James E. Felman has concentrated his practice of law in the defense of complex criminal matters and related civil litigation for over 30 years. Mr. Felman represents clients in federal and state matters in every phase of the criminal process — investigation, trial, sentencing, appeal, and post-conviction proceedings. He has represented clients in a wide range of matters, including allegations of bank fraud, health care fraud, mail and wire fraud, securities fraud, public corruption, environmental crimes, antitrust violations, synthetic/illegal drugs, illegal gambling, child abuse/pornography, and murder. Mr. Felman has also devoted a significant portion of his professional efforts to legal reform and policy work. He has testified on an array of topics before the United States Senate, House of Representatives, and Sentencing Commission, and has given more than 100 presentations on criminal justice policy issues. He is a Past Chair of the Criminal Justice Section of the American Bar Association. From 2014-2017 he served as a member of the Steering Committee of the Clemency Project 2014. Mr. Felman is a graduate of Wake Forest University, B.A. cum laude, 1984, and Duke University, M.A. Phil. and J.D. with high honors (Order of the Coif), 1987. Following law school, he was a law clerk to Judge Theodore McMillian of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
Awards and Honors
- AV Rating by Martindale-Hubbell since 1996
- Named by BEST LAWYERS IN AMERICA
- 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” for Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- 2021 “Lawyer of the Year” for Tampa Criminal Defense: General Practice
- 2018 “Lawyer of the Year” for Tampa Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- 2015 “Lawyer of the Year” for White-Collar Criminal Defense
- 2014 “Lawyer of the Year” for Appellate Practice: Criminal Appeals, Tampa
- 2012 “Lawyer of the Year” for Non-White-Collar Criminal Defense, Tampa
- 2011 “Lawyer of the Year” for White-Collar Criminal Defense, Tampa
- Listed in THE BEST LAWYERS IN AMERICA
- Criminal Defense: White-Collar and Non-White-Collar, General Practice, 2001-present
- Appellate Practice, 2006-present
- Bet-the-Company Litigation, 2014-present
- Named by FLORIDA SUPER LAWYERS
- 2014-2016, 2019, 2020, 2021 “The Top 100” Lawyers in Florida
- 2014-2016, 2018-2019, 2021, 2022 “The Top 50” Lawyers in Tampa Bay, Florida
- Listed in FLORIDA SUPER LAWYERS, Criminal Defense: White Collar practice
- Listed in FLORIDA TREND’S FLORIDA LEGAL ELITE, Criminal Law, 2007-2019, 2022
- Listed in CORPORATE COUNSEL as a Top Lawyer for Criminal Defense
- Listed in WHO’S WHO LEGAL: BUSINESS CRIME DEFENSE 2017-19
- Listed in BAR REGISTER OF PREEMINENT LAWYERS
- Recipient of the 2022 NACDL Stalwart award for continued dedication to the NACDL and in making the criminal justice system more fair, rational, and humane.
- Recipient of the 2018 NACDL President’s commendation for his extraordinary contributions to the mission, beliefs, and goals of the association.
- Recipient of the 2018 Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Steven M. Goldstein Criminal Justice Award for his extraordinary contributions to improving the administration of the criminal justice system.
- Recipient of 2017 International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law Award in recognition of his contribution to the goals of the society.
- Recipient of 2016 American Bar Association’s Criminal Justice Section Charles R. English Award for his dedication to criminal justice reform.
- Recipient of the Federal Bar Association’s 2012 Earl W. Kintner Award for years of distinguished service to the to Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and his passion for federal sentencing law.
- Recipient of 2012 James H. Kynes In The Trenches Award, which recognizes an outstanding local attorney for excellence and integrity in his or her criminal trial practice awarded by the Trial Lawyer’s Section of the Hillsborough County Bar Association.
- Recipient of 2011 American Bar Association Grassroots Advocacy Award for his role as the ABA Criminal Justice Section Sentencing Committee co-chair where he has testified numerous times before Congress in support of the decision to reduce the 100-to-1 disparity between crack and powder cocaine sentences through the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010. The award is given as part of the ABA’s annual effort to connect policymakers with constituents in the legal profession.
