Christopher McKinney:

NCDD is happy to spotlight member Christopher McKinney of Houston, Texas. Chris currently serves as the co-chair of the Impaired Driving Task Force and an NCDD Faculty Member and is a partner at the Murphy & McKinney Law Firm, P.C.

Born and raised in Houston, Chris recounts that he “grew up in a law firm,” accompanying his mom to work daily at his uncle’s law firm every day after school. His first job was also at his uncle’s firm during the summer. Of course, like most lawyers, his uncle often cautioned him, “don’t be a lawyer.” Chris originally took this to heart, studying biology with his sights on medical school while at Texas A&M. He eventually found his way back to law, graduating with a degree in Political Science and then attending the South Texas College of Law.

While in law school, he caught the bug for litigation as part of both mock trial and moot court teams. He also interned at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, where he was hired after graduation as a misdemeanor prosecutor. During his tenure as a prosecutor, Chris worked his way from misdemeanor to felony prosecutions to the Grand Jury Division to the trial bureau, where he handled gang murders, rapes, and robberies. He was eventually snatched up by the Vehicular Crimes Division, where he got experience training officers and other prosecutors and assisting in fatality accident investigations. Thankfully, NCDD Fellow Doug Murphy saw Chris’ talents and hired him away from the DA’s office as an associate attorney.

Chris’ approach to law has evolved since he began as a “naïve” young prosecutor with little life experience. He has explained how his approach changed quite a bit when he made the jump from prosecuting to defending the criminally accused, “not because I know more law now, but because I know that behind every allegation, there is a person and there is a story behind that person....My approach is never to cast judgment, never to point a finger, and never to give up on them even though the people closest to them have. My goal is to tell their story to the naïve, 25-year-old baby prosecutors looking through the black and white reports about the worst day of my client's life so that they understand that this is someone's life they are holding in their hands.”

Read more ...

J. Christopher Llinas:

The NCDD member of the spotlight is J. Christopher Llinas of Portland, Connecticut. He is licensed to practice in Connecticut, US D. Conn, US 1st Circuit, US 2nd Circuit, EOIR (Immigration Courts and Board of Immigration Appeals) and Maryland (inactive). He’s been practicing law for 27 years. He is a fierce defender in criminal, DUI, traffic, juvenile and immigration removal defense law. He became an attorney out of a desire to be an intellectual gladiator in the fight for justice.

Chris is half Irish and half Puerto Rican. He was born in Buffalo and adopted by a Cuban guy from Flatbush and a Puerto Rican girl from Spanish Harlem. He was raised in Western and Upstate New York and Central Pennsylvania. He spent his adult life either on the Delmarva Peninsula (mostly the Maryland Eastern Shore) or in New England. He earned his bachelor’s degree in English (Magna cum Laude) from Salisbury University and then became a paramedic for four years before going to law school. He obtained his law degree from the University of New Hampshire School of Law (formerly the Franklin Pierce Law Center in Concord, New Hampshire).

After moving from paramedicine to law, Chris worked in a variety of legal roles, from appellate law clerk to public defender, state’s attorney, in-house counsel, and private defense attorney. His approach to law is “triage,” very fitting considering his paramedic background. When asked what his favorite part of practicing law is, he remarked: "The extent to which it is never boring. However stressful and crazy as it often is, it never fails to be an interesting ride." Chris has lived all over New England including East Aurora and Niskayuna, New York, State College, Pennsylvania, Westminster, Vermont, Painter and Chincoteague, Virginia, Laurel, Delaware, Concord, New Hampshire, Windham, Ocean City, and Ocean Pines, Maryland, Hebron, Middletown and Portland, Connecticut.

A huge influence in Chris’s life has been his father, a college professor and world-renowned expert in data fusion and artificial intelligence. His mother was an accountant and a homemaker. Chris includes many in his sphere of positive and inspiring mentors including his high school wrestling coach Len Rockey, Salisbury Maryland college professors Tony Whall and Bill Zak, New Hampshire law school professors Bruce Friedman, Dick Hesse, and Buzz Scherr, Maine Appellate Justice Leigh Saufley, Maryland lawyers Tony Carozza, Rich Parolski, Jim Anthonelli and Lenny Stamm. He also thanks various wise elders in Alcoholics Anonymous, from which he’s drawn much strength.

