APDA Conference 2026: Full Schedule

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

8:15am MST

Hearsay for Humans

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

Remember the rules governing hearsay without struggle, lay foundation that is as powerful for the jury as it is for the Court, and establish your authority in the Courtroom. Learn a more relaxed approach to introduction of out-of-court statements that will achieve your trial goals without stressing you out and have your opponent on the ropes.

Faculty

Jeremy Zarzycki

Attorney, Pima Co. Indigent Defense

I am a senior attorney for the Pima County Public Defender's office. I was previously in private practice for six years and have taught for both our own office and as a coach for University of Arizona Mock Trial

Victoria Otto

Attorney, Pima Co. Indigent Defense

Wednesday June 17, 2026 8:15am - 9:45am MST
Palm Ballroom C&F

Courtroom Advocacy

CLE Hours 1.5

10:00am MST

ETHICS: The Weight We Carry: Stress, Trauma, and Resilience in Criminal Defense Practice

Wednesday June 17, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am MST

Palm Ballroom C&F

This class explores the psychological and emotional challenges as well as the ethical and practical realities of criminal defense practice. We will discuss how factors such as heavy workloads, secondary trauma, and imposter syndrome contribute to burnout and unhealthy coping behaviors. Participants will learn to recognize warning signs of stress, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse while learning evidence-based strategies for resilience and self-care. We will also review related ethical rules and how attorneys can best help a struggling colleague.

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 →

Dawnese Hustad

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Public Defender

Dawnese Hustad is a Capital Trial Attorney for the Maricopa County Public Defender’s Office. Before moving to trial work, Dawnese spent 8 years doing felony and capital appeals. Dawnese has represented indigent felony defendants in Maricopa County for all but one of her 19 years... Read More →

Meghann St. Thomas

Attorney, Jeffrey Gil Law

Wednesday June 17, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am MST
Palm Ballroom C&F

Professional Development

CLE Hours 1.5
Ethics hours 1.5

3:15pm MST

ETHICS: Child Sex Trafficking: Defense Strategies and Ethical Boundaries

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

Palm Ballroom C&F

This program examines Arizona’s newly enacted mandatory natural-life sentencing statute for adult defendants convicted of Class 2 child sex trafficking. Faculty will walk through statutory triggers, subsection analysis, charging and plea-negotiation strategies, early motion practice, jury-instruction warfare, and constitutional preservation techniques. Emphasis is placed on how defense counsel can restructure litigation around offense classification rather than sentencing ranges, and how to ethically and effectively advocate in cases where a single conviction results in automatic life imprisonment without release.

Faculty

Ross Carponelli

Attorney, Mohave Co. Public Defender

Robert Heieck

Attorney, Mohave Co. Public Defender

Wednesday June 17, 2026 3:15pm - 4:45pm MST
Palm Ballroom C&F

CLE Hours 1.5
Ethics hours 1.5

8:15am MST

ETHICS: Criminal Immigration Basics, Ethics, and Updates

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

Palm Ballroom C&F

This course will explain the basics of how to not get your client deported. We provide an introduction into the ethical obligations a defender owes to their client and explain the basics of the interplay between immigration and criminal law.

Faculty

Michael Neufeld

Attorney, Neufeld Law Firm

Michael Neufeld of the Neufeld Law Firm PLC splits his practice evenly between Immigration and Criminal law focusing on the interplay between the two. He is the Chariman of the State Bar of Arizona Criminal Justice Section executive counsel. He previously served as Chairman of the... Read More →

Tracy Abastillas

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Public Defender

Tracy Abastillas is the Criminal Immigration Resource Attorney at the Office of the Public Defender in Maricopa County (MCPD). Mrs. Abastillas consults with attorneys throughout the MCPD regarding the immigration consequences of clients’ charges and plea offers. She conducts new... Read More →

Thursday June 18, 2026 8:15am - 9:45am MST
Palm Ballroom C&F

Immigration

CLE Hours 1.5
Ethics hours 1.5

10:00am MST

ETHICS: Westlaw, AI, and You

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

Palm Ballroom C&F

This course introduces new AI features in Westlaw that make our lives easier. Learn data security, best practices for using AI, how to avoid pitfalls.

Faculty

Abigail Smith

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Public Defender

Maricopa Co. of the Public Defender

Thursday June 18, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am MST
Palm Ballroom C&F

Forensics

CLE Hours 1.5
Ethics hours 1.5

1:30pm MST

ETHICS: What You Don’t Say Matters: Strategic Silence in Objections and Cross-Examination

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

Palm Ballroom C&F

This session explores how deliberate restraint can strengthen your trial advocacy. Learn when silence is more persuasive than objection, when not to cross-examine, and how to avoid common pitfalls that weaken your case by saying too much.

Faculty

Ross Carponelli

Attorney, Mohave Co. Public Defender

Thursday June 18, 2026 1:30pm - 3:00pm MST
Palm Ballroom C&F

Courtroom Advocacy

CLE Hours 1.5
Ethics hours 1.5

3:15pm MST

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: What's New in Sex Crimes Law and Legislation?

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

Palm Ballroom C&F

An update and discussion of sex crimes case law, legislation, and more.

Faculty

Brittany Lamb

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Public Defender

Attorney at the Maricopa County Public Defender's Office in a hybrid position in the sex crimes and juveniles charged as adults units.

Jerald Schrek

Attorney, The Schreck Law Firm

Jerry Schreck has been practicing criminal defense for approximately thirty years. During that time he has been involved in over one hundred jury trials, and represented well over a thousand persons charged with crimes ranging from misdemeanor to child molestations to murders. Schreck... Read More →

Thursday June 18, 2026 3:15pm - 4:45pm MST
Palm Ballroom C&F

Sex Crimes

CLE Hours 1.5

8:15am MST

Digital Forensics: Year in Review

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

Palm Ballroom C&F

Surveillance technology and digital forensics issues have exploded over the last year. This course will provide an overview of how state and federal law enforcement agencies are collecting and analyzing digital evidence, and how the courts are addressing these issues.

Faculty

Brian Chase

Managing Director of Digital Forensics, Archer Hall

Brian Chase is a consultant, expert witness, adjunct professor of law, and attorney. He currently serves as ArcherHall’s Managing Director of Digital Forensics and eDiscovery, where he provides expert testimony, teaches 100+ CLEs a year, and manages their team of over a dozen experts... Read More →

Friday June 19, 2026 8:15am - 9:45am MST
Palm Ballroom C&F

Forensics

CLE Hours 1.5

10:00am MST

ETHICS: Lights, Camera, Ethics! Memorable Film Scenes and Exploring the Ethical Dilemmas They Spark

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

Palm Ballroom C&F

Join us for popcorn, movie magic, and a dive into ethics through the Arizona Rules of Professional Conduct.

Faculty

Amanda Lauer

Attorney, Maricopa Co. Legal Defender

Amanda is a trial attorney who has practiced in Arizona for over 20 years. The bulk of her career has focused on parental defense in CPS cases, and she has spent the past three years practicing criminal defense for indigent clients. She has taught CLEs both locally and nationally.In... Read More →

Friday June 19, 2026 10:00am - 11:30am MST
Palm Ballroom C&F

Professional Development

CLE Hours 1.5
Ethics hours 1.5

8:15am MST

10:00am MST

3:15pm MST

8:15am MST

10:00am MST

1:30pm MST

3:15pm MST

8:15am MST

10:00am MST

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