APDA Conference 2026: Full Schedule

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

8:15am MST

You Call That a Crime? (Spoiler Alert: Yes!)

Wednesday June 17, 2026 8:15am - 9:45am MST

We will provide an overview of the School to Prison Pipeline, focusing on cases generated from schools, including Terrorist Threat cases, and how to defend them. We will also discuss the collateral consequences of involvement in the juvenile justice system including services and placements and the impact on youth and their families.

Faculty

Sherri Colson

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Public Advocate

Mary McGary

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Public Advocate

Wednesday June 17, 2026 8:15am - 9:45am MST
Joshua Tree

Delinquency

CLE Hours 1.5

3:15pm MST

Believe It or Not: Current Issues in Capital Trial Cases

Wednesday June 17, 2026 3:15pm - 4:45pm MST

Joshua Tree

Teams involved in recent capital trials discuss unexpected or unusual issues that arose during the course of the proceedings, including third-party defenses, defense expert raw data, DNA issues, pretrial witness interviews, juror issues, and more.

Wednesday June 17, 2026 3:15pm - 4:45pm MST
Joshua Tree

Capital

CLE Hours 1.5

8:15am MST

ETHICS: After Closing Argument / Post-Verdict / Post-Mistrial Practice

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

Joshua Tree

Mistrial declared, or your case came back on appeal, or bombshell information surfaces post-closing argument. Now what? A practical approach to post-closing argument litigation, pre-trial strategizing, and the benefits that flow from active trial work.

Faculty

Samuel Doak

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Legal Advocate

Attorney at The Maricopa Co. of the Legal Advocate for about 6 years. Prior to that, Sam was an attorney at the Maricopa Co. Public Defender for 5 years. He also has prior experience in Tucson and San Diego.

Kush Govani

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Legal Defender

Maria McKee

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Public Defender

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

Motion Practice

CLE Hours 1.5
Ethics hours 1.5

10:00am MST

Advanced Legal Assistant Training: From Support Staff to Strategic Partner

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

Joshua Tree

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.

Faculty

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
Joshua Tree

Professional Development

CLE Hours 1.5

1:30pm MST

The DUI Trial: Taking Names and Delivering Results

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

Joshua Tree

Learn how to attack the state's case and win a DUI trial.

Faculty

James Nesci

Attorney, Nesci and St. Louis

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

Vehicular

3:15pm MST

ETHICS: Presenting and Challenging Forensic Evidence Ethically

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

Joshua Tree

The certainty of laboratory results is often inflated, and shortcomings of a particular test may be completely ignored or minimized by both experts and attorneys. This does a disservice to the court and the pursuit of justice. When encountering technologies that may have some anomalies in a specific case, consulting an expert to help navigate viable alternate interpretations can assist the attorney with their case and can help ensure that the evidence is presented fairly, ethically and in line with the underlying data.

Faculty

Anjali Ranadive

Expert, SciLawForensics

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ANJALI A. RANADIVE Anjali Ranadive is the President of SciLawForensics, Ltd, a forensic science and legal consulting firm in Phoenix, AZ. Ms. Ranadive serves as the DNA Expert Liaison for the Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice, assisting... Read More →

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

Forensics

CLE Hours 1.5
Ethics hours 1.5

8:15am MST

ETHICS: Your License or Mine: Ethical Responsibilities and Issue for Supervisors and Attorneys in Public Defender Offices

Friday June 19, 2026 8:15am - 9:45am MST

Joshua Tree

Balancing the independence and responsibilities of representation of clients can bechallenging. Managing them is also challenging. The class will examine the dayto day ethical challenges involved in managing attorneys and staff in PublicDefender Offices, balancing them against the responsibilities to your clients. Itwill also address the ethical issues arising from oversight by city and countyadministrators and elected officials. The class will use scenarios to invitediscussion about these challenges and the applicable ethical rules and law thatspeak and offer guidance to them.

Faculty

Gary Pearlmutter

Attorney, Southwest Center for Equal Justice

Wendy White

Attorney, Southwest Center for Equal Justice

Friday June 19, 2026 8:15am - 9:45am MST
Joshua Tree

Professional Development

CLE Hours 1.5
Ethics hours 1.5

10:00am MST

Navigating the Educational System for Delinquent and Dependent Youth

Friday June 19, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am MST

Joshua Tree

Education for delinquent youth focuses on rehabilitation through specialized academic, vocational, and behavioral programs to reduce recidivism and foster successful reintegration We'll provide a review of educational options within the Department of Child Safety (DCS) and Delinquency realms; including alternative school options, trade programs, GED programs, and benefits for delinquent/dependent youth.

Faculty

Ektaa Prasher

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Legal Advocate

Ektaa Prasher, Children’s Attorney with the of the Legal Advocate since 2019. Ektaa started off at the AGO with Andrea in 2017 then went on to work at OPA Mental Health in 2019. While in law school, Ektaa worked with two PDS attorneys and did social work for them for a few years... Read More →

Andrea Anderson

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Public Advocate

Andrea started her legal career at the Attorney General’s Office in the Protective Services Division with Ektaa in 2017. While there, Andrea had the opportunity to handle dual ward matters for dependent and delinquent youth, which prompted her interest in delinquency defense. Prior... Read More →

Friday June 19, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am MST
Joshua Tree

Delinquency

CLE Hours 1.5

8:15am MST

3:15pm MST

8:15am MST

10:00am MST

1:30pm MST

3:15pm MST

8:15am MST

10:00am MST

Get help with the event