Orderly: Expand biography: fuller sourced detail, hand-built infobox (no empty rows), added FAQs and references

2026-05-28T22:00:41Z

Expand biography: fuller sourced detail, hand-built infobox (no empty rows), added FAQs and references

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:00, 28 May 2026
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	{~~{Infobox Person~~		{\| class="infobox" style="width:22em; font-size:88%; border:1px solid #aaa; background:#f9f9f9; padding:0.5em; margin:0 0 1em 1em; float:right;"
	\|~~name~~ = Alan Ellis		\|-
	\|~~occupation~~ = Criminal defense attorney; author		! colspan="2" style="background:#ccc; font-size:120%; text-align:center;" \| Alan Ellis
	\|~~known_for~~ = Past President of ~~the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers~~; author of the ''Federal Sentencing Guidebook''		\|-
	}}		! style="text-align:right; vertical-align:top; white-space:nowrap;" \| Education:
			\| Villanova University School of Law (J.D., 1967)
			\|-
			! style="text-align:right; vertical-align:top;" \| Occupation:
			\| Criminal defense attorney; author
			\|-
			! style="text-align:right; vertical-align:top;" \| Known for:
			\| Past President of NACDL; author of the ''Federal Sentencing Guidebook''
			\|}

	'''Alan Ellis''' is an American criminal defense attorney who specializes in federal sentencing, post-conviction matters, and prison placement, work that overlaps with the [[Prison_Consultants\|federal prison consulting]] field. A past president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Ellis was described by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit as "a nationally-recognized expert in federal criminal sentencing."<ref name="walters" /><ref name="nacdl" /> He maintains law offices in ~~San Francisco~~ and New York.<ref name="~~ellis-profile~~" />		'''Alan Ellis''' is an American criminal defense attorney who specializes in federal sentencing, post-conviction matters, and prison placement, work that overlaps with the [[Prison_Consultants\|federal prison consulting]] field. A past president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), Ellis was described by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit as "a nationally-recognized expert in federal criminal sentencing."<ref name="walters" /><ref name="nacdl" /> He has practiced for more than five decades and maintains law offices in California and New York.<ref name="cv" />

	== Career ==		== Education and Early Career ==

	Ellis served as ~~president~~ of the ~~National Association~~ of ~~Criminal Defense Lawyers from 1990 to 1991 and received~~ the ~~organization's Robert C. Heeney Memorial Award~~, ~~its highest honor~~.<ref name="~~nacdl~~" /> ~~His practice focuses on federal sentencing advocacy, post-conviction representation, and guidance on Bureau~~ of ~~Prisons designation and placement~~.<ref name="~~ellis-profile~~" />		Ellis graduated from Villanova University School of Law in 1967 and was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar in 1968.<ref name="cv" /> He served as a law clerk to Chief Judge John W. Lord Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, lectured in business law at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and taught as an assistant professor of law at Golden Gate University School of Law in San Francisco.<ref name="cv" /> He founded the Law Offices of Alan Ellis in 1973.<ref name="cv" />

	In ''United States v. Walters'', the Ninth Circuit referred to Ellis as "a nationally-recognized expert in federal criminal sentencing," a characterization that has been widely cited in connection with his work.<ref name=~~"walters" />~~		== Practice ==

	== ~~Writing~~ ==		Ellis's practice focuses on federal sentencing advocacy, post-conviction representation, direct appeals, and guidance on Bureau of Prisons designation and placement.<ref name="cv" /> In the published opinion ''United States v. Walters'', the Ninth Circuit referred to Ellis as "a nationally-recognized expert in federal criminal sentencing" and held that denying his application to appear in the case had violated the defendant's Sixth Amendment right to counsel of choice.<ref name="walters" /> National coverage of the sentencing field has described him as one of a small number of attorneys who specialize in sentence mitigation.<ref name="aba" /><ref name="cnbc" />

			== Professional Leadership ==

			Ellis served as president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers from 1990 to 1991, and held earlier roles including chair of its sentencing committee.<ref name="cv" /><ref name="nacdl" /> In 1983 he received the association's Robert C. Heeney Memorial Award, its highest honor.<ref name="cv" /> He also served as president of the ACLU of Central Pennsylvania.<ref name="cv" />

			== Recognition and International Work ==

	Ellis ~~is the author~~ of ~~several reference works used by practitioners in federal criminal defense, including~~ the ~~''Federal Sentencing Guidebook''~~, ~~the~~ ''~~Federal Prison Guidebook~~'~~', and the ''Federal Post-Conviction Guidebook~~''.<ref name="~~ellis-profile~~" />		In 2007, Ellis was a visiting Fulbright professor of law at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Law under a Fulbright Senior Specialist Award from the U.S. State Department, and he lectured at other Chinese law schools.<ref name="cv" /> He has been listed in ''Who's Who in American Law''.<ref name="cv" />

