A Tribute to the Life of John A. Ciraldo,
Attorney at Perkins Thompson from 1985 to 2010

Our colleague, John Armand Ciraldo, passed away on April 18, 2010, after a five-year battle with brain cancer.

He was a respected litigator and eloquent advocate for his clients who could make his point to a jury or judge while never compromising his kindly demeanor and personable style. John served the Firm over the years as its President, as a member of the Executive Committee, and as its Ethics counsel. He was expert in a range of areas from maritime law to criminal defense, and accepted court-appointed criminal cases and pro bono clients, representing some of the least fortunate in our society. John participated in a successful appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court regarding federal sentencing guidelines, and handled numerous appeals in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

John was a significant contributor to the Bar and his community. He taught criminal procedure and trial tactics at the University of Maine School of Law, and was appointed by the U.S. Federal Court to the Criminal Justice Panel Committee and the Advisory Committee of the Maine Rules of Evidence. He was Co-Chair of the Committee for Pattern Criminal Jury Instructions for the First Circuit Court of Appeals and co-authored the Pattern Jury Instructions which that Court adopted. He was selected by the judges of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine to be the Portland representative on the Criminal Justice Act Panel Committee. In his town of Cape Elizabeth, he served on the Planning Board, and was a parishioner at St. Alban's Episcopal Church.

John's wife, Julianne, and his three children survive him. We at Perkins Thompson miss John, and appreciate his many years of friendship and dedicated service to the Firm, to his clients, to the Maine Bar, and to his community.

If desired, donations in John's memory may be made to the Maine Cancer Foundation at www.mainecancer.org.