National College for DUI Defense

What National College for DUI Defense does

The National College for DUI Defense (NCDD), Inc. is a Washington-State-governed nonprofit professional membership organization founded in 1995 and headquartered in Montgomery, Alabama. It serves DUI/DWI defense attorneys through tiered annual memberships ($50-$250), the only ABA-accredited Board Certification program in DUI Defense Law (since 2004), and a Sustaining Membership premium tier ($3,500 one-time). NCDD's core products are educational and credentialing rather than technological: a Forensic Library of scientific articles and motions, a bi-annual NCDD Journal, webinars, and a member directory. The organization runs four or more seminars per year, including the Summer Session (historically at Harvard Law School), the Las Vegas-based 'DWI Means Defend With Ingenuity' co-sponsored with NACDL (500+ attendees), 'Mastering Scientific Evidence' with TCDLA in New Orleans, NHTSA-aligned SFST and ARIDE courses, and Serious Science courses at the Shimadzu Laboratory at UT Arlington. Board certification is the flagship credential — recognized in over 20 states — and generates the highest-margin recurring revenue via a $1,500 initial fee and $350 annual renewals across a five-year cycle. NCDD also operates a 'Find an Attorney' public directory covering all 50 U.S. states and Canadian provinces, plus a client referral partnership with Intoxalock and Breathe Easy Insurance via the MINDR platform. Governance is provided by an elected Board of Regents led by a Dean; the only named staff member is Executive Director Rhea Kirk. The organization is independent, with no parent company or external equity ownership.

Name

National College for DUI Defense

Legal name

National College for DUI Defense, Inc.

Website

https://ncdd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The National College for DUI Defense (NCDD) is a nonprofit professional membership organization and the sole ABA-accredited certifier of DUI Defense Law specialists, serving 1,300+ attorneys across all 50 U.S. states, Canada, and South Africa through tiered memberships, board certification, seminars, and a forensic library.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Montgomery

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. General Membership Dues: Annual membership dues paid by attorneys. Three tiers: New Attorneys (in practice <6 years) at $200/year, Seasoned Attorneys (in practice 6+ years) at $250/year, and Public Defenders at $50/year. Dues are renewable annually and may be set to auto-renew.
2. Board Certification Fees: One-time application and examination fees for board certification. Initial certification costs $1,500 total ($1,000 non-refundable filing fee + $500 examination fee). Re-examination costs $750. Annual renewal fee of $350 applies until the fifth year when a $500 five-year re-certification filing fee is due. This is the only ABA-accredited certification in DUI Defense Law.
3. Sustaining Membership: One-time lifetime sustaining membership fee of $3,500 for elite attorneys. Once designated, sustaining members no longer pay annual dues but receive featured placement on the website, recognition at the Summer Session, and a commemorative plaque.
4. Seminar Fees: Revenue from seminar attendance fees. NCDD organizes multiple seminars annually including the Summer Session (Harvard Law School), Winter Session, annual 'DWI Means Defend With Ingenuity' (Las Vegas), 'Mastering Scientific Evidence' (New Orleans), NHTSA SFST courses, ARIDE courses, and the Advanced Breath Testing Course. Fees are charged per seminar.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The National College for DUI Defense is a professional membership organization providing ABA-accredited board certification in DUI Defense Law and tiered annual memberships for attorneys. It delivers specialized legal training through multiple annual seminars (Summer Session, Winter Session, DWI Means Defend With Ingenuity in Las Vegas, Mastering Scientific Evidence in New Orleans), NHTSA SFST and ARIDE courses, Serious Science forensic training at Shimadzu Laboratory, and the Advanced Breath Testing Course. Members gain access to a Virtual Forensic Library, the NCDD Journal, webinars, and a 1,300+ member peer network across all 50 U.S. states, Canada, and South Africa.

