Mario Conte served in the United States Air Force as a pilot and did two tours of duty in Southeast Asia. He then attended University of Connecticut School of Law, clerked for United States District Court Judge Robert C. Zampano and started a career at Federal Defenders of San Diego as a trial attorney. He became the Chief Trial Attorney in 1984 and then the Executive Director in 1991. While at Federal Defenders, he tried over 100 felony jury trials, argued more than 30 cases in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and assisted in writing two briefs for which certiorari had been granted in the United States Supreme Court. He also taught trial skills and evidence advocacy in programs throughout the United States and as an adjunct professor at California Western School of Law. In 2005, he left FDSD to begin his second career as Distinguished Practitioner and Special Assistant the Dean at California Western School of Law. In addition to his teaching responsibilities at California Western, he co-created the LL.M. program in Federal Trial Advocacy and served as the Director of the Competitive Advocacy Programs. He will live CWSL on July 31, 2020 to begin a new career....Today, he is exploring legal opportunities all over the world. He continues to stay in close contact with the San Diego legal community and is always available to connect on legal issues.