ABA honourees include Alameda’s City Attorney’s Office, Alameda County public defender
The American Bar Association’s (ABA) Government and Public Sector Lawyers Division (GPSLD) has named the recipients of this year’s Dorsey, Hodson, and Nelson Awards: Brendon Woods, public defender of Alameda County, California; the Alameda City Attorney’s Office; and Edward Monahan.
“Now, more than ever, public lawyers are working tirelessly to provide access to justice and uphold the rule of law,” said Liani Reeves, chair-elect of the ABA GPSLD, in the association’s news release. “It is critical for the public to see lawyers and members of the legal profession at the forefront of this work.”
In its news release, the association explained the purposes of these awards:
“GPSLD is proud to honor these exceptional public lawyers and leaders, and we thank them for the essential roles they play in building trust and confidence in our justice system,” Reeves added in the news release.
The ABA is one of the world’s biggest voluntary associations of lawyers. Its GPSLD aims to offer programs, publications, and online resources catering to government, public sector, and military lawyers and law students.
The ABA provided more information on the public service award recipients for 2025.
According to the ABA, Brendon Woods has made efforts to include in-house social workers, immigration lawyers, and client advocates in his office over the course of more than a decade.
He also established the following:
Beyond Alameda County, Woods has testified before the California legislature and helped obtain the passage of the state’s Racial Justice Act and reforms seeking to address discriminatory jury exclusions, raise juror compensation, and improve jury diversity.
He has belonged to the California Public Defenders Association, the Council on Criminal Justice, and the National Association for Public Defenders.
The GPSLD recognized the Alameda City Attorney’s Office (ACAO) for its speedy efforts to prevent the imminent displacement of 50 families residing in floating homes in the Barnhill Marina, with the help of staff members, elected officials, and the community.
In 2021, ACAO swiftly drafted an urgency ordinance seeking to extend local rent control protections to maritime residential tenancies, which the Alameda City Council unanimously adopted just two days before the deadline for paying rent increases.
ACAO defended the ordinance against numerous suits before the federal court and brought a housing enforcement action aiming to safeguard tenant rights and prevent the landlord from violating the applicable tenant protection laws.
In November 2024, the Alameda County Superior Court sided with the city. The court ordered the marina owners to pay penalties of over US$335,000, permanently enjoined them from harassing tenants, and appointed an independent receiver to help manage the marina.
In its news release, the ABA described awardee Edward Monahan as a national criminal and public defence consultant and trainer.
Formerly chief defender of Kentucky’s public advocacy department, Monahan has volunteered extensively with the ABA, including by improving its efforts to represent indigent individuals within the criminal justice system.
He has belonged to the ABA’s death penalty due process review project steering committee and its task force on preservation of the justice system. He used to chair the GPSLD and currently serves as editor-in-chief of its magazine.
