Capital Cases
This committee was created to keep the Executive Council aware of any changes to the status of capital litigation in Florida. It is intentionally constituted with members who give it a philosophical balance on the issues relating to capital crimes; so that parochial or ideological views do not sway the full committee.

The group concentrates on the changes in case law, legislative changes, and new Bar rules or procedures which might influence how capital cases, which are unique, would be prosecuted. For example, the question of requiring unanimous penalty phase verdicts is presently being addressed in the courts and by the legislature. If there are any modifications, this committee would advise the Executive Council; allowing it to respond as the voice of the Criminal Law practitioners in Florida.

Diversity and Inclusion (Formerly Implicit Bias)
The Diversity and Inclusion Committee focuses on helping to establish a supportive and welcoming environment in which Criminal Law Section members of all backgrounds and demographic characteristics can work together. The Committee also works to further the goals of The Florida Bar’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee:   To increase diversity and inclusion in The Florida Bar so that the Bar will reflect the demographics of the state, to develop opportunities for community involvement, and to make leadership roles within the profession and The Florida Bar accessible to all attorneys, including those who are racially, ethnically and culturally diverse, women, members of the LGBTQ community and persons with disabilities.

• Hon. Lisa Campbell – Co-Chair
• Nick Cox – Co-Chair
• Lee Lockett
• Owen Schmidt
• Neal Sonnett
• Ryan Vescio
• Harry Wallace
• Aisha Nash

Long-Range Planning
The Long-Range Planning Committee is led by the Section’s Chair-Elect and is comprised of experienced Executive Council members. The Committee’s purpose is to consider the Criminal Law Section’s future in all areas, including CLE, membership, legislative priorities, and interaction with the Bar as a whole.

• Pat Dawson – Co-Chair
• Hon. Tatiana Salvador – Co-Chair
• David Barksdale
• Hon. Hunter Davis
• Ben Kuehne
• Hon. Laura Lambert
• Joel Silvershein
• Joe Spataro
• Ryan Vescio

P/PD Trial Advocacy Program
The P/PD Committee oversees the administration of the CLS/UF Law Gerald T. Bennett Public Defender Prosecutor Trial Training Program. This program is now over the 40-year mark and trains young prosecutors and public defenders to strengthen and develop more sophisticated trial skills. The Committee coordinates lodging, food, room scheduling, and other logistics. Committee members are responsible for faculty invitations/appointments and recruit expert speakers for ethics and forensic science lectures. P/PD faculty are selected from the prosecution, the defense, and the judiciary, and represent different demographics and geographical areas of the state. Each year, a Queen’s Counsel from the United Kingdom is among the faculty members and four junior barristers are among the students. Because of the great emphasis placed on courtroom advocacy in the British system, the barristers bring a fresh perspective to the program. The P/PD Program emphasizes courtesy, professionalism, and empathy between the two sides of criminal practice.