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12th
Annual Public
Defender LAS VEGAS RETREAT April 27-29, 2012 What Do We Do?... Protect Constitutional Rights, One Person at a Time... That’s All! |
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A yearly gathering of public and private criminal defense attorneys, investigators,
legal staff, law students, spouses, or anyone with a Public Defender Attitude.
Retreat Activities Schedule
and Las Vegas Things To Do
Click Here for a Short Printable Schedule of Activities
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Speakers | Hotel | Sponsors |
| Past Speakers | Print Schedule | Be A Sponsor | Links | Privacy | Contact |
Schedule Index - Click Each Link Below or Scroll Down to See All the Details
This information last updated 1/17/12. Watch for further updates.
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Click
Here for a Short Printable
Schedule of
Activities Download our 2012 Retreat flyers in printable PDF format: Horizontal 8.5"x11" Front Back (with Registration Form) Vertical 8.5"x11" Front Back (with Registration Form) |
Informal Pre-Retreat Get Together on floor 1.5 in The Chandelier bar at the Cosmopolitan Hotel Casino  8pm
to 10pm?For many of you arriving on Thursday or earlier, we will be getting a head start on the Retreat activities. Thursday evening we will informally meet at about 8pm on floor 1.5 in The Chandelier bar in the new Cosmopolitan Hotel Casino. "An inhabitable, multi-story visual spectacle housing three unique bar experiences; The Chandelier provides a bit of playground, art exhibit, and cocktail haven all at once." This is very informal, and we have no reservation, let's just show up and find an area, ask the hostess where the lawyers are sitting. Note, you need to take the glass elevators or central stairway inside The Chandelier, and NOT the escalator, to get to floor 1.5. Return to Index
Retreat
Sign-In and Pick Up Materials
in the Florentine Room at Tuscany Convention Area  1pm
to 4pmWe will have the Retreat Sign-In from 1pm to 4pm in the Florentine Room at the Tuscany convention area. You can pick up the Retreat handout materials, your name badge, nifty certificate of attendance, Improv tickets (if applicable), and details on the Retreat. This Sign-In will also be available throughout the weekend, before each day's program. Return to Index
Retreat
Friday
Welcome
Party in the Florentine
Room at Tuscany Convention Area
 4pm
to 7pmWe will again this year have our Friday Welcome Party from 4pm to 7pm in the Florentine Room at the Tuscany convention area. Admission is free for Retreat attendees, their guests (one member of your party will need to show a Retreat name badge to enter), and Retreat sponsors. Food and hors d'oeuvres will be provided as well as some drinks, and a cash bar will also be available. 5pm to 6pm Lori B. Andrews Author; Law Professor, Chicago-Kent College of Law; Chicago, Illinois "Social Networks and The Right to a Fair Trial" (1 hour MCLE) Lori is listed as one of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America and frequently appears on 60 Minutes, Good Morning America, and Nightline. Lori will address the legal issues involving social networks; including collection and admissibility of evidence, the dangers of enhanced sentences, and also problems and solutions to juror use and misuse of the internet and social networks. Return to Index
Australia’s
Human Nature Show in the Imperial Theatre at Imperial Palace
 7:30pm
to ??This year at 7:30pm on Friday night we will be seeing “Smokey Robinson Presents Australia’s Human Nature – The Ultimate Celebration of Motown” which showcases the distinctive, dynamic harmonies of members Toby Allen, Phil Burton, Andrew Tierney, and Michael Tierney. This quartet is known for outstanding concert and stage performances and has toured with Céline Dion and Michael Jackson. Human Nature performs with a talented live band in the remodeled Imperial Theatre showroom at Imperial Palace, upgraded with a premium sound system to highlight their voices and a state-of-the-art set designed by David Rudder with lights by Yves Aucoin (Céline Dion A New Day…). Human Nature has been one of Australia’s biggest acts since its 1995 quadruple-platinum debut, Telling Everybody. The band’s last four multi-platinum albums have all debuted at No. 1 and they’ve charted 17 Top 40 hits and five Top 10 singles. Their first American album will be released this year. Voted #1 Best Singers in Las Vegas (Las Vegas Review Journal - The Best of Las Vegas) "Sensational...Everything you could want in a Las Vegas Show" - Las Vegas Sun You can order Human Nature Show tickets for $45 each with your Retreat Registration. Ticket price includes taxes and fees. Doors open at 7pm.
