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Ellen Boland Monroe Named 2025 Rookie of the Year at FDOM/MTACDL Conference

On March 13, 2025, at the annual FDOM/MTACDL conference in Chico, Ellen Boland Monroe was named the 2025 Rookie of the Year. The award was presented by Caitlin Boland Aarab, who recommended her after working with her on a high profile homicide trial.

It was a fitting recognition for a lawyer whose first year in practice redefined what it means to be a “rookie.”

An Uncommon Start to Practice

Ellen began her legal career in early 2024, having graduated from law school a semester ahead of schedule. She sat for the February bar exam, was sworn in by April, and immediately stepped into one of the most high-stakes arenas in the legal profession: a homicide trial.

By June—barely two months after being sworn in—she was co-counsel in a trial for a young woman charged with accountability for deliberate homicide. It was Ellen’s first trial. It resulted in a full acquittal.

That result, while extraordinary on its own, was not the sole basis for her nomination. Rather, it was the totality of her work—her legal acumen, her unshakable commitment to her client, and her instinctive grasp of the obligations and ethics of criminal defense—that prompted her colleagues to recognize her contributions in such a significant way.

Commitment Beyond the Courtroom

The client in that case, Charlotte, was 19 years old and had spent the previous year in jail awaiting trial. She had no parents in her corner. No adult support system. And, at that time, no certainty that she would ever leave custody.

Ellen took it upon herself to step into that void.

She did not limit her role to legal preparation or courtroom advocacy. Ellen assumed full responsibility for managing the attorney-client relationship, establishing trust, and ensuring Charlotte’s dignity was respected throughout the process. After long days in the office, she would spend her evenings at the jail, not simply reviewing the case but building a relationship, preparing her for trial, and treating her like the person she is, not just another name. She brought Charlotte books and snacks, listened to her, and encouraged her.

Ellen helped Charlotte find the strength to face a courtroom that had already presumed the worst of her.

Strategic Acumen in Trial

Ellen’s role in the trial was not ceremonial. She was entrusted with handling evidentiary issues as they arose—a challenging responsibility in any felony trial, let alone one involving deliberate homicide.

A central issue in the case involved text messages discovered during pretrial disclosure. Four minutes before the fatal stabbing, the deceased had sent a series of text messages to her brother stating that she intended to engage in a fight at the park, that it might end in death or prison, and that it was “nice knowing” him. The defense sought to admit these messages as evidence of the deceased’s state of mind and to rebut the State’s theory that Charlotte had initiated the confrontation.

The Court initially denied the motion in limine to admit the messages, following precedent that such statements were inadmissible unless known to the defendant at the time. But Ellen understood their potential significance and refused to let the issue go. She prepared a targeted brief and was ready to revisit the issue if trial developments opened the door.

On the first day of trial, the State argued in opening that there was no plausible reason for the deceased to be in the park at 2 a.m., suggesting that Charlotte and her co-defendant must have been the aggressors. Ellen was prepared. She renewed the motion to admit the messages, arguing that the prosecution had “opened the door.” The Court agreed and reversed its earlier ruling, allowing the defense to introduce the texts.

That moment changed the trajectory of the trial. It helped the jury understand the full context of the incident, and ultimately, it was a major factor in Charlotte’s acquittal.

The Qualities That Matter Most

What stands out about Ellen’s first year in practice is not just what she accomplished, but how she did it. She combined skillful legal strategy with authentic compassion. She brought a well-briefed mind into the courtroom and a steady, human presence into the attorney-client relationship. Her work reflected the very best traditions of criminal defense.

As Caitlin Boland Aarab noted in presenting the award: “Ellen, one of the reasons Charlotte is free today is that you managed to be a good lawyer and a good human at the same time.”

That is high praise in any profession. In ours, it is the highest.

Looking Ahead

The Rookie of the Year Award is often seen as a recognition of promise—a signal that a young attorney has the potential to grow into a career of distinction. In Ellen’s case, that promise has already begun to be realized. She has demonstrated not only that she can navigate complex legal terrain, but also that she can lead with principle and purpose.

Her presence in the courtroom is grounded, thoughtful, and resolute. Her preparation is meticulous. Her instincts are sound. And her dedication to the people she serves is unwavering.

It is no surprise, then, that those who have worked alongside her are already looking forward to what her second year—and the many years to come—will bring.

At a time when public confidence in the criminal justice system continues to be tested, attorneys like Ellen Boland Monroe offer a powerful reminder of what is possible when advocacy is combined with integrity. Her recognition as the 2025 Rookie of the Year is deeply deserved, and it marks the beginning of what is certain to be an extraordinary legal career.