- Recipient of 2010 Marcelino “Bubba” Huerta Award for pro bono service and the pursuit of equal justice awarded by the Hillsborough County Bar Association Criminal Law Section
- Recipient of 2006 George C. Carr Memorial Award for excellence in federal practice and distinguished service to the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.
Professional Experience
- Kynes, Markman & Felman, P.A., Tampa, Florida, Partner, 1991-present
- Stetson University College of Law, St. Petersburg, Florida, Adjunct Professor (Federal Criminal Law Seminar), 1990-1993
- Winkles, Trombley, Kynes, & Markman, P.A., Tampa, Florida, Associate, 1989-1991
- The Honorable Theodore McMillian, U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, St. Louis, Missouri, Judicial Law Clerk, 1988
- Bondurant, Mixon & Elmore, Atlanta, Georgia, Associate, Fall, 1987
- Sullivan & Cromwell, New York, New York, Summer Associate, Summer, 1987
Professional Activities, Bar Associations and Organizations
- Chair, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Task Force on Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 17(c), 2022-present
- Chair, American Bar Association Criminal Justice Sections Task Force on First Step Act Implementation, 2019-present
- Chair, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Task Force on First Step Act Implementation, 2019-present
- Member, Board of Directors, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 2020-present
- Member, Board of Directors, The International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law, 2016-present
- Chair, American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section Task Force on Sentencing Standards, 2018-present
- Chair, American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section DOJ Dialogue Group, 2021 – present
- Member, American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section Council, 2008-present
- Member, The American Law Institute, 2009-present
- Member, The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation, 2008-present
- Chair, American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section, 2014-2015
- Member, Criminal Justice Advisory Panel of the ARC’s National Center for Criminal Justice and Disability, 2018-2019
- President, Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, 2001 (Board member, 1995-present)
- Advisory Board, The NACDL Champion Magazine, 1996-present
- Master, Herbert G. Goldburg Criminal Law Inn of Court, 2002-present (Emeritus)
- Steering Committee Member, Clemency Project 2014, 2014-2017
- Reporter, American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section Task Force on Reform of Federal Sentencing for Economic Crimes, 2013-2015
- Member, American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section Task Force on Law Enforcement Body Cameras, 2015-2017
- First Vice Chair, American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section, 2013-2014
- Vice Chair, American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section, 2011-2013
- American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section’s Liaison to the American Law Institute Model Penal Code Sentencing Revision Project, 2010-2017
- American Bar Association’s Liaison to the United States Sentencing Commission, 2010-2017
- Co-Chair, Sentencing Committee of the American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section, 2006-2013
- Program Organizer and Moderator, Annual National Seminal on the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, 1994-2008 (This program was a joint project of the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and the United States Sentencing Commission.)
- Co-Chair, Corrections and Sentencing Committee of the Criminal Justice Section of the American Bar Association, 2004-2005
- Co-Chair, Practitioners’ Advisory Group to the United States Sentencing Commission, 1998-2003 (member, 1994-2009)
- Member, American Bar Association Task Force on Blakely v. Washington, 2004-2006
- Member, The Sentencing Initiative of The Constitution Project, 2004-2006
- Member, District of Columbia Federal Bar Association Task Force on Blakely v. Washington, 2004-2006
- President, Trial Lawyers Section of the Hillsborough County Bar Association, 2001 (Executive Committee member, 1996-2000)
- Chair, Criminal Law Section of the Hillsborough County Bar Association, 1999
- Chair, Grievance Committee 13A of the Florida Bar, 1994-1995
- Advisory Board, The Bureau of National Affairs’ Criminal Law Reporter, 2010-2017
- Executive Committee, Hillsborough Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, 1995-2005
Publications/Articles
- Clemency Project 2014: A Call to All Licensed Attorneys, 27:3 Florida Defender 22 (Fall 2015)
- Reflections on the United States Sentencing Commission’s 2015 Amendments to the Economic Crimes Guideline, 20:5 Federal Sentencing Reporter 288 (2015)
