Ms. Cynthia Eva Orr, Private Law Practice

CYNTHIA EVA HUJAR ORR has attained national prominence defending citizens and entities in state and federal trial and appellate courts. She is currently the President of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (term starts August '09) and Past President of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. She is on the American Bar Association's Criminal Justice Council.

She is listed in The Best Lawyers in America and is an inductee to the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame. Cynthia obtained the first confession of error by the State of Texas in a death penalty case. She was counsel on the Amicus brief in CNN v. General Manuel Noriega before the United States Supreme Court where she successfully defended this unpopular defendant's attorney-client privilege.

She is a co-founder of the Texas Innocence Network and the San Antonio Minority Business Accelerator. She is also chair of the Women's Opportunity Week at the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce during which women are awarded the Brenda Vickery Johnson Women of Achievement award.

She began her career clerking for Fifth Circuit Judge Emilio Garza when he was on the District Court bench in San Antonio, Texas. She is most active advocating criminal justice reforms. She is also Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has an AV rating by Martindale Hubble.

A 1979 under graduate of University of Texas at Austin and 1988 graduate of St. Mary's University Law School, she is proficient in trial, appeals, writs of habeas corpus, petitions for discretionary review, writs of certiorari, mandamus, prohibition and corum nobis. Her breadth of experience with each vehicle compliments the others, making her a strong and experienced advocate.

Some of her past clients have been under investigation for antitrust, money laundering, RICO (Racketeering in Corrupt Organizations), economic espionage, foreign bank fraud, bank fraud, Bank Secrecy Act violations, money transfer business violations, bankruptcy fraud, insurance fraud, healthcare fraud, tax fraud, tax evasion, securities fraud, computer and internet fraud, economic and cyber-crime violations, credit card fraud, phone and telemarketing fraud, mail fraud, campaign contribution and election code violations, public corruption, government fraud, financial fraud, insider trading, bribery, kickbacks, counterfeiting, embezzlement, trade secret theft, ITAR, EAR and munitions violations, environmental violations, import or export offenses and forfeiture. Her practice also includes the representation of those individuals and entities under investigation or accused of white collar and serious crimes in state court. She further devotes a portion of her time to a pro bono death penalty practice.

Speeches:

• The Post-Postville Conference, September 18, 2008, Kansas City, MO (attachment is OrrAndradePPT.pdf); Topic: Ethical Considerations Governing Multiple Representations, sponsored by The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, The American Immigration Lawyers Association, The National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild, the American Civil Liberties Union Immigrants' Rights Project and the Federal Public Defender for the District of Kansas City, Mo.
• Defending Drug Cases Seminar, November 13-14, 2008, Houston, TX (attachment is Forfeiture.pdf); Topic: Forfeiture, sponsored by the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
• Defense Champions at Battle: Charging the Line, August 22-23, 2008, Nashville, TN (attachment is closing.arguments.pdf); Topic: Closing: It is YOUR Battlefield, YOUR Win, sponsored by the Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT:

Obtained the first Confession of Error by the State of Texas in a death penalty case, Miguel Angel Martinez vs. Gary Johnson, No. L-98-37 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Laredo Division, underlying case - State of Texas vs. Miguel Angel Martinez, Cause No. K-91-294-D3 in the 341st Judicial District Court, Webb County, Laredo, Texas.

U.S. Supreme Court reversed money laundering count in Moreno-Gonzalez v. U.S., No. 07-400 (2008).

Practice primarily devoted to defending citizens accused of crime in State and Federal Trial and Appellate Courts (90% of practice devoted to criminal defense work) and approximately 20% of our firm’s work is pro bono.