Criminal Law

Live Online

Federal Criminal Defense Fundamentals

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
California MCLE Paralegal Approved 3 Total
Alaska CLE Reciprocity 3 Total
Alabama CLE Approved 3 Total
Arkansas CLE Approved 3 Total
Arizona CLE Approved 3 Total
California CLE Approved 3 Total
Colorado CLE Approved 4 Total
Connecticut CLE Approved 3 Total
Delaware CLE Approved 3 Total
Florida CLE Approved 3.5 Total
Georgia CLE Approved 3 Total
Hawaii CLE Approved 3 Total
Iowa CLE Approved 3 Total
Idaho CLE Pending 3 Total
Illinois CLE Approved 3 Total
Indiana CLE Approved 3 Total
Kansas CLE Upon Request 3.5 Total
Kentucky CLE Upon Request 3 Total
Louisiana CLE Approved 3 Total
Maine CLE Approved 3 Total
Minnesota CLE Approved 3 Total
Missouri CLE Approved 3.6 Total
Northern Mariana Islands CLE Approved 3 Total
Montana CLE Pending 3 Total
North Carolina CLE Approved 3 Total
Nebraska CLE Approved 3 Total
New Hampshire CLE Approved 3 Total
New Jersey CLE Approved 3.6 Total
New Mexico CLE Approved 3 Total
Nevada CLE Approved 3 Total
New York CLE Approved 3.5 Total
Ohio CLE Approved 3 Total
Oklahoma CLE Approved 3.5 Total
Pennsylvania CLE Approved 3 Total
Rhode Island CLE Upon Request 3.5 Total
South Carolina CLE Approved 3 Total
Tennessee CLE Approved 3 Total
Texas CLE Approved 3 Total
Utah CLE Approved 3 Total
Virginia CLE Approved 3 Total
Vermont CLE Approved 3 Total
Washington CLE Approved 3 Total
Wisconsin CLE Approved 3.5 Total
West Virginia CLE Approved 3.6 Total
Wyoming CLE Approved 3 Total
Delaware Certified Paralegal Program Approved 3 Total
Florida Registered Paralegal Approved 3.5 Total
Indiana Paralegal CLE Approved 3 Total
Montana CLE Credit for Paralegals Approved 3 Total
North Carolina Continuing Paralegal Education Approved 3 Total
New Mexico Paralegal Division, State Bar of Approved 3 Total
Ohio Certified Paralegals Approved 3 Total
NFPA Approved 0 Total
Texas State Bar of Paralegal Division Approved 3 Total
Live Online
3 hours
Becky James
Quinn Askew
Sean Timmons
Sidney Lampton Morris
With Becky S. James from Waymaker LLP + 3 others

Fri, Oct 30, 00:00 AM – 00:00 PM

Product ID 102552

Register For Course

Course Includes
$299

Live Webinar Registration

OnDemand Recording

Course Book Download

OnDemand content will be available within 7 days of event date.

or
Upgrade to Unlimited CLE and Get This Course
$129/Month
All Inclusive CLE subscribers save an average of $3,000/year on CLE costs.

Overview

What Will Surprise or Trip You Up in Federal Court

Federal criminal practice is not just state court with different rules - it operates under a different set of realities that can significantly impact strategy and outcomes. This program provides a practical overview of how federal cases actually unfold, from investigation and charging through discovery, motion practice, and resolution. Learn how target letters, proffers, and the grand jury process shape cases before charges are ever filed. Understand how limited discovery and motion practice differ from state court expectations. See how plea decisions and sentencing exposure ultimately drive results. Designed for attorneys new to federal court or transitioning from state practice, this course focuses on what matters most - and where practitioners often get tripped up. Walk into federal court prepared - register today!

  • Understand target letters and proffers to make smarter strategic decisions before charges are filed.
  • Navigate the grand jury process and broad federal charging tools.
  • Work effectively within limited federal discovery rules.
  • Use motions strategically in a system where “technical” wins are rare.
  • Prepare for the realities of plea negotiations, trial, and sentencing in federal cases.

Abbreviated Agenda

  1. Why Federal Court Feels Different from Day One
  2. You're Already Behind: From Investigation Through Charging
  3. Federal Sentencing: Mastering the Guidelines, Identifying Departure and Variance Opportunities, and Advocating for the Best Outcome
  4. Discovery and Motion Practice: Less to Work With - and More to Manage
  5. Plea Agreements and Trial: Resolving the Federal Case

Can't Attend Live?

Get the OnDemand Instead

Watch the recording of this event on your own schedule. We'll notify you when its ready.

