Agenda Faculty Pricing Register Online
CAN'T ATTEND NACDL'S MIDWINTER CLE IN NEW ORLEANS?
Register now to watch it remotely LIVE via Stream - and SAVE ON TRAVEL COSTS!
"It’s Not Just Voir Dire, It’s Lagniappe!" will bring the spirit of Mardi Gras to the courtroom, blending the rich cultural flair of the Crescent City with cutting-edge strategies for defenders. You will discover how to communicate effectively, connect deeply with jurors, and convince authentically, all while embracing the "lagniappe" – that little something extra that makes all the difference in your trials. Set against a backdrop of jazz, creole cuisine, and festive energy, this seminar will feature seasoned practitioners, expert-led sessions, and interactive workshops to improve your courtroom performance.
CLE Credit: This livestream is approved for approx. 14 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: Alabama (14), Alaska (14), Arizona (14), Connecticut (14), District of Columbia (14), Florida (16.5), Hawaii (14), Illinois (14) Maryland (14), Massachusetts (14), Michigan (14), New Hampshire (14), New Mexico (14), North Dakota (14), Pennsylvania (pending), South Dakota (14), Tennessee (pending), Utah (14), Vermont (14), Washington (pending), Wisconsin (pending) Wyoming (14).
NOTE: All Livestream 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 CST.
| Thursday, February 19, 2026 | |
|---|---|
| 8:00 am | Welcoming Remarks – Welcoming Remarks – NACDL President Andrew Birrell (Minneapolis, MN) & CLE Program Co-Chairs Steven Epstein (Garden City, NY), JoEllyn Jones (Bridgeton, NJ), Eugene Oliver (Harrisonburg, VA), and Molly Parmer (Atlanta, GA) |
| 8:15 am | Just Juries: Jury Service & The Power of Jury Nullification – William C. Snowden (New Orleans, LA) & Porsha-Shaf'on Venable (New Orleans, LA) |
| 9:15 am | Interrogating the Jury – Determining What They Believe from What They Say – Andre Vitale (Jersey City, NJ) |
| 10:15 am | Break |
| 10:35 am | Putting the Nail in the Coffin: Follow-Ups Using the Decision Tree to Maximize Your Strikes for Cause – Robert Swafford (Austin, TX) |
| 11:35 am | Talking with Jurors about Race and Racism During Jury Selection – Dr. Heather Pruss (Louisville, KY) |
| 12:45 pm | Lunch break |
| 2:15 pm | Groundbreaking New Technology for Surveys, Focus Groups and Mock Trials – Robert Hirschhorn (Highland Village, TX) |
| 3:15 pm | Creative Jury Instructions: Let's Kick It Up A Notch! – Marci G. LaBranche (Denver, CO) |
| 4:15 pm | Break |
| 4:35 pm | Persuading Judges to Permit Full & Fair Voir Dire – The Honorable Audrey F. Moorehead, Dallas County Criminal Court 3 (Dallas, TX) |
| 5:35 pm | Adjourn for the day |
| Friday, February 20, 2026 | |
|---|---|
| 8:00 am | Welcoming Remarks – Welcoming Remarks – NACDL President Andrew Birrell (Minneapolis, MN) & CLE Program Co-Chairs Steven Epstein (Garden City, NY), JoEllyn Jones (Bridgeton, NJ), Eugene Oliver (Harrisonburg, VA), and Molly Parmer (Atlanta, GA) |
| 8:10 am | Storyboarding, Storytelling, and Persuasion – Christopher Adams (Charleston, SC) & Marc Bookman (Philadelphia, PA) |
| 9:10 am | Let’s Talk About Race: Communication Techniques to Get Jurors Talking in Voir Dire – James Smith (Orlando, FL) |
| 10:10 am | Break |
| 10:30 am | How to Become a Courtroom Influencer – Kelli Childress (El Paso, TX) |
| 11:30 am | Weaponizing the Presumption of Innocence and Reasonable Doubt in Voir Dire – Eric Davis (Houston, TX) |
| 12:30 pm | Lunch break |
| 2:00 pm | Using Authenticity to Maintain Credibility with Your Jury – Juanita Kimble (Atlanta, GA) |
| 3:00 pm | Persuasive Use of Creative Demonstrative Evidence – Stephen P. Lindsay (Asheville, NC) |
| 4:00 pm | Break |
| 4:20 pm | Connecting with the Emotion of Trial – Kevann Gardner (Washington, DC) |
| 5:20 pm | Seminar Adjourns |
Faculty
Christopher W. Adams (Charleston, SC) *NACDL LIFE MEMBER
Marc Bookman (Philadelphia, PA) *NACDL MEMBER
Kelli Childress (El Paso, TX) *NACDL MEMBER
Eric Davis (Houston, TX) *NACDL MEMBER
Kevann A. Garder (Washington, DC) *NACDL MEMBER
Robert Hirschhorn (Highland Village, TX) *NACDL MEMBER
Juanita Kimble (Atlanta, GA)
Marci G. LaBranche (Denver, CO) *NACDL LIFE MEMBER
Stephen P. Lindsay (Asheville, NC) *NACDL LIFE MEMBER
The Honorable Audrey F. Moorehead, Dallas County Criminal Court 3 (Dallas, TX)
Dr. Heather Pruss (Louisville, KY)
James W. Smith, III (Orlando, FL)
William C. Snowden (New Orleans, LA)
Porsha-Shaf'on Venable (New Orleans, LA) *NACDL MEMBER
Robert Swafford (Austin, TX)
Andre Vitale (Jersey City, NJ)
Pricing
Members of NACDL enjoy exclusive registration rates for Livestreaming our seminars.
| LIVESTREAM Fees | |
|---|---|
| NACDL MEMBERS: Regular, Life, President's Club and Sustaining Members | $409 |
| NACDL MEMBERS: Public Defender, Associate, Investigator, Professor, New Lawyer, International and Military | $309 |
| Non-Members: Private Practitioners | $499 |
| Non-Member Public Defenders | $329 |
IMPORTANT NOTE: All registrations for remote Livestream participation are final and non-refundable.
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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