2025 Gerald T. Bennett Prosecutor/Public Defender Trial Training Program
20 July, 2025 @ 8:00 am - 25 July, 2026 @ 5:00 pm
| $300Are you a lawyer with 1-5 years of experience, ready to elevate your trial skills to the next level? The Gerald T. Bennett Prosecutor/Public Defender Trial Training Program is an intense, six-day, interactive seminar designed to transform your courtroom abilities. Registration opens on April 1, 2025.
What to Expect:
- Hands-on Learning: Dive into litigation exercises following insightful lectures, discussions, and demonstrations
- Personalized Feedback: Benefit from daily one-on-one video performance reviews with experienced judges and trial attorneys from across Florida
- Advance Preparation: Program materials will be provided before the program, and participants must be ready to prosecute/defend the case when they arrive
- Comprehensive Recordings: All your presentations are recorded and made available to you at the end of the program for further review
Why Attend?
- CLE Credits: Fulfill all your CLE, Technology, and Ethics credits for the three-year cycle
- Exclusive Opportunity: Only 72 attorneys will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis
- Recognition: Compete for awards given to the top eight litigators on the program’s final day
- Meet Barristers and King’s Counsel: Participants will be joined by distinguished King’s Counsel, the elite lawyers of Great Britain. Junior Barristers will study alongside Florida prosecutors and defenders.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to refine your trial skills and network with top criminal law professionals! Check out the 2025 event brochure for details.
Gerald T. Bennett Prosecutor/Public Defender Trial Training Program Background
Since 1977, the University of Florida Levin College of Law and the Criminal Law Section have joined forces to create an unparalleled training ground for young assistant public defenders and assistant state attorneys. This program is designed to elevate trial skills to new heights, providing a dynamic and immersive experience.
Participants typically have one to five years of trial experience and engage in realistic mock trials in which actors portray defendants and witnesses. Real fingerprint technicians and forensic psychologists provide expert testimony, adding authenticity to the proceedings. The faculty is a powerhouse of seasoned defense lawyers, prosecutors, professors, and judges, all dedicated to mentoring the next generation of legal professionals.
What sets this program apart is its unique approach: training both prosecutors and defenders together. This fosters a spirit of collegiality and professionalism within the Criminal Bar, creating a collaborative environment that benefits all participants.
Adding an international dimension, British barristers and the King’s Counsel also take part. These esteemed colleagues, who may represent the Crown one day and a criminal defendant the next, bring a wealth of knowledge and experience. Over 80 barristers have graduated from the program, and more than 40 Queen’s and King’s Counsel have served as faculty.
The Gerald T. Bennett Prosecutor/Public Defender Trial Training Program is more than just a course—it’s a transformative journey. Since its inception, over 3,000 attorneys have honed their advocacy skills here, emerging as confident and competent criminal trial lawyers ready to make their mark in the courtroom.
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