Related Topics

Product ID 102552

Credit Details

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
California MCLE Paralegal Approved 3 Total
Alaska CLE Reciprocity 3 Total
Alabama CLE Approved 3 Total
Arkansas CLE Approved 3 Total
Arizona CLE Approved 3 Total
California CLE Approved 3 Total
Colorado CLE Approved 4 Total
Connecticut CLE Approved 3 Total
Delaware CLE Approved 3 Total
Florida CLE Approved 3.5 Total
Georgia CLE Approved 3 Total
Hawaii CLE Approved 3 Total
Iowa CLE Approved 3 Total
Idaho CLE Pending 3 Total
Illinois CLE Approved 3 Total
Indiana CLE Approved 3 Total
Kansas CLE Upon Request 3.5 Total
Kentucky CLE Upon Request 3 Total
Louisiana CLE Approved 3 Total
Maine CLE Approved 3 Total
Minnesota CLE Approved 3 Total
Missouri CLE Approved 3.6 Total
Northern Mariana Islands CLE Approved 3 Total
Montana CLE Pending 3 Total
North Carolina CLE Approved 3 Total
Nebraska CLE Approved 3 Total
New Hampshire CLE Approved 3 Total
New Jersey CLE Approved 3.6 Total
New Mexico CLE Approved 3 Total
Nevada CLE Approved 3 Total
New York CLE Approved 3.5 Total
Ohio CLE Approved 3 Total
Oklahoma CLE Approved 3.5 Total
Pennsylvania CLE Approved 3 Total
Rhode Island CLE Upon Request 3.5 Total
South Carolina CLE Approved 3 Total
Tennessee CLE Approved 3 Total
Texas CLE Approved 3 Total
Utah CLE Approved 3 Total
Virginia CLE Approved 3 Total
Vermont CLE Approved 3 Total
Washington CLE Approved 3 Total
Wisconsin CLE Approved 3.5 Total
West Virginia CLE Approved 3.6 Total
Wyoming CLE Approved 3 Total
Delaware Certified Paralegal Program Approved 3 Total
Florida Registered Paralegal Approved 3.5 Total
Indiana Paralegal CLE Approved 3 Total
Montana CLE Credit for Paralegals Approved 3 Total
North Carolina Continuing Paralegal Education Approved 3 Total
New Mexico Paralegal Division, State Bar of Approved 3 Total
Ohio Certified Paralegals Approved 3 Total
NFPA Approved 0 Total
Texas State Bar of Paralegal Division Approved 3 Total
Select Jurisdiction
CLE
Paralegal

Agenda

All times are shown in

  1. Why Federal Court Feels Different from Day One

    1. Role of U.S. Attorney's Offices vs. Local Prosecutors
    2. The Federal Rules: What Trips Up State Court Practitioners

  2. You're Already Behind: From Investigation Through Charging

    1. Length and Depth of Investigations
    2. Target Letters, Proffers, and Early Decisions
    3. Charging: The Grand Jury and Prosecutorial Control
    4. Federal Charging Weapons
    5. Detention and Bail: The Presumption Problem

  3. Federal Sentencing: Mastering the Guidelines, Identifying Departure and Variance Opportunities, and Advocating for the Best Outcome

    1. Sentencing Guidelines: Calculating the Range, Understanding Relevant Conduct, and Why the Math Matters More Than the Charge
    2. Departures, Variances, and Where Judges Have Room to Move
    3. Factors That Can Change Everything at Sentencing

  4. Discovery and Motion Practice: Less to Work With - and More to Manage

    1. Discovery: Narrow Rights, Massive Volume
    2. Motions Practice: What Works - and What Doesn't
    3. Suppression Realities

  5. Plea Agreements and Trial: Resolving the Federal Case

    1. Plea Culture and Leverage
    2. Trial Differences in Federal Court

Who Should Attend

This program is ideal for:

  • State court practitioners handling their first federal matter
  • Criminal defense attorneys expanding into federal practice
  • Civil litigators who find themselves in federal criminal proceedings
  • New associates at firms with federal criminal practices
  • Attorneys who have appeared in federal court but want a stronger foundational framework

Speakers

Becky S James
Becky S.
James
Waymaker LLP
Quinn H Askew
Quinn H.
Askew
Vogel Law Firm
Sean C Timmons
Sean C.
Timmons
Tully Rinckey PLLC, Attorneys & Counselors at Law
Sidney E Lampton Morris
Sidney E.
Lampton Morris
Herschmann, Benson, Bowen LLP
Speaker bio
Becky S James

Becky S. James

Waymaker LLP
Becky James

is an attorney at Waymaker LLP. She is a highly accomplished attorney with extensive experience in both criminal and civil litigation. Admitted to practice in California, Texas, and numerous federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, Ms. James focuses her practice on civil and criminal appeals, white-collar criminal defense, and civil litigation. She has worked on hundreds of appeals and argued more than 50 civil and criminal appeals before federal and state appellate courts. Ms. James also frequently consults with trial teams and assists with complex motions in the trial courts. She is a certified appellate specialist in California. Ms. James earned her J.D. degree at Stanford Law School and her A.B. degree from Stanford University.

