National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Background

The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers was founded in 1958. In 2001, it established a fundraising arm, the NACDL Foundation, which remained largely dormant until 2006 when, under the leadership of its former executive director Norman Reimer, it raised $30 million over a 15-year period. ^{3 4}

This expansion of fundraising activities made possible a radical increase of public policy advocacy, resource support to the profession, and pro bono legal that which has continued under Reimer’s successors. ⁵

Activities

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers serves as a point of engagement for attorneys wishing to participate in pro bono work; educates the public about legal issues and legal rights; assists members to remain current on changing laws and trends in their profession; and advocates for changes to laws. ^{1 6}

To enable members to remain current and advance in their profession, it makes available extensive publications and study materials. Members receive 10 monthly issues of its journal, The Champion Magazine, Daily Criminal Justice briefings, monthly E-news, and access to CLE (Continuing Legal Education) courses. It conducts research and produces reports and white papers on important judicial issues. It regularly submits amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) briefs in support of litigants in cases important to the criminal justice system. ¹

Its judicial reform efforts have focused on “overcriminalization, mass incarceration, systemic racial and ethnic disparity, abusive pre-trial detention practices, discovery abuse, collateral consequences, and inadequate support for public defense.” ⁷ For example, it established a center to equip attorneys to combat digital surveillance by government and it recruited, trained and supported more than 3,000 pro bono attorneys “to help people in prison apply for clemency” including those serving life sentences. ⁸ Its “Full Disclosure Project” offers an open source database which presents information on individual police officers including internal affairs records and civil lawsuits. ^{4 9}

Nellie King, NACDL’s president, has asserted that NACDL is at “a critical juncture in the fight against systemic racism, police misconduct, overreach, and brutality, mass incarceration, overcriminalization, woefully underfunded public defense offices, sentencings which penalize the constitutional right to a jury trial, and now, the prosecution of women who choose to exercise their reproductive rights, as well as those that aid in those personal decisions.” ⁸

Finances

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Foundation provides NACDL with selected fundraising and administrative services. In 2022, it transferred $2,783,377 in grants to NACDL. In addition, NACDL directly received donations and grants on its own behalf, including federally assisted grant programs as well as $3,523,169 in program revenue such as membership dues, events and product sales for a total revenue of $8,733,455. NACDL holds investments such as money market funds, stock and bonds in the amount of $9,377,772 as well. ⁴

People

Lisa Monet Wayne is the executive director of NACDL. She is a faculty member at the Trial Practice Institute, Harvard Law School, the National Criminal Defense College, and Cardoza Law School. She serves on the Colorado Supreme Court Standing Committee on Ethics and the Colorado Sentencing Reform Task Force. Wayne is a law graduate of Pepperdine University Law School, and earned an undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Colorado. She was a Colorado State Public Defender for 13 years. ^{1 10}