- Highlights and Lowlights From the New Report on Mandatory Minimums From the U.S. Sentencing Commission, 90:13 Criminal Law Reporter (BNA) 426 (2012) (with Mary Price)
- Tough New Sentencing Guidelines on Health Care Fraud Need Revisiting, 89:9 Criminal Law Reporter (BNA) 323 (2011)
- Enlisting and Deploying Federal Grand Juries in the War on Terrorism, Grand Jury 2.0 (Carolina Academic Press) (2011) (with Sara Sun Beale)
- The Need to Reform the Federal Sentencing Guidelines for High-Loss Economic Crimes, 23:2 Fed. Sent. Rptr. 138 (2010)
- The State of the Sentencing Union: A Call for Fundamental Reexamination, 20:5 Federal Sentencing Reporter 337 (2008)
- The Fifth Amendment and the Grand Jury, 22:1 ABA Criminal Justice Magazine 4 (Spring 2007) (with Sara Sun Beale)
- GRAND JURY LAW & PRACTICE, Second Edition (West Group) Supplemented annually since 1997 (with Sara Sun Beale, William Bryson, Michael Elston, and Katherine Earle Yanes)
- The Need for Procedural Reform in Federal Criminal Cases, 17:4 Federal Sentencing Reporter 261 (2005). Reprinted in The NACDL Champion, July, 2005
- How Should the Congress Respond if the Supreme Court Strikes Down the Sentencing Guidelines? 17:2 Federal Sentencing Reporter 97 (2005)
- The Consequences of Enlisting Federal Grand Juries in the War on Terrorism: Assessing the Patriot Act’s Changes in Grand Jury Secrecy, 25 Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy 699 (2002) (with Sara Sun Beale). Reprinted in 17:2 ABA Criminal Justice Magazine 42 (Summer 2002)
- “Bailey v. United States: Court to decide when firearm is “used” in connection with drug trafficking offense,” West’s Legal News (Dec. 5, 1995) (online publication)
- The Fundamental Incompatibility of Real Offense Sentencing Guidelines and the Federal Criminal Code, 7:3 Federal Sentencing Reporter 125 (1995). Reprinted in The NACDL Champion, May, 1996
- Defense Strategies for Litigating Substantial Assistance Downward Departures, The NACDL Champion, July, 1994. Reprinted in 41:6 Federal Bar News & Journal 422 (July 1994)
- MOORE’S FEDERAL PRACTICE, FEDERAL RULES OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, Chapters 10, 26.3, and 35 (1994) (with Robert Batey)
- “Drug Testing and Public Employment: Toward a Rational Application of the Fourth Amendment,” 50:1 LAW & CONTEMP. PROBS 253 (1988) (with Christopher Petrini)
Public Testimony
- Testimony before the Committee to Review the Criminal Justice Act Program regarding indigent defense in the federal criminal system, Views from a Mixed Panel Participant, January 12, 2016 (available at: https://cjastudy.fd.org/hearing-archives/miami-florida) PDF available at here
- Testimony before the United States Sentencing Commission regarding proposed amendments to the guidelines on economic crimes, March 12, 2015 (available at: https://www.ussc.gov/policymaking/meetings-hearings/public-hearing-march-12-2015) Hearing video available at ussc.gov/videos/public-hearing-march-12-2015(Felman testimony Panel IV at 7:42)
- Testimony before the United States Sentencing Commission regarding Retroactivity of 2014 Drug Guidelines Amendments, June 10, 2014 (available at: https://www.ussc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/amendment-process/public-hearings-and-meetings/20140610/Testimony_Felman.pdf)
- Testimony before the United States Sentencing Commission regarding Federal Sentencing Options after Booker, February 16, 2012 (available at: https://www.ussc.gov/Legislative_and_Public_Affairs/Public_Hearings_and_Meetings/20120215-16/Testimony_16_ABA-FELMAN.pdf)
- Testimony before the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security of the Judiciary Committee of the United States House of Representatives on the Status of Federal Sentencing and the U.S. Sentencing Commission Six Years after U.S. v. Booker, October 12, 2011 (available at: https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/uncategorized/2011/gao/2011oct12_booker_t.authcheckdam.pdf)
- Testimony before the United States Sentencing Commission regarding retroactivity of amendments implementing the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, June 1, 2011 (available at: https://www.ussc.gov/Legislative_and_Public_Affairs/Public_Hearings_and_Meetings/20110601/Testimony_ABA_James_Felman.pdf)
- Testimony before the United States Sentencing Commission regarding proposed amendments to the guidelines on economic crimes, February 16, 2011 (available at: https://www.ussc.gov/Legislative_and_Public_Affairs/Public_Hearings_and_Meetings/20110216/Testimony_ABA_%20Felman.pdf)
- Testimony before the United States Sentencing Commission regarding Mandatory Minimums, May 27, 2010 (available at: https://www.ussc.gov/Legislative_and_Public_Affairs/Public_Hearings_and_Meetings/20100527/Testimony_Felman_ABA.pdf)