View full profile
Speaker bio
Quinn H Askew

Quinn H. Askew

Vogel Law Firm
Quinn Askew

is an attorney at Vogel Law Firm. She represents individuals and institutions in criminal and civil matters, with particular focus on employment law, internal and government investigations and enforcement actions, and white collar criminal defense. As a former federal prosecutor, Ms. Askew has made countless appearances in federal court and tried cases to jury verdict and to verdict at a bench trial. She has successfully briefed and argued cases before the Eighth and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Ms. Askew has experience leading civil and criminal investigations with multiple agencies and stakeholders and using creative solutions to overcome challenges. Prior to joining Vogel, she was accepted into the U.S. Department of Justice's Attorney General's Honors Program. In 2017, Ms. Askew was appointed as an assistant U.S. attorney (AUSA) in the Eastern District of California, where she investigated and prosecuted cases involving narcotics, firearms, sex-trafficking, fraud, and other criminal offenses. In 2020, she was appointed as an AUSA in the District of Minnesota, where she expanded her practice to include civil and criminal judicial forfeiture, qi-tam and whistleblower actions, and other affirmative civil enforcement actions. Ms. Askew has experience working closely with various government agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security, among many others. She graduated, magna cum laude, from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 2015. After graduation, Ms. Askew clerked for the North Dakota Supreme Court and U.S. District Court in Bismarck.

View full profile
Speaker bio
Sean C Timmons

Sean C. Timmons

Tully Rinckey PLLC, Attorneys & Counselors at Law
Sean Timmons

is the managing partner at Tully Rinckey PLLC, Attorneys & Counselors at Law. He oversees all of the office's operations while concentrating his practice on military law; routinely handling cases involving Article 15s, letters of reprimand, courts-martial and officer/enlisted separation proceedings. Mr. Timmons also handles federal labor and employment law cases and security clearance representation. He is also a member of the National Security Lawyers Association (NSLA) and has been awarded the Martindale Hubbell AV Preeminent award, which is the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards. Mr. Timmons has also been selected to the 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Civil Rights & Plaintiff Employment Lawyers, and the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America. He has achieved a number of full acquittal verdicts at numerous litigated Courts-Martial trials. Mr. Timmons has obtained full acquittals at various installations around the world including recent full acquittals at Fort Cavazos, Texas, Kaiserslautern, Germany Andrews Air Force Base, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Camp Lejeune, Navy Base San Diego, Fort Drum and Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. While not every trial results in a full acquittal, oftentimes through scorched earth defense tactics many of the charges are dismissed prior to trial, or result in a not guilty finding at trial. If you are facing the vindictive wrath of the military justice system, he can navigate you through the case from the opening of the investigation through findings on the merits of the case at the conclusion of trial. Mr. Timmons handles employment law cases including matters involving title VII, USERRA, whistleblower retaliation complaints, and has experience litigating cases on behalf of employees at the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and in both state and federal courts. He also frequently attends mediation and arbitration on behalf of employees across jurisdictions around the country. Mr. Timmons holds a Master of Laws in International Law from the University of Houston Law Center. He graduated, cum laude, from South Texas College of Law, Houston and graduated, summa cum laude, from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

View full profile
Speaker bio
Sidney E Lampton Morris

Sidney E. Lampton Morris

Herschmann, Benson, Bowen LLP
Sidney Lampton Morris

is an attorney at Herschmann, Benson, Bowen LLP. She was admitted to The Mississippi Bar in 2019 and practices primarily in the areas of white-collar criminal defense, asset forfeiture litigation, criminal appellate litigation, criminal and civil healthcare litigation, and False Claims Act litigation. Previously, Ms. Morris served as law clerk to the Honorable David C. Bramlette III, United States District Judge, Southern District of Mississippi. She earned her B.A. degree, magna cum laude, from University of Mississippi and her J.D. degree from Vanderbilt University Law School.

View full profile
Loading recommendations...

TOP FAQs

How do I access my courses?
Courses are available within your account. Simply login to your account and click on My Courses. If you require additional assistance please call our Customer Service Department at 800-930-6182.
Do you have options for attendees who are deaf or hard of hearing?
Closed captioning is available for all Live Webinars. After you've joined the event room, you can enable closed captioning by clicking the "cc" button in the lower right of the player.
What happens if my course is cancelled?
In the unlikely event that NBI cancels or reschedules an upcoming program, each registered attendee will be contacted via email by a representative of NBI. Outreach to attendees begins as soon as NBI is made aware that a program will not move forward at its originally scheduled date and time.
Are multiple attendee discounts available?
Yes, the more people you bring from your organization, the more you save. After the first registration, each additional attendee receives a special discount off of their total tuition.
When will the OnDemand be available and how long will I have access to the content?
The OnDemand Video will be available to stream within 7 days of live broadcast date. You will have access to the content for 6 months in your account. If you’re a subscriber, you’ll have access to your course recordings until 7 days after the expiration date of the subscription.
What is included with my course purchase?
When you enroll prior to the live event date you will receive access to the live-streaming webinar which will allow you to interact with faculty in real-time. With each course, you will receive access to the content via OnDemand Streaming and the Video Download. Course reference materials are included with each course purchase in a downloadable PDF format.
Will I receive a certificate of completion?
Yes, we'll email you a certificate of completion and store in your account for any future reporting needs.
Can multiple people watch courses and request credit?
While only paid registrants can receive continuing education credit for attending, there are no limitations to the number of viewers at each connection.

Have more questions? Please Contact Us