The Champion of Public Defense award recognizes lawyers and non-lawyers for their efforts to improve state, local, and federal public defense systems through litigation, legislation, or other strategies.
Past Recipients
| 2021 | International Legal Foundation | New York, NY |
| 2020 | Juvenile Justice Program, Legal Aid Society of Puerto Rico | San Juan |
| 2019 | Civil Rights Corps | Washington, DC |
| 2019 | San Francisco Public Defender’s Office | San Francisco, CA |
| 2016 | Alexander Bunin | Houston, TX |
| 2013 | Bruce Jacob | Gulfport, FL |
| 2011 | Justice Michael Cherry | Carson City, NV |
| 2011 | Bennett H. Brummer | Miami, FL |
| 2009 | Robert L. Spangenberg | Boston, MA |
| 2008 | Marshal J. Hartman | Chicago, IL |
| 2007 | Erwin W. Lewis | Frankfort, KY |
| 2006 | Robert Boruchowitz | Seattle, WA |
| 2005 | Prof. Norman Lefstein | Indianapolis, IN |
| 2004 | Patricia Puritz | Washington, DC |
| 2003 | Gary Parker | Columbus, GA |
| 2002 | Norman L. Reimer | New York, NY |
| 2001 | Mary Ann Tally | Fayetteville, NC |