- Testimony before the United States Sentencing Commission regarding proposed amendments to guidelines governing alternatives to incarceration, March 17, 2010 (available at: https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/migrated/poladv/letters/crimlaw/2010mar12_ussc_t.authcheckdam.pdf)
- Testimony before the Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs, Committee on the Judiciary of the United States Senate on Federal Cocaine Sentencing Laws: Reforming the 100-to-1 Crack/Powder Disparity, February 12, 2008 (available at: https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/meetings/time-change__-federal-cocaine-sentencing-laws-reforming-the-100-to-1-crack/powder-disparity)
- Testimony before the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security of the Judiciary Committee of the United States House of Representatives on the Criminal Restitution Improvement Act of 2006, June 13, 2006 (available at: https://commdocs.house.gov/committees/judiciary/hju28198.000/hju28198_0.HTM)
- Testimony before the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security of the Judiciary Committee of the United States House of Representatives regarding United States v. Booker: One Year Later – Chaos or Status Quo?, March 16, 2006 (available at: https://commdocs.house.gov/committees/judiciary/hju26647.000/hju26647_0f.htm)
- Testimony before the United States Sentencing Commission regarding proposed amendments to guideline governing antitrust offenses, April 12, 2005 (available at: https://www.ussc.gov/Legislative_and_Public_Affairs/Public_Hearings_and_Meetings/20050412-13/Felman.pdf)
- Testimony before the United States Sentencing Commission regarding potential legislative solutions to Blakely, November 16, 2004 (available at: https://www.ussc.gov/Legislative_and_Public_Affairs/Public_Hearings_and_Meetings/20041116-17/111704-paneltwo.pdf)
- Testimony before the United States Sentencing Commission regarding proposed amendments to guideline governing public corruption offenses, March 17, 2004 (available at: https://www.ussc.gov/Legislative_and_Public_Affairs/Public_Hearings_and_Meetings/20040317_19/0317USSC.pdf)
- Testimony before the United States Sentencing Commission regarding implementation of the PROTECT Act, August 19, 2003 (available at: https://www.ussc.gov/Legislative_and_Public_Affairs/Public_Hearings_and_Meetings/20030819-20/hearing_transcript.pdf)
- Testimony before the United States Sentencing Commission regarding implementation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, March 25, 2003 (available at: https://www.ussc.gov/federal-register-notice-public-hearing-march-25-2003
- Testimony before the United States Sentencing Commission regarding proposed amendments to guidelines governing economic offenses, October 15, 1997 (available at: https://www.ussc.gov/Legislative_and_Public_Affairs/Public_Hearings_and_Meetings/19971015/Hearing_Transcript.pdf)
Presentations
- The American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, Annual National Institute on White Collar Crime, Update on Sentencing and Corrections Law and Policy, Moderator, March 1, 2023, Miami, FL
- American Constitution Society Florida: The Future of Sentencing: A Look at the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, June 21, 2021, Webinar
- The American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, 33rd Annual National Institute on White Collar Crime, Sentencing and Its Collateral Consequences, Moderator, March 6-8, 2019, New Orleans, LA
- Stetson University College of Law, American Law Institute Luncheon, American Law Institute Sentencing Project, February 8, 2019, Tampa, FL
- The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Advanced Criminal Law Seminar Conference, Defending Analogue Cases, January 20-23, 2019, Aspen, CO
- The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers West Coast White Collar Conference, Strategies for Eliminating Implicit Bias at Sentencing Panel, June 20-22, 2018, Santa Monica, CA
- The American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, White Collar Crime National Institute, Sentencing, Prison Designations & Post-Sentencing remedies, Moderator, February 28-March, 2, 2018, San Diego, CA
- The American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section and the National District Attorneys Association, The Impact of Commutations, Clemency, Expungements and Pardons on Public Perception, January 22, 2018, Washington, DC
- The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Thirteenth Annual White Collar Seminar, Defending the White Collar Case: In & Out of Court, Sentencing: A View from the Bench Plenary Session, Moderator, September 14-15, 2017, Washington, DC
- The International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law, 30th International Conference, White Collar Crime Sentencing Issues Plenary, Moderator, and The Admission of Forensic Evidence: Reliable, Valid or Junk? Plenary, July 9-13, 2017, San Francisco, CA.