Read more ...

Lance Hendron:

Our NCDD Member in the Spotlight is Lance Hendron of Las Vegas, Nevada. Lance became an attorney because he wanted to advocate for people who need help. Lance is a skilled warrior extraordinaire with his heart leading the way and the mindset of a chess thinker, literally. No surprise on his excellent moral compass as he cites his parents and his wife as the inspiration of his life. Lance comes from solid, hard-working parents who make him the center of their world. His father (who recently attended our NCDD Barrett Jackson outing; with mechanics as a hobby) is a local sales executive. Lance’s excellent storytelling skills derive naturally from his father, as his dad has never met a stranger. His mother worked as a casino spa attendant but is now happily retired.

Lance was born and raised in Highland, Indiana (roughly thirty minutes from Chicago, Illinois) until the age of eight when he moved with his parents to Las Vegas. He obtained his degree from the University of Notre Dame and law degree from Western State University College of Law. Before becoming an attorney, Lance was a pool attendant during undergrad summers at The Mirage Hotel & Casino and The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. During law school, Lance worked in the law library and also law clerked at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

Lance is on the NCDD Faculty and serves as the chair of the NCDD Autonomous Driving Task Force. He is an executive member and former President of the Nevada Attorneys for Criminal Justice (NACJ), as well as a life member of the National Association for Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL). Lance spends countless hours performing pro bono work because of his huge heart. His dedication and passion in helping those who can’t help themselves financially has earned him several awards from the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada, where he also serves on the Advisory Council. Former United States Attorney General Janet Reno describes Lance when she said, “I think lawyers who engage in pro bono service to protect those who cannot help themselves are truly the heroes and the heroines of the legal profession.”

One of Lance’s favorite wins earned quite the press. He secured an outright dismissal for a client who was wrongfully identified as pretending to be a vice squad officer to sexually assault his victims. Lance is a solo practitioner; however always so gracious and deferential, he describes it as “somewhat of a misnomer because I have several close mentors who have assisted me through the years.” Lance has trained numerous law clerks who have gone on to excel in different areas of the legal profession including criminal defense, personal injury and the U.S. Judge Advocate General's Corps. Lance’s advice for new attorneys is “Be true to yourself and your clients. Battle for your clients while finding time with your friends and family.” Most of all, Lance’s work evidences the joy he finds in “being the David who goes up against the Goliath”, the Government.

Read more ...

Juanita Kimble:

NCDD is pleased to spotlight Juanita Kimble of Atlanta, Georgia. Born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky, Juanita is the first (and only) lawyer in her family. In fact, she had never even interacted with a lawyer before entering law school! It seems, however, that Juanita was destined to become a criminal defense attorney. As a “natural fixer,” she has always immediately sought solutions when anyone would come to her with a problem.

Juanita attended the University of Kentucky for undergrad. She went on to study law at the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Despite her stint in Michigan and her current residence in Georgia, Juanita maintains her Bluegrass State roots with a special love of bourbon and the Kentucky Wildcats! To help supplement her income while receiving her education, Juanita taught dance (hip hop) and worked as a bartender – a job that “has been surprisingly useful in this world of DUI defense.”

Before entering private practice and becoming a partner at the EHG Law Firm, Juanita began her criminal defense career as a Public Defender in the City of Atlanta. A fierce advocate for the criminal accused, Juanita describes her approach to law as being her “authentic self.” “My authentic self is both compassionate and well prepared. I am also very client centered. I strive to make sure my desire to ‘win’ does not overshadow what my client considers to be a ‘win.’” Juanita enjoys “helping people navigate what is often a very stressful and unpredictable process.” Her belief in authenticity is also at the heart of her advice to new attorneys, “Remember that although the practice of law is old, there are always new ways to actually practice law. It’s okay to take advice from experienced lawyers, but don’t be afraid to do things in your own unique way.”