Product overview

The National College for DUI Defense is a professional membership organization providing comprehensive education, certification, and resources for DUI defense attorneys. The core offering consists of ABA-accredited Board Certification in DUI Defense Law and tiered annual memberships (New Attorney, Seasoned Attorney, Public Defender) providing access to the Virtual Forensic Library, webinars, and member directory. The organization conducts multiple annual seminars including the Summer Session at Harvard Law School, Winter Sessions, and the DWI Means Defend With Ingenuity seminar in Las Vegas. Specialized training programs include NHTSA SFST and ARIDE courses, Serious Science courses on forensic blood analysis, and Advanced Breath Testing courses. Additional offerings include the NCDD Journal (bi-annual digital newsletter), an Online Store, and a state-by-state DUI laws directory. The Sustaining Membership represents a lifetime premium tier for distinguished members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NCDD General Membership Annual membership providing attorneys access to the Virtual Forensic Library, webinars, educational materials, and the member directory. Available in three tiers: New Attorneys (under 6 years in practice) at $200/year, Seasoned Attorneys (6+ years) at $250/year, and Public Defenders at $50/year.
• Board Certification in DUI Defense Law ABA-accredited certification program for DUI defense attorneys. Requires passing written and oral examinations, five years of practice experience, 50% DUI practice focus, 15+ trials, and 36 hours of approved education. Valid for five years. Recognized in over 20 states.
• Sustaining Membership Lifetime membership class for exceptional DUI defense attorneys with a one-time $3,500 fee. Benefits include no annual dues, featured website placement, recognition during Summer Session, and a commemorative plaque.
• Summer Session Signature training program held at Harvard Law School each July focused on trial skills including field sobriety test challenges, breath/blood test attacks, opening and closing arguments, and cross-examination techniques.
• Winter Session Annual educational session held each January at varying locations across the country for continued professional development in DUI defense.
• DWI Means Defend With Ingenuity Seminar Annual fall seminar co-sponsored with NACDL held in Las Vegas, recognized as one of the largest criminal defense seminars with 500+ attorneys attending.
• Mastering Scientific Evidence Seminar Intensive three-day seminar co-sponsored with TCDLA held annually in New Orleans focused on trial skills and forensic toxicology applications in DUI defense.
• NHTSA SFST Student Course Three-day certification course following National Highway Traffic Safety Administration standards on Standardized Field Sobriety Testing including walk-and-turn, one-leg-stand, and horizontal gaze nystagmus tests.
• NHTSA ARIDE Course 16-hour Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement course covering drug impairment detection, seven major drug categories, physiology, and courtroom testimony for DUI drug cases.
• Serious Science Courses Intensive six-day courses combining forensic science and trial advocacy, including Blood Alcohol Analysis (GC-FID method) and Blood Drug Analysis (mass spectrometry), held at Shimadzu Laboratory at the University of Texas-Arlington.
• Advanced Breath Testing Course (ABTC) Hands-on course covering breath testing science, device calibration, and trial skills for challenging breath test evidence in court.
• Virtual Forensic Library Comprehensive online library for members containing scientific articles on drug and alcohol intoxication, toxicology, testing methods, field sobriety testing, accident reconstruction, expert testimony, and a Brief and Motions Bank.
• NCDD Online Store Digital storefront offering books, trial graphics, and merchandise for DUI defense attorneys.
• State Approved Seminars Directory of NCDD-approved state seminars sponsored by non-profit criminal defense organizations and bar associations for continuing legal education credit.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,300+ member attorneys across all 50 U.S. states, Canada, and South Africa
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• MINDRcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMINDR serves as NCDD's official client referral and support partner. Through this partnership, NCDD Members can connect their clients with trusted solutions including Intoxalock (Official Ignition Interlock Partner) and Breathe Easy Insurance (Official SR22/FR44 Insurance Partner). NCDD members receive discounts for their clients through these partnerships. This is described as helping clients, supporting attorneys, and strengthening NCDD.
• IntoxalockcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerIntoxalock is the Official Ignition Interlock Partner of NCDD, accessed through the MINDR platform. NCDD members receive discounted pricing for their DUI defense clients who require ignition interlock devices as part of their case resolution. This provides members with a client referral channel while offering a discounted service to clients.