- The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, Update on Federal Sentencing Law & Policy Plenary Session, Moderator, June 28-30, 2017, St. Petersburg, FL
- The Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Middle District of Florida, Federal Criminal Practice Seminar, Litigating Synthetic Drug Cases, April 6, 2017, Orlando, FL
- The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers White Collar Criminal Defense College, Stetson University College of Law, Cross Examination Interactive Breakout and Panel on Sentencing, Prison Preparation and Collateral Consequences, Moderator, March 18-19, 2017, Gulfport, FL
- The Edward Bennett Williams Inn of Court, Disparities in Sentencing panel, January 12, 2017, Washington, DC
- The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, Update on Federal Sentencing Law & Policy Plenary Session, Moderator, June 1-3, 2016, Orlando, FL
- The American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, White Collar Crime National Institute, Sentencing in White Collar Cases, Moderator, March 2-4, 2016, San Diego, CA
- United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, Introductory & Advanced Guideline Training, Sentencing Reform and Pending Legislation, February 24-25, 2016, Kansas City, MO
- The American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, Eighth Annual Fall Institute, Plenary Session II – Calibrating the Scales of Criminal Justice: The View from the Bench, Moderator, October 22-25, 2015, Washington, DC
- The United States Sentencing Commission, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, Legislative Developments in Criminal Justice and Sentencing Reform, September 16-18, 2015, New Orleans, LA
- The International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law, 28th International Conference, Crossing Boundaries – Exploitation, E-Crime, Evidence & Extradition, Cybercrime Threats to Individuals, June 21-25, 2015, Edinburgh, Scotland
- The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, A View From the Bench, Moderator, May 27-29, 2015, St. Petersburg, FL
- The Federal Bar Council’s Committee on Sentencing and Alternatives to Incarceration and New York University School of Law Center on the Administration of Criminal Law, Hot Issues in Sentencing for Economic Crimes: A View from the Bench and Bar, May 21, 2015, New York, NY
- The National Judicial Institute, Sentencing: New and Emerging Issues, The American Experience with Tariff or Grid Sentencing: An Overview with Particular Reference to Economic Crimes, March 23-24, 2015, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Fourth Annual White Collar Criminal Defense College, Stetson University College of Law, March 12-15, 2015, Gulfport, FL
- The American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, White Collar Crime National Institute, Welcoming Remarks and Sentencing in White Collar Cases, March 4-6, 2015, New Orleans, LA
- The American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, National Summit on Collateral Consequences, Welcoming Remarks, February 27, 2015, Washington, DC
- The Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Federal Criminal Practice Seminar, Litigating Synthetic Drug Cases, November 7, 2014, Raleigh, NC
- The American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, Seventh Annual Fall Institute, Welcoming Remarks and Update on Federal Sentencing Law and Policy, Moderator, October 23-24, 2014, Washington, DC
- The American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, International White Collar Crime Institute, Welcoming Remarks, October 13-14, 2014, London, England
- The United States Sentencing Commission, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, Plea Bargaining, September 17-19, 2014, Philadelphia, PA
- The American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, Southeastern White Collar Crime Institute, Opening Remarks, September 11-12, 2014, Braselton, GA
- The International Society for the Reform of Criminal Law, Crime and Punishment – Back to the Future for Sentencing and Corrections Reform, A Report by the ABA Task Force on the Reform of Federal Sentencing for Economic Crimes, June 22-26, 2014, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, A View From the Bench, Moderator, June 11-13, 2014, St. Petersburg, FL
- The Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Northern District of Ohio and the Northern District of Ohio Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Criminal Justice Act – Developments in Four Areas Critical to Criminal Defense, Litigating Synthetic Drug Cases, May 29, 2014, Cleveland, OH
- The Federal Judicial Center, National Seminar for Federal Defenders, Litigating Synthetic Drug Cases, May 28-30, 2014, Cleveland, OH