Juanita is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated of the Mu Epsilon chapter at the University of Kentucky. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking and reading fiction. Juanita also notes that she has been married to her “awesome husband” Mike for 5 years. They first met and became friends at UK and Mike is currently a PhD Candidate who serves as an adjunct professor as well as the Director of the Cultures, Communities and Inclusion at Georgia State University.

Read more ...

Peter Lederman:

A long overdue NCDD Member in the Spotlight and superstar is Peter Lederman of Freehold, New Jersey. His practice is limited to the exclusive representation of those accused of DWI and DWI related offenses. Under New Jersey law a DWI is a traffic offense. DWI charges are governed by Title 39 of the Motor Vehicle Code which regulates all New Jersey traffic offenses. Peter is one of 20+ Certified Municipal Court Attorneys by the New Jersey Supreme Court. This highly prized designation is achieved after passing a written exam and extensive review of cases tried over one’s career with input from Judges and Prosecutors.

Peter’s distinguished career includes many awards. He is a recipient of the New Jersey State Bar Association Advocacy Award in 2000 and the Middlesex County Bar Association Municipal Court Attorney of the Year Award in 2006. He has been recognized by Super Lawyers, AVVO and Best Lawyers. He regularly provides continued legal education to other attorneys in New Jersey. He impacts DWI policy in the state. He has testified before the New Jersey legislature, contributed to news stories produced by major media outlets, and has published in various professional journals. His memberships include the Middlesex County Bar Association: Member, Co-Chairman, Municipal Court Committee (1997-2001); New Jersey State Bar Association: Member, Chairman, Municipal Court Section (1998-2001); American Bar Association; Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey; Monmouth Bar Association; American Trial Lawyer Association; National College for DUI Defense; Francis Moore Scrambled Egg Society, Westfield New Jersey Area YMCA, Echol Lake Country Club, Friends of Westfield Library, Metropolitan Golf Association, and the Society Corpse de Ballet.

It is always most impressive and inspiring to see lawyers pass their knowledge and skills down from generation to generation. Peter’s father was a solo practitioner, and his mother was a homemaker. Through birth, he grew up knowing what is required to practice and succeed in law. He accepted the challenge on Parent’s Weekend during college at Franklin and Marshall College. He majored in Government, leveraging his knowledge as a campaign manager for a Congressional candidate. He earned his law degree from Fordham University School of Law, even teaching business law at Rutgers. Other jobs in Peter’s past which built his character include ushering at the Metropolitan Opera House, stocking for a vending company, and working for a large NYC bank during law school. A particularly cherished memory from his time at the bank was seeing Muhammad Ali the morning after the first Frazier fight at the Garden across the street from his office.

Peter is definitely home grown and lives by the mantra, “Deep roots bear rich fruits.” He is a New Jersey boy, born and bred, through and through. Predictably, he loves Jersey corn, blueberries and tomatoes, the Jersey Shore, and access to the Big Apple. He has lived his whole life in New Jersey except for college (Pa.) and law school (NYC). When not working or playing golf with friends, Peter most enjoys cigars; regularly sponsoring and speaking at events at his club. He is a true “cigar enthusiast.” Peter’s family is his joy. He considers his biggest win persuading his wife to marry him. He has been married for over 42 years, with two daughters, two grandchildren and two golden doodles.

Read more ...

Kellee Parker Harris:

The NCDD Member in the Spotlight is Kellee Parker Harris of Huntington Beach, California. Kellee currently serves the College as the California State Delegate and the Chair of the Diversity Task Force.

Throughout her life, Kellee has experienced broad exposure to the justice system, thanks to her passion for civil liberties and civil rights. Kellee began her journey in the legislative arena, serving first in Washington D.C. as an intern for Congress member Thomas Lantos via the Panetta Institute for Public Policy. Before attending law school at Chapman University School of Law, she also worked for a year as the Constituent Services Specialist for California State Assembly member Jenny Oropeza.

