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Long, Muña join list of new appointees
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Posted on Jan 23 2006
Elisa Long now holds the top post at the Public Defender’s Office in an official capacity.
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial announced yesterday the appointment of Long to serve as chief public defender under his administration.
The appointment became effective immediately.
“Please extend your full cooperation to this key member of our new administration, so that we may successfully carry out the business of our constituents, the people of the CNMI,” Fitial said.
Long has held the post in an acting capacity since Nov. 18, 2005. She replaced former chief public defender Masood Karimipour, who has left for Afghanistan on a U.S.-sponsored mission.
Long worked as supervising attorney at the Children’s Law Center in Washington, D.C. between September 2003 and July 2005.
Long completed her law degree with honors at the University of Texas School of Law in 1994. She served as assistant public defender in Baltimore, Maryland in July 1995 to June 1997.
Long then joined the Kirkpatrick & Lockhart law firm in Pennsylvania as a litigation associate. She also served as adjunct professor at the University of Maryland School of Law in 2002-2003 where she taught written and oral advocacy skills to law students.
In spring of 2005, Long served again as an adjunct professor conducting seminars on the practice of law at the American University, Washington College of Law.
Long’s bar memberships include the Maryland, District of Columbia, Pennsylvania; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, and U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
In related news, press secretary Charles P. Reyes Jr. said yesterday that Jesus Muna has been named to the position of director of the Division of Customs Services.
Muna, a Precinct 1 resident, lost his bid for a seat in the House of Representatives in the Nov. 5, 2005 election. He ran for office under the Covenant Party.
Attorney and author Howard P. Willens has also offered assistance to the Fitial administration, according to Reyes.
Willens served as counsel for the Mariana Political Status Commission that represented the islands in the Covenant negotiation with the United States.