- The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers White Collar Criminal Defense College, Stetson University College of Law, Sentencing, Prison Preparation and Collateral Consequences and Interactive Breakout, March 19-22, 2014, Gulfport, FL
- The American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, Sixth Annual Sentencing and Re-entry Institute and Criminal Justice Legal Educators Colloquium, Update on Federal Sentencing Law & Policy, Moderator, October 31-November 1, 2013, Washington, DC
- The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Ninth Annual Defending the White Collar Case: In & Out of Court, Sentencing Update, October 24-25, 2013, Washington, DC
- The Florida Bar, Environmental and Land Use Law Section Annual Update, Rising Criminal Enforcement: Keeping Your Client Out of the Clink, August 8, 2013, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
- The National Association of Sentencing Commissions, Annual Conference: Merging Sentencing Research and Policy, State of Federal Sentencing Guidelines, August 4-6, 2013, Minneapolis, MN
- The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, A View From the Bench, May 22-24, 2013, Orlando, FL
- The American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, Spring Conference, Superior Direct and Cross-Examination, May 10, 2013, Boca Raton, FL
- The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers White Collar Criminal Defense Collage, Stetson University College of Law, Sentencing, Prison Preparation and Collateral Consequences, January 9-13, 2013, Gulfport, FL
- The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Eighth Annual Defending the White Collar Case: In & Out of Court, November 15-16, 2012, New York, NY
- The American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, Fifth Annual Sentencing and Re-entry Institute and Criminal Justice Legal Educators Colloquium, Update on Federal Sentencing Policy, Moderator, October 25-27, 2012, Washington, DC
- The United States Sentencing Commission, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, Plea Bargaining, June 13-15, 2012, New Orleans, LA
- The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, Update on Federal Sentencing Law: Supreme Court, Appellate and Legislation, May 23-25, 2012, St. Petersburg, FL
- Guest Lecturer, University of Florida, College of Law, Federal Criminal Practice, April 9, 2012, Gainesville, FL
- The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers White Collar Criminal Defense Collage, Stetson University College of Law, Sentencing, Prison Preparation and Collateral Consequences and Interactive Breakout, March 19-20, 2012, Gulfport, FL
- The American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, Fourth Annual Sentencing and Re-entry Institute and Criminal Justice Legal Educators Colloquium, Update on Federal Sentencing Policy, Moderator, October 27-28, 2011, Washington, DC
- The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Seventh Annual White Collar Crime Conference Sentencing: Getting Outside the Guidelines, September 22-23, 2011, New York, NY
- The Central Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Presentation regarding the U.S. District Court opinion in State v. Mackle Shelton, September 6, 2011, Orlando, FL
- The United States Sentencing Commission, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, Plea Bargaining, May 18-20, 2011, San Diego, CA
- The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, Update on Federal Sentencing Law: Supreme Court, Appellate and Legislation, May 4-6, 2011, Orlando, FL
- The American Bar Association, Litigation Section and Criminal Justice Section, Joint Annual Conference, Things Civil Lawyers Should Know About Criminal Law, April 13-15, 2011, Miami Beach, FL
- The Herbert Goldburg Criminal Inn of Court, Drawn & Quartered: The Roles of the Executive, Legislative, Judiciary, and Jury in Federal Sentencing and Ethical Considerations, April 11, 2011, Tampa, FL
- The American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, White Collar Crime National Institute, The Sentencing Guidelines – How Advisory Are They?, March 2-4, 2011, San Diego, CA
- The Eleventh Circuit Appellate Practice Institute, Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia, Sentencing Appeals in the Eleventh Circuit, October 14-15, 2010, Atlanta, GA
- The American Bar Association, Annual Meeting, Ethics & Professionalism in Criminal Appellate Practice, August 5-10, 2010, San Francisco, CA
- The United States Sentencing Commission, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, Plea Bargaining, June 16 – 18, 2010, New Orleans, LA
- The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, Update on Federal Sentencing Law: Supreme Court, Appellate and Legislation, May 12 – 14, 2010, St. Petersburg, FL
