Don Pender
People
Don Pender
Lecturer at the University of Virginia School of Law
Assistant Federal Defender in The Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Virginia
Don Pender is an Assistant Federal Defender in the Charlottesville-Harrisonburg office and co-teaches the Federal Criminal Sentencing Advocacy Clinic at UVA Law. In the clinic, students work directly with clients to develop mitigation strategies, draft sentencing motions, and advocate on behalf of individuals in federal court, gaining hands-on experience in client-centered criminal defense. Prior to becoming a federal defender, Pender served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and previously taught high school through Teach For America. He regularly presents at federal criminal practice seminars and is committed to training future lawyers in effective and empathetic advocacy.