ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Criminal defense attorney Gavin P. Holihan has been appointed first assistant district attorney in the Lehigh County district attorney's office.
- Gavin P. Holihan will join the Lehigh County District Attorney's office as First Assistant DA this month
- The position acts as the District Attorney when they are out of jurisdiction and succeeds the DA in the event of a vacancy
- Holihan has experience as a criminal defense lawyer, and has previously worked within the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office as well as at his own private practice.
The appointment, which starts Jan. 9, fills a position previously held by Jeffrey S. Dimming, who has returned to duties as chief deputy district attorney, according to the district attorney's office.
District Attorney Jim Martin explained in the announcement that the first assistant acts as and for the District Attorney when he is out of the jurisdiction, or otherwise unavailable and would succeed the district attorney in the event of a vacancy in the office. Effectively, Holihan will be second in command for the office.
"Gavin has all of the qualities necessary and desirable to fulfill the responsibilities of this important position and I am confident he will perform his duties in an exemplary manner.”District Attorney Jim Martin
“This is the most important attorney position in the office," said Martin in the announcement. "Gavin has all of the qualities necessary and desirable to fulfill the responsibilities of this important position and I am confident he will perform his duties in an exemplary manner.”
Holihan is a Fordham University law school graduate and previously worked with the Lehigh County government as an Assistant District Attorney from 1992-97 and as Deputy Lehigh County Solicitor from 1997 to 1999.
Afterward, he practiced in the firm of Huber and Waldron before practicing law at his own firm from 2004 to January of this year, according to the district attorney's office. Holihan also had been a part-time trial attorney at the Lehigh County Office of the Public Defender from 2015 to the present.
He has been involved as attorney in many trials, including homicide cases.
