post-Booker World, ABA Criminal Justice (Spring 2005);
All About Booker: A Primer for Defendants, Family and Friends (2005);
List of Residential Drug Abuse Treatment Programs (RDAP) in the BOP (2004);
Early Release from Custody, ABA Criminal Justice (Fall 2003);
Alan Ellis= Federal Post Conviction Guidebook (2003);
Alan Ellis= Federal Sentencing Guidebook (2003);
Alan Ellis= Federal Prison Guidebook, 2002 editions;
A 2255 and 2241 Primer, A Guide for Clients, and Their Families and Friends, The Champion (April 2002);
A Federal Criminal Appeal Primer: A Guide for Clients and their Family and Friends,
ABA Criminal Justice (Spring 2002);
Counseling Your Clients on Doing Time, ABA Criminal Justice (Winter 2002);
Baker=s Dozen, Part II: Advice for the Advocate, ABA Criminal Justice, (Spring 2001);
Apprehending and Appreciating Apprendi, ABA Criminal Justice, (Winter 2001);
Alan Ellis= Federal Prison Guidebook, 2000 edition;
Federal Sentencing and Post Conviction News (Summer 2000);
Federal Prison Designation and Placement: An Update, ABA Criminal Justice (Summer 2000);
Representing the White Collar Client at Sentencing, ABA Criminal Justice, (Winter 2000);
Going Home: An Introduction to International Prisoner Transfers, The Champion (July 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);
Let Judges Be Judges! Post-Koon Downward Departures, Part 7: Family Ties and Responsibilities, ABA Criminal Justice (Summer 1999);
Federal Sentencing and Post Conviction News (Spring 1999);
Let Judges Be Judges! Post-Koon Downward Departures, Part 6: Substantial Assistance, ABA Criminal Justice, (Spring 1999);
Let Judges Be Judges! Post-Koon Downward Departures: Part 5: Combination of Factors, ABA Criminal Justice, (Winter 1999);
Federal Sentencing and Post Conviction News (Fall 1998);
Let Judges Be Judges! Post-Koon Downward Departure: Part 4: Civic, Charitable, or Public Service, ABA Criminal Justice, (Fall 1998);
Alan Ellis= Federal Prison Guidebook, 1998 edition;
Let Judges be Judges! Post-Koon Downward Departure: Part 3: Aberrant Behavior, ABA Criminal Justice, (Summer 1998);
Let Judges be Judges! Post-Koon Downward Departures: Part 2: Post Offense Rehabilitation, ABA Criminal Justice, (Spring 1998);
Let Judges be Judges! Downward Departures After Koon, ABA Criminal Justice, (Winter 1998);
A Plea for a Pre-PSI, ABA ABA Criminal Justice, (Spring 1997);
Baker=s Dozen: Tips for the Experienced Advocate, ABA Criminal Justice, (Winter 1997);
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);
Federal Sentencing and Post Conviction News (Winter 1997);
Federal Sentencing and Post Conviction News (Fall 1996);
It's Not Too Late -- The Time Period for Filing 2255 Motions Under the New Habeas Corpus Reform Law, The Champion, (July 1996);
How to Secure a Favorable Prison Designation for Your Client, ABA Criminal Justice Magazine, (July 1996);
Federal Sentencing and Post Conviction News (Summer 1996);
Federal Felony Convictions, Collateral Civil Disabilities, ABA Criminal Justice, (Summer 1996);
Federal Sentencing and Post Conviction News (Spring 1996);
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 Sentencing and Post Conviction News (Winter 1995);
Federal Sentencing and Post Conviction News (Fall 1995);
Federal Sentencing and Post Conviction News (Summer 1995);
At a Minimum: Obtaining the Best Prison Security Level, Los Angeles Daily Journal (1995);
Federal Sentencing and Post Conviction News (Spring 1995);
Federal Sentencing and Post Conviction News (Winter 2004);
Federal Sentencing and Post Conviction News (Fall 1994);
Federal Sentencing and Post Conviction News (Spring 1994);
Federal Sentencing and Post Conviction News (Winter 1993);
Seizure of Assets Under Drug Law Hotly Debated, Los Angeles Times (January 7, 1993);
The Fate of Habeas Corpus Under Clinton, Los Angeles Daily Journal (December 11, 1992);
Mill Valley Lawyer Helps Inmates and Ex-Inmates Battle for Freedom, Mill Valley Times (September 1, 1992);
Feds Won't Let Ex-Con Take Law Job, San Francisco Weekly;
A Glaring Contrast: Criminal Justice in Black and White, Wall Street Journal (May 14, 1992);
Racism and Injustice in the Criminal Justice System, San Francisco Chronicle (May 1, 1992);
A Secret Tooth, San Francisco Chronicle (February 26, 1992);
How 'Tooth Fairy' Bureaucracy Slowed Convict's Parole, San Francisco Chronicle (February 22, 1992);
El Racismo En La Balanza, La Opinion (February 9, 1992);
