M. Clara Hernandez

Bio

Clara Hernandez has served as El Paso County (Texas) Public Defender for the past ten years, and was 1st Assistant Public Defender for El Paso County for the four years prior. She has trial experience with both the office of the El Paso County Public Defender and the office of the El Paso County Attorney. Clara currently serves as a member of the NLADA Board of Directors, and has been asked to chair the recently-created public defender committee of the Texas Criminal Defender Lawyers Association. She has spoken at various local forums and seminars regarding the implementation of the Fair Defense Act in Texas, and has participated as faculty for National Defender Leadership Institute trainings in the past. Clara is a graduate of Yale University and received her J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center.