Retreat
MCLE/CLE*
Speakers in the Florentine Room at Tuscany Convention Area
 8am
to 8:30amDave Rendahl Deputy Public Defender and Retreat Organizer; Visalia, California Retreat Sign-In, welcome announcements; coffee, donuts, muffins, juice, etc; and pick up your Retreat materials. 8:30am to 9:30am Wendy L. Patrick Deputy District Attorney; Chair of the California State Bar Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct; San Diego, California "Defending Your Client as Well as Yourself: Ethics Rules for Criminal Defense Attorneys" (1 hour Ethics MCLE) Ms. Patrick teaches ethics around the country for various legal and business organizations. She has been featured as a media topic expert on the radio and on both local and international TV. Wendy will give two presentations, both on ethics. 9:30am to 9:40am Morning Break 9:40am to 11:40am Deborah Davis, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Nevada; Reno, Nevada "Memory on Trial: Eye Witness Identification and Memory for Conversation” (2 hours MCLE) Dr. Davis will be speaking on the issues and challenges of eye witness I.D. She will also discuss witness memory for conversations and how these situations can be analyzed to either support or challenge the remembered statement. 11:40am to 1:00pm Lunch Break (on your own) Tuscany offers 3 restaurants open for lunch: The Cantina Mexican Restaurant, Marilyn's Café with a regular coffee shop menu and 24-hour breakfast menu, and Beachfront Coffee next to the pool with fruit smoothies, specialty coffee, and deli style sandwiches and salads ready to go. 1pm to 2:30pm Daniel E. Sosnowski Polygraph and Interrogation Expert; S.O.S. Polygraph Services, Inc.; Marietta, Georgia “Overview in the Use of the Polygraph; in Court, Sexual Offender Testing, and on Our Clients, (Help? or Hurt?)” (1.5 hours MCLE) Dan will discuss the current issues and status of admitting polygraph results in court. Dan has vast experience in teaching and training in the use of interrogation methods, this background, as well as his informative style, will make this talk one not to be missed. 2:30pm to 2:40pm Afternoon Break 2:40pm to 4:40pm H. William Nelson & Christopher K. Steuart Founders, IT Forensics, Inc.; Seattle, Washington "Overview of Computer / Digital Forensics” (2 hours MCLE) Bill & Chris will address technical subjects: disk, network, email, and cellphone / small device forensics and cellphone tracking / mapping; the digital crime scene; as well as the legal issues of accessing, handling, and processing digital evidence. 4:40pm to 4:45pm Dave Rendahl Deputy Public Defender and Retreat Organizer; Visalia, California Day 1 closing remarks and announcements. Return to Index
3 Course
Dinner and Classic Soul Music in B.B.
King's
Blues Club at Mirage Hotel
 6pm
to ??Guests at B.B. King's Blues Club get more than just a taste of Southern-style cookin' when they dine there. They also get a hearty dose of classic soul music performed live by the B.B. King's house band and guest performers. There’s no better way to enjoy some “Famous Lip-Smacking Ribs” or a “Roasted Chicken Dinner” than while listening to songs made famous by artists like Otis Redding, Ray Charles, and of course B.B. King. Doors open at 5:30pm and dinner seating begins at 6pm, an hour before the live entertainment starts, giving guests an opportunity to get seated and order their meal before the performers take the stage. Almost every seat in the restaurant has a good view of the stage. There are three bars in the main restaurant area and another one located by the main entrance. For guests who want to do more than just sing along from their table, a small dance floor in front of the stage offers a place for the crowd to get down and get funky. Our $55 ticket price includes premium seat, 3 course dinner, live music, taxes, fees, and gratuity. Beverages NOT included. You can order B.B. King's Dinner & Show tickets for $55 each with your Retreat Registration. See our custom menu (PDF).
