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2025 Defending Sexual Assault Cases Training Seminar

Sahara Las Vegas Hotel, Las Vegas, NV

Agenda Faculty Hotel Exhibitor/Sponsor Scholarships Pricing Register Online Register by PDF

Program Summary:

Defending charges of sexual assault and child abuse can be daunting — but with the right tools, it doesn’t have to be.

Every year, NACDL identifies the hottest topics and most pressing issues when defending these cases, and brings-in nationally-renowned lawyers and experts to help you prepare for battle. This year’s 16th Annual Defending Sex Cases training seminar will most-assuredly be our best yet; packed with topics and speakers you won’t want to miss!

Larry Pozner, the master of cross-examination, will make his return to this conference as the featured speaker to educate attendees on, "High Impact Cross-Examination for Sexual Assault Cases Using The Chapter Method©" in a special 4-hour session. 

Much like all NACDL programs, this event also presents the unique opportunity to develop both professional and personal contacts where you can experience the camaraderie of being with criminal defense lawyers from all around the world. Don’t miss this exciting educational opportunity. Attend this highly-rated one-of-a-kind NACDL seminar and leave with a better understanding of defending sex crimes cases in order to effectively represent your clients before, during, and after trial.

Agenda

The program agenda and faculty are subject to change.

Wednesday, November 12, 2025
3:30 pm Early Registration & Exhibit Hall Open
Thursday, November 13, 2025
7:00 am Registration, Exhibits & Continental Breakfast
8:00 am Welcoming Remarks and Morning Announcements – NACDL President Andy Birrell (Minneapolis, MN) and CLE Program Co-Chairs Jacqueline Goodman (Fullerton, CA), Missy Owen (Charlotte, NC) & Kathleen Stilling (Brookfield, WI)
8:10 am Motions in Limine Joseph A. Bugni (Madison, WI)
9:10 am Embracing the Suck: Voir Dire in Sexual Assault Cases – Richard Kammen (Hilton Head, SC)
10:10 am Exhibits, Networking & Refreshment Break
10:30 am Understanding Pediatric Female Penetration: Anatomy, Physiology, and Research – Tristan Ashly Wristen, MSN, BSN, RN, FN-CSA, SANE-A, SANE-P (Wall Township, NJ)
11:30 am Exploring Digital Evidence – Andrew Garrett (Orlando, FL)
12:30 pm Lunch break on your own
2:00 pm Why Would She Lie? – Michael Waddington (Weston, FL)
3:00 pm Issue Spotting and Cross of the Forensic Nurse Examiner – Laurie Rose Kepros (Denver, CO)
4:00 pm Exhibits, Networking & Refreshment Break
4:20 pm ETHICS: Burnout & Stress – Justin Andrus (Bath, ME) and Logan Perkins (Belfast, ME)
5:20 pm Adjourn for the Day
7:00 pm

Opening Reception
Location: TBA 

Sponsored by:

Friday, November 14, 2025
7:00 am Registration, Exhibits & Continental Breakfast
7:00-8:00 am Networking Tables - Network with faculty and other lawyers on topics of interest over coffee and breakfast
8:00 am Morning Announcements – CLE Program Co-Chairs Jacqueline Goodman (Fullerton, CA), Missy Owen (Charlotte, NC) & Kathleen Stilling (Brookfield, WI)
8:05 am The Client Intake Interview: The Start of a Wonderful Relationship – Steven B. Epstein (Garden City, NY)  
8:55 am What a Stoll Expert Can Provide for the Defense – Dr. Ryan J. Jordan, Ph.D. (Tustin, CA)
9:45 am Exhibits, Networking & Refreshment Break
10:00 am Identifying Bias to Defend Child Sexual Abuse Allegations – Carmen Brooks (Las Vegas, NV)
11:00 am Lunch Break on your Own
12:30 pm PART 1: High Impact Cross-Examination for Sexual Assault Cases Using The Chapter Method© – Larry Pozner (Kailua Kona, Hawai'i)
2:30 pm Exhibits, Networking & Refreshment Break
2:50 pm PART 2: High Impact Cross-Examination for Sexual Assault Cases Using The Chapter Method© – Larry Pozner (Kailua Kona, Hawai'i)
4:50 pm Transition Break
5:00 pm     False Confessions in Interrogations – Dr. Richard Leo (San Francisco, CA)
6:00 pm Seminar Adjourns - See You in 2026!

