About NACDA
The National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys, established in 2013, is a professional organization championing those who fight for the rights of the accused. By equipping highly-qualified criminal defense attorneys with the most current continuing education opportunities and providing the public with the most accurate, up-to-date listings of top ranked attorneys in their states, the NACDA helps ensure quality representation for individuals facing charges.
Mission
Cases involving criminal charges require competent, specialized attorneys educated with the most up-to-date knowledge of the judicial system. NACDA’s mission is to provide advanced educational opportunities that enable criminal defense attorneys to afford their clients the best representation possible.
Selection Process
The National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys uses a thorough selection process to determine the top criminal defense attorneys in each state. With thousands of attorneys in each state, the NACDA’s rigorous, independent selection process resolves the challenge of attorneys claiming to be “the best” without basis for such claims. For the accused, finding a well-qualified criminal defense attorney is imperative, and the NACDA’s process leaves no doubt as to whom the preeminent criminal defense attorneys are:
- The attorneys who make the NACDA list must first be nominated by a licensed practicing attorney or one of their in-house research staff members.
- Second, the NACDA research staff verifies the nominated individuals meet the minimum requirements of membership in the NACDA.
- The NACDA processing committee selects a portion of the nominated attorneys to advance to the final selection stage.
- Then the Board of Governors officially selects the Top 10 in each state.