Serna Wins Driscoll Award
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New Mexico CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYERS ASSOCIATION
June 3, 2013
President Ousama Rasheed Albuquerque President-Elect Barbara Mandel Las Cruces Vice President Matthew Coyte Albuquerque Treasurer Margaret Strickland Las Cruces Secretary Barry Porter Albuquerque Executive Director Cathy Ansheles Santa Fe Legislative Coordinator Susan Saleska Hamilton Santa Fe
PO Box 8324 Santa Fe, NM 87504 505.992.0050 www.nmcdla.org
Contact: David Serna 505-242-4057 Ray Twohig 505-898-0400 Cathy Ansheles 505-992-0050 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SouthWest Super Lawyer Wins Defense Recognition David Serna, a private practice attorney and long-time member of the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (NMCDLA), will receive the 2013 Charles Driscoll Award on Friday, June 7th at NMCDLA’s annual meeting. A 1977 graduate of Georgetown Law School in Washington, D.C., Mr. Serna was admitted to the New Mexico bar the same year. He grew up in Silver City, where his father was the elected District Attorney for the Sixth Judicial District for over twenty years. After graduating from the University of New Mexico and finishing law school, Mr. Serna worked at the Second Judicial District Attorney’s office for over three years. His experience there and his strong interest in individual rights motivated him to enter private practice and take up criminal defense. He has had his own firm for thirty-two years. Mr. Serna was a founding member of the National College for DUI Defense at Harvard Law School, and has been recognized in Southwest Super Lawyers and other publications as a highly competent and effective criminal defense attorney. He has represented defendants in hundreds of criminal cases throughout New Mexico, including some cases of interest to the news media. He will soon begin the trial in which former Albuquerque Police officer Levi Chavez is charged with murdering his wife. Fellow Driscoll Award recipient, Ray Twohig, says, “As one of the go-to people on all matters of criminal defense, David is creative and helpful to many less experienced lawyers. He’s always there for advice and help, on our email listserv and in person. His work in the trial and appellate courts in New Mexico has included several landmark cases. He is consistently prepared and effective.” Jeff Buckels, another former recipient, adds, “No one is a more recognized, respected and welcome figure over at the courthouse. I don’t know anybody who isn’t happy to see David.” The Driscoll Award will be presented on Friday, June 7th at the NMCDLA seminar being held at the UNM School of Law. It is given annually to an outstanding member of the criminal defense bar who has shown extraordinary courage and determination in protecting the rights of people charged with crimes. The award commemorates Charles Driscoll, a long-time criminal defense lawyer who later became a Catholic priest and whose passion and zeal to improve criminal defense in New Mexico has served as an example to generations of attorneys. NMCDLA is an affiliate of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and has over five-hundred members across New Mexico. ##########
June 3, 2013
President Ousama Rasheed Albuquerque President-Elect Barbara Mandel Las Cruces Vice President Matthew Coyte Albuquerque Treasurer Margaret Strickland Las Cruces Secretary Barry Porter Albuquerque Executive Director Cathy Ansheles Santa Fe Legislative Coordinator Susan Saleska Hamilton Santa Fe
PO Box 8324 Santa Fe, NM 87504 505.992.0050 www.nmcdla.org
Contact: David Serna 505-242-4057 Ray Twohig 505-898-0400 Cathy Ansheles 505-992-0050 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SouthWest Super Lawyer Wins Defense Recognition David Serna, a private practice attorney and long-time member of the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (NMCDLA), will receive the 2013 Charles Driscoll Award on Friday, June 7th at NMCDLA’s annual meeting. A 1977 graduate of Georgetown Law School in Washington, D.C., Mr. Serna was admitted to the New Mexico bar the same year. He grew up in Silver City, where his father was the elected District Attorney for the Sixth Judicial District for over twenty years. After graduating from the University of New Mexico and finishing law school, Mr. Serna worked at the Second Judicial District Attorney’s office for over three years. His experience there and his strong interest in individual rights motivated him to enter private practice and take up criminal defense. He has had his own firm for thirty-two years. Mr. Serna was a founding member of the National College for DUI Defense at Harvard Law School, and has been recognized in Southwest Super Lawyers and other publications as a highly competent and effective criminal defense attorney. He has represented defendants in hundreds of criminal cases throughout New Mexico, including some cases of interest to the news media. He will soon begin the trial in which former Albuquerque Police officer Levi Chavez is charged with murdering his wife. Fellow Driscoll Award recipient, Ray Twohig, says, “As one of the go-to people on all matters of criminal defense, David is creative and helpful to many less experienced lawyers. He’s always there for advice and help, on our email listserv and in person. His work in the trial and appellate courts in New Mexico has included several landmark cases. He is consistently prepared and effective.” Jeff Buckels, another former recipient, adds, “No one is a more recognized, respected and welcome figure over at the courthouse. I don’t know anybody who isn’t happy to see David.” The Driscoll Award will be presented on Friday, June 7th at the NMCDLA seminar being held at the UNM School of Law. It is given annually to an outstanding member of the criminal defense bar who has shown extraordinary courage and determination in protecting the rights of people charged with crimes. The award commemorates Charles Driscoll, a long-time criminal defense lawyer who later became a Catholic priest and whose passion and zeal to improve criminal defense in New Mexico has served as an example to generations of attorneys. NMCDLA is an affiliate of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and has over five-hundred members across New Mexico. ##########
