2026 Annual Felony Defense Seminar at Yosemite
Friday & Saturday, November 13–14, 2026
Yosemite, California
In Person or Livestreaming Option Available
9.25 Hours MCLEIncludes 1.0 Hour Elimination of Bias
REGISTER NOW JOIN CPDA
Join CPDA for two days of intensive felony defense training set against the backdrop of Yosemite National Park. This seminar brings together experienced public defenders and faculty from across California to sharpen the trial skills, strategies, and advocacy every felony defense attorney relies on. Full agenda details will be announced soon. Please read below for lodging information and make your reservation if you do wish to attend in person.
Lodging
Attendees can start to make their lodging reservations online at www.travelyosemite.com or via phone 888-413-8869, option 1.
Group code: 16S0G5 — required to access the conference room block.
Rooms in the block are limited and tend to go quickly — we strongly encourage booking as soon as possible rather than waiting until the deadline.
Friday & Saturday
Members: $280
Premium Members: $245
Non-Members: $350
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Venue & Directions
Yosemite Valley Lodge
9006 Yosemite Lodge Dr, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389
A park entrance fee (~$35/vehicle, valid 7 days) applies unless you hold an annual or lifetime pass. Parking near the Lodge is free but limited — arrive early.
GET DIRECTIONS →
Program Schedule (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
Friday, November 13
| 1:00–1:30 pm |
Check In
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| 1:30–2:30 pm |
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OMG! My Client Hates Me.
La Mer Kyle · LA County Public Defender's Office
1.0 hr. MCLE · Elimination of Bias
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| 2:30–2:45 pm |
Break
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| 2:45–3:45 pm |
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A Love Letter from Appellate Counsel: Preserving Issues and What to Do When Things Didn't Go as Planned
Laura Arnold
1.0 hr. MCLE · Ethics
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| 3:45–4:00 pm |
Break
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| 4:00–5:00 pm |
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Caught on Video — From Voir Dire to Verdict
Matt Sotorosen · San Francisco Public Defender's Office
1.0 hr. MCLE
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| 5:00–9:00 pm |
Welcome Reception
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Saturday, November 14
| 8:30–9:00 am |
Coffee & Continental Breakfast
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| 9:00–10:00 am |
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The Psychology of Persuasion: How People Really Make Decisions — Cognitive Science for Criminal Defense Lawyers
Yali Corea-Levy · Santa Clara County Public Defender's Office
1.0 hr. MCLE
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| 10:00–10:15 am |
Break
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| 10:15–11:15 am |
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J.O. and Kowalczyk — Practical Advice for Line Lawyers
Charles Denton · Alameda County Public Defender's Office
1.0 hr. MCLE
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| 11:15–11:30 am |
Break
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| 11:30 am–12:45 pm |
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Consecutive, Concurrent…Confused? Advanced Sentencing for Trial Lawyers (Part 4 — Live Conclusion)
Albert Camacho Jr. · LA County Office of the Public Defender
1.25 hr. MCLE
Watch the Required Pre-Session Videos (Parts 1–3) →
Provides 3.0 additional hours of MCLE credit
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| 12:45 pm |
End of Program
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SEMINAR ORGANIZERS
 Charles Denton Assistant Public Defender Alameda County i Bio |
 Susan Leff Senior Deputy Public Defender Santa Barbara County i Bio |
 Matt Sotorosen Director of Training San Francisco Public Defender's Office i Bio |
FEATURED FACULTY
 La Mer Kyle Division Leader, Training Division LA County Public Defender's Office i Bio |
 Laura Arnold i Bio |
 Albert Camacho Jr. Deputy Public Defender IV LA County Office of the Public Defender i Bio |
 Yali Corea-Levy Deputy Public Defender Santa Clara County i Bio |
Criminal Law Legal Specialization Credit
Certified Criminal Law Specialists may apply eligible hours from this seminar toward their 36-hour LSCLE requirement. The breakdown below maps each session to its content area for specialist reporting purposes; refer to your certificate of attendance for the hours actually accredited.
| LSCLE Subject Area |
Friday |
Saturday |
Total |
| Trial Advocacy |
— |
— |
— |
| Evidence |
— |
— |
— |
| Substantive Criminal Law & Procedure |
— |
— |
— |
| Writs, Appeals & Ancillary Proceedings |
— |
— |
— |
| Total |
— |
— |
— |
MCLE credit information will be posted as soon as it is available.
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