• Breathe Easy InsurancecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBreathe Easy Insurance is the Official SR22/FR44 Insurance Partner of NCDD, accessed through the MINDR platform. NCDD members can refer their DUI clients who need SR22/FR44 insurance filings. Members receive discounted rates to pass on to clients.
• National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNACDL co-sponsors the annual 'DWI Means Defend With Ingenuity' seminar with NCDD. This seminar is held each October in Las Vegas and regularly attracts over 500 lawyers. It is described as the largest criminal defense seminar of its type. The partnership leverages both organizations' audiences and positions the seminar as the premier national DUI defense training event.
• Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (TCDLA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCDD co-sponsors the 'Mastering Scientific Evidence' seminar with TCDLA, held annually in New Orleans each spring. This intensive three-day seminar focuses on trial skills and current issues in forensic toxicology and DUI-related scientific disciplines.
• Harvard Law SchoolflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHarvard Law School hosts the NCDD Summer Session each July. This is the signature program for developing trial skills including methods for attacking field sobriety tests, breath and blood tests, opening statements, closing arguments, cross-examining police officers and prosecution experts, and using defense expert witnesses. The Summer Session is limited in size to maintain a low student-to-faculty ratio. Note: NCDD explicitly states that no member may imply that attendance at Harvard Law School seminars confers any recognition or endorsement by Harvard.
• Shimadzu Laboratory at University of Texas-ArlingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Shimadzu Laboratory at the University of Texas-Arlington is the site of hands-on forensic science training for NCDD's Serious Science courses. Students don lab coats and work with laboratory instruments, preparing their own blood samples for testing. This partnership provides NCDD members with unique access to a leading research and academic laboratory for forensic science training.
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)coreTechnology or IntegrationNCDD's SFST (Standardized Field Sobriety Testing) and ARIDE (Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement) courses follow all standards set by NHTSA. These are the same courses that police officers attend to become certified in field sobriety testing and drug detection. NCDD teaches these courses from the defense attorney's perspective, enabling attorneys to identify deviations from standardized procedures and effectively cross-examine officers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL): NACDL is the largest U.S. criminal defense bar association and directly co-sponsors NCDD's flagship 'DWI Means Defend With Ingenuity' seminar. It serves a closely overlapping membership of criminal defense attorneys and competes for the same audience for events and CLE programming.
• National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA): NBTA is an ABA-accredited specialty certification body for trial lawyers, structurally analogous to NCDD's ABA-accredited DUI Defense Law certification. Both operate credentialing programs with examinations, peer references, and re-certification cycles.
• National Association of Public Defenders (NAPD): NAPD represents public defenders, a key NCDD member segment (discounted $50/year membership). It is comparable as a criminal-defense-focused professional association with overlapping audience and overlapping CLE/training offerings.
• Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (TCDLA): TCDLA is a major state-level criminal defense bar association that co-sponsors NCDD's 'Mastering Scientific Evidence' seminar. It is highly comparable as a regional professional association serving the same DUI/criminal defense practitioner audience.

Broad incumbents

• National Board of Legal Specialty Certification (NBLSC): NBLSC is an umbrella organization that certifies multiple legal specialties under ABA standards. It is comparable as an institutional peer that sets and oversees legal specialty certification processes of which NCDD is one example.
• American Association for Justice (AAJ): AAJ (formerly ATLA) is a large national trial lawyer association offering CLE and member services to plaintiff and criminal defense attorneys. It is comparable as a larger, broader incumbent that competes for the same professional development dollar.
• American Bar Association (ABA): The ABA is the largest U.S. legal professional association and is the body that granted NCDD its accreditation in 2004. Although broader and not a direct competitor in DUI defense training, it is the regulatory umbrella that legitimizes NCDD's certification.

Emerging players

• Quimbee: Quimbee is an online legal education and CLE platform with broad course catalogs that increasingly cover criminal defense and DUI topics. It represents the digital CLE competition that could commoditize parts of NCDD's seminar business over time.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NCDDNews
• Facebookfacebook.com/NationalCollegeforDUIDefense
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-college-for-dui-defense

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National College for DUI Defense