Racism and Criminal Justice: Black Americans Bear the Brunt of Draconian Drug Laws, Los Angeles Daily Journal (January 21, 1992);
How to Get Your Client Into 'Club Fed,' The Champion (December, 1991);
Lawyers Offered Tips on Getting Clients into 'Club Fed', Pittsburgh Press (December 22, 1991);
Defense Lawyers Seeking Cushy Prisons, Not Softer Mercy Pleas, Salt Lake City Tribune (December 16, 1991);
Vital Legal Protection Is In Jeopardy, Chicago Tribune (December 15, 1991;
Racism and Criminal Justice, Marin Independent-Journal (December 11, 1991);
A War on Drugs - Or on Blacks, San Diego Union (December 8, 1991);
Of Race and Incarceration, San Francisco Recorder (December 5, 1991);
Crime Bill Undermines Centuries-Old Protections, San Francisco Chronicle (October 29, 1991);
Criminal Defense Lawyers Deserve Credit for Preserving Basic Rights, Contra Costa Times (October 9, 1991);
President's Crime Bill Assaults Basic Liberties, San Francisco Chronicle, (September 17, 1991);
Racism in the Criminal Justice System, Oakland Tribune, (July 21, 1991);
Green Light for Mayhem, Marin Independent Journal, (June, 1991);
Crime Control: A Call for a National Commission on the Causes of Crime, The Champion, (June, 1991);
Lawyers are 'Constitutional Cops' on Freedom 'Beat,' Courier Express, (May 1, 1991);
An Anti-Crime Bill in Name Only, The Champion, (May, 1991);
Defense Lawyers' Chief Attacks Bush Crime Plan, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (April 21, 1991);
The Trouble with the Crime Bill, Los Angeles Daily Bar Journal, (April 15, 1991);
Race and Juries: Burden Could Shift to Defense, New York Times,(April 5, 1991);
Who's Doing Time? Not Necessarily Willie Horton, The Champion, (April, 1991);
Time to Draw the Line on Police Power, San Francisco Chronicle, (March 29, 1991);
Sticker Shock and Prison Impact Statements, The Champion, (March, 1991);
Indigent Defense: Wakeup Call for Mr. Scrooge, The Champion, (January/February, 1991);
Mandatory Minimums: The Tide May be Turning, The Champion, (December, 1990);
How to Get Your Client into "Club Fed", CACJ/Forum, Vol. 17, No. 2, (March/April 1990);
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 Dispute Material Facts Under the New Federal Sentencing Guidelines, ALI-ABA Course Materials Journal (April 1988);
Federal Sentencing Guidelines: How to Grid and Bear it, Part II, The Champion (January-February, 1988);
Federal Sentencing Guidelines: How to Grid and Bear It, Part I, The Champion (November, 1987);
Primer on Federal Post-Conviction Lawyering, 13 BNA Criminal Practice Manual, 141:122 (October 21, 1987);
Rule 32 Alert: Hope for the Prisoner with an Inaccurate Pre-Sentence Investigation Report (1986);
An Introduction to the Federal Parole System: What Every Prisoner Should Know (1986);
An Overview of the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984, 31 The Practical Lawyer 31 (1985);
Comprender La Ley (Know the Law): Rights of Hispanics Imprisoned in the United States 1985);
The Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984 and its Impact on Individuals Currently Serving a Sentence (1985);
The United States' Treaties on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters: A Comparative Analysis, 19 International Lawyer 189 (Winter 1985);
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);
Manual on Federal Sentencing, Prisons, Parole and Good Time (1984);
Analysis of Select Forfeiture Provisions of the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984;
Recent Developments in International Criminal Law, 8 Champion 22 (November 1984);
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, Manual prepared for NACDL Lawyers Assistance Committee Strike Force (June 18, 1984);
Federal Sentencing, Criminal Defense Manual (1983);
Oppose Abolishment of Exclusionary Rule, 46 The Shingle 12 (Spring 1983);
Materials on Federal Sentencing, Prisons, Parole and Good Time, Philadelphia Bar Association Program on Effective Representation at Sentencing (April 16, 1983);
Federal Plea Bargaining, Sentencing, Prisons and Parole, NACDL Mid-Winter Symposium, (February 12, 1983);
The View of the Lawyer, 4 Champion 3 (November, 1980), reprinted as attorney's Role in Sentencing: More Work After the Trial, 4 Pennsylvania Law Journal-Reporter 1 (January 12, 1981);
Mitigation of Punishment: A Collection of Sample Memoranda. NCCD Houston, Texas (1979);
Note, 11 Vill.L.Rev. 662(1966);
INTERVIEWS
Best Places to Go to Prison, Forbes (April 19, 2006).
