NCDD Seminars and Webinars

Serious Science for Serious Lawyers: Advanced Course in Blood Alcohol Analysis & Trial Advocacy

NCDD Seminars and Sessions

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August 08, 2025 - August 13, 2025

Advanced Training in Blood Alcohol Analysis and Trial Advocacy

Arlington, TX

Andrew Mishlove, Course Director

Hotel Accommodations:

Crowne Plaza Arlington
Room Block Closes July 15, 2025.

The Serious Science Blood Alcohol Analysis course is designed to combine hard science and trial advocacy. There is no better course on forensic science and trial advocacy in America.

We start with hard science, including hands-on work in the Shimadzu Laboratory. Students will learn the basics of metrology, blood alcohol and the more complex blood drug analyses, and they will get hands-on experience preparing and analyzing their own samples. We focus on science for three full days; and then we transition to a focus on trial advocacy about the science, with reviews of the scientific concepts, and trial skills practice with the scientists from the University of Texas-Arlington. We use trial skills techniques developed by, and instructors trained at the Trial Lawyers College, with grateful acknowledgement.

This year we will start with a complete review of the basic of metrology and blood testing on Friday at 1:00 pm, August 8, 2025. So plan to arrive in Arlington no later than Friday morning.

We will have a walk every morning before breakfast for those interested. The NCDD provides breakfast and lunches, as well as transfers to and from the Shimadzu Laboratory. Students will also receive a professional lab coat for use in the laboratory, which they may keep.

All students are required to take three hours of online lab safety courses from the University of Texas-Arlington, in order to enter the laboratory. You will get certificates for those courses too.

Registration Fees:

NCDD Members: $2,650
Member Deposit Only: $650
Non-Members: $2,950
Non-Member Deposit Only: $950

Science Faculty:

  • Kevin A. Schug, PhD, Analytic Chemistry
  • Janine Arvizu, CQA, Laboratory Quality Control, Metrology
  • Post Graduate Assistants from the University of Texas-Arlington

Trial Advocacy Faculty:

  • Andrew Mishlove, NCDD Regent, Course Director,
  • Francisco A. “Paco” Duarte, Instructor,
  • Kimberly Benjamin, Instructor,

SEMINAR DAY ONE – August 8, 2025

Time (CDT)Event DescriptionGuest Speaker
1:00p.m. – 1:45p.m.Basic Metrology: The Science of Measurement
1:45p.m.– 3:00p.m.Introduction to Chromatography and Flame Ionization Detection-from the Lab ReportAndrew Mishlove
3:00p.m. – 3:15p.m.Break
3:15p.m. – 4:30p.m.More Basic Chromatography and Flame Ionization Detection-Calibration-Chromatograms-Record KeepingAndrew Mishlove
4:30p.m. – 5:30p.m.Review of Gas Chromatography and Introduction to Mass Spectrometry (just a little taste)
6:30p.m. – 7:00p.m.Registration
7:00p.m. – 9:00p.m.Introduction of Faculty-Storytelling and Science: Attendees’ Dinner

SEMINAR DAY TWO – Saturday, August 9, 2025

Time (CDT)Event DescriptionGuest Speaker
6:00a.m.Morning walk for those interested
7:45a.m. – 8:45a.m.Breakfast
9:00a.m.Bus to the Shimadzu Lab. BE ON TIME!
9:15a.m. – 10:15a.m.Metrology, Calibration Curves, Chromatography and Flame IonizationKevin A. Schug, PhD
10:15a.m. – 10:30a.m.Break
10:30a.m. – 12:15p.m.Key Measurement Concepts, Lab Record-Keeping and Lab ErrorsJanine Arvizu, CQA
12:15p.m. – 1:15p.m.Lunch
1:15p.m. – 2:15p.m.Discovery in a Blood Alcohol and Drug Case: What You Need and How to Ask for ItAndrew Mishlove and Janine Arvizu, CQA
2:15p.m. – 3:15p.m.Blood Analysis: Sample PreparationKevin A. Schug, PhD
3:15p.m. – 3:30p.m.Break
3:30p.m. – 4:45p.m.Lab Tour
4:45p.m. – 5:30p.m.Question and AnswerAll Science Faculty
5:30p.m.Bus to Hotel. BE ON TIME!

SEMINAR DAY THREE – Sunday, August 10, 2025

Time (CDT)Event DescriptionGuest Speaker
6:30a.m.Hike for those interested
7:45a.m. – 8:45a.m.Breakfast
9:00a.m.Bus to the Shimadzu Lab. BE ON TIME!
9:15a.m. – 10:30a.m.Sample Preparation, Hardware Demo, GC-FID
10:30a.m. – 10:45a.m.Coffee Break
10:45a.m. – 12:15p.m. Hardware Demo and Sample Preparation
12:15p.m. – 1:15p.m.Lunch/Sample Loading
1:15p.m. – 4:00p.m.GTC-FID Interpretation
4:00p.m. – 4:30p.m.Coffee Break/Compile Data
4:30p.m. – 5:00p.m.Discussion/Compare Results
5:00p.m.Bus to Hotel. BE ON TIME!

SEMINAR DAY FOUR – Monday, August 11, 2025

Time (CDT)Event DescriptionGuest Speaker
6:00a.m.Hike for those interested
8:00a.m. – 8:30a.m.Breakfast
8:30a.m. – 9:00a.m.Introduction to Focus Groups: How to Talk About Science
9:00a.m. – 11:30a.m.Focus Group Demonstration
11:30a.m. – 12:00p.m.Focus Group Question and Answer
12:00p.m. – 1:00p.m.Lunch
1:00p.m. – 2:30p.m.STORYTELLING: How to Find and Structure a Story About Science. Lecture, Exercises, DemonstrationsAndrew Mishlove, Francisco Duarte & Kimberly Benjamin
2:30p.m. – 2:45p.m.Break
2:45p.m. – 5:30p.m.Small Group Breakouts on Opening Statements
7:00p.m. – 9:00p.m.Optional: Science Review and Trial Skills Review

SEMINAR DAY FIVE – Tuesday, August 12, 2025

Time (CDT)Event DescriptionGuest Speaker
6:00a.m.Hike for those interested
7:30a.m. – 8:15a.m.Breakfast
8:15a.m. – 9:45a.m.Cross Examination: Basic Trial Skills
9:45a.m. – 10:00a.m.Break
10:00a.m. – 12:00p.m.Cross Examination Breakouts
12:00p.m. – 1:00p.m.Lunch
1:00p.m. – 5:00p.m.Cross Examination Breakouts Continued
6:00p.m.Dinner at Texas Live

SEMINAR DAY SIX – Wednesday, August 13, 2025

Time (CDT)Event DescriptionGuest Speaker
6:00a.m.Hike for those interested
8:00a.m. – 9:00a.m.Breakfast
9:00a.m. – 10:00a.m.Voir Dire: Lecture, Exercise and DemonstrationAndrew Mishlove, Francisco Duarte, Kimberly Benjamin
10:00a.m. – 10:15a.m.Break
10:15a.m. – 12:30p.m.Voir Dire Breakouts
12:30p.m. – 1:30p.m.Lunch
1:30p.m. – 2:30p.m.Review and Closing CeremonyAndrew Mishlove

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