Washington, DC (May 5, 2026) – The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) mourns the passing of James R. Willis, one of the most consequential figures in the history of American criminal defense law. Willis served as NACDL President from 1974 to 1975, becoming the organization's first African-American president. His obituary can be found here.
A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Willis joined the Montford Point Marines in 1944 — the trailblazing Black servicemen established in North Carolina during World War II, leading the way so that other African Americans could join the Corps. After his military service, he earned his law degree from Case Western Reserve University in 1952 and built one of the most distinguished careers in the nation's criminal defense bar. At last count he had more than 500 published appeals decisions, and he won three of the four cases he argued before the United States Supreme Court — Beck v. Ohio (1964), in which Cleveland police were found to have violated the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments, Doyle v. Ohio, and Wood v. Ohio — losing only the fourth in a 5-to-4 split, Martin v. Ohio. He was also trial and appellate counsel on a fifth Supreme Court case, Bourjaily v. United States, though he did not argue it, having another case before the high Court that same term.
Throughout his career, Willis doggedly defended all his clients, whether they were accused of minor offenses or were considered some of the most notorious figures of their day. He represented organized crime figure James Licavoli, telling the jury that his client had "reached back and found a Kentucky farm boy, Black, to represent him" — a pointed rejoinder to a prosecution that had itself sought the death penalty. In courtrooms large and small, across county, state, and federal levels, Willis was, as longtime colleague and former Chair of NACDL’s CLE Institute Bill Gallagher described him, "a rare mix of skilled trial lawyer and accomplished appellate advocate."
In May 2023, NACDL honored Willis with its Lifetime Achievement Award, presented at the Association's 6th Annual Race Matters Seminar in Cincinnati, Ohio — a fitting occasion for recognizing a career dedicated to the criminal defense bar and most importantly to the cause of social justice. The award was also celebrated in a tribute published in The Champion, NACDL's flagship magazine, available here. The full 2023 NACDL news release honoring Willis can be found here.
NACDL President Andrew Birrell said:
"James Willis was a giant of the criminal defense bar and a founding pillar of everything NACDL stands for. He walked into courtrooms across this country where the odds were stacked against him and his clients, and he changed the law. His courage, his brilliance, and his lifelong commitment to justice are woven into the fabric of this association. He was a life member of NACDL's Board of Directors, a trustee of the National Criminal Defense College, and was recognized by Black Enterprise magazine in 2003 as one of America's top Black lawyers. We grieve his passing and celebrate an extraordinary life."
NACDL Executive Director Lisa Wayne said:
"Jim Willis showed generations of lawyers — especially lawyers of color — what it means to fight for the accused with skill, integrity, and conviction. He was NACDL's first African-American president, a Supreme Court advocate, and a mentor to young defenders for more than seven decades. His legacy lives on in every lawyer he inspired and every constitutional principle he helped establish. Willis was a mentor to young lawyers of color for over 70 years, and his influence extended far beyond his own cases. NACDL extends its deepest condolences to the Willis family and to the many lawyers, clients, and communities whose lives he touched over more than seven decades of extraordinary service. His legacy is reflected in his daughter Magistrate Judge Hon. Jennifer E. Willis, a former Federal Defender in SDNY and Cook County public defender.”
Contacts
Jonathan Hutson, NACDL Senior Director of Public Affairs and Communications, 202-480-5343 or jhutson@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.
