MTACDL - Lawyers of the Year

Michael Donahoe (right, as usual) Named Montana Criminal Defense Lawyer of the Year

Bozeman, MT – March 13 – The federal defender who is perhaps best known for having represented Ted Kaczynski, also known as the Unabomber, has been named Montana’s criminal defense lawyer of the year. The Montana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (MTACDL) presented the award to Michael Donahoe last week during the group’s annual conference in Chico.

Mr. Donahoe is the Senior Litigator for the Federal Defenders of Montana. He is a past President of the Montana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Former chair of the Montana State Bar Criminal Defense Section. Mr. Donahoe is a popular speaker having made presentations to the Montana Trial Lawyers Association regarding his representation of Ted Kaczynski, and to the State Bar of Montana on the Bill of Rights.

When presenting the award, MTACDL President Al Avignone quoted from University of Montana Law Professor Jim Taylor’s nomination of Mr. Donahoe: "Michael has been a tireless defender as long as I have known him. He never backs down, and never gives up. He has helped build MTACDL, he has lobbied for MTACDL, he has mentored, he always lends a hand, and he has incredibly high standards for himself and others. It's possible that there is someone who has done something more for criminal defense in Montana than Michael, but if so I've never met him."

During the presentation of the award, Montana Federal Defender Tony Gallagher participated said of Mr. Donahoe, "His winning yet another appeal for William Gollehon, forestalling the state's efforts to carry out the death penalty (now for seventeen years) shows his excellence at the appellate level. But it is the entire body of his work throughout a stellar legal career that is deserving of this honor."

The Montana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers was established in 1997. It is an affiliate of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), a nationwide organization of 10,000 dedicated criminal defense attorneys. MTACDL was formed to ensure justice and due process for persons accused of crimes, to foster the integrity, independence, and expertise of the criminal defense profession, and to promote the proper and fair administration of criminal justice.