- The American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, White Collar Crime National Institute, Sentencing in White Collar Criminal Cases and Witness/Victim Rights, February 24-26, 2010, Miami, FL
- The American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, Second Annual Sentencing Advocacy, Practice and Reform Institute, Update on Sentencing Law: Supreme Court, Appellate, Legislation and What Re-entry Teaches Us About Alternatives, November 6, 2009, Washington, DC
- The United States Sentencing Commission, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, Guideline Departures & Variances Outside the Range Under ‘3553(a), June 10 – 12, 2009, New Orleans, LA
- The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, Winning Practical Strategies for Post-Booker Sentencing, May 21 – 22, 2009, Clearwater Beach, FL
- Congress of the United States, House of Representatives, House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security, Crime Summit, Smart on Crime Policies: Increase Public Safety, Reduce Costs, and Improve Lives, Sentencing and Alternatives, March 3, 2009, Washington, DC
- The American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, Sentencing Advocacy, Practice and Reform Institute, The Future of Federal Sentencing and The State of the Sentencing Union, October 24, 2008, Washington, DC
- The U.S. Department of Justice, The National Advocacy Center, Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, The Defense Bar Panel, September 24 – 26, 2008, Columbia, SC
- The American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, CyberLaw: Expanding the Horizons, Pornography, Sexual Predators, and the Internet, June 18 – 20, 2008, Washington, DC
- The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and The United States Sentencing Commission, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, Guideline Departures & Variances Outside the Range Under ‘ 3553(a), May 21 – 23, 2008, Orlando, FL
- The American Bar Association’s White Collar Crime Committee and the Tampa Bay Chapter of The Federal Bar Association=s White Collar Institute, Moderator, Sentencing Guidelines – Recent Developments, May 8, 2008, Tampa, FL
- The U.S. Department of Justice, The National Advocacy Center, Sentencing Issues Seminar, The Defense Perspective, July 18 – 20, 2007, Columbia, SC
- The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and The United States Sentencing Commission, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, Chapter 3 Adjustments, May 23 – 25, 2007, Salt Lake City, UT
- Guest Lecturer, University of Florida, College of Law, Drawn & Quartered: The Roles of the Executive, Legislative, Judiciary, and Jury in Federal Sentencing, April 19, 2007, Gainesville, FL
- American Inns of Court Gainesville Chapter, Drawn & Quartered: The Roles of the Executive, Legislative, Judiciary, and Jury in Federal Sentencing, September 28, 2006, Gainesville, FL
- The Federal Bar Association, Annual Convention, Sentencing Issues, August 24 – 25, 2006, Las Vegas, NV
- The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and The United States Sentencing Commission, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, One Year Later: A Review of Post-Booker Data and Case Law, May 31 – June 2, 2006, Miami Beach, FL
- The Hillsborough County Bar Association, Federal Criminal Litigation, Jury Selection, August 25, 2005, Tampa, FL
- The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, Criminal Law Seminar, Outlook on Congressional and Sentencing Commission Responses to Booker/Fanfan, June 17, 2005, Tampa, FL
- The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and The United States Sentencing Commission, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, Recent Supreme Court Jurisprudence: Blakely, Booker, Fanfan & Their Aftermath, May 25 – 27, 2005, San Francisco, CA
- The Federal Defenders, Criminal Justice Act Federal Practice Seminar, Ethics & Professionalism in Criminal Appellate Practice, January 28, 2005, Orlando, FL
- The Hillsborough County Bar Association, Ethics & Professionalism in Criminal Appellate Practice, October 2004, Tampa, FL
- The American Bar Association, Criminal Justice Section, White Collar Crime National Institute, March 4 – 5, 2004, Miami, FL
- The U.S. Department of Justice, The National Advocacy Center, Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, The Defense Bar Panel, September 3 – 5, 2003, Columbia, SC
- The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and The United States Sentencing Commission, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, Corporate Crime: Implementing the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, May 28 – 30, 2003, Miami Beach, FL
- Lorman Educational Services, Federal Civil Litigation, Problems in Civil Litigation When Parallel Criminal Proceedings are Ongoing or Threatened, December 11, 2002, Tampa, FL
