Kaplan Marino proudly announces that beginning August 1st, Nina Marino began her role as the 76th Chair of the American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section (“CJS”) for the 2026–2027 bar year. This achievement recognizes Nina’s decades long leadership in the field of white collar and complex criminal defense litigation demonstrated by both her successful representation of clients and dedication to the practice.

Nina will lead the CJS’s more than 20,000 members made up of prosecutors, public defenders, private defense counsel, judges, academics, law enforcement professionals, and others in the criminal justice community. The CJS is recognized as the Unified Voice of Criminal Justice because it represents the most diverse, multidisciplinary network of stakeholders in the criminal justice space and serves as a critical resource for its members and the legal profession by identifying emerging criminal justice issues, developing solutions, and making recommendations relating to criminal law and the administration of criminal justice.

Nina's appointment as Chair marks the culmination of more than two decades of dedicated service to the CJS, including Co-Chair of the Continuing Legal Education Board, Founder and Co-Chair of the Women in White Collar Subcommittee, Co-Chair of the Communication and Membership Division, and Co-Chair of the Sponsorship Committee. She has sat on the CJS Council multiple times and served on the Standards Committee where she was instrumental in the creation of Prosecution and Defense Function Standards.

In addition to her leadership roles, Nina has been actively involved in advancing the Section's educational mission. In addition to being a regular speaker and author on hot topics in criminal justice and white-collar criminal defense, Nina co-hosts the Section's podcast, White Collar Talks with Nina and Joe, chairs the International White Collar Crime Institute and sits on the planning committee for the National Institute for White Collar Crime.

As Chair, Nina will work alongside the Section's leadership, members and Section Sponsors to advance its mission, oversee its committees and initiatives, and help guide national and international dialogue on the issues shaping criminal law and the administration of criminal justice.

We are incredibly proud of this well-deserved achievement and look forward to the meaningful impact Nina will make throughout her term.