By Every summer, prosecutors from across the country pack their bags for the National District Attorneys Association’s Summer Conference, and 2026 is no exception. This year’s event runs from August 5 through August 8 in St. Petersburg, Florida, drawing district attorneys, assistant prosecutors, and criminal justice policy staff for four days of training, networking, and discussion on the state of prosecution in America.
The NDAA has represented the interests of America’s prosecutors since 1950, and its conferences remain one of the few venues where local, state, and federal prosecutors compare notes in the same room. That matters more than ever given how much prosecutorial workloads have shifted in recent years.
Why This Conference Matters
Prosecutor offices nationwide are stretched thin. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the majority of the roughly 2,300 state court prosecutors’ offices in the United States operate with limited staff relative to their caseloads, and many report ongoing difficulty recruiting and retaining assistant prosecutors. The Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance has continued to fund training and technical assistance programs aimed at closing that gap, which is part of why events like the NDAA Summer Conference matter so much for smaller offices that cannot afford in-house training staff.
The FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program and the newer National Incident-Based Reporting System also feed directly into how prosecutors build cases and track trends, and NDAA sessions regularly walk attendees through how to use that data more effectively in charging decisions and trial preparation.
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What Happens at the Conference
The Summer Conference typically blends:
- Trial advocacy workshops led by veteran prosecutors
- Sessions on emerging criminal justice trends, including cybercrime and fentanyl-related prosecutions
- Public safety policy discussions with state and federal partners
- Continuing legal education credit opportunities for attending prosecutors
Who Attends
District attorneys, assistant district attorneys, state’s attorneys, and prosecutorial support staff from across the country typically make up the bulk of attendees, alongside representatives from the Department of Justice and victim advocacy organizations.
FAQ
When is the NDAA Summer Conference 2026? It runs from August 5 to August 8, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Who can attend the NDAA Summer Conference? The conference is designed for prosecutors, prosecutorial staff, and criminal justice professionals, though some sessions welcome allied partners such as victim advocates and law enforcement liaisons.
Does the conference offer CLE credit? Many sessions are eligible for continuing legal education credit, though attendees should confirm eligibility with their state bar.
What topics does the 2026 conference focus on? Expect sessions on trial advocacy, public safety trends, and current issues facing prosecutors, including staffing shortages and emerging crime categories.
Sources
- National District Attorneys Association. National District Attorneys Association (NDAA)
- U.S. Department of Justice. Official Website of the U.S. Department of Justice
- Bureau of Justice Statistics. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), Office of Justice Programs
- Federal Bureau of Investigation. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Official Website
Last Updated on: August 1, 2026
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