APDA Conference 2026: Full Schedule

You will be able to validate your attendance (Check-In to sessions) using your personal schedule.

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8:15am MST

Developing Your Reputation as a Non-Lawyer

Thursday June 18, 2026 8:15am - 9:45am MST

Non-lawyers play an essential role in public defense, bringing unique perspectives and valuable skills to their teams and clients. In this session, we’ll discuss the opportunities and challenges non-lawyers face when shaping their professional reputation. Whether you’ve been in public defense for years or are just getting started, you’ll find practical strategies for presenting yourself authentically, building trust, and highlighting your strengths. This session will focus on real experiences and core values that help non-lawyers stand out as effective advocates and collaborators. Join us in a welcoming and supportive space to connect with others, share what works, and discover ways to develop your reputation with confidence and integrity.

Speakers

Jeni Benavides

Office Staff, National Association for Public Defense

Jeni Benavides is thrilled to work with the NAPD as an Executive Assistant. She previously served as the Training Coordinator with NAPD helping to organize training events and is excited to now apply those skills to the organization as a whole.

Prior to her work with NAPD her background focused on theatre, education, and activism. Jeni served as the Education Director at a local community theatre, and taught introduction to theatre part time at the University of Kentucky. She earned her bachelor’s in theatre performance... Read More →

Thursday June 18, 2026 8:15am - 9:45am MST
TBA

Professional Development

CLE Hours 1.5

8:15am MST

ETHICS: Don’t give up: Processing Unexpected and Unfair Losses and Setbacks in Your Legal Practice.

Thursday June 18, 2026 8:15am - 9:45am MST

The class is an open forum where the panel and attendees will share their personal experiences with unexpected unfair losses and setbacks and discuss their own processes for anticipating and assimilating in their practice.

Speakers

Alicia Dominguez

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Public Defender

Richard Randall

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Public Defender

I've been an attorney for 33 years and a public defender for 20 years. I've been a practicing Christian for over 50 years. Faith based principles, practice, and study has been a core component of my legal career. I have written a number of criminal defense based articles addressing... Read More →

R.J. Parker

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Public Defender

Thursday June 18, 2026 8:15am - 9:45am MST

Professional Development

8:15am MST

Flow and Breathe: All Levels Urban Yoga Reset

Thursday June 18, 2026 8:15am - 9:45am MST

TBA

The class will be gentle all levels movement (somatic movement and gentle stretch) followed by breathwork and techniques to apply it to self practice

Speakers

Amy Charles

Professional Yogi and Studio Owner, Urban Yoga

Thursday June 18, 2026 8:15am - 9:45am MST
TBA

Professional Development

10:00am MST

Advanced Legal Assistant Training: From Support Staff to Strategic Partner

Thursday June 18, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am MST

TBA

This program reframes the legal assistant role from task execution to strategic partnership. It focuses on anticipatory thinking, trial-ready preparation, risk awareness, mitigation development, and professional judgment. Providing the tools of how skilled legal assistants multiply attorney effectiveness and strengthen outcomes across criminal practice.

Speakers

Ross Carponelli

Attorney, Mohave Co. Public Defender

Ross S. Carponelli is a Deputy Public Defender in Mohave County, Arizona, where he represents clients in all types of felony matters. His practice emphasizes strategic motion work, jury-focused advocacy, and disciplined trial decision from pretrial through sentencing.Ross regularly develops and presents tr... Read More →

Thursday June 18, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am MST
TBA

Professional Development

CLE Hours 1.5

10:00am MST

Spanish for Gringos: Spanish Words for Defenders Representing Clients from Northern Mexico

Thursday June 18, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am MST

TBA

Many of our non-citizen clients are from Northern Mexico which is a cartel stronghold. Learn about the geopolitical history of the area as well as words that are unique to the region.

Speakers

Daisy Bustamante

Attorney, Pima Co. Public Defender

Twyla Haggerty

Attorney, Pima Co. Public Defender

Twyla has been a bilingual crimmigration attorney in the Pima Co. Public Defender's for four years.

