CAN'T ATTEND NACDL'S MAKING THE CASE FOR LIFE CLE IN LAS VEGAS?
Register now to watch it remotely LIVE via Stream - and SAVE ON TRAVEL COSTS!
Make the case...for your client's life at NACDL's 28th Annual Making the Case for Life Seminar.
This seminar is designed to help capital defenders, investigators, and mitigation specialists. Participants will hear cutting-edge presentations regarding pretrial investigations, capital jury selection, new perspectives on discovering the story of the client and mitigation evidence. Attendees will learn from seasoned capital trial lawyers, nationally-known law professors, and jury consultants, who will offer their personal perspectives, advice, and proven strategies for making the best case for life. If you are handling or may handle a case in which your client is facing the death penalty, then this is a must-attend seminar for you!
CLE Credit: This livestream is approved for approx. 13 - 15.6 hours of CLE credits depending on the state, where applicable. Approval is not guaranteed for all states and jurisdictions.
This livestream is eligible for credit in the following states: Alaska (13), Arizona (13), Connecticut (13), Florida (15.5), Hawaii (13), Maryland (13), Massachusetts (13), Michigan (13), New Hampshire (13), New Mexico (pending), North Dakota (14), Oklahoma (17), South Dakota (14), Tennessee (pending), Utah (pending), Vermont (13), Washington (pending), Wisconsin (pending), Wyoming (13).
NOTE: All registrations are final and non-refundable.
Agenda
This is a LIVE event. As such, the program agenda, faculty, and presentation times are subject to change throughout the day. All times are CT.
| Thursday, August 27, 2026 | |
|---|---|
| 8:10 am | Welcoming Remarks and Announcements – NACDL President NACDL President C. Melissa “Missy” Owen (Charlotte, NC) and Program Co-Chairs Jerilyn Bell (Atlanta, GA), Theresa M. Duncan (Santa Fe, NM), Casey Secor (Lexington, SC), and S. Boyd Young (Columbia, SC) |
| 8:20 am | Advancing Cultural Competency in Criminal Defense Spaces – Juval O. Scott (Bronx, NY) |
| 9:20 am | Death IS Different: Helping the Team After the Verdict – Dr. Lori James (Glen Burnie, MD) |
| 10:20 am | Break |
| 10:40 am | International Capital Mitigation Investigations – Caroline Boddie (Atlanta, GA) |
| 11:40 am | Mining for Gold in an MMPI: How to Identify and Challenge Errors of Interpretation and Diagnosis - Marlyne K. Israelian, PhD (Atlanta, GA) |
| 12:40 pm | Break |
| 2:10 pm | Voir Dire in a Capital Case – Carmen Brooks (Las Vegas, NV) |
| 3:10 pm | Investigating Intellectual Disabilities - Juliet Yackel (Chicago, IL) |
| 4:10 pm | Break |
| 4:30 pm | Flipping the Script on Antisocial Personality Disorder / Borderline Personality Disorder - Dr. Heather Holmes (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) |
| 5:30 pm | Adjourn for the Day |
| Friday, August 28, 2026 | |
|---|---|
| 8:05 am | Morning Announcements – Program Co-Chairs Jerilyn Bell (Atlanta, GA), Theresa M. Duncan (Santa Fe, NM), Casey Secor (Lexington, SC), and S. Boyd Young (Columbia, SC) |
| 8:15 am | Intellectual Disability Update - Emily Paavola (Columbia, SC) |
| 9:15 am | Race & Voir Dire: How Stories Impact Different Races – Dr. Heather Pruss (Louisville, KY) |
| 10:15 am | Break |
| 10:35 am | Working With Mental Health Experts: Pointers and Pitfalls – Bernadette Donovan (Charlottesville, VA) |
| 11:35 am | Representing Young Clients and Getting LWOP - Lien Lafargue (Fort Lauderdale, FL) |
| 12:35 pm | Break |
| 2:05 pm | Using AI in Capital Cases – Luke Shealey (Columbia, SC) |
| 3:05 pm | Similarities, Differences, and Interplay Between State and Federal Representation – Christian Lamar (Conyers, GA) |
| 4:05 pm | Seminar adjourns until 2027 in Las Vegas! |
Faculty
Caroline Boddie (Atlanta, GA)
Carmen Brooks (Las Vegas, NV)
Bernadette Donovan (Charlottesville, VA)
Dr. Heather Holmes (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
Marlyne K. Israelian, PhD (Atlanta, GA)
Dr. Lori James (Glen Burnie, MD)
Christian Lamar (Conyers, GA)
Lien Lafargue (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Emily Paavola (Columbia, SC)
Dr. Heather Pruss (Louisville, KY)
Juval O. Scott (Bronx, NY) *NACDL MEMBER
Luke Shealey (Columbia, SC)
Juliet Yackel (Chicago, IL)
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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