The NAFUSA Board of Directors will convene for its annual spring meeting on April 10-11, 2026, at the Mountain Shadows Resort located just outside of Scottsdale, Arizona. During this gathering, the Board will focus on developing the program for the 2026 Annual Conference, which is scheduled to take place in St. Louis, Missouri, in October. Additionally, the Board will address other important NAFUSA business matters.
Membership Dues Reminder
If you have not yet paid your 2026 NAFUSA membership dues, please remember to do so. For any questions regarding membership, you are encouraged to reach out to Lisa Rafferty.
Conference Sponsorship Information
The names and contribution levels of sponsors for the 2026 Annual Conference will be posted on the NAFUSA website as they are received. Please take a moment to thank both our returning and new sponsors for their generous support of the organization and its annual conference. If you or your firm have not yet become a sponsor, please consider joining in support of NAFUSA.
NAFUSA welcomed Louisiana native Brandon Fremin as a new member in February. Brandon served as U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana (MDLA) from 2018 to 2021 under President Trump. A former Marine, Brandon served as an Assistant District Attorney in the 19th Judicial District of Louisiana,
Director of the Criminal Division for the Louisiana Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General, and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the MDLA prior to his appointment as U.S. Attorney. He is currently Managing Director at Talbot, Carmouche & Marcello.
NAFUSA is set to kick off its annual conference with an elegant opening reception on
October 14, 2026. Conference attendees will be welcomed in style at the historic Union
Station Hotel in the heart of St. Louis, Missouri, sponsored again by longtime NAFUSA
supporter Guidepost Solutions.
Union Station Hotel is renowned for its stunning architecture and rich history. The hotel’s
grand halls, original 19th-century details, and modern amenities are a unique blend of
classic charm and contemporary sophistication. NAFUSA members will get a taste of St.
Louis hospitality as they gather to reconnect, network, and celebrate the beginning of the
conference.
We are pleased to welcome Guidepost Solutions, a leader in compliance, investigations,
and security consulting, to again sponsor the conference’s opening reception. The
reception is more than just a social gathering. Thanks to Guidepost Solutions’ generous
support, attendees will enjoy a memorable evening featuring gourmet hors d’oeuvres,
signature cocktails, and an opportunity for NAFUSA members and guests to reconnect with
old friends and forge new connections.
Whether you’re a returning member or a first-time attendee, the evening promises a
welcoming atmosphere and a chance to engage with leaders in the legal community. Don’t
miss this exceptional start to the NAFUSA conference. Mark your calendar for October 8,
2026. Also consider becoming a sponsor for this year’s Conference. See the 2026 NAFUSA
Sponsor Brochure which is posted on the NAFUSA website.
Former NAFUSA president Paul Coggins is back in the spotlight with his latest book
“Chasing the Chameleon” which is set for release March 6. Paul, who served as U.S.
Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, is both a successful criminal defense attorney
and an award-winning author. His legal thrillers reflect his courtroom and criminal law
experience as well as his knack for telling a good story, a trait many NAFUSA members have
witnessed. His latest book, which has already received positive reviews, continues the
series he has written featuring the adventures of fictional Dallas defense attorney Cash
McCahill.
Paul, who is the current NAFUSA Foundation President, clearly enjoys the intersection of practicing law and writing stories about it. According to him, “Being a federal prosecutor is the best job in the world. Writing about them is the second-best job.”
NAFUSA member Michael Dunavant was sworn in -again- on October 10, 2025, as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. Mike served in the first Trump administration from 2017-2021 and is the first person to serve that district twice as the Presidential appointee. He served as the Deputy Executive Director of Legal Services & Policy for the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference prior to his reappointment as U.S. Attorney.
NAFUSA’s 2026 Annual Conference will take place October 14-16, 2026, in St. Louis, Missouri. The prestigious Ritz Carlton hotel will serve as the venue for the event, bringing together former U.S. Attorneys, legal professionals, and distinguished guests from across the country.
The Ritz Carlton is located in the trendy arts and garden district of Clayton, MO and offers an elegant setting for NAFUSA’s annual gathering. Attendees can expect world-class accommodations, state-of-the-art meeting facilities, and exemplary service, all contributing to a memorable experience in one of America’s historic cities.
The conference will feature prominent speakers from the legal and public policy sectors, sharing insights on current issues facing the justice system and legal practitioners. Interactive panels will address current topics of interest to our members such as law enforcement challenges, compliance with Department of Justice regulations and the evolving role of U.S. Attorneys.