Expert Names Top Five Prisons for White-Collar Criminals, Corporate Crime Reporter (July 25, 2005);
White Collar Offenders Shop the System for a Prison, Kansas City Star (March 10, 2006):
The Sentence Term-inators, ABA Journal (March 2003);
Interview with Alan Ellis, Criminal Defense Attorney, Corporate Crime Reporter (2000);
The Cell Broker, The Recorder (September 16, 2002);
Hiring a Good Attorney Can be a Matter of Time, The Philadelphia Inquirer (October 30, 1994);
Interview with In America/The West, a syndicated TV magazine show re "Club Fed" prison designations (1992);
Interview with KGO-TV (ABC San Francisco affiliate) re sentence reduction (1991);
Defense Lawyer Seeking Cushy Prisons, Not Softer Mercy Pleas, Salt Lake City Tribune (December 16, 1991);
Right Lawyer May Get Client 'Club Fed' Instead of Hard Time, Sacramento Bee (December 19, 1991);
Serving Time or Serving Tennis, Washington Post (December 15, 1991);
Constitutional Cop, Pacific Sun (July 5, 1991);
Court OKs Search of Passenger, USA Today, (June 21, 1991);
New Weapons Defense: Files on U.S. Agents, New York Times, June 7, 1991);
Crime Bill's Fine Print May Have Big Impact, The Recorder (May 21, 1991);
Top Defense Lawyer Criticizes Crime Bill, Philadelphia Legal Intelligencer (May 8, 1991);
Prosecutors Take Charge of Sentences, National Law Journal (November 26, 1990);
Defense Group's New Chief Hopes to Improve Bar's Appeal, The Recorder (July 16, 1990);
City Lawyer Named Chief of Criminal Defense Bar, Legal Intelligencer (October 6, 1989);
President-Elect's Clients All Have Own Convictions, San Francisco Banner Daily Journal (October 5, 1989);
Go Directly to Jail. But Which One?, The American Lawyer (July-August 1989);
LECTURING AND TRAINING:
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Chief District Court Judges Conference
January 30-31, 2008, San Diego, California
Xiamen University School of Law
October 6, 2007, Xiamen, China,
Shanghai, Jiaotong University, School of Law - Visiting Fulbright Professor of Law
Protections Provided Criminal Defendants by the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution, Fall 2007, Shanghai, China
Protections Provided Criminal Defendants by the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, Fall 2007, Shanghai, China
Protections Provided Criminal Defendants by the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution, Fall 2007, Shanghai, China
Protections Provided Criminal Defendants by the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution, Fall 2007, Shanghai, China
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Federal Sentencing - Judicial Panel - San Francisco, August 2007
Beijing Normal University School of Law, Beijing, China
The Right to Counsel Provided by the Constitution of the United States, April 2007
Shanghai, Jiaotong University, School of Law
The Fair Administration of Criminal Justice and the Rule of Law: The American Experience, November 14, 2006, Shanghai, China
Reception for Chinese members of NACDL, November 13, 2006, The Peninsula Hotel, Beijing, China
New Medico-Legal Society
Mental Illness as a Factor in Mitigation, November 6, 2006, Hong Kong, S.A.R.
Edward Bennett Williams Inn of Court
Federal Sentencing Practice Tips, September 21, 2006, Washington, D.C.
Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Law and All That Jazz Seminar, "Federal Sentencing Practice Tips," April 27, 2006, New Orleans, Louisiana
American Bar Association-White Collar Crime Institute
Federal Sentencing Practice Tips, March 3, 2006, San Francisco, California
Georgetown University Law Center Continuing Legal Education & National Association
of Criminal Defense Lawyers -- Defending the White Collar Case: In and Out of
Court, September 22, 2005, Washington, D.C.
