From the 2010 News Archive
Prof. Colbert: Lawyers Must be Committed to Serving Public
The work of Prof. Douglas Colbert in making lawyers more aware of their ethical and professional responsibilities was highlighted in the Daily Record on July 11.
"In this time of economic need, the legal profession must take advantage of this opportunity and show its commitment to serving the public — a response consistent with lawyers' ethical responsibility to represent the community that cannot afford legal counsel. It's time for the private bar to find ways to meet these needs with their expertise," said Professor Colbert.
Professor Colbert has written extensively about indigents' right to counsel, bail reform, the Thirteenth Amendment, race discrimination in jury selection, affirmative action, police misconduct, politically sensitive trials, and legal scholarship. Professor Colbert was the lead counsel in the Napanoch prison rebellion and represents plaintiffs in civil rights litigation. Prior to entering teaching, he was a senior trial attorney in the criminal defense division of the NYC Legal Aid Society. Professor Colbert's recent scholarly activities have focused on reforming states’ pretrial release systems and guaranteeing counsel at the bail stage. He founded and directed the Lawyers at Bail Project, which represented 4,000 indigent defendants at bail hearings. Professor Colbert regularly contributes opinion articles and engages in public education about many criminal justice issues. Currently, he serves on the Board of Directors of the Public Justice Center and the Maryland Criminal Defense Attorneys Association. He is a past chair of the Maryland State Bar Association's Section on Correctional Reform.
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