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Recognizing and honoring Judge Benjamin Lerner, Senior Judge for Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, for his years of service to the First Judicial District and after he was chosen to receive the Justice William J. Brennan Jr. Distinguished Jurist Award by the Philadelphia Bar Association on December 9, 2014.
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WHEREAS, Judge Lerner graduated with a Bachelor's degree from Brandeis University in 1962, and he then attended the University of Pennsylvania, from which he received his Law degree in 1965. Immediately after graduation, Judge Lerner clerked for the Hon. Stanley A. Weigel of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California; and
WHEREAS, Shortly thereafter, Judge Lerner returned to Philadelphia and from 1973 - 1975 he served as Pennsylvania Deputy Attorney General as the Chief of the Criminal Law division; and
WHEREAS, Continuing his career in public service, Judge Lerner served as the City's Chief Defender at the Defender Association of Philadelphia from 1975 - 1990. In this position, Lerner increased his staff of lawyers from 90 to 145, reducing workloads and increasing effectiveness. Lerner was known for professionalizing the Association and making it one of the best defender organizations in the county. Former Gov. Ed Rendell said in 1990 that, "historians 100 years from now will look at Ben Lerner's stewardship and see it marked the turning point in that office"; and
WHEREAS, Judge Lerner was also a member of the Pennsylvania Criminal Procedure Rules Committee from 1977-1986, the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania from 1980-1986, President of the National Legal Aid and Defender Association 1983-1985, and the Philadelphia Bar Association Commission on Judicial Selection, Retention and Evaluation 1977-1990. Judge Lerner also spent time teaching Trial Advocacy at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Judge Lerner was also the recipient of numerous awards and honors including: the P...
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