	== ~~Recognition~~ ==		== Writing ==

	Ellis is ~~a recipient~~ of ~~a Fulbright award and has served as a visiting law professor abroad.<ref name="ellis-profile" /> His standing in~~ the ~~field is reflected both in~~ the ~~Ninth Circuit~~'~~s published characterization of him~~ and ~~in his leadership role at~~ the ~~national defense bar~~.<ref name="~~walters~~" /><ref name="~~nacdl~~" />		Ellis is the author of several reference works used by federal criminal practitioners, including the ''Federal Prison Guidebook'', the ''Federal Sentencing Guidebook'', and the ''Federal Post-Conviction Guidebook'', published by James Publishing.<ref name="cv" /> He has written more than 180 articles and books on sentencing and post-conviction practice, including a recurring column in ''The Federal Lawyer''.<ref name="cv" />

	== Frequently Asked Questions ==		== Frequently Asked Questions ==

	{{FAQSection/Start}}		{{FAQSection/Start}}
	{{FAQ\|question=Who is Alan Ellis?\|answer=Alan Ellis is a criminal defense attorney who specializes in federal sentencing, post-conviction matters, and prison placement, and is a past president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.}}		{{FAQ\|question=Who is Alan Ellis?\|answer=Alan Ellis is a criminal defense attorney who specializes in federal sentencing, post-conviction matters, and prison placement, and a past president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.}}
	{{FAQ\|question=Why is Alan Ellis considered an expert in federal sentencing?\|answer=The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit described him in a published opinion as "a nationally-recognized expert in federal criminal sentencing," and he is a past president of ~~the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers~~.}}		{{FAQ\|question=Why is Alan Ellis considered an expert in federal sentencing?\|answer=The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit described him in a published opinion as "a nationally-recognized expert in federal criminal sentencing," and he is a past president of NACDL.}}
	{{FAQ\|question=What books has Alan Ellis written?\|answer=He is the author of ~~reference works including~~ the Federal ~~Sentencing~~ Guidebook, the Federal ~~Prison~~ Guidebook, and the Federal Post-Conviction Guidebook.}}		{{FAQ\|question=What books has Alan Ellis written?\|answer=He is the author of the Federal Prison Guidebook, the Federal Sentencing Guidebook, and the Federal Post-Conviction Guidebook, published by James Publishing, along with more than 180 articles and books.}}
	{{FAQ\|question=~~Where does~~ Alan Ellis ~~practice~~?\|answer=He ~~maintains law offices~~ in ~~San Francisco~~ and ~~New York~~.}}		{{FAQ\|question=What awards has Alan Ellis received?\|answer=He received NACDL's Robert C. Heeney Memorial Award, its highest honor, in 1983, and a Fulbright Senior Specialist Award in 2007.}}
	{{FAQSection/End}}		{{FAQSection/End}}

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	<references>		<references>
	<ref name="walters">{{cite ~~court~~ \|~~litigants~~=United States v. Walters ~~\|reporter=~~F.3d ~~\|volume=309 \|opinion=~~589 ~~\|pinpoint=592 \|court=~~9th Cir. ~~\|date=~~2002 \|url=https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/309/589/506112/ \|access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>		<ref name="walters">{{cite web \|title=United States v. Walters, 309 F.3d 589 (9th Cir. 2002) \|url=https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/309/589/506112/ \|publisher=U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (via Justia) \|date=2002 \|access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
	<ref name="nacdl">{{cite web \|title=Alan Ellis \|url=https://www.nacdl.org/People/AlanEllis \|publisher=National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers \|access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>		<ref name="nacdl">{{cite web \|title=Alan Ellis \|url=https://www.nacdl.org/People/AlanEllis \|publisher=National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers \|access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
	<ref name="~~ellis-profile~~">{{cite web \|title=~~Attorney~~ Alan Ellis \|url=https://alanellis.com/attorney-profiles/attorney-alan-ellis/ \|publisher=Law Offices of Alan Ellis \|access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>		<ref name="cv">{{cite web \|title=Curriculum Vitae — Alan Ellis \|url=https://alanellis.com/attorney-profiles/attorney-alan-ellis/ \|publisher=Law Offices of Alan Ellis \|access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
			<ref name="aba">{{cite news \|title=The Sentence Term-inators \|url=https://www.abajournal.com/ \|work=ABA Journal \|date=2003-03 \|access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
			<ref name="cnbc">{{cite news \|title=The Best Places to Go to Prison \|url=https://www.cnbc.com/ \|work=CNBC \|date=2013 \|access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
	</references>		</references>