Retreat
MCLE/CLE* Speakers
in the Florentine Room at Tuscany
Convention Area
 8:30am
to 9amDave Rendahl Deputy Public Defender and Retreat Organizer; Visalia, California Retreat Sign-In, welcome announcements; coffee, donuts, muffins, juice, etc; and pick up your Retreat materials. 9am to 10am Wendy L. Patrick Deputy District Attorney; Chair of the California State Bar Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct; San Diego, California "With ‘Friends’ Like These: The Ethics of Social Networking" (1 hour Ethics MCLE) Ms. Patrick teaches ethics around the country for various legal and business organizations. She has been featured as a media topic expert on the radio and on both local and international TV. Wendy will give two presentations, both on ethics. 10am to 11am Rod J. A. Gregory Criminal Defence Attorney; Partner, Davidson, Gregory, Danyluik, Stuffco; Edmonton, Alberta, Canada "Simple, Easy to Use, and Inexpensive Ways to Make an Electronic Trial Notebook" (1 hour MCLE) Rod will be speaking on organizing and preparing a trial notebook, using various types of software that are very easy to use, while not being very costly. 11am to 11:10am Morning Break 11:10am to 12:40pm Daniel E. Sosnowski Polygraph and Interrogation Expert; S.O.S. Polygraph Services, Inc.; Marietta, Georgia “Identifying Questionable Police Interrogations... When Do They Cross the Line to Duress and Coercion” (1.5 hours MCLE) Dan's second presentation will involve looking at methods used by police officers in questioning witnesses and our clients. Dan has vast experience in teaching and training in the use of interrogation methods, this background, as well as his informative style, will make this talk one not to be missed. 12:40pm to 12:50pm Dave Rendahl Deputy Public Defender and Retreat Organizer; Visalia, California Day 2 closing remarks and announcements.
2012
World
Defender Poker
Championship in the Poker Room at Tuscany Casino
 2pm
to 5pm?On Sunday at 2pm, after the MCLE* program, we will be holding the 2012 Public Defender Retreat Poker Championship. The Tournament will be in the Tuscany's Poker Room located in the northwest corner of the casino. More details will be provided at the Retreat. James Brown from London, Ontario, Canada won the 2011 Tournament. Hanh Duong from Dallas, Texas was our 2010 winner. Dan Becka, a private criminal defense attorney from Massachusetts, won the 2009 title (his second, and only multiple winner). Other past winners are Richard Poliquin from Arizona - 2008, Dan Beck - 2007, public defender David Daniel from Pennsylvania - 2006, and Sara Cooper, a public defender from Arizona - 2005. The entry fee will be $65 per person, (pay in advance with your Retreat Registration). Prize pool will be paid to the top 10 places, along with trophies, merchandise, and bragging rights. It is patterned after the World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour events. Register soon, the number of entries is limited by the size of the poker area. When you pay for your entry into the Poker Tournament, you are buying a seat. That seat is yours, and if you arrive late, or don't show up for the Tourney, your Tournament chips and hands will be blind folded until you arrive, or run out of chips. If you need to cancel after you have purchased your entry, I will assist you in selling your seat to another attendee. For more Tournament details, please call Dave at 559-636-4500. Return to Index
Informal
Post-Retreat Get
Together in the Petrossian Bar at Bellagio
 8pm
to 10pm?For anyone staying longer than Sunday, we have had a tradition for many years of meeting at about 8pm on Sunday night. This year will be at Petrossian Bar (between the lobby and casino) inside Bellagio Las Vegas. Petrossian has been named one of America's best hotel bars by the hospitality industry's Santé magazine. This is a perfect lounge for sitting and enjoying a great drink and people watching, all while relaxing and listening to the soothing live music from their one-of-a-kind Steinway grand piano. The Bellagio is within walking distance of Tuscany Suites.