It was during an externship in law school with the Orange County Public Defender’s Office that Kellee developed her passion for criminal defense work. She realized that it perfectly combined her “love for defending civil liberties with her desire to assist those in need.” After only three years of practice, Kellee opened the Parker Law Center, where her practice focuses on criminal and DUI defense. She credits her father as a driving force behind this decision. “He repeatedly encourages me to step out of my comfort zone and embrace new challenges. My dad was a strong advocate for me to start my own law firm as he believed in my ability to meaningfully impact the legal field. … His influence has been profound in shaping my values, work ethic and outlook on life.”

Kellee sees her role as a criminal defense attorney as being a defender of the Constitution. “Criminal defense attorneys are needed to ensure that all people obtain a rigorous defense and to hold the criminal justice system accountable.” The most rewarding aspect of this job for her “is helping clients navigate the legal system and at the same time being an advocate for civil liberties and civil rights.” She points out that many clients are new to the criminal justice system and are “overwhelmed, anxious and scared.” Kellee takes pride in helping to “alleviate that anxiety by breaking down the process into a more manageable way.”

Read more ...

Justin Hall:

The NCDD Member in the Spotlight is Justin Hall of Rockwall, Texas. Justin has been practicing for over 20 years in north Texas. He particularly focuses on Rockwall (Texas’ wealthiest county), Dallas, and Collin counties. Justin is passionate about pursuing zealous advocacy on complex DWI cases. He emerged from NCDD’s Serious Science as a standout gifted storyteller who can guide juries comfortably through the daunting obstacles of a DWI blood test case. He brings with this his very imposing presence as a former All Conference Center for the University of New Mexico.

Justin was inspired to become a lawyer from first hand experience. He admired his father’s respect for great lawyering as a result of his dad winning custody of both he and his brother. He lists his father, brother, Coach Dan Webb, Coach Dennis Franchione, and his first law firm boss Turner Branch as the most influential people in his life. His father was a home builder and entrepreneur. So, opening up his own law practice was just in his blood. His mother was a homemaker.

Justin grew up in the small town of Heath, Texas which is located in Rockwall and Kaufman counties. It is a town settled due to its rich black soil and is listed as the tenth safest city in the United States. He refers to himself as an “OG Heathen.” He worked making, bagging, and delivering ice at the Rockwall Ice House. He remarks that other than college football, it was the toughest job he has ever had. Other jobs included working as an intern at the New Mexico Department of Corrections studying the causes of the grisly 1980 New Mexico penitentiary riots as the New Mexico Governor’s Fellow his senior year of college. He was an assistant to the University of New Mexico Ski team, setting up ski races at every New Mexico ski resort for the “Corporate Cup” race challenge. He went on to graduate from the University of New Mexico where he also was named First Team All American and awarded a post graduate scholarship from the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame. He earned his law degree form the University of Texas Law School.

Justin’s favorite thing about being a lawyer is “helping people through challenging times; helping to restore my client’s confidence and helping them understand that their self-worth should not be tied to their criminal charges.” When Justin was in grade school, he befriended a little boy who was constantly pushed around. He learned at a young age that he had a calling for protecting people from bullies. In Justin’s words, “I have come to believe that the Government can be the biggest bully in that they have the power, resources and the mindset to ruin and or severely handicap people’s lives; I believe that the government and its lawyers have a desire to break an accused’s will/spirit. It is my goal to prevent that from happening.” A big key to Justin’s approach is to genuinely and sincerely get to know his clients. He uses his compassion and legal skills to help build his clients back up with a goal of restoring their confidence in themselves. Succinctly put, he says “I like to think of the criminal defense attorney as an ambassador of the Paul Harvey approach-letting the jury know the ‘rest of the story.’ I do not trust the Government or their narratives.”

Read more ...

Micah Huggins:

Our January 2024 NCDD Member in the Spotlight is Micah Huggins of Greensboro, North Carolina. Licensed since 2008, Micah knew in the 5th grade he wanted to become a lawyer. As a young child, he viewed the law as a prestigious call, career, and occupation. Micah began his career in public service—working as a public defender and then with Carolina Legal Services. He opened the Huggins Law Firm in 2015. His favorite thing about being a lawyer is “helping people,” and “public speaking, going to trial, and every part of that.”

