Washington, DC­ (February 26, 2015) – Tampa, FL, attorney Jo Ann Palchak was elected to the Board of Directors of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) at the Association's Midwinter meeting in New Orleans earlier this month. Palchak is a Life Member of NACDL and has been very active in the Women’s Initiative of the NACDL, most recently presenting at the Association's Spring meeting in Las Vegas in 2013.

Palchak practices at the Law Office of Jo Ann Palchak, P.A., a white collar, criminal defense, litigation boutique firm. Prior to opening her own firm she entered private practice and spent several years at the Tampa office of Zuckerman Spaeder, LLP. Palchak previously clerked for the Hon. Darryl C. Casanueva of the Second District Court of Appeal in Florida and served as an assistant public defender in Hillsborough County, FL. Prior to becoming an attorney, Palchak worked for Oracle Corp. as a principal software engineer.

Palchak completed her law degree at Stetson University College of Law, where she received both the Dean’s Award and the Student of the Year Award. Palchak also received a Certificate of Concentration in International Law from the law school. Palchak’s undergraduate degree is from Gannon University.

Contacts

Isaac Kramer, Public Affairs and Communications Assistant, (202) 465-7656 or ikramer@nacdl.org. 

The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers is the preeminent organization advancing the mission of the criminal defense bar to ensure justice and due process for persons accused of crime or wrongdoing. A professional bar association founded in 1958, NACDL's many thousands of direct members in 28 countries – and 90 state, provincial and local affiliate organizations totaling up to 40,000 attorneys – include private criminal defense lawyers, public defenders, military defense counsel, law professors and judges committed to preserving fairness and promoting a rational and humane criminal legal system.