- Stetson University College of Law and the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, Federal Criminal Law Seminar, Supreme Court and Eleventh Circuit Update Panel, October 11, 2002, St. Petersburg, FL
- The National Association of Sentencing Commissions Annual Conference, Sympathy for the Devil: Do the Federal Sentencing Guidelines Get Anything Right?, August 4 – 6, 2002, Williamsburg, VA
- The Florida Bar, Appellate Certification Review, Federal Criminal Appeals, February 1, 2002, Fort Lauderdale, FL
- The Northern and Middle Districts of Florida, Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, Sentencing Preparation and Sentencing Hearing, October 10 – 11, 2001, Gainesville, FL
- The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and The United States Sentencing Commission, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, Defense Attorney Training Panel, May 16 – 18, 2001, Palm Springs, CA
- The United States Sentencing Commission, Symposium on Federal Sentencing Policy for Economic Crimes and New Technology Offenses, October 12, 2000, Washington, DC
- The Florida Bar, Environmental Crimes Workshop Seminar, Civil & Criminal Environmental Enforcement, August 17 – 19, 2000, Amelia Island, FL
- The Florida Bar, Environmental Crimes Workshop Seminar, Responsible Corporate Officer and Organizational Sentencing Update, June 22, 2000, Boca Raton, FL
- The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and The United States Sentencing Commission, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, Moderator, Meet the Sentencing Commission Panel, May 3 – 5, 2000, Clearwater Beach, FL
- The American Bar Association, White Collar Crime Seminar, February 16, 2000, San Francisco, CA
- The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, Federal Criminal Practice in the Middle District of Florida, September 30, 1999, Tampa, FL
- The Hillsborough County Bar Association, Appellate Practice Section, Get it Right from Start to Finish, Writing Effective Briefs and Making the Most of Oral Argument, September 2, 1999, Tampa, FL
- The Florida Bar, Environmental Crimes Workshop Seminar, Prosecution and Defense Perspectives on Environmental Crime Investigations, Prosecutions, and Parallel Proceedings, August 19 – 21, 1999, Amelia Island, FL
- Lorman Educational Services, Federal Civil Litigation, Problems in Civil Litigation when Parallel Criminal Proceedings are Ongoing or Threatened, October 28, 1998, Tampa, FL
- The Hillsborough County Bar Association, Tipping the Scales in Your Favor: Prosecutorial & Defense Strategies in Drug Cases, September 17, 1998, Tampa, FL
- The Florida Bar, Advanced Criminal Law and Appellate Practice Update, Federal Sentencing Guidelines Update, June 6, 1997, Tampa, FL
- The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and The United States Sentencing Commission, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, Substantial Assistance and other Downward Departures, April 30 – May 2, 1997, San Francisco, CA
- The Florida Bar, Advanced Criminal Law and Appellate Practice Update, Federal Sentencing Guidelines Update, April 2, 1997, Tampa, FL
- Lorman Education Services, Criminal Law CLE, Federal Criminal Law Update, March 14, 1997, Tampa, FL
- The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and The United States Sentencing Commission, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, Substantial Assistance and other Downward Departures, April 26 – 27, 1996, St. Petersburg, FL
- Stetson University College of Law and the Second District Court of Appeal, Criminal Practice Conference, How to Appropriately Preserve Error, September 29, 1995, Tampa, FL
- Lorman Education Services, Federal Criminal Litigation, Jury Selection, August 25, 1995, Tampa, FL
- The Tampa Bay Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, The Federal Sentencing Guidelines Seminar, Substantial Assistance, April 6 – 7, 1995, St. Petersburg, FL
- Stetson University College of Law, Criminal Practice Conference, Search and Seizure Issues, September 30, 1994, Tampa, FL
Legal Education
- Duke University School of Law, J.D. with high honors, May, 1987
- Order of the Coif
- Administrative Editor, Journal of Law & Contemporary Problems
- First Place Team Member, Craven Cup National Moot Court Competition
- First Year Moot Court Competition, Second Place
- Book Awards in Criminal Law, Antitrust, and Legal Ethics
- Duke University Graduate School, M.A. in Philosophy, May, 1987
Admissions
- Florida, 1988
- United States District Court, Middle, Northern and Southern Districts of Florida
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
- United States Court of Appeals, Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, Ninth and Eleventh Circuits
- United States Supreme Court