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	\|title=Alan Ellis — Federal Sentencing Attorney, NACDL Past President \| Prisonpedia		\|title=Alan Ellis — Federal Sentencing Attorney, NACDL Past President \| Prisonpedia
	\|title_mode=replace		\|title_mode=replace
	\|description=Alan Ellis is a federal criminal defense attorney the Ninth Circuit called a nationally-recognized expert in federal sentencing, ~~and~~ a past president of NACDL.		\|description=Alan Ellis is a federal criminal defense attorney the Ninth Circuit called a nationally-recognized expert in federal sentencing, a past president of NACDL, and author of the Federal Sentencing Guidebook.
	\|keywords=Alan Ellis, federal sentencing, NACDL, Federal Sentencing Guidebook, ~~prison consultant~~, post-conviction		\|keywords=Alan Ellis, federal sentencing, NACDL, Federal Sentencing Guidebook, Federal Prison Guidebook, post-conviction
	\|type=ProfilePage		\|type=ProfilePage
	\|site_name=Prisonpedia		\|site_name=Prisonpedia

Orderly: Create article: Alan Ellis — federal sentencing attorney, NACDL past president; BLP-sourced

2026-05-28T20:55:50Z

Create article: Alan Ellis — federal sentencing attorney, NACDL past president; BLP-sourced

New page

{{Infobox Person
|name = Alan Ellis
|occupation = Criminal defense attorney; author
|known_for = Past President of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers; author of the ''Federal Sentencing Guidebook''
}}

'''Alan Ellis''' is an American criminal defense attorney who specializes in federal sentencing, post-conviction matters, and prison placement, work that overlaps with the [[Prison_Consultants|federal prison consulting]] field. A past president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Ellis was described by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit as "a nationally-recognized expert in federal criminal sentencing."<ref name="walters" /><ref name="nacdl" /> He maintains law offices in San Francisco and New York.<ref name="ellis-profile" />

== Career ==

Ellis served as president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers from 1990 to 1991 and received the organization's Robert C. Heeney Memorial Award, its highest honor.<ref name="nacdl" /> His practice focuses on federal sentencing advocacy, post-conviction representation, and guidance on Bureau of Prisons designation and placement.<ref name="ellis-profile" />

In ''United States v. Walters'', the Ninth Circuit referred to Ellis as "a nationally-recognized expert in federal criminal sentencing," a characterization that has been widely cited in connection with his work.<ref name="walters" />

== Writing ==

Ellis is the author of several reference works used by practitioners in federal criminal defense, including the ''Federal Sentencing Guidebook'', the ''Federal Prison Guidebook'', and the ''Federal Post-Conviction Guidebook''.<ref name="ellis-profile" />

== Recognition ==

Ellis is a recipient of a Fulbright award and has served as a visiting law professor abroad.<ref name="ellis-profile" /> His standing in the field is reflected both in the Ninth Circuit's published characterization of him and in his leadership role at the national defense bar.<ref name="walters" /><ref name="nacdl" />

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

{{FAQSection/Start}}
{{FAQ|question=Who is Alan Ellis?|answer=Alan Ellis is a criminal defense attorney who specializes in federal sentencing, post-conviction matters, and prison placement, and is a past president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.}}
{{FAQ|question=Why is Alan Ellis considered an expert in federal sentencing?|answer=The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit described him in a published opinion as "a nationally-recognized expert in federal criminal sentencing," and he is a past president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.}}
{{FAQ|question=What books has Alan Ellis written?|answer=He is the author of reference works including the Federal Sentencing Guidebook, the Federal Prison Guidebook, and the Federal Post-Conviction Guidebook.}}
{{FAQ|question=Where does Alan Ellis practice?|answer=He maintains law offices in San Francisco and New York.}}
{{FAQSection/End}}

== References ==

<references>
<ref name="walters">{{cite court |litigants=United States v. Walters |reporter=F.3d |volume=309 |opinion=589 |pinpoint=592 |court=9th Cir. |date=2002 |url=https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/309/589/506112/ |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="nacdl">{{cite web |title=Alan Ellis |url=https://www.nacdl.org/People/AlanEllis |publisher=National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="ellis-profile">{{cite web |title=Attorney Alan Ellis |url=https://alanellis.com/attorney-profiles/attorney-alan-ellis/ |publisher=Law Offices of Alan Ellis |access-date=2026-05-28}}</ref>
</references>

[[Category:Prison Consultants]]

{{#seo:
|title=Alan Ellis — Federal Sentencing Attorney, NACDL Past President | Prisonpedia
|title_mode=replace
|description=Alan Ellis is a federal criminal defense attorney the Ninth Circuit called a nationally-recognized expert in federal sentencing, and a past president of NACDL.
|keywords=Alan Ellis, federal sentencing, NACDL, Federal Sentencing Guidebook, prison consultant, post-conviction
|type=ProfilePage
|site_name=Prisonpedia
|locale=en_US
|published_time=2026-05-28
|modified_time=2026-05-28
}}

Alan Ellis - Revision history

Orderly: Expand biography: fuller sourced detail, hand-built infobox (no empty rows), added FAQs and references

Orderly: Create article: Alan Ellis — federal sentencing attorney, NACDL past president; BLP-sourced