Washington, DC (August 14, 2013) – On Tuesday, August 20, 2013 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Library of Congress, The Federal Bar Association Criminal Law Section and The Law Library of Congress are hosting this event marking the beginning of a year-long commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Criminal Justice Act. This landmark legislation secured the Sixth Amendment right to counsel in federal court. The following groups are participating organizations in the event: the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), National Legal Aid & Defender Association, American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section, Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, and the Constitution Project.

The program includes remarks by:

David Mao, Law Librarian of Congress
Geoff Cheshire, Chair of the Federal Bar Association’s Criminal Law Section
Honorable Gustavo A. Gelpi, Jr., President-Elect, Federal Bar Association
James R. Silkenat, President, American Bar Association

The program also includes a panel discussion --“Striving for a Meaningful Right to Counsel” – among:

Norman L. Reimer, Executive Director, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL)
Thomas Giovanni, Counsel, Brennan Center for Justice, New York University
Cait T. Clark, Assistant Director for Defender Services, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts

Tuesday, August 20, 2013
3:00 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Library of Congress, James Madison Memorial Building
Montpelier Room (6th Floor, Yellow Corridor)
101 Independence Avenue, SE
Washington, DC  20540 

RSVP Required -- All members of the press interested in attending this event should contact Sheryl Cannady in the Library’s Public Affairs Office at 202-707-6456 as soon as possible. 

Contacts

Please contact Ivan J. Dominguez, Director of Public Affairs & Communications, (202) 465-7662 or idominguez@nacdl.org for more information.

The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers is the preeminent organization advancing the mission of the criminal defense bar to ensure justice and due process for persons accused of crime or wrongdoing. A professional bar association founded in 1958, NACDL's many thousands of direct members in 28 countries – and 90 state, provincial and local affiliate organizations totaling up to 40,000 attorneys – include private criminal defense lawyers, public defenders, military defense counsel, law professors and judges committed to preserving fairness and promoting a rational and humane criminal legal system.