Federal Public Defender - PA Western District

The Staff

Federal Public Defender
Lisa B. Freeland

First Assistant Federal Public Defender: Michael J. Novara

Senior Litigation Counsel: W. Penn Hackney

Assistant Federal Public Defenders: Candace Cain; Linda E.J. Cohn; Jay J. Finkelstein; Karen Sirianni Gerlach; Thomas Livingston; Elisa A. Long; Thomas W. Patton (Erie); Renee D. Pietropaolo; Markéta Sims

Research & Writing Specialist: Christopher B. Brown; Kimberly R. Brunson

Paralegal: Elizabeth Durkin (Erie)

Investigators: Connie Acosta; Robin Jackson; Kevin Parent; John Townley (Erie); Richard Villa

Support Staff: Lisa Colarossi - Senior Legal Secretary; Linda Martz - Senior Legal Secretary; Jamie Palashoff - Legal Secretary; Debra Podlesnik - Senior Legal Secretary; Deborah Rankin-Haley - Paralegal/Senior Legal Secretary; Sharen Sims - Clerical Assistant

Administration: Tina Famiglietti - Administrative Officer; Mark Ganley - Computer Systems Administrator; Tonya Jenkins - Case Management Assistant; Elisabeth Lewis - Operations Administrator

Assistant Federal Public Defender: Anna Ahronheim; Marshall Dayan

Research & Writing Specialist: Tricia Russell

Secretary: Cynthia Knight

Investigators: Jan Gilbrecht; Mary Greening

Paralegals: Anneli Freeman; Paula Harris; Jeneé Oliver

The Office of the Federal Public Defender, Western District of Pennsylvania, operates under authority of the Criminal Justice Act of 1964 (as amended), 18 U.S.C. § 3006A (CJA). We provide defense services to individuals who are financially unable to obtain adequate representation in Federal criminal cases, appeals, and habeas corpus matters. A person’s eligibility for defender services is determined by the federal court. Attorneys of this office may not represent individuals without an appointment from the court, nor may they engage in the private practice of law.