Agenda Faculty CLE Hotel Exhibitor/Sponsor Scholarships Pricing Register Online Register by PDF
We're excited to announce that NACDL is heading to St. Petersburg for its 2026 Annual Meeting, August 5-8, 2026 at The Vinoy Resort! Plan today to join us and experience this outstanding CLE training opportunity.
The outcome of your case is often determined by the comprehensive legal work, strategic moves, and effective negotiations that occur before the trial begins. The pre-trial phase is crucial, as the vast majority of cases are resolved without going to a full trial.
The CLE program will address case assessment, discovery, organization of evidence, strategic use of pre-trial motions, effective negotiation skills, and plea bargaining. Witness and client preparation and ethical considerations will also be addressed.
SPECIAL EVENT: An optional 1-day Appellate Advocacy Track will also be available.
Attention Appellate Advocates!
NACDL is hosting a 1-day Appellate Advocacy CLE on Thursday, August 6, 2026, as part of its 2026 Albert J. Krieger Annual Meeting & Seminar.
This dynamic CLE program will bring together appellate practitioners and jurists for a full day of practical insight to help sharpen your skills. From building a strong trial record and making the most of a challenging appeal, to persuasive brief writing, issue selection, oral argument, and using state constitutions creatively and effectively, you won't want to miss this special training seminar.
There will be ample opportunities for networking and collaboration throughout the day.
Whether you’re refining your writing, honing oral advocacy, or elevating your strategic approach to appeals, this CLE is a must-attend for criminal defense appellate practitioners. Join us in St. Petersburg and take your appellate advocacy to the next level.
Don’t miss NACDL’s biggest CLE of the year; a unique opportunity to learn from and network with your peers from around the country. Make your plans now to join us for our Annual Meeting in St. Petersburg - and bring the family to make it a summer getaway!
Agenda
The program agenda and faculty are subject to change.
| Wednesday, August 5, 2026 | |
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| 3:00 pm | Early Registration & Exhibit Hall Open |
| Thursday, August 6, 2026 | ||
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| 7:00 am | Registration, Exhibits & Continental Breakfast | |
| Pre-Trial Strategies Track | Appellate Advocacy Track | |
| 8:15 am | Welcoming Remarks – NACDL President Andrew Birrell (Minneapolis, MN) and Program Co-Chairs Kelli Childress (El Paso, TX), Sonya Pfeiffer (Charlotte, NC & Toronto, Ontario), Deja Vishny (Milwaukee, WI), and Michael Waddington (Weston, FL) | Welcoming Remarks – NACDL President Andrew Birrell (Minneapolis, MN) and Program Co-Chairs Joshua Dratel (New York, NY), Tamar Lerer (Newark, NJ), and Benjamin Lowenthal (Honolulu, Hawai’i) |
| 8:35 am | Be a Stand-up Lawyer: Techniques to Organize and Prepare for Trial and Make What's Relevant Ready and Accessible – Katherine “Kacey” McBroom (Beverly Hills, CA) | Building a Good Record as an Appellate Counsel in the Trial Court – Ben Miller, Utah Indigent Appellate Defense Division (Salt Lake City, UT) |
| 9:35 am | Creative Pre-Trial Motions – Tara Allen (Boston, MA) | The Soul of Wit: Brevity, Style, and Persuasion in Brief Writing – Andrew Fleischman, Sessions & Fleischman, LLC (Atlanta, GA) |
| 10:35 am | Exhibits, Networking & Refreshment Break
Sponsored by:
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| 10:55 am | The Connection Between Pre-trial Litigation and Positive PR Through Traditional Media, Social Media, Youtube, Podcasts, etc. – Drew Findling (Atlanta, GA) | Beauty and the Brief: Super Simple Hacks to Make a Brief More Compelling and Persuasive – Joseph Bugni, Hurley Burish, S.C. (Madison, WI) |