Ariana Adams

Attorney, Pima Co. Public Defender

Originally from Florida, Ariana has been an attorney for a year and a half in the Pima County Public Defender's office. She has thrown herself into representing non-citizen clients. Originally from Florida, Ariana has been an attorney for a year and a half in the Pima County Public... Read More →

Thursday June 18, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am MST
TBA

Professional Development

CLE Hours 1.5

1:30pm MST

Homelessness and Vagrancy Laws: Issues and Strategies to Defender Unsheltered Persons

Thursday June 18, 2026 1:30pm - 3:00pm MST

The criminalization of people who are homeless is an issue that evades review inthe justice system. Most offenses are misdemeanors and most defendants aredenied legal services. But conviction for even a minor offense to someone withoutincome, stability or housing can be devastating. We will discuss how to think aboutand defend your clients against crimes of homelessness and how you can helpdecriminalize poverty.

Speakers

Wendy White

Attorney, Southwest Center for Equal Justice

Gary Pearlmutter

Attorney, Southwest Center for Equal Justice

Thursday June 18, 2026 1:30pm - 3:00pm MST

Professional Development

CLE Hours 1.5

1:30pm MST

Maiden Voyage into PD Work: How to Get the Most Out of Your First Year as a PD Without Burning Out

Thursday June 18, 2026 1:30pm - 3:00pm MST

TBA

The first year of PD work is overwhelming. Reflecting on the first year has helped us identify strategies to check in with ourselves along the way and we have implemented many of these strategies into our normal practice. We hope to help new attorneys to succeed; and raise awareness of challenges that new attorneys face so those who work with and supervise new attorneys can help them succeed.

Speakers

Twyla Haggerty

Attorney, Pima Co. Public Defender

Twyla has been a bilingual crimmigration attorney in the Pima Co. Public Defender's for four years.

Ariana Adams

Attorney, Pima Co. Public Defender

Thursday June 18, 2026 1:30pm - 3:00pm MST
TBA

Professional Development

CLE Hours 1.5

1:30pm MST

Retaining and Managing Experts: The Dos, Don'ts, and Never Agains

Thursday June 18, 2026 1:30pm - 3:00pm MST

This course will discuss how to ask the right questions when interviewing the expert, clarify the financial aspect of the agreement with the expert, set parameters for the expert's work, and manage the expert through evaluation, pretrial, and trial.

Speakers

Nikolas Forner

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Public Defender

Maricopa Co. Public Defender's

Alicia Dominguez

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Public Defender

Thursday June 18, 2026 1:30pm - 3:00pm MST

Professional Development

3:15pm MST

ETHICS: The Ethics of Owning and Running Your Own Practice

Thursday June 18, 2026 3:15pm - 4:45pm MST

TBA

This course will be focused on potential ethical pitfalls of running a private law firm, especially targeted at indigent defense attorneys who are moving into the private sector for the first time. Particular focus will be on marketing, trust accounting, and managing client relationships.

Speakers

Omer Gurion

Attorney, Gurion Legal

Omer Gurion is a board-certified criminal law specialist in private practice practicing criminal defense. He has been in practice in Arizona for 15 years and has experience in government, private practice, and as a law firm owner.

Leah Schachar

Attorney, Schachar Law

Thursday June 18, 2026 3:15pm - 4:45pm MST
TBA

Professional Development

CLE Hours 1.5
Ethics hours 1.5

3:15pm MST

Peacekeepers: Mastering Conflict Prevention (De-escalation)

Thursday June 18, 2026 3:15pm - 4:45pm MST

TBA

This session is designed to equip participants with key strategies for handling conflict effectively and maintaining professionalism in tense situations. The goals of the course, include using strategic communication and empathy to defuse difficult scenarios. Participants will explore how to handle verbal abuse, while redirecting and adapting.

Speakers

Arlene Anderson

Trainer, Maricopa Co. Public Defender

Arlene Anderson is a Trainer with the of the Public Defender in Maricopa Co., Arizona. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Magna Cum Laude and a Master’s in Criminal Justice from Arizona State University. Arlene is recognized for her expertise in... Read More →

Corey Dewayne Smith

Trainer, Maricopa Co. Public Defender

Corey Dewayne Smith is a United States Army JAG Corps veteran who has transitioned into criminal defense social work and leadership training. He is passionate about developing others and volunteers with several organizations that provide support and resources to leaders. As a nationally... Read More →

Thursday June 18, 2026 3:15pm - 4:45pm MST
TBA

Professional Development