Preston Tisdale

Attorney Preston Tisdale is Of Counsel at Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder (KK&B). Nearly forty years ago, Preston Tisdale began his legal career at KK&B. He later left to pursue other legal and civic ventures. Tisdale’s legal accomplishments and his devotion to community service made him a welcome addition back to KK&B in 2010. Prior to returning to KK&B, Preston Tisdale served as the Director of Special Public Def enders for the State of Connecticut, Office of Chief Public Defender.

Atty. Tisdale held this position since its inception and administered and managed all Special Public Defender operations and functions within the Division of Public Defender Services. Before this appointment, Preston headed the Fairfield Judicial District Public Defender’s Office. As a member of the Division of Public Def ender Services, he also held positions at GA 2 – Bridgeport and at GA 6 – New Haven. During his 28 years with the Division, he handled thousands of cases and amassed an extensive trial resume.

Preston Tisdale is the Secretary of the Public Justice Foundation. He serves on the Connecticut Commission on Racial and Ethnic Disparity in the Criminal Justice System. He is a member of the Connecticut Trial Lawyers’ Association (CTLA) Board of Governors and he has served as a faculty member of both the National Defender Training Project and the Connecticut Bar Association (CBA) Continuing Legal Education Program. He has also served on the Connecticut Supreme Court Chief Justice’s Criminal Justice Committee, on the Connecticut Hate Crimes Advisory Committee and as a past Treasurer of the CBA. He currently serves on the CBA Professionalism and CLE and the CBA Professional Discipline Committees.

In other civic capacities, Atty. Tisdale serves on the Boards of Directors for the Fairfield County’s Community Foundation and the Bridgeport Public Education Fund Inc. He is on the Advisory Board for the Center for Children’s Advocacy, and is Chairperson of the Regional Youth/Adult Social Action Partnership (RYASAP), as well as Vice Chairman and past Chairman of the Central Connecticut Coast YMCA. Numerous local and national awards have recognized Atty. Tisdale’s commitment to his community and to society, including a Distinguished Service Award from the NAACP.

Preston Tisdale graduated from Brown University and the New York University School of Law. He is the Immediate Past President of the Brown Alumni Association and a Trustee of the Brown University Corporation. He has served, as a member of the Brown University President’s Leadership Council and on the President’s Advisory Councils on Admission and Diversity. He is a Past-President of the Inman Page Black Alumni Council of Brown University. He served on the University’s Association of Class Leaders Board of Advisors and on its Fairfield County Board of Directors. In 2011, Preston received the first Joseph M. Fernandez 185 Award at Brown University.

Preston and his wife Maria Lourdes Tisdale have been blessed with three lovely daughters, Kamilah, lmani and Alanna K. Tisdale, MD, MPH. He is the son of the late James E. Tisdale and the late Loyse G. Tisdale and the brother of Maisa L. Tisdale.