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James A.H.
Bell
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Mr. Bell has 32 years experience practicing law in multiple
jurisdictions. Mr. Bell is frequently invited to speak and
offer educational information to
prestigious
organizations such as the National Association of Criminal
Defense Lawyers, the Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense
Lawyers, the Tennessee Public Defenders’ Conference, the
Knoxville Bar Association, and the KBA Community Law School. In
addition, Mr. Bell has lectured to such organizations the
American Bar Association, the National College of DUI Defense
(of which he is a founding member), the Tennessee Trial Lawyers
Association, the Kentucky Association of Criminal Defense
Lawyers, the Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers,
the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the
Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and various
other community organizations.
Mr. Bell is a member within the following prestigious
organizations:
National
Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers:
The National Association
of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) is the preeminent
organization in the United States advancing the mission of the
nation's criminal defense lawyers to ensure justice and due
process for persons accused of crime or other misconduct. A
professional bar association with more than 12,800 direct
members -- and 94 state, local, and international affiliate
organizations with another 35,000 members -- include private
criminal defense lawyers, public defenders, active U.S. military
defense counsel, law professors and judges committed to
preserving fairness within America's criminal justice system.
Member 1974-1990;
Life Member 1990
– present;
Executive
Committee 1994-1995, 2001-2003
Parliamentarian
2000-2003;
Board of
Directors 1992-1998; 2005-2008
Chair, By-laws
Committee, 1990-1998;
Chair/Co-Chair,
DUI Committee 1992 –2002;
Chair, Continuing
Legal Education Committee 2001-2002;
Chair, Long Range
Planning Committee 2003
Member, The
Champion Advisory Board; The Champion
Contributing
Author; The Champion
In addition
thereto, Mr. Bell has actively served on a number of NACDL
committees, e.g. Membership Committee; Public Affairs Committee,
Counsel of Affiliates
Mr. Bell is a
frequent educational presenter for the NACDL on numerous
substantive law topics for the criminal law practioner, such as
Ethics, DUI, Computer Forensics, Homicide, Vehicular Homicide,
and criminal law techniques, such as jury selection, opening
statements, cross-examination, among others topics too numerous
to mention here. Mr. Bell has also served as Moderator for
numerous NACDL seminars.
Recipient: Robert
C. Heeney Memorial Award
2003 NACDL’s most prestigious
award, given annually to the one criminal defense attorney who
best exemplifies the goals and values of the Association, and
the legal profession. The award was established in 1981 to honor
NACDL’s 18th President, the late Robert C. Heeney, of Maryland.
Mr. Bell has been the recipient of
NACDL President’s Commendation seven years; and NACDL’s
President’s Certificate of Appreciation for six years in
recognition of outstanding service to the goals and objectives
of NACDL.
Tennessee
Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers :
TACDL
provides education, training and support to lawyers representing
citizens accused of crime. As a not for profit professional
corporation, TACDL advocates fair and effective criminal justice
in the courts, the legislature, or wherever justice demands.
Member 1974 to
1986; First Life Member 1986-Present,
Board of
Directors 1978-1990,
President
(1983-1984)
Mr. Bell has held
every office within TACDL, and is the only lawyer within TACDL
to have held a seat on the Executive Committee for twelve
straight years.
Mr. Bell
continues to lecture extensively on behalf of TACDL as an
educational presenter for the TACDL on numerous substantive law
topics for the criminal law practioner, and criminal law
techniques and strategy. He has been invited to deliver
presentations at the TACDL Annual Meetings for the past six
years on such topics as Defense of Computer Pornography, Closing
Arguments, Vehicular Homicide and Accident Reconstruction; Legal
Ethics, Post 911 Criminal Defense Techniques and other current
cutting edge topics. Mr. Bell has also served as Moderator for
numerous TACDL seminars.
National
Constitution Center,
Charter Member, Philadelphia, PA.
The National
Constitution Center is an independent, non-partisan, and
non-profit organization dedicated to increasing public
understanding of, and appreciation for, the Constitution of the
United States of America, its history, and its contemporary
relevance, through an interactive, interpretive facility within
Independence National Historical Park and a program of national
outreach, so that We the People may better secure the Blessings
of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.
American Bar
Association
(Criminal Justice Section). Mr. Bell has lectured on matters of
interest to the criminal law to the Criminal Justice Section.
