Jim Mangione has been elected Vice-President of the Board of Directors for the San Diego County Defender Organizations, which is the umbrella group for Appellate Defenders Inc., and Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc. 

Appellate Defenders, Inc., is a non-profit law firm which administers the appointed counsel system for the Fourth Appellate District of the California Court of Appeal.   Appellate Defenders, Inc., strives to improve the quality of indigent representation on appeal, and also works to assist the Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, in administering criminal and juvenile delinquency appeals by indigents, as well as civil appeals by indigents in certain areas.

Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc., is a private, non-profit corporation that represents indigent persons accused of federal criminal offenses.  The organzation is independent from the local federal judiciary and is funded by a sustaining grant awarded by Congress under the Criminal Justice Act.