Katherine O’Brien Selected for 2022 Nationally Ranked Top 10 Under 40 Attorney Award by the National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys

Attorney Katherine O’Brien was recently selected for the National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys’ prestigious Top 10 Under 40 award. The National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys issues this award to recognize the top criminal defense attorneys in each state. It’s based on in-depth, rigorous criteria that select only the best. Winning requires abundant knowledge, expertise in the field, positive case outcomes, and much more.

A mere 1% of attorneys win the Top 10 Under 40 award, setting Katherine O’Brien apart from her peers. Receiving this award is an acknowledgment of her dedication to criminal defense law and the respect she has earned from her clients and fellow attorneys.

What Does it Mean to be Selected for This Award?

The National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys (NACDA) is a highly respected organization devoted to recognizing the very best practicing criminal defense attorneys. They have an in-house team dedicated to researching all nominees for the Top 10 award. Research staff thoroughly vet all chosen recipients before selection. This is not an award given lightly. It’s reserved only for those attorneys who demonstrate true dedication and success in the field of criminal defense.

Those who receive the Top 10 Under 40 Award are the cream of the crop. Award winners excel in what they do. Their education, trial experience, outcomes, and knowledge in the field reflect that completely. A fellow licensed attorney or one of NACDA’s own research staff members submit nominations, meaning that all recipients have demonstrated a level of success significant enough for recognition by their peers or an outside, independent researcher.

Receiving the Top 10 Under 40 Award puts Katherine O’Brien among the top criminal defense attorneys. It’s easy enough for an attorney to claim to be excellent at what they do or even call themselves the best, but this award puts something believable and commendable behind that.

How Are Candidates Selected?

The National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorney’s process for choosing award recipients is strict and thorough. There are several criteria to meet. To kick off the process, a fellow licensed attorney must nominate each candidate, meaning there are no self-nominations. The NACDA research staff then begins their research. From that point, the list of nominees narrows to the top 50 criminal defense attorneys in each state. The NACDA’s Board of Governors makes the final top 10 selection and chooses awardees.

There’s a tough list of requirements to receive the Top 10 Under 40 Award and many nominees don’t come close to making the cut. As a Top 10 winner, Katherine O’Brien had to meet or exceed the following criteria:

Must be licensed and in good standing in the state – O’Brien has been a licensed, practicing attorney for 10 years and currently operates out of New Jersey.
Must be in private practice – Katherine O’Brien Law is a highly regarded private practice.
Must have at least 5 years of experience in criminal defense – She has dedicated her career to criminal defense law and expungement law.
Must devote a significant portion of practice to criminal defense – Her practice focuses on expungement law and representation.
Must be nominated by a licensed attorney or one of our in-house research staff members – Katherine O’Brien’s work in expungements and criminal defense law has proved worthy of recognition and attention from others in the field.

In addition to the above criteria, the National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys has several other requirements to win the Top 10 Under 40 Award. They include:

Client reviews
Peer reviews
The total length of time practicing criminal law
Case outcomes
Trial experience and outcomes
Published books or scholarly articles
Education
Formal criminal defense training
Criminal defense teaching experience
Legal awards

The in-depth, exhaustive review conducted by NACDA’s research staff concluded that Katherine O’Brien met each piece of the criteria set forth by the organization and deserved acknowledgment for her contributions to criminal defense law.

Why Is This Award Important?

It is no small feat to stand out among a crowd of other well-educated, skilled, and successful attorneys. The Top 10 Under 40 Award means that Katherine O’Brien does exactly that. The NACDA, one of the nation’s most highly esteemed criminal defense organizations, deemed her dedication and expertise worthy of recognition.

Being selected for this award is a badge of honor. It shows that Katherine O’Brien commits to the mission of the NACDA and the field of criminal defense law in general. What does that mean? The organization chooses only those who act as true champions of the accused. To be that type of champion, an attorney must regularly and dependably demonstrate incredible levels of competence, knowledge, and ability. To win means that Katherine O’Brien has done precisely that by the standards set out by the NACDA.

Conclusion

As one of the Top 10 Under 40 attorneys, Katherine O’Brien has cemented her place among the best of the best criminal defense attorneys. She has dedicated her career to criminal defense law and expungement representation, and that hard work was officially acknowledged by her peers and a highly respected national organization centered around her specific area of expertise. It’s an award that signifies her finished work and what is yet to come. There is always a need for top-tier criminal defense attorneys. This award signifies that Katherine O’Brien has earned her place and stands among them.