Fellow,
American Board of Criminal Lawyers
(1987-present);
The American Board of Criminal Lawyers (ABCL) was founded in
1978. ABCL is comprised of lawyers that is comprised of members
who exude exclusive national, legal, honorary society for
outstanding criminal trial lawyers, with admission to fellowship
by invitation only. The standards for acceptance to ABCL
include successful major felony trial experience and
exceptional recommendations from distinguished jurists and
current Fellows attesting to each of the candidate’s high ethics
as well as their litigation skills in the area of criminal
defense. Over the years, ABCL Fellows have become regularly
involved in high profile criminal cases throughout the United
States and beyond. ABCL has experienced dramatic growth and its
membership consists of highly regarded criminal defense
practitioners, not only in the United States, but also in
Canada, Great Britain, the Netherlands and the Philippines. Mr.
Bell is most proud of his membership of over twenty one years
with the ABCL and is grateful to have been honored as a Fellow
therein. The camaraderie and fellowship provided by the American
Board of Criminal Lawyers is the highest professional honor for
the successful, ethical performance of its members, forged by
hard work and dedication to criminal defense.
American Trial
Lawyers Association;
National College of DUI Defense
(Founding Member).
The National College for DUI Defense, Inc. (NCDD) is a
professional legal corporation dedicated to the improvement of
the criminal defense bar in the field of driving related crimes,
and to the dissemination of information to the public about DUI
Defense Law as a specialty area of law practice.
College members represent the most experienced DUI defense
attorneys in the country. The original Founding Members funded
the establishment of the College, and are among the best DUI
practitioners in the United States
Mr.
Bell has been a frequent educational presenter on behalf of the
College on numerous DUI topics for the criminal law practioner,
including Vehicular Homicde, Field Sobriety Testing; Chemical
Blood and Breath Testing, Accident Investigation, Accident
Reconstruction: Basic Physics and Mathematics. Mr. Bell has also
served as numerous terms as Moderator for NACDL and National
College jointly sponsored seminars.
Tennessee Bar
Association
(Criminal Justice Section); Mr. Bell has lectured on matters of
interest to the criminal law to the Criminal Justice Section
Tennessee Trial
Lawyers Association:
Mr. Bell has lectured on matters of interest to the criminal law
to the Criminal Justice Section
Lawyers Involved
For Tennessee:
(L.I.F.T.), Platinum Member, Gold Star Club;
Knoxville Bar
Association:
(Criminal Justice Section); Mr. Bell has lectured on matters of
interest to the criminal law and organized presentations on
behalf of the Association.
Kentucky
Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers:,
Honorary Member;
Noteworthy:
Mr. Bell has
published or contributed to numerous treatises, publications,
and journals on matters of general interest to the criminal law
practioner. His writing contributions have been subject to peer
review. Mr. Bell and the Associates of his law firm are frequent
contributors to The Champion, the official publication of
the NACDL. Mr. Bell and the Associates of his law firm are also
frequent contributors to the official publication of TACDL. Mr.
Bell has been certified by the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) in the administration of Standardized
Field Sobriety Tests (FSTs).
Mr. Bell has been
honored and recognized by some of the most prestigious peer
review surveys: The Best Lawyers in America; Mid-South Super
Lawyers; Best 101 Lawyers in Tennessee; Best 150 Lawyers in
Tennessee
Mr. Bell has been
a guest speaker and commentator on Donahue, Nightline, Good
Morning America, Today Show and local and statewide news
television channels, as well as local, statewide, and national
talk radio programs.
Civic, Community
and Church Activities:
Mr.
Bell has served his home community in noteworthy and for noble
causes. Mr. Bell (along with Attorneys Robert W. Ritchie, Joseph
M. Tipton, Joseph J. Levitt, Steven Oberman and others). chaired
for years in the late 1970s and early 1980s Project First
Offender, a community law program that was the precursor to
Tennessee pre-trial diversion statutes for the area criminal
courts. .Currently, Mr. Bell serves on the Board of Directors of
the Knoxville YMCA; serves as chairman of the Child Development
Center of FCPC; and has contributed financially and with his
community volunteer work with the Knoxville Boys and Girls Club.
Mr. Bell has served as a deacon in his home church, and
currently serves as an Ordained Elder within his home church.
E-Mail:
jbell@jamesahbell.com
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