NCJW supports Lara E. Montecalvo. Here’s why:
Lara E. Montecalvo has spent nearly two decades with the Rhode Island Public Defender’s Office, now holding its top leadership position of Chief Public Defender. Throughout her career, Ms. Montecalvo has developed a serious and skilled understanding of criminal and civil law. She has consistently built and argued successful appeals before the Rhode Island Supreme Court. US Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo, has stated that Ms. Montecalvo’s “experience as a trial attorney, her commitment to the rule of law, and her strong sense of compassion and empathy make her an outstanding public defender.” Further, Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) have noted that Ms. Montecalvo “has earned high marks from her peers across the legal spectrum,” and that she “will bring a unique perspective and diversity of experience to the First Circuit.” If confirmed, Ms. Montecalvo would bring gender diversity to the First Circuit, becoming the third woman to currently serve on a bench of nine judges.
Lara E. Montecalvo’s stance on important issues:
Criminal Justice:
During her time as a Public Defender, Ms. Montecalvo has worked to provide high-quality legal representation for citizens of Rhode Island who cannot afford to hire attorneys for criminal, juvenile, and parental rights cases. For example, in 2013 Ms. Montecalvo argued a case before the Rhode Island Supreme Court relating to an alleged violation of the Fourth Amendment. The court ultimately agreed with Ms. Montecalvo, holding that the warrantless search by police in question was unconstitutional. Additionally, as Chief Public Defender, Ms. Montecalvo has led a medical-legal partnership with the Lifespan Transitions Clinic which works to provide intensive health services to formerly incarcerated individuals.
Experience (and Pro Bono Work):
After her graduation from Boston College Law School, Ms. Montecalvo joined the US Department of Justice (DOJ) as a trial attorney to focus on civil tax issues in the federal courts. After four years with the DOJ, Ms. Montecalvo joined the Rhode Island Public Defender’s Office as a trial attorney. In 2010, she transferred to the Office’s Appellate Division. Then in 2014, she was chosen by then-Governor, and now-US Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo to head the Appellate Division. In the role of Chief, Ms. Montecalvo briefed and argued appeals in more than 65 Rhode Island Supreme Court cases, in addition to overseeing over 80 appeals. In 2020, she was appointed as the Chief Public Defender of Rhode Island. Still serving in this capacity today, Ms. Montecalvo regularly litigates cases and runs an almost 100-person office. Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court William P. Robinson III has said that Ms. Montecalvo has “unfailingly impressed” him “with her knowledge of the pertinent facts and law.” Ms. Montecalvo also served as a Board Member for Common Cause Rhode Island, where she provided legal services to veterans.
Education and Awards:
Ms. Montecalvo earned her BA from Swarthmore College in 1996 and her JD, magna cum laude, from Boston College Law School in 2000. While in law school, she interned with the East Bay Community Law Center, which works to advance racial justice, and served as a Managing Editor for the BC Law School International and Comparative Law Review. Ms. Montecalvo has been widely lauded by the legal community, awarded with the “Outstanding Attorney Award” by the Political Asylum/Immigration Representation (PAIR) Project in 2000, the “Outstanding Attorney Award” by the US Department of Justice Tax Division in 2003, and the “Newsmaker of the Year” award of the Rhode Island Women’s Bar Association and Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly in 2020.
Professional Affiliations:
Ms. Montecalvo has served as a Board Member for the Rhode Island Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Criminal Justice Policy Board for the State of Rhode Island. Today, she is a member of the Rhode Island General Assembly’s Special Legislative Commission to Study Justice Reinvestment Proposals and Provide Recommendations for Reducing the Incarceration of Women. In addition, Ms. Montecalvo has been associated with Common Cause Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Bar Association, and the Rhode Island Women’s Bar Association.