Walking,
Monorail, Double Decker Buses, Shuttles, and Taxis
 Walking
in Las Vegas? You will need a few things to start
off, Comfortable shoes, water, sunscreen and
the ever faithful chapstick. Las Vegas is in the middle of a
large desert, which equates to warm and dry, or cold and dry, or
comfortable and dry! With that in mind it is easy to
experience dehydration. So be aware, you should drink as much
water as needed. When you walk into a casino, walk right up
to any of the bars and simply ask for a glass of water, the bartenders
realize that they have hidden the water faucets right next to the
clocks and the windows.When walking around you might feel like walking the length of the strip. It’s enjoyable and there is plenty to see, what you have to realize is that those buildings on the end of the Las Vegas Boulevard are huge, hence, they look real close. From the Stratosphere to Mandalay bay is a little less than four miles, so if you’re thinking about setting up your workout regimen, you've picked a good vacation destination.  If
you would rather ride, the Las
Vegas Monorail is offering our Public Defender Retreat
attendees and exhibitors discounted 3-day and 7-day passes purchased
from their secure website and mailed to your
home or business. This offer will be available until 2 weeks
before the Retreat (until April 15, 2012). Here are our Monorail ticket prices:
Click here to purchase Las Vegas Monorail tickets. The Las Vegas Monorail (running Monday-Thursday 7am-2am and Friday-Sunday 7am-3am) has trains arriving every 4 to 12 minutes, and takes you up and down The Strip in 15 minutes or less at speeds up to 50 mph. There are Monorail stations at the Sahara (the hotel is closed but the station is open), Las Vegas Hilton, Las Vegas Convention Center, Harrah’s / Imperial Palace, Flamingo, Bally’s / Paris Las Vegas, and the MGM Grand. You can walk from Tuscany Suites to the Flamingo or Bally's Monorail stations at the back of the hotels. Monorail tickets may also be purchased at station ticket vending machines (TVMs), and at station customer service booths. There is a free tram between Mirage and TI (Treasure Island) every 15 minutes 7am-2am daily. There is a free tram between Bellagio, CityCenter, and Monte Carlo every 15 minutes 8am-4am daily. There is a free tram between the Excalibur, Luxor, and Mandalay Bay that runs every 3 to 7 minutes from 7am-10:30pm daily. See more tram and monorail info at Vegas.com. There is a free shuttle every half hour between the Rio Hotel, Harrah’s, and Bally’s / Paris running 10am-1am daily.  For more Las Vegas shuttle information see the Shuttles page at GoingToVegas.com. There are 24-hour buses on The Strip, including the new 97 passenger Deuce Double Decker Buses. You now have a chance to double-down your trip on The Strip with new double-decker buses adding a London touch to Vegas. Finally you'll be able to look out the window and see the glorious landscape of the Las Vegas Strip instead of tourists in SUVs. And taxi service is also available just outside the front doors of Tuscany, and at all the hotels. Attracting 30 to 40 million visitors each year, Las Vegas has fine-tuned the art of customer service. Extend your stay to enjoy this city that epitomizes the quintessential American entertainment experience. To help plan your trip, visit http://www.VisitLasVegas.com/. Weather The average high temperature for late April in Las Vegas is about 83°F (29°C) and the average low temperature is about 55°F (14°C) with about 24% humidity, but it can get warmer or cooler than these averages. We recommend a jacket or sweater for the evenings (and maybe for the Retreat session room too). Las Vegas averages 320 days of sunshine a year, with average monthly precipitation for April / May of 0.20 inches. Tipping Since Las Vegas is a service-based city, tipping is recommended, according to www.Vegas.com.
Fountains, Lobby Ceiling, and
Botanical
Conservatory at the Bellagio Hotel
Return to Index
The
Volcano at The Mirage Hotel
 Try
to catch the Volcano eruption which happens
every hour from dusk until 11pm
in
front of the Mirage
Resort & Casino,
between Caesars Palace Forum Shops
and TI (Treasure Island).