As with previous conferences, the 2026 conference will provide a unique platform for former U.S. Attorneys and professionals to reconnect, share experiences, and foster new collaborations. Attendees can participate in social events including receptions, dinners, and opportunities to experience St. Louis’s rich cultural and historical offerings.
More information about the conference offerings will be available on the NAFUSA website in the next few months and registration details and hotel accommodation information will be available on the NAFUSA website in mid-2026. NAFUSA members and 2026 conference sponsors are encouraged to mark their calendars and prepare for an engaging and impactful gathering. The 2026 Conference Sponsor Brochure is now available on the NAFUSA website.
The legal community was saddened to learn of the recent passing of Joseph Hartzler who
led the prosecution team following the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal
Building in Oklahoma City. He died on December 18, 2025, at the age of 75. NAFUSA
members who toured the Oklahoma City Memorial during the 2024 Annual Conference will
recall that the bombing claimed 168 lives and injured many more. Hartzler, who was at that
time an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Springfield, Illinois, submitted his name volunteering to
assist with the case to then Attorney General Janet Reno, who later named him to lead the
prosecution team investigating the bombing. Hartzler and the assembled team of
prosecutors secured the conviction of Timothy McVeigh, who committed the deadliest
domestic terror attack to that time in American history. After a two-month trial, McVeigh
was convicted of 11 counts of murder and conspiracy. He was sentenced to death and
executed in 2001.
Hartzler attended American University Washington College of Law where he met fellow
classmate Lisa Harms. They married in 1981 and together they had three sons, Alex, Adam and Matthew, all of whom were the joy of his life. Hartzler was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1988, but he refused to let the disease slow him down, and he led the
successful McVeigh prosecution from a wheelchair. He is survived by his wife, three sons
and their wives, and five grandchildren.
His son Matthew paid tribute to his father recalling that the successful prosecution of
Timothy McVeigh provided a measure of justice to the victims and their families. He added
that his father’s role in the trial was “… a watershed moment for disability visibility…in an
era when disability was often hidden, he navigated the federal courthouse in front of a sea
of cameras, challenging national perceptions of capability in his motorized scooter.”
During 2025 NAFUSA membership increased. We welcomed many new members, many
from the Biden administration, and sadly lost a few. We look forward to continuing to grow
our membership in 2026 and to have them join NAFUSA members and guests at the 2026
annual conference which will be held in St. Louis, Missouri, October 14-16.
The current breakdown of active NAFUSA members by administration is as follows:
Biden – 53
Trump – 79
Obama – 58
G.W. Bush – 81
Clinton – 42
G.H. Bush – 23
Reagan – 39
Carter – 15
Ford – 7
Nixon – 5
Happy Holidays to all our NAFUSA members!
The Opening Reception for NAFUSA’s 2025 Annual Conference on Wednesday, October 8, 2025 was a wonderful treat for conference attendees. The view of Washington, D.C. at night from the penthouse offices of King & Spalding, our gracious hosts for the evening, was breathtaking. We should also recognize John Richter, immediate past NAFUSA president and partner at King & Spalding, for ensuring that the weather was perfect for enjoying the impressive skyline, drinks and great food with fellow members and guests on the penthouse veranda.
Again this year, the sponsor for the conference’s opening event was Guidepost Solutions. We cannot thank Guidepost enough for their generosity and continued support of NAFUSA and this well attended event. The opening reception has been one of the highlights of conferences for many years, and this year did not disappoint. The food was beautiful, abundant and delicious, service impeccable, and beverages top shelf. Thanks to the good folks from Guidepost for sponsoring this year’s reception and for joining us at the reception.
2025 Bradford Award winners Margaret Lynaugh and Brandon Thompson, from the Southern District of New York, presented a review of the case for which they were nominated – the prosecution of Herrera Garcia and three others who operated a fentanyl packaging and distribution facility out of a Bronx daycare.
Conference attendees enjoyed a cocktail reception in the Willard Hotel’s beautiful Crystal Room before the conference’s closing dinner. This year’s keynote speakers were former Attorney General John Ashcroft and former Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson, led in a “fireside chat” by incoming NAFUSA president Catherine Hanaway. The two discussed the challenges faced by DOJ employees following the attacks on 9-11. Their remarks were a sobering reminder of that difficult time, but also an inspiring tribute to the work done by DOJ on behalf of the nation.
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