| 11:55 am | From Stop to Suppression: Effective Ways to Defend the Fourth – Takenya Nixon (Maywood, IL) | More Than a Brief: Working with Trial Counsel on Hot Issues – Alison Perrone (Bloomfield, NJ) |
| 12:55 pm | Lunch break on your own | |
| 2:35 pm | From Tool to Teammate: Advanced AI Automation for Case Assessment, Discovery, and Motions Practice – Felix Valenzuela (El Paso, TX) | Picking Your Issues – Speaker TBA (Location, US) |
| 3:35 pm | Preparing Your Client and Witnesses to Testify – Prya Murad (Miami, FL) | Oral Arguments – Carlton Forbes, Cooley LLP (Washington, DC) |
| 4:35 pm | Exhibits, Networking & Refreshment Break
Sponsored by:
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| 4:55 pm | Motion Stratagems: Persuading Judges to Make Hard Decisions – Craig Mastantuono (Milwaukee, WI) | Using State Constitutions – Justice Barry T. Albin (ret.), Former Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court; Partner & Appellate Chair, Lowenstein Sandler LLP (Newark, NJ) |
| 5:55 pm | Adjourn for the Day | |
| 7:00 pm |
Welcoming Reception - Location: TBA Sponsored by: Platinum Sponsor
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| Friday, August 7, 2026 | |
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| 7:15 am | Registration, Exhibits & Continental Breakfast |
| 8:15 am | Welcoming Remarks & Morning Announcements – NACDL President-Elect C. Melissa "Missy" Owen (Charlotte, NC) and Program Co-Chairs Kelli Childress (El Paso, TX), Sonya Pfeiffer (Charlotte, NC & Toronto, Ontario), Deja Vishny (Milwaukee, WI), and Michael Waddington (Weston, FL) |
| 8:30 am | Pre-Trial is the Trial: Bail, Detention, and Evidentiary Hearings That Terrify the Prosecution – Kevann Gardner (Washington, DC) |
| 9:00 am | NACDL Committee Meetings Throughout the Day (pick up detailed schedule at NACDL registration desk) |
| 9:30 am | Litigating Race Issues Pre-Trial: The Do's and Don't's and How to Be as Persuasive as Possible – Byron Conway (Macon, GA) |
| 10:30 am | Exhibits, Networking & Refreshment Break
Sponsored by:
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| 10:50 am | What's Interrogation Gotta Do with It? Suppressing Confessions – Deja Vishny (Milwaukee, WI) |
| 11:50 am | Brady Requirements and How to Get the Government to Comply – Denis M. deVlaming (Clearwater, FL) |
| 12:50 pm | Lunch break on your own |
| 2:30 pm | Cyber Sleuth Secrets: Flip the Case with AI Firepower in Investigations – Kevin W. McClain (Centralia, IL) |
| 3:30 pm | Oops, Honey, I Shrunk the Case: Pre-trial Strategies for Criminalization of Pregnancy Outcome Cases – Yveka Pierre (Oakland, CA) |
| 4:30 pm | Annual Seminar Adjourns until July 28-31, 2027 in Denver! |
| Saturday, August 8, 2026 | |
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| 7:30 am | Exhibit Hall Open |
| 8:00 am | NACDL Committee Meetings (pick up detailed schedule at NACDL registration desk) |
| 9:00 am |
NACDL Annual Membership and Board of Directors Meeting; Inauguration of President-Elect C. Melissa "Missy" Owen (Charlotte, NC) All are welcome and encouraged to attend. |
| 2:00 pm | Enjoy St. Petersburg! |
Faculty
Justice Barry T. Albin (ret.), Former Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court; Partner & Appellate Chair, Lowenstein Sandler LLP (Newark, NJ)
Tara Allen (Boston, MA)
Joseph A. Bugni, Hurley Burish, S.C. (Madison, WI) *NACDL MEMBER
Byron Conway (Macon, GA)
Denis M. deVlaming (Clearwater, FL) *NACDL MEMBER
Drew Findling (Atlanta, GA) *NACDL LIFE MEMBER
Andrew Fleischman, Sessions & Fleischman, LLC (Atlanta, GA)
Carlton Forbes, Cooley LLP (Washington, DC)
Kevann Gardner (Washington, DC) *NACDL MEMBER
Craig Mastantuono (Milwaukee, WI) *NACDL MEMBER