Since its opening in 1989, the Mirage Volcano has been one of most popular attractions on the Las Vegas Strip. In 1996, the Volcano added new water, lighting, and sound effects. In 2008, the Volcano underwent another big facelift. One of the most exciting highlights about the new volcano is its music. Mickey Hart, the legendary Grateful Dead drummer, and Indian music composer Zakir Hussain worked together to create and perform a soundtrack exclusively for the Mirage Volcano. During the composing process, the two studied legends, myths, and history about volcanoes. As a result, they incorporated instruments from around the world. The musical masterpiece infuses chants, percussion, and other tribal elements. In addition to the intense music, the Volcano sound comes from actual eruption recordings. The Volcano's state-of-the-art sound system allows the audience to feel the rumble. "You're in the middle of the Volcano without actually getting hurt!" Hart said. "[It's] as real as you can be without experiencing the ash." Wet Design, the company responsible for The Fountains of Bellagio, lead the design team for the Volcano. The $25 million project included things like two Volcano systems, a lagoon, and fire shooters that shoot flames on demand. These massive fireballs are capable of shooting more than 12 feet into the air. The volcano also has waterfalls with surrounding pools featuring fire and smoke effects. The Mirage Volcano is open now and erupts nightly every hour on the hour from dusk until 11pm, weather permitting. Return to Index
The Auto
Collections at Imperial
Palace
 Enjoy
the world's
largest and finest classic car showroom with $100 million worth of
inventory on display and for sale.Stroll among more than 250 antique, muscle, famous, historically significant, and special interest vehicles. The Auto Collections showroom is located on the fifth floor of the parking structure at the back of the Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino. Print out a pass good for 2 free tickets at www.AutoCollections.com. Return to Index
Wildlife
Habitat at the Flamingo Hotel
 Amid
the neon lights and slot machines, the Flamingo Hotel offers a refreshing
oasis with its 15 acre Wildlife Habitat which is free and
open 24 hours a day.Guests will feel as if they have been transported to a tropical island as they take refuge in the habitat, located next to the Flamingo's pool area. Full of photo opportunities, the habitat is filled with lush foliage imported from around the world including varieties of pines, palms, and magnolia. Visitors can take a stroll on winding walkways alongside streams and waterfalls, or on bridges over lagoons and ponds. Benches scattered throughout the area allow guests the chance to sit back and enjoy the view. The Wildlife Habitat at the Flamingo is home to more than 300 birds, including Impeyn and silver pheasants, Gambel's quail, a Crown crane, two ibis, swans, ducks, and parrots. However, the most notable are likely the Chilean flamingos. But birds aren't the only wildlife that can be seen in the habitat; there is an abundance of turtles and koi as well. Return to Index
The Springs
Preserve
 The Springs
Preserve
is a 180-acre indoor and outdoor cultural institution designed to
commemorate Las Vegas'
dynamic history and to provide a vision for a sustainable future.The Preserve features museums, galleries, outdoor concerts and events, colorful botanical gardens, and an interpretive trail system that meanders through a scenic wetland habitat. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978, the Preserve is located approximately three miles west of downtown Las Vegas. The Preserve is known as the birthplace of Las Vegas and represents one of the richest and most unique cultural and biological resources in Southern Nevada. The Springs Preserve is located at 333 S Valley View Blvd, between US 95 and Alta Drive. Recently relocated to the Springs Preserve is the new 13,000 sq ft Nevada State Museum Las Vegas with displays including the first dinosaur fossils documented in Nevada, minerals from Nevada mines, and Las Vegas showgirl costumes. The Nevada State Museum is located at 309 S Valley View Blvd. Site Map to the Springs Preserve (PDF)
| Trails Map to the Springs Preserve (PDF)
Springs Preserve Website | Las Vegas Interactive Map Return to Index
The New
Cosmopolitan Between CityCenter and Bellagio
 The
Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas delivers stylish design with an
adventurous and welcoming spirit -- delivering a decidedly different
kind of Las Vegas experience. The new 2,995-room resort
features oversized residential style living space with expansive