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
White Collar Crime Conference, September 22, 2005, Washington, DC
American Bar Association-White Collar Crime Institute
Federal Prisons, March 5, 2003, San Francisco, California
American Bar Association-Section on Taxation
19th Annual National Institute, Criminal Tax Fraud 2002, December 6-8, 2002, San Francisco, California
Federal Public Defenders of Hawaii
Seminar on litigating substantial assistance motions, December 1, 2001, Honolulu, Hawaii
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
When Serving Time is Inevitable: An Interview with Alan Ellis on the Federal Prison System, February, 2001, Las Vegas, Nevada
American Bar Association-Section of Taxation
17th Annual National Institute, Criminal Tax Fraud 2000, November 1-3, 2000 Washington, DC; December 6-8, 2000, San Francisco, California.
Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia
White Collar Crime Seminar, ?Sentencing the White Collar Criminal Defendant,?
December 2, 1999, Atlanta, Georgia
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Lawyering on the Edge: Pushing the Limits of Aggressive Advocacy - Creating Judicial Flexibility in Sentencing Guidelines, November 6, 1999, Chicago, Illinois
Federal Public Defender=s Office
Round table discussion on Post-Conviction Issues and the Bureau of Prisons, October 15, 1999, San Jose, California
Federal Defenders of Eastern Washington and Idaho,
Annual Western All Star Conference and Confabulation, September 9, 1999, Boise, Idaho
American Bar Association-White Collar Crime Institute
Federal Sentencing Guidelines, March 4, 1999, San Francisco, California
American Board of Criminal Lawyers
Roundtable on Federal Sentencing Practice Tips, February 13, 1999, San Diego, California
Federal Judicial Center
Workshop for Judges of the First Circuit on Federal Sentencing, October 1997, Hyannis, Massachusetts
National Association of Sentencing Advocates
Federal Sentencing, May 2, 1997, San Francisco, California
National Judicial College
Sentencing Course and Practical Guide, Advisory Committee Meeting, February 7-
8, 1997, Reno, Nevada
First Circuit Court of Appeals Judicial Conference, Workshop on Sentencing, October 1996, Hyannis, Massachusetts
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
How to Get Your Client into Club Fed, August, 1996, Santa Monica, California
Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
How Do You Defend Those People?, July, 1996, State College, Pennsylvania
Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Law and All That Jazz Seminar, "Federal Presentence and Post Conviction Remedies," April 1996, New Orleans, Louisiana
Association of Federal Defense Attorneys, What Every Defense Attorney Should Know
About the Federal Bureau of Prisons, November, 1995, Los Angeles, California
Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Plea Negotiations and Sentencing, "Ten Golden Nuggets of Sentencing", May, 1995, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws
Defense of a Criminal Case, "Ten Golden Nuggets of Sentencing", December, 1994, Key West, Florida
California Attorneys for Criminal Justice
Federal Practice Seminar, October, 1993, San Diego, California
Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
How to Get Your Client into Club Fed, February 1993, Houston, Texas
American Bar Association
The Second National Institute on Federal Sentencing Guidelines, September 24-26, 1992, San Francisco, California
American Law Institute-American Bar Association (ALI-ABA)
Organizational Sanctions under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, CLE-TV, October, 1991
Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
The Crime Bill, July l99l, Miami, Florida
Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey, May, 1991, Newark, New ersey.
Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
An Anti-Crime Bill in Name Only, April, 1991, St. Louis, Missouri
Practicing Law Institute
National Conference on Sentencing Advocacy, April 1991, Washington D.C.
Northern California Criminal Trial Lawyers Association
How to Get Your Client into "Club Fed", July, 1990, San Francisco, California
Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
Federal Sentencing Guidelines, June, 1989, Hartford, Connecticut
Federal Correctional Institution at Safford
Federal Prisoners' Post-Conviction Rights and Remedies, June, 1989, Safford, Arizona
Practicing Law Institute
National Conference on Sentencing Advocacy, January 1989, Washington, D.C.
Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Advanced Sentencing Advocacy, December, 1988, New Orleans, Louisiana
United States Attorneys for the Middle District of Florida
Federal Sentencing Guidelines, A Defense Lawyer's Perspective, November, 1988, Marco Island, Florida,
Atlanta Bar Association - Super-Star Seminar on Criminal Defense Litigation Federal
Sentencing, September, 1988, Atlanta, Georgia
Federal Judicial Center
Workshop for Judges of the First and Third Circuits on Federal Sentencing Guidelines, April 1988, Charleston, South Carolina
American Law Institute-American Bar Association (ALI-ABA)
California Attorneys for Criminal Justice, February, 1988, Los Angeles, California
American Law Institute-American Bar Association (ALI-ABA)
Federal Sentencing Guidelines, February 26, 1988, Chicago, Illinois
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Advanced Federal Sentencing Guidelines, February 14, 1988, New Orleans,
Louisiana
American Law Institute-American Bar Association (ALI-ABA)
Federal Sentencing Guidelines, February 5, 1988, Washington, D.C.
American Bar Association-National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Federal Sentencing Guidelines, January, 1988, Washington, D.C.
New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Federal Sentencing Guidelines, December, 1987, New York, New York
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Federal Sentencing Guidelines, December, 1987, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Federal Correctional Institution at Pleasanton
Federal Prisoners' Post-Conviction Rights and Remedies, August, 1987, Pleasanton, California
State Bar of Texas
Advanced Criminal Law Program, Post-Conviction Lawyering, August, 1987, Dallas, Texas
San Antonio Bar Association
Post-Conviction Representation of Federal Criminal Defendants, March, 1987, San Antonio, Texas
New York Criminal Bar Association
Federal Sentencing Practice, December, 1986, New York, New York
Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc.
Impact of the New Federal Sentencing Guidelines, March 1988, Boston, Massachusetts
Advanced Criminal Law Seminars
Parole and the New Sentencing Commission, February, 1986, Aspen, Colorado.
Alabama Bar Institute for Continuing Legal Education
Bail and Pre-Trial Detention, Sentencing, Forfeiture of Legal Fees, November, 1985, Birmingham, Alabama
Maryland Criminal Defense Attorneys' Association
The War on Lawyers, May, 1985, Baltimore, Maryland
Trial Advocacy Foundation of Pennsylvania
Criminal Pre-Trial Motion Practice in Pennsylvania, May, 1985, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey
The War on Lawyers, March, 1985, Newark, New Jersey
Philadelphia Bar Association
Comprehensive Crime Control and Fine Enforcements Acts of 1984, March, 1985,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law
New Developments in Federal Criminal Law, February, 1985, Kansas City, Missouri
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984, January, 1985, Chicago, Illinois
Pennsylvania Bar Institute
Grand Jury Practice and Strategies: A Defense's Lawyers Perspective, May, 1984,
Camp Hill, Pennsylvania
Alabama Bar Institute for Continuing Legal Education
Overview of Comprehensive Crime Control Act of l984
Florida Bar Association
Sentencing Advocacy, December, l983
Villanova University School of Law
Post-Conviction Representation of Criminal Defendants, October, 1983, Villanova, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Bar Association
Providing Effective Representation at Sentencing, April, 1983, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Federal Plea Bargaining, Sentencing, Prisons and Parole, February, 1983, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
CONGRESSIONAL AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL TESTIMONY:
Hearing before the President's Commission on Model State Drug Laws, (January 6, 1993), San Diego, CA.
Hearing before the Government Information, Justice, and Agriculture Subcommittee of the Committee on Governmental Operation, U.S. House of Representatives on behalf of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers concerning Exercise of Federal Prosecutorial Authority in a Changing Legal Environment (May 10, 1990), Washington, D.C.
Hearing before the Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. House of Representatives on behalf of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers concerning Federal Sentencing Guidelines (July l0, 1987), Washington, D.C.
Hearing before the U.S. Sentencing Commission on behalf of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers concerning Revised Draft, Federal Sentencing Guidelines (March 11, 1987), Washington, D.C.
Hearing before the U.S. Sentencing Commission on behalf of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers concerning Preliminary Draft, Federal Sentencing Guidelines (December 2, 1986), Washington, D.C.
Hearing before Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. House of Representatives on behalf of Philadelphia Bar Association concerning Exclusionary Rule legislation (December 2, 1982), Washington D.C.
