NORRISTOWN, PA — Montgomery County named a longtime Philadelphia trial attorney their new chief public defender on Thursday, bringing to an end a three-year search which they said symbolized an overhaul of their justice system at large.
Christine P. Lora, a veteran of the Defender Association of Philadelphia and more recently a criminal lawyer in Collegeville, will take over the reins from the interim leadership team. Search committee members praised her for everything from a history of advocacy for minority communities, to knowledge of data analysis, to a willingness to ask the larger, systemic questions about issues plaguing the system.
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“I believe there is no greater calling than to serve indigent defendants in the way they desire and deserve,” Lora said in a statement. “I believe we must prioritize communities and families, and advance policies that champion integration and rehabilitation.”
The replacement comes after the controversial firing of chief public defenders Dean Beer and Keisha Hudson Brooks in 2020, who were let go after filing an amicus brief arguing against bail hearings without lawyers of the accused present. The county received national criticism for the move, particularly from reform advocates, and has instituted several changes in the years since.
Specifically, defendants who cannot afford a lawyer always have one with them at their initial arraignment, and defendants are not held before trial unless neccessary for public safety. The county court has also reduced the amount of time individuals must wait in prison before an initial hearing is scheduled. Officials say these reforms and others have reduced the Montgomery County Correctional Facility population by 50 percent since 2018.
Leaders are optimistic that Lora can continue this progress. Her selection was made after thorough vetting from an advisory board and contracting Temple University’s law school to improve the office’s independence.
Advisory board member and University of Pennsylvania law school Professor Paul Heaton said that Lora was one of “three strong candidates” the board recommended to the county. Heaton also praised the county for their handling of the hiring process.
“To the commissioners’ credit, they elevated the value of public defender independence by allowing the advisory board to serve a screening role,” he said.
Heaton added that the board evaluated candidates based on how they believed they would support the rights of the accused and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Heaton was joined on the board by criminal attorney Geoffrey Hood of Horsham, attorney Katy Daly from the Curtin and Heefner law firm in Doylestown, Brush With the Law artist and director Maria Maneos, JEVS executive director for justice partnerships Jeffrey Abramowitz, president of the NAACP Cheltenham branch Eddie Graham, Philly Lawyers law firm (in Jenkintown) attorney R. Emmitt Madden, and Coalition4Justice President and CEO Bernadine Ahonkhai.
Lora will officially take over the chief’s position in mid-July, the county said.