FACDL Lunch & Learn SeriesAll times are Eastern Time Zone.
All FACDL webinars/seminars are intended to: promote the excellence of, disseminate knowledge to, and provide education to, the criminal defense community. In that regard, attendance at all FACDL webinars/seminars (apart from the certification review seminar) is limited to criminal defense attorneys, mitigation specialists, defense investigators and other staff involved in providing criminal defense. Complimentary “Lunch and Learn” webinar series, FREE for FACDL members. This series is expected to occur monthly from noon to 1pm and cover a variety of topics helpful to FACDL members. If you have an idea for a topic, contact Diana Johnson at dianajohnson723@gmail.com. 2024 Legislative Update
Presented by Aaron Wayt
November 19, 2024
12:00pm - 1:00pm ETWebinar Description: This webinar is a legislative update on the 20+ bills that were passed in the 2024 Florida Legislative Session relevant to Criminal Law and how they affect our practice. There will also be a section on what bills came close to passing that may move for the 2025 Session.
CLE:Approved by The Florida Bar for 1 hour General/Certification (Criminal Appellate Law or Criminal Trial Law) Expires 10/31/2025 Aaron Wayt is the current Legislative Chair for The Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers ("FACDL") and future president of the organization for the 2026-2027 term. He has overseen the legislative affairs for the organization since 2021 and routinely speaks in House/Senate Committees for and against legislation. He received the President's Award from FACDL for his efforts in the 2022 Session.
Justice Through Restorative Justice PracticesPresented by Gretchen Casey
Webinar Description: Restorative Justice (RJ) is both a philosophy and practice that invites those affected by a harmful incident to collectively decide how to repair the harm, restore trust, and build or rebuild a sense of community--potentially outside the criminal legal system. Restorative Justice views crime as a harm perpetrated upon a victim and a community, rather than the state. Although prosecutors and defense attorneys are positioned to promote restorative justice, either as part of a case resolution or outside of it, prosecutors are often reluctant, and too few defense attorneys understand the concepts.
As a defense attorney, incorporating Restorative Justice practices into your work can provide numerous benefits to clients and the broader community. There are various situations (testimony, depositions, plea negotiation considerations, and sentencing) where RJ approaches can be used or introduced. In these situations, information RJ practices, such as using effective questions, can raise awareness of impact and provide opportunities for repair and prevention.
CLE: The Florida Bar has approved this webinar for one hour of general education credit and one hour of certification credit in either Criminal Trial Law or Criminal Appellate Law. Expires: 4/30/2026
Gretchen Casey's professional work spans over three decades and has primarily focused on victim services, restorative justice, and advocacy within the criminal justice system. She currently serves as the Creator and Reparative Circle Facilitator at AmendInitiative.org, where she has been instrumental in developing Restorative Justice workshop content and providing consultation in criminal cases. House Bill 7021: Significant Changes to the Baker Act and Marchman Act
Webinar Description: Paul Figueroa will be leading a Zoom webinar discussing the significant updates to Florida’s Baker Act and Marchman Act, as detailed in House Bill 7021. The session will cover key changes affecting involuntary examination and treatment procedures, patient rights, and the responsibilities of legal professionals handling such cases. Attendees will gain insights into the revised criteria for involuntary outpatient and inpatient placements, changes in law enforcement protocols, and updates on the legal representation of patients.
CLE: The Florida Bar has approved this webinar for one hour of General education credit, one hour of Mental Health & Wellness Credits; One hour of certification credit in either Criminal Trial Law or Criminal Appellate Law. Expires: March 31, 2026 Paul L. Figueroa was raised in Hillsborough County Florida. After being sworn in as a member of the Florida Bar, Paul joined the 13th Judicial Circuit Office of the Public Defender. Over the next eight years Paul zealously and professionally represented indigent clients charged with a multitude of offenses. During his eight years at the Office of the Public Defender, Paul rose to the level of Felony Division Chief and was lead counsel in over seventy-five jury trials, including offenses ranging from DUI, Sex Offenses, Drug Possession and Trafficking, Homicides as well juveniles charged as adults. In addition, Paul attended numerous certified legal education seminars, including the Gerald T. Bennett Prosecutor/Public Defender Trial Training Program, and Advanced Defender College. Paul went into private practice in January 2017 where he expanded his practice of law, representing individuals who were injured in automobile accidents, investigations involving their professional licenses, being held under a Baker Act, and those dealing with substance abuse and their families. In addition to those areas of law, Paul continues to represent individuals accused of criminal offenses throughout the State of Florida.
