Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (OACDL)

Membership in OACDL is available to all attorneys in good standing who have an interest in criminal defense. Additionally, an associate member category is available to other professionals in the criminal justice system such as paralegals, investigators and expert witnesses. A law firm practicing criminal defense in Ohio can join on behalf of the lawyers in the firm. Even law school students can join OACDL with a student membership.

The benefits of becoming a member of OCADL include:

• Access to a Listserv that allows the members to communicate with each other directly, discuss recently decided cases and to share information;
• Savings on registration fees to attend CLE Seminars sponsored by OACDL;
• Discounts on publications including the Criminal Law Case Book, authored by the Franklin County Public Defender's Office;
• The protections of OACDL's Strike Force to stand up for a member who is improperly threatened for zealously representing a client;
• Ability to request the assistance of the Amicus Committee if a case on appeal is likely to have an important impact statewide;
• Free access to OACDL publications including the Vindicator - a newsletter that showcases articles by other criminal defense attorneys in Ohio about the organization and issues that impact the profession; and
• Opportunities for referrals from the public, other attorneys, and members of OACDL through the "Find a Lawyer" or "Find an Associate Member" feature on the website.

Many criminal defense attorneys in Ohio also belong to associations organized at the county level including the Cuyahoga Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (CCDLA) and the Central Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (COACDL).