Announcing NAPD Board of Directors President Elizabeth Miller and New Officers

The National Association for Public Defense (NAPD) is excited to announce that Ohio State Public Defender Elizabeth Miller has been appointed as the President of its Board of Directors. Elizabeth has over 20 years of experience with the Office of […]

Doug Wilson

We mourn the loss of Douglas Wilson, a well-respected figure in the field of public defense whose recent passing marks the end of an era. Doug’s dedication to justice was unparalleled. His role as a founding member of the National […]

NAPD Changemakers Forum Tackles Public Defense Challenges

The NAPD’s Changemakers Forum sparked innovation and collaboration in Salt Lake City, Utah. This creative event brought together a diverse group of public defense leaders for a dynamic exchange of ideas focused on tackling the most pressing challenges in the […]

NAPD Partners with ABA to Launch Task Force for Public Defense Independence

From the ABA’s announcement: WASHINGTON, March 26, 2024 – The American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section and Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defense (SCLAID), in partnership with the National Association for Public Defense, today announced the creation of the Task Force for Public Defense Independence. […]

NAPD’s DEIJ Coordinator Attends Meeting on Preserving the Future of Juries and Jury Trial

NAPD’s DEIJ Coordinator, Brittany Gail Thomas (BGT), Esq., participated in a 2-day meeting, Preserving the Future of Juries and Jury Trial hosted by the National Center for State Courts and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in Washington, DC […]

NAPD Publishes Policy Statement on Workloads

Since its founding ten years ago, NAPD has been a leading national voice on reducing public defense workloads. In light of new research and developments in public defense, NAPD has updated its previous guidance from 2015 and 2017, and adopted […]

NAPD Welcomes Renee Brodsky as New Assistant Training Director

NAPD is pleased to welcome Renee Brodsky, Esq., as its Assistant Training Director. This new role will support the Training Director in expanding NAPD’s high-quality, cost-effective training programs. “Training is at the heart of what we do at NAPD,” says […]

Remarks on Gideon Day 2024 by Lori James-Townes

Lori James-Townes, NAPD Executive Director, delivered the following remarks at the Maryland Office of the Public Defender’s Gideon Day celebration in Annapolis on March 18, 2024. Good evening, distinguished guests, members of the Maryland State Gideon Day Celebration, and esteemed […]

NM host to groundbreaking public defense conference

This week the National Association for Public Defense  (NAPD) is hosting the largest-ever convening of non-attorney public defense professionals this week in Albuquerque – a move that highlights both New Mexico’s leading role in the public defense community and a national […]

Celebrating the Transgender Day of Visibility: An Open Letter From the NAPD Team

As members of the National Association for Public Defense team, we celebrate the Transgender Day of Visibility. Each year the world marks March 31st as a time to lift up transgender people, amplify their voices and honor them for their […]