Paul is President of the Hillsborough County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He is also a Director at large, cochair of the legislative committee, and member of the finance committee for Florida Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, member of the Florida Justice Association, and Tampa Bay Trial Lawyers Association.  Paul L. Figueroa was raised in Hillsborough County Florida. After being sworn in as a member of the Florida Bar, Paul joined the 13th Judicial Circuit Office of the Public Defender. Over the next eight years Paul zealously and professionally represented indigent clients charged with a multitude of offenses. During his eight years at the Office of the Public Defender, Paul rose to the level of Felony Division Chief and was lead counsel in over seventy-five jury trials, including offenses ranging from DUI, Sex Offenses, Drug Possession and Trafficking, Homicides as well juveniles charged as adults. In addition, Paul attended numerous certified legal education seminars, including the Gerald T. Bennett Prosecutor/Public Defender Trial Training Program, and Advanced Defender College. Paul went into private practice in January 2017 where he expanded his practice of law, representing individuals who were injured in automobile accidents, investigations involving their professional licenses, being held under a Baker Act, and those dealing with substance abuse and their families. In addition to those areas of law, Paul continues to represent individuals accused of criminal offenses throughout the State of Florida. Zoom Essentials for ProfessionalsSpeaker: Jaime Ditman Webinar Description: The goal of this interactive virtual training is to increase your confidence navigating Zoom in the workplace. To ensure you get the most out of this session, please join the meeting from your computer (rather than phone) and be prepared to engage (video on, ready to unmute).
CLE: The Florida Bar has approved this webinar for one hour of General Education credit and one hour of Technology credit.
Jaime Ditman is a training and development professional with over a decade of experience in nonprofit and education. She works remotely from Jacksonville where she lives with her spouse who is a former criminal defense attorney. More information about Jaime can be found on her linkedin: linkedin.com/in/jditman Linguistics in the LawSpeaker: Peg O'ConnorWebinar Description: Words matter. Tone matters. Even sentence structure matters. Cases have been won and lost on where a comma is placed. Does “shall” really mean “may”? Is it a request or a directive when an officer says, “Can I search your trunk?” How do judges analyze ambiguous words in a statute? As an attorney, you speak to and listen to a lot of people: clients, witnesses, opposing counsel, judges, and juries. You also read a lot of documents—statutes, rules, opinions, orders, police reports, and more. Join us to learn: - The grammatical and semantic principles underlying your intuitive understanding of speech and meaning
- How to understand the implication behind questions—what the speaker is asking vs. what the speaker really wants to know or express
- How to identify flaws in the interpretation of ambiguous words and phrases
- How to train your witnesses to use speech patterns and structure to be clearly understood by a jury and to withstand cross-examination
- How to adjust your own speech patterns to effectively convey your message to your target audiences
CLE: The Florida Bar has approved this webinar for one hour of General Education credit and one hour of Professionalism credit.
Although born and raised in Queens, New York, Peg is a triple Gator, having earned her bachelor's, master's, and law degrees from the University of Florida. She began her career as a staff attorney in the state court system providing counsel to judges on criminal, civil and appellate matters, including capital cases. She was then offered a federal clerkship with United States District Court Judge Stephan P. Mickle in the Northern District of Florida, where she handled criminal and civil issues ranging from homicide and drug cases to copyright violations, employment discrimination, eminent domain, and ERISA claims. She entered private practice in 2007, where she focuses on representing people who have been accused of wrongdoing, whether it involves: - criminal investigations and/or charges
- faculty, staff or student disciplinary proceedings
- professional licensing issues before a credentialing board
- lawyers being investigated by the Florida Bar
- judges being investigated by the Judicial Qualifications Commission
 Peg devotes time to serving homeless and low-income residents through the bar association’s Ask-a-Lawyer project and other venues. Her work was recognized in 2016 by the Florida Supreme Court, which presented her with the Florida Bar President’s Pro Bono Service Award, an honor bestowed each year upon 21 attorneys who have made “an extraordinary contribution to pro bono services for the poor.”
She enjoys sharing knowledge with others and has lectured and presented on a number of topics including election law, deposition techniques, public speaking, and bringing awareness of mental health issues into the courtroom. She also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Florida, where she teaches courses on the court system and law enforcement.
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