 

Faculty

Hotel

Sahara Las Vegas Hotel & Casino
2535 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89109

All reservations within NACDL room block must be booked using the online reservations link below. Reservations over the phone are not available. 
Online Reservations: https://book.passkey.com/event/50899173/owner/11282514/home
Group rate: $99 + tax Wednesday & Thursday / $209 + tax Friday (expires October 22, 2025).
Rooms/discounted group rates are not guaranteed once the block has been filled.  

Sponsorship and Exhibits

Disclaimer: NACDL does not necessarily endorse or guarantee the quality, applicability, or discounts of the products and/or services of its exhibitors. Users of these products and/or services do so at their sole discretion and NACDL assumes no responsibility for them.

For information on exhibiting or sponsorships, please contact NACDL's Sales and Marketing Manager Jason Petty at jpetty@nacdl.org or call (202) 465-7637.

Sponsor/Exhibit Prospectus

NACDL would like to thank the following sponsors, exhibitors, and affinity partners for their support and contributions:

PLATINUM Sponsor:

still available...

GOLD Sponsor:

still available...

SILVER Sponsor:

still available...

BRONZE Sponsor:

still available...

Welcoming Reception Sponsors:

Wi-Fi Sponsor:

still available...

Seminar Materials Sponsor:

still available...

Lanyards Sponsor:

Tote Bag Sponsor:

still available...

Exhibitors:

Forensic Analytical Crime Lab
Garrett Discovery Inc.
Godoy Medical Forensics
Jennifer Jordan Consulting, Legal Nurse Consulting
Metadata Forensics LLC
RizeUp Media
Second Look Training and Forensic Consulting LLC

Scholarships

NACDL offers a variety of scholarships for this event ranging from partially discounted to fully funded. Each type of scholarship has different application requirements. To apply for any of the following scholarships, please follow the instructions for that specific scholarship.

OPTION 1: Needs Based Scholarships

Based on need, scholarships are available to NACDL members for up to 50% off the standard seminar fee of $429. Approved recipients are responsible for the remainder of the tuition fee, which is $215 (all other expenses are not included). The reduced scholarship fee includes seminar tuition, admission to all evening social events, and downloadable seminar materials. Travel, hotel, and other costs are not included.

To Apply: Prepare and e-mail a letter of no more than two pages explaining the reason why you believe you should receive the grant to: NACDL Senior Director of Events Akvile Athanason, at aathanason@nacdl.org.
All applications must be submitted before registering for the seminar and received by October 15, 2025.

NACDL MEMBERSHIP AND RESERVATION AT THE HOST HOTEL ARE REQUIRED TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR NEEDS-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS.

OPTION 2: Public Defense Scholarships

As a result of generous grant funding, NACDL is able to offer scholarship assistance to public defense providers to attend this NACDL training program. Scholarships will be awarded in the form of full or partial reimbursement of the registration costs of the program. Limited travel reimbursement stipends may also be awarded to qualifying individuals to help defray the costs of travel and lodging.
Completed public defense scholarship applications should be emailed to: PDTScholarship@nacdl.org 

Apply for a Public Defense Scholarship  

Pricing

Register Online Register by PDF

Members of NACDL enjoy exclusive registration rates for our seminars along with all the benefits from joining.

Registration Fees
NACDL Members: Regular, Life, President's Club, and Sustaining  $429
NACDL Members: Public Defender, Associate, Investigator, Professor, "New Lawyer",  International and Military $329
Non Members (includes 1 year membership)  $768
Non-Member Public Defenders $349
ALL Nevada and California Lawyers (Residents Only) $339
Groups of 4 or more PDs (must register at the same time; 1 payment; no changes or cancellations allowed). To register a group, please visit: http://www.nacdl.org/PDGroups $309
Non-Attendee Materials / Recordings
Audio Recording of Seminar (Pre-Sale) $225
Video Recording of Seminar (Pre-Sale) $299

CANCELLATIONS: There is a $75 cancellation fee. Cancellations must be received in writing via e-mail to cancel@nacdl.org by 5:30 pm E.T. Friday, November 7, 2025, to receive a refund, less the cancellation fee. No refunds can be issued after the cancellation deadline.

Code of Conduct

NACDL endeavors to foster a working, learning, and social environment free of harassment, discrimination, intimidation, and insult. To that end, NACDL has adopted a Code of Conduct for Affiliated Persons that applies to all attendees and participants of any kind at all NACDL sponsored events.

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