Washington, DC (Aug. 17, 2022) – Criminal defense attorney Martin G. Weinberg was awarded the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) Lifetime Achievement Award on August 13 by Immediate Past President Martín Sabelli during the Association’s annual meeting in Palm Beach, FL. NACDL’s Lifetime Achievement Awardsare presented in recognition of exceptional accomplishments over a lifetime of distinguished leadership and service on behalf of the law.
"Marty is a lawyer’s lawyer – an unparalleled legal technician with a philosopher’s vision. Marty sees the nuances in the shadows in the edges of the furthest reaches of the law and brings it all back to first principles and fundamental values. NACDL is deeply indebted to Marty for anchoring our Lawyers Assistance Strike Force for years, most recently in the face of the pandemic which flooded our gates," said Immediate Past President Martín Sabelli. "Marty always answers the call for help from our members, usually within minutes – which gives our challenged members a sense of calm and peace – while handling many of the most difficult and challenging cases in the nation alongside giants like Albert Krieger. I am honored to recognize Marty’s brilliance, commitment, and reliability with NACDL’s Lifetime Achievement Award."
"Marty is the go-to lawyer for those with complex legal and trial issues – there is no one better. Most importantly, he is an all-around terrific person," said NACDL Past President Gerald Lefcourt.
Weinberg is a nationally prominent criminal defense lawyer whose offices are in Boston, Massachusetts. He is a Life Member and a former Director of NACDL, and since the mid-90s has been Co-Chair of its Lawyers Assistance Strike Force and its Money Laundering Committee. Weinberg has given numerous guest lectures over the years on a range of issues, including White Collar Defense, Jury Selection, Money Laundering Defenses, and Federal Grand Juries. He has represented accused defendants in over twenty federal district courts, eight United States Courts of Appeal, and in the United States Supreme Court, where he successfully argued the landmark Fourth Amendment case of United States v. Chadwick. He was co-counsel in the Martha Stewart appeal in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and the post-Blakely case of United States v. Fanfan in the United States Supreme Court.
Scott and Howard Srebnick said: "In 1997, we had the privilege of sharing the counsels’ table with Marty Weinberg and the legendary Albert Krieger for the 5-month Cali Cartel trial, where they successfully defended a fellow criminal defense lawyer on trial for his life. We watched in awe as they worked seamlessly together, Marty captivating the intellectual curiosity of the distinguished judge, and Albert dismantling the cooperating witnesses, one fact per question, one ‘yes, Mr. Krieger’ answer at a time. As the youngest lawyers in the courtroom, we revered their trial skills and admired their passion for the law. What we saw in Marty and Albert, they saw in each other: Marty looked up to Albert as the elder statesman, one of the most celebrated trial lawyers of the century. Meanwhile, Albert looked to Marty for all things legal. Albert told us that there was no lawyer in this great Nation’s criminal defense bar with a greater command of the criminal law than Marty. That still holds true. It is fitting, given Marty’s unmatched legal acumen and unimpeachable integrity that, for as long as we can remember, Marty has been the face of NACDL’s Strike Force, serving as its Chairman while generously providing free counsel to lawyers under attack for their zealous representation. We can confidently say that if Albert Krieger were here today, he would be ‘kvelling’ (the Yiddish word for bursting with pride and exuding joy) that Marty was receiving a lifetime achievement award in Albert’s name. Thank you, Marty, for 30 years of patient mentoring and loyal friendship. We love and salute you!"
"I am grateful to presidents, past and current, for their work. The lawyer’s assistance strike force, one of the most important things I have done in my career, allows us to practice criminal law with more courage, more passion, more confidence, knowing that if a member is unfairly targeted by our prosecutorial adversaries, this organization and its strike force will stand with that member, giving them the skills and experience of zealous representation. I accept this award for the strike force members, who as much as the Co-Chairs: Howard, Susan, and myself, are the boots on the ground defense, providing case by case representation," said Martin Weinberg during his acceptance remarks. "I want to acknowledge John Zwerling who passed this year. He was the quintessential strike force member. He rose to every challenge. He dispensed wisdom—making the Fourth Circuit safer for all of us. What we do as trial lawyers is hard. Whether we have tried cases for one year, five years, ten years, or fifty: when we stand in front of a jury to address them, or commence the cross examination they will witness, we are alone. But while we may be alone in that courtroom, we are not alone as defense lawyers because of our membership in this particularly important organization. I can bear witness to what this organization has meant in terms of being leaders in the criminal defense community, year after year, decade after decade. We must not forget that because of these efforts, fewer innocent people are going to prison; constitutional rights are being broadened, not shrunk; misconduct, when it occurs, is being exposed and not concealed. I thank this organization and I thank you all for these great efforts."
