Washington, DC (Oct. 26, 2016) – Earlier today, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) was presented with the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) Outstanding Alliance Award at its 17th Annual Legal Reform Summit in recognition of its "important contributions to the fight for criminal justice reform."

ILR President Lisa A. Rickard presented the award to NACDL Executive Director Norman L. Reimer, who accepted it on behalf of the Association. In presenting the award, Ms. Rickard pointed to NACDL as an "outstanding partner to the Institute for Legal Reform," continuing that the groups have worked "hand in hand on issues of mutual concern, including criminal intent, criminal discovery, and accountability for prosecutors who go too far."

Ms. Rickard also pointed to a day-long symposium this past May held jointly by ILR and NACDL to draw attention to the over-criminalization of American business. That symposium was entitled "The Enforcement Maze: Over-Criminalizing American Enterprise." Information, videos, and commentary from that symposium are available at www.nacdl.org/EnforcementMaze/.

After receiving the award, NACDL Executive Director Norman L. Reimer said, "NACDL is proud to receive the Outstanding Alliance Award. It is a reflection of more than a decade of working closely with ILR to promote criminal justice reform. This partnership is proof positive that the effects of the nation's broken criminal justice system, and the fixation on using unrestrained criminal prosecution to attack all manner of disfavored personal, social, and economic behavior, are universal. They impact everyone in our society, and the business community is no exception. To fix the system, we need everyone working together, and support from the business community is crucial to these efforts."

Contacts

Ivan J. Dominguez, NACDL 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.