OTHER AFFILIATIONS:
ALI-ABA Courses of Study, Criminal Law Planning Co-chairperson
American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Magazine, Contributing Editor, Federal Sentencing and Post Conviction Remedies
The Attorney General's Conference of Leaders of the Criminal Prosecution and Defense Bars
Bureau of National Affairs, Inc., Criminal Practice Manual, former member, Editorial
Advisory Board
Clark Boardman Ltd., Drug Law Report, member, Editorial Advisory Board
MAJOR HONORS AND AWARDS:
Fulbright Senior Specialist Award, (2007), U.S. Department of State, Visiting Professor of Law, Shanghai, Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
Executive Committee Award, (1986), National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, U.S. Sentencing Commission Liaison Committee activities.
President's Commendation Award, (1985), National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Lawyers Assistance Strike Force activities.
President's Commendation Award, (1984), National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Lawyers Assistance Strike Force activities.
Robert C. Heeney Memorial Award, (1983), National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
President's Commendation Award, (1982), National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Amicus Curiae Committee activities.
REVIEWS:
Verdict Magazine (January 2007)
"Ellis, one of American's top specialists in criminal sentencing" . . . is a criminal defense lawyer with offices in San Francisco, Philadelphia, and soon to be opened Hong Kong. Federal Lawyer Magazine has described him as "one of this country's pre-eminent criminal defense lawyers." 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." 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, appeals 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 if 'you're in deep trouble and have deep pockets."
The Federal Lawyer (July 2006)
"Alan Ellis is one of this country's pre-eminent criminal defense lawyers. A former president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, he specializes in sentencing and post-conviction matters."
Expert Names Top Five Prisons for White-Collar Criminals, 19 Corporate Crime Reporter 30 (July 20, 2005);
The Sentence Term-inators, ABA Journal (March 2003)
"Ellis is one of only a handful of U.S. lawyers known as post-conviction specialist or sentence mitigators. These high-priced consultants specialize in getting their clients - among the most notorious defendants in the country - the lightest possible sentences to be served under the best possible conditions. Knowledge of prisons is critical in this job. Ellis shows his expertise as co-author of the Federal Prison Guidebook, sort of an overview of the entire federal prison system. Ellis says he makes no guarantees, but he won't take a case that he believes has no merit. He limits his practice exclusively to the federal courts because federal law is the same wherever he goes."
The Cell Broker, The San Francisco Recorder (September16, 2002)
"Ellis is one of the nation's preeminent post-conviction specialists, a lawyer who mitigates tough sentences with a thorough knowledge of the sentencing guidelines and federal prison system. His client list has included the famous and infamous, from Alfred Taubman, the former head of Christie's auction house to so-called American Taliban John Walker Lindh."
"Business leaders should probably start passing his name around at high-level meetings, too. With all the hubbub about cracking down on corporate corks, Ellis' roster of clients -- now about 80 - could start to strain under the demand."
"Most are of the white-collar variety, he says, with a handful of drug defendants and a few sexual predators thrown in. Why hire Ellis? He is the author of 'Federal Prison Guidebook.' And he boasts that every federal judge in America has a copy. He employs forensic accountants, psychiatrists, and investigators to churn up information that can be used to mitigate his client's crimes. He has contact within the Bureau of Prisons, which decides where prisoners are housed."
"Alan literally wrote the book on federal prison facilities," explain Tony West, of counsel at Morrison & Foerster [a prominent San Francisco law firm], said John Walker, one of Lindh's defense lawyers.
United States v. Walters, 309 F.3d 589, 592 (9th Cir. 2002) "Alan Ellis is a nationally recognized expert in federal criminal sentencing."
KGO-TV, San Francisco, Alan Ellis & Lianne C. Scherr, "The Best in the Business," (1996)
Hiring a Good Attorney Can Be a Matter of Time, The Philadelphia Inquirer (October 30, 1994)
"Ellis, based in San Francisco, is one of a handful of 'post-conviction' attorneys who help the convicted get the most out of the federal prison system."
"With Ellis' help, McGinley's sentence was cut to eight years and a month. McGinley, 41, is serving the last four years at the Federal Prison Camp in Alderson, a minimum-security prison for nonviolent women."
"I was told if you want the best, get Alan Ellis," McGinley says.
Right Lawyer May Get Client Club Fed Instead of Hard Time, The Sacramento Bee (December 19, 1991).
EDUCATION:
Villanova University School of Law, Villanova, Pennsylvania
J.D. Degree June, 1967; Editor, Villanova Law Review;
Constitutional Law Award
Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania
Bachelor of Arts Degree June, 1964; Dean's List
Revised 5/8/08
