2025 Conference Schedule

Wednesday, June 25th

Registration and Check-in

Time: 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Location: Iowa College of Law - Main Lobby
Details: Free coffee, drinks, and snacks will be available. Lunch can be purchased.

2025 Legislative Update/Laws Impacting Criminal Defense and Juvenile Justice

Time:
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Speaker: Kurt Swaim
Affiliation: Office of the State Public Defender
Location: Iowa College of Law - Levitt Room 295

Intellectual Disability in Criminal Defense

Time:
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Speaker: Juliet Yackel
Affiliation:
Location: Iowa College of Law - Levitt Room 295

Cross Examination
Time:
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Speaker: John Lentine
Affiliation: Sheffield and Lentine PC
Location: Iowa College of Law - Levitt Room 295

Impeachment
Time:
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Speaker: John Lentine
Affiliation: Sheffield and Lentine PC
Location: Iowa College of Law - Levitt Room 295

1A Based Challenges to Firearm Related Criminal Offenses/Enhancements

Time:
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Speakers: Mary Wolfe
Affiliation: Office of the State Public Defender
Location: Iowa College of Law - Room TBD

Juvenile Detention Hearing Advocacy

Time:
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Speakers: Lynn Vogan
Affiliation: Office of the State Public Defender
Location: Iowa College of Law - Room TBD

Artificial Intelligence and the Law

Time:
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Speaker: TBD
Affiliation: West Law
Location: Iowa College of Law - Room TBD

Jury Instructions and Lesser Included Offenses

Time:
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Speaker: Kevin Cmelik
Affiliation: Iowa Attorney General’s Office (Retired)
Location: Iowa College of Law - Room TBD

Juvenile Reverse Waivers

Time:
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Speaker: Magdalena Reese
Affiliation: Office of the State Public Defender
Location: Iowa College of Law - Room 235

“In Their Hands” - Screening with Filmmaker
Time:
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Speaker: Dan Protess
Affiliation: Protess Communications
Location: Iowa College of Law - Room 225

Happy Hour
Time:
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: Bread Garden Market, 225 S Linn St, Iowa City, IA 52240
Details: First drink is free!

Thursday, June 26th

Harnessing Your Superpower:
Ethical, Scientific, and Tactical Advantages of Personal Connectivity

Time:
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Speaker: Bobby Rehkemper
Affiliation: Gourley, Rehkemper & Lindholm, PLC
Location: Iowa College of Law - Room TBD

Immigration Enforcement Updates / Case Studies

Time:
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Speaker: B. Rodriguez and Julia Zalenski
Affiliation: IMMJ and Office of the State Public Defender
Location: Iowa College of Law - Room TBD

Search and Seizure Law

Time:
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Speaker: Sarah Hildebrand
Affiliation: Iowa Law and Widener Law School
Location: Iowa College of Law - Room TBD

Dodging the Lurking Dragon: Avoiding Federal Collateral Consequences

Time:
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Speaker: Joe Herrold
Affiliation: Federal Public Defender
Location: Iowa College of Law - Room TBD

Lunch and Annual Meeting

Time:
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Details: Several local food trucks will provide lunch, funded by the Public Defenders Association of Iowa.

Injustice and Mental Health Injury:
Strategies to Resist Burn Out, Compassion Fatigue, and Other Traumas


Time:
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Speaker: Hannah Bousek
Affiliation: HB Psychotherapy, PLC
Location: Room TBD
Materials: Resources

Shifting Perspectives: Client Panel

Time:
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Speakers: Charles Carnes, Kenneth Nixon
Location: Iowa College of Law - Room TBD

Juvenile Case Law Update

Time:
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Affiliation: Youth Law Center
Location: Iowa College of Law - Room 235

Investigator Roundtable and Use of Force Simulator

Time:
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Location: Iowa College of Law
Details: For investigators only

Use of Force Simulator and Self-Defense

Time:
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: Iowa College of Law - Room TBD
Details: All attendees are welcome!

More Than A Case File: What Youth in Foster Care and the Delinquency System Want You to Know

Time:
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Speakers: K. Powell, M. Malek, R. Antonuccio
Affiliation: HHS and SPD
Location: Iowa College of Law - Room TBD

Case Law Update

Time:
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Speakers: Mary Conroy
Location: Office of the State Public Defender

Friday, June 27th

Use of Force Simulator and Self-Defense

Time:
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location: Room TBD
Details: All attendees are welcome!

Jury Selection in the Digital Age

Time:
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Speaker: Christy Wolfe
Affiliation: Office of the State Public Defender
Location: Iowa College of Law - Room TBD

Time Computations

Time:
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Speaker: Meredith Lamberti and Steve Clarke
Affiliation: Iowa Board of Parole
Location: Iowa College of Law - Room TBD

The Art of Asking: Navigating Sensitive Issues in Jury Selection

Time:
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Speaker: Emily Hughes and Tim Semelroth
Affiliation: University of Iowa College of Law and RSH Legal
Location: Iowa College of Law - Room TBD

Flipping the Scripts: Using Bad Law

Time:
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Speakers: Nichole Watt and Josh Irwin
Affiliation: Appellate Defender - Office of the State Public Defender
Location: Iowa College of Law - Room TBD