one-of-a-kind private terraces and spectacular designs by acclaimed
interior architects David Rockwell, Jeffrey Beers, Adam D.Tihany, and
the Friedmutter Group. Guests will enjoy diverse dining
experiences from the country's top chefs, unprecedented services and
amenities, innovative new membership offerings, 3 distinct pool
environments at The Pool District, a 100,000 square foot casino, Sahra
Spa & Hammam, Marquee Nightclub & Dayclub -- a
multi-level integrated nightclub, 9 unique retail boutiques, 150,000
square feet of state-of-the-art convention and meeting space, and
breathtaking views of The Las Vegas Strip at every turn.Return to Index
Lake of
Dreams Show at Wynn Las Vegas Hotel
 Unlike
some other free entertainment on The Strip, you have to go inside of
the Wynn
Hotel to see their 3 acre Lake of Dreams show because it is
located behind an 8 story mountain which is covered with 1,500 alpine
trees. You can stand and watch the shows, and there are
balconies
and patios at several bars and restaurants where you can sit down and
have a drink or a meal while watching. The various 2 to 5
minute
shows are put on after dark
every 20 to 30 minutes. Click here for a short video which is a montage of several of the Lake of Dreams shows. Return to Index
Eiffel
Tower at Paris Las Vegas Hotel
 Located
in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip just south of Flamingo Road,
visitors can catch great views nearly 50 stories above the ground.
From the observation deck, which stands at 460 feet, guests
are able to see the entire valley. And while the Eiffel Tower is a popular romantic
destination, all types of guests come and see this attraction.
The Eiffel Tower replica is about half the size of the
original in France. While these two vary in height, there are
many similarities between them. Both have an enclosed
observation deck for safety as well as a glass elevator to admire the
stunning vistas on the way to the top. For a quieter, more
intimate experience without sacrificing the view, guests can dine in
elegance at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant on the
11th floor of the Tower.Return to Index
The
New Historic Fremont Street and Fremont East in Downtown Las
Vegas
 The
Fremont Street Experience
is located in the heart of downtown Las Vegas on the historic street
that started it all. The world-famous, one-of-a-kind
entertainment
venue is home to Viva Vision, the biggest big screen on the
planet.
More than 12 million lights in the Viva Vision canopy and 550,000 watts of concert quality sound pumped to speakers throughout the venue produce an incredible array of eye-popping  imagery
and heart pounding
music. Viva Vision shows appear nightly on the hour beginning at dusk and are free and open to the public. The giant 1,500 foot long LED screen towers 90 feet above a pedestrian mall lined with unique retail shopping kiosks and two permanent performance stages. Ten legendary casinos line Fremont Street Experience with more than 60 restaurants and thousands of loose slots. Free concerts, special events, and roaming street performers entertain the nearly 17 million visitors who come to experience this vintage Vegas attraction each year. The city of Las Vegas created a new entertainment district located in the heart of downtown Las Vegas: Fremont East. Located in the heart of downtown Las Vegas, the Fremont East Entertainment District sits adjacent to the popular tourist attraction, the Fremont Street Experience. More than a dozen new nightclub and dining venues have been recruited in and near the Fremont East District.
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Take
some time at
the 
The
Bellagio hotel 
Located
just beyond the lobby and front desk area of the Bellagio hotel
is the free * The Tulare County Public Defender certifies that this activity has been approved for
MCLE credit by the State Bar of California in the amount of 11 hours (with 2 of the hours in ethics).
Tulare County Public Defender is a State Bar of California MCLE approved provider.
We routinely get CLE pre-approval in a number of states, and I will assist any attendee with
CLE credit in their jurisdictions. Contact Dave Rendahl at 1-559-636-4500 or Email for
MCLE/CLE info on your state or jurisdiction (no state has ever denied credit for prior Retreats).
* For Canadian attendees, the Law Society of Upper Canada has accredited the 12th Annual
Public Defender Las Vegas Retreat, held April 27-29, 2012, as follows:
This program has been accredited by the Law Society for 2 Professionalism Hours.
It is also eligible for up to 9.5 Substantive Hours for experienced members.
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