Katherine “Kacey” McBroom (Beverly Hills, CA) *NACDL LIFE MEMBER
Kevin W. McClain (Centralia, IL)
Ben Miller, Utah Indigent Appellate Defense Division (Salt Lake City, UT) *NACDL MEMBER
Prya Murad (Miami, FL) *NACDL MEMBER
Takenya Nixon (Maywood, IL)
Alison Perrone (Bloomfield, NJ)
Yveka Pierre (Oakland, CA)
Felix Valenzuela (El Paso, TX) *NACDL MEMBER
Deja Vishny (Milwaukee, WI) *NACDL MEMBER
CLE Information
NACDL is an accredited provider of CLE in all states requiring mandatory CLE Training. NACDL will apply for at least 13.00 credit hours in every state requiring pre-approval. Approved hours for each state will be identified at the seminar. Some states, IL, GA, NE, NM, PA, SC, TN and UT require additional fees by the attendee in order to receive credit.
Hotel
The Vinoy Resort
501 5th Ave NE
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Online Reservations: https://book.passkey.com/event/51043573/owner/6106/home
Phone Reservations: (727) 894-1000 - Please mention NACDL to receive applicable discount rate.
Group Rate: *$299 + taxes and fees (expires July 14, 2026).
*Rooms/discounted group rates are not guaranteed once the block has been filled.
Resort Fee: Room rates are subject to a discounted daily resort fee of $24. The resort fee includes the following amenities: Free enhanced high-speed internet; Access to daily 1-hour wellness classes; Daily access to Tennis Courts, including rackets and balls; Two complimentary specialty cocktails; Complimentary e-bike rentals; Two free tickets to the St. Petersburg History Museum.
Questions? Contact Senior Director of Events Akvile Athanason at aathanason@nacdl.org or call (202) 872-8600 x630
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.
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:
BRONZE Sponsor:
still available...
Cocktail Reception Sponsors:
Platinum Sponsor
Refreshment Breaks:
Sponsored by:
Wi-Fi Sponsor:
still available...
Seminar Materials Sponsor:
still available...
Lanyards Sponsor:
Tote Bag Sponsor:
still available...
Coffee Sleeves Sponsor:
still available...
Exhibitors:
4LegalLeads.com
Complete Equity Markets
Filevine
Garrett Discovery
Godoy Medical Forensics, Inc.
Intoxalock/Mindr
LifeSafer
RizeUp Media
TrialKit
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 $459. Approved recipients are responsible for the remainder of the tuition fee, which is $230 (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.
OPTION 2: Amy Seidman Memorial Scholarships
In memory of long-time NACDL member Amy Seidman, who prematurely passed away in 2003, a special fund was established by the Foundation for Criminal Justice for financially needy NACDL members to attend the Annual Meeting. Amy Seidman Scholarships are available to include seminar tuition, admission to all evening social events, and 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 July 7, 2026.
NACDL MEMBERSHIP AND RESERVATION AT THE HOST HOTEL ARE REQUIRED TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR NEEDS-BASED AND AMY SEIDMAN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS
OPTION 3: 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 Members | $459 |
| NACDL MEMBERS: Public Defender, Associate, Investigator, Professor, New Lawyer, International and Military | $339 |
| Non-Members: Private Practitioners (includes 1-year membership) | $818 |
| Non-Member Public Defenders | $379 |
| Regional Lawyer Discount: ALL Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Puerto Rico Lawyers (Residents Only) | $369 |
| 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 | $329 |
| 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, July 31, 2026, 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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