Mentor Sam Encarnacion

Samuel G. Encarnacion is the First Assistant Public Defender of Lancaster County. He has a long-standing career with the Lancaster County Public Defender’s Office, where he represents clients in criminal cases. Bilingual in English and Spanish, he is from the Dominican Republic, grew up in Puerto Rico, and moved to Texas in 1980. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and obtained his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin.

Sam was also a partner with Spahn & Encarnacion and represented injured plaintiffs with Haggerty & Silverman. In addition to his legal practice, he has actively participated in various legal committees, including the Pennsylvania Bar Association Minority Bar Committee. He served as an at-large minority governor on the PBA Board of Governors.

Furthermore, Sam chaired the PBA Insurance Fund and Trust and during his tenure as Chair received the PBA Special Achievement Award. He was also a member of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Committee on Rules of Evidence and served as its chair.