NACDL

Rabern Honored With NMCDLA Driscoll Award

The New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (NMCDLA) recently presented its 2011 Charles Driscoll Award to Trace Rabern. A former public appellate defender, Rabern is one of the state’s most respected appellate advocates with more than 50 published cases to her credit. She is recognized as a fierce advocate on behalf of children charged with crimes, and is best known for her work on behalf of an innocent 12-year-old girl accused of murder who lived under a cloud of suspicion for nearly five years while Rabern worked zealously to get the case dismissed. NMCDLA gives the Driscoll Award annually to an outstanding member of the criminal defense bar who has shown extraordinary courage and determination in protecting the rights of people charged with crimes. The award commemorates Charles Driscoll, a longtime criminal defense lawyer who later became a Catholic priest and whose passion and zeal to improve criminal defense in New Mexico has serv