His passion and commitment to his practice and his clients has certainly contributed to the Huggins Law Firm becoming a “training ground for future litigators,” with several of his former legal assistants attending law school. His advice for new lawyers? “Stay in your lane, find your niche. Then find a mentor in your niche area of law and perfect that. If you plan to hang your own shingle, get all the mentoring and experience you can beforehand.”

Born in the country town of Brown Summit, North Carolina, Micah has spent most of his life in Guilford County where he is still friends with many of his childhood neighbors today. Micah’s father, a preacher, drove big tractor trailer trucks and delivered food. Later his parents opened a daycare in a low-income community to make a difference. His mother worked in the school system and earned her Doctorate, impressing upon her children the value of education. Other significant influences include John O’Neal, a lawyer who mentored him while at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Dr. Westervelt, who encouraged him to apply for law school at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

Micah describes his approach to law, “like every other aspect of my life--meticulous and with excellence. Everything I do I give 100% and approaching the law this way is no different.” His work ethic began at a young age. His first job was working with his uncle on his farm in Eastern North Carolina all summer to earn money for school clothes. He and his brother would suckle tobacco, prime and pack it for sale later in the year. Before becoming an attorney, he also worked at Pizza Hut, as a cashier and bagger at Winn Dixie, and later became certified to work as an after school care provider. For several years, Micah also worked with low-income minorities and started a BOYZ organization to mentor young African American men. The most interesting (non-legal) job sprouted from winning a back-to-school talent show in 1999. His prize was a one-year contract with a top talent agency in North Carolina, a contract which turned into 23 years of professional modeling. Micah has appeared in commercials and jobs for some of the top brands in the world e.g., Belk, Ford, Lowes, United Airlines, among others. Most recently, he published a self-help book titled The Indispensable Element: Six Keys to Lead Yourself to Success in Your Life, Work, and Relationships.

Read more ...

Sara Compher-Rice:

This week’s Member in the Spotlight is Sara Compher-Rice of Knoxville, Tennessee. She is our newest Regent, newly assigned to the NCDD Awards/Recognition committee. It is quite fitting she receive a long overdue spotlight, as she will soon be writing Member in the Spotlight segments. Sara has been practicing DWI/DUI defense since 2002, alongside NCDD fellow Steve Oberman, straight out the gate. She was born and raised in Chillicothe, Ohio, a very small town in southern Ohio, with few professionals. She was an only child. Her mom had her young, sacrificing everything for her. When she was young, her mom worked part time serving Meals on Wheels in order to be able to meet and greet Sara on and off the school bus. She later retired as a CVS pharmacy technician. Her father worked management at the Dupont plant. He retired from a trim/carpentry business shared with Sara’s husband. Sadly, he passed this March.

As Sara describes it, she has always held some sort of job her whole life starting with cleaning neighbors’ houses as a kid, moving up to babysitting. Other jobs include being a server, cashier for a family business, a research assistant and administrative assistant at Denison University, and one of her favorites-a white-water rafting guide. Sara is a first-generation college student. She earned her B.A. from Denison University and her law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law, where she graduated in the top ten percent of her class. She decided to become a lawyer as she describes it, “I think the combination of the leadership I was able to develop in Ohio 4-H along with the world that opened up when I read To Kill a Mockingbird really sealed my fate to become a lawyer. If I’m being honest, Claire Huxtable had a part in my dream as well.” She has had one job her entire legal career. Fellow Steve Oberman hired her right out of law school, and now more than twenty years later she is a partner at Oberman & Rice.

Sara gives meaning to the word involvement. Like a magnet, she is attracted to the service of others in leadership. She is past President of the Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. She has served the Phil Delta Phi Legal Fraternity since law school, working with students in her region promoting a high standard of ethics. In 2011, she was appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court to serve as a hearing committee member of the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility. On a personal level, she can always be found volunteering with organizations related to her boys. She is very active with the middle school PTSO, serving as President for two years and most recently as Membership Director. She currently chaperones with the Bearden High School Marching Band (where her son Jake is a mellophone player) and volunteers her time with the Appalachian Ballet Company (where her son Henry is a ballet dancer).

Read more ...