Chicago 2025

Evan Levow, JD

Evan Levow, senior and managing partner of Levow DWI Law, P.C., is a nationally recognized DWI lawyer.  Mr. Levow’s legal practice is 100% DWI defense.  Evan is versed in both the law and science of DWI, having defended the citizen accused for more than 25 years.  He has a trial and appellate practice throughout New Jersey.  Evan has argued before the New Jersey Supreme Court and Pennsylvania Supreme Court.  Evan also consults with other DWI lawyers on a national basis regarding defense strategies for their clients.

Evan was chosen as the first President of The DUI Defense Lawyers Association (DUIDLA), a 1,000-plus member national group of DUI / DWI attorneys.  He is also a Sustaining Member of the National College for DUI Defense.

Evan has an uncompromising devotion to his client’s rights and to the furtherance of education of the scientific and practical issues of DUI / DWI defense.

Several times a year, Evan lectures across the country to lawyers, judges and police officers on the principles of field testing, breath, blood & urine testing, drug DWI’s, and other DWI related matters.  Evan hosts and conducts seminars for other DWI lawyers on “Strategies to Win Bench trials.”  Evan Levow also teaches both the, “Technical & Scientific Defenses in Alcotest Cases and the “Defending A DWI Blood Case” courses at the  New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education.  Additionally, he teaches the Continuing Education Alcotest Course for multiple states, through DUIDLA and as a Founding Faculty member of Trial Skills University.

Evan represented the lead defendant in the landmark breath testing case, State v. Chun, which set the standard for DWI defense and prosecution in New Jersey, and also affected national protocol.  He also represented the defendants in State v. Kent and State v. Renshaw, the leading blood testing evidence cases in New Jersey.  Kent and Renshaw provided the right to confront witnesses prior to the now landmark confrontation cases, Crawford and Bullcoming.  In 2013, Evan Levow made national and local headlines as he argued before the New Jersey Supreme Court for the immediate discontinuation of the Alcotest due to significant flaws with both the machine and New Jersey’s breath testing program. Evan is representing the DUI Defense Lawyers Association as Amicus in State v. Olenowski, the case challenging the reliability of the Drug Recognition Evaluation (DRE) Protocol.

Keeley Karatinos, JD

Keeley Karatinos was born and raised in Sarasota, Florida. She attended the University of Florida, receiving Bachelors degrees in Russian Language and Political Science. Upon graduating, Ms. Karatinos managed residential and commercial properties in Gainesville before attending law school at Stetson University, College of Law (Gulfport, FL). Ms. Karatinos served as the National Liaison for the White Collar Crime Committee in the American Bar Association’s Law Student Division. She received the William F. Blews Pro Bono Award, and the Victor O.

Wehle Trial Advocacy Award. She graduated cum laude with a Concentration in Advocacy from Stetson University College of Law in 2014. Ms. Karatinos is licensed to practice law in Florida and West Virginia.

Ms. Karatinos focuses heavily on researching and writing to advocate for her clients. Prior to becoming a criminal defense attorney she interned for numerous judges throughout the State of Florida, including the Honorable Angela Cowden, the Honorable Olin Shinholser, and the Honorable Peter Estrada in the Tenth Judicial Circuit, the Honorable Amy Williams and the Honorable Lynn Tepper in the Sixth Judicial Circuit.

Ms. Karatinos was selected as a Rising Star in Criminal Defense by SuperLawyers in 2020 and in 2021. Ms. Karatinos defends her clients accused of committing a wide range of offenses, including but not limited to crimes of violence, allegations of sexual abuse, drug sales and possession, DUI, traffic related offenses, Class E and Commercial driver license defense, theft charges, and more. Ms. Karatinos regularly defends clients in DMV hearings and has compiled a significant record of winning DMV hearings on the merits, and when the situation requires, on appeal. Ms. Karatinos presented on the fundamentals of cross examining a law enforcement officer at the Florida Bar’s 2021 Masters of DUI continuing legal education course.

In 2021, Ms. Karatinos opened her law firm in the heart of downtown Dade City with the purpose of providing exceptional legal services for a reasonable fee.

Ms. Karatinos speaks Spanish, Russian, and English. She uses her knowledge of language, culture, and the law, to defend her clients accused of a crime or who are otherwise facing the deprivation of their rights, privileges, or liberty. Ms. Karatinos has a deep-seated belief in treating everyone with dignity and compassion.

She focuses on criminal defense, driver’s license defense, post-conviction relief, and appellate practice.

Scott Wonder, JD

Scott E. Wonder uses his thorough knowledge of forensic science principles and zealous advocacy to aggressively defend drivers charged with DUI, DWI, BUI and drug related criminal and traffic offences throughout Washington State.

Areas of Practice:

• Aggressively defending the rights of those arrested and charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol, whether under a .08 or above a .08 BAC
• Defense of individuals charged with driving while under the influence of prescription and illegal drugs.
• Boating while under the influence charges, other criminal and traffic offences throughout Washington state

Scott was the first attorney in Washington to have a judge rule that the 2004 amendments to

Washington’s DUI evidence statutes were unconstitutional. He then prevailed in a series of Department of Licensing (DOL) Superior Court appeals challenging the DOL’s foundation for admission and use of breath test and blood test evidence. Presently, Scott is working with a group of DUI defense attorneys attacking breath and blood testing results in Washington on scientific validity grounds due to the State’s failure to perform uncertainty testing on breath and blood test results.

Dan Sabol, JD, ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist

Daniel Sabol is one of Ohio’s most recognized and skilled criminal defense attorneys. His talent has been acknowledged by many Ohio and National organizations, including America’s Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Columbus CEO, and Columbus Business First. Dan is a regular speaker at seminars across the country, and his expertise is often sought by other defense attorneys, prosecutors, judges, and officers.

 

Dan has engaged in extensive training to give him an edge in the courtroom. He completed several courses of forensic science in a laboratory, which culminated in a designation of “lawyer scientist” by the American Chemical Society. Further, Dan became the first private attorney in Ohio to be accepted into the National Forensics College, which covered a wide array of advanced tactics including DNA, digital forensics, ballistics, and false confessions. Dan has also completed extensive training in DUI/OVI field work and has been qualified as an instructor in standardized field sobriety testing.

 

Dan’s true passion lies in trial practice. He is one of only a few in Ohio to be board certified in criminal trial law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He regularly lectures on trial practice and strategy, with a particular emphasis on cross examination and closing argument. Dan takes his client’s liberty to heart, and enjoys fighting for them every day.

 

When not in court, Dan enjoys spending time with his wife, step-daughter, and twin boys. Originally from Solon, he enjoys Cleveland sports and following OSU wrestling.

Jay Ruane, JD

Attorney Jay Ruane was admitted into practice in October 1998 and has become recognized nationally as Connecticut’s premiere DUI Defense attorney.

Attorney Ruane started his career as a public defender in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he was assigned a complicated docket of 100’s of pending DUI cases. As he developed his skills as a public defender, he realized that the complexity of these cases suited his nature and disposition. In early 2000, he joined his father, who was then a partner in the Bridgeport firm of Gaston & Ruane, to devote himself fulltime to the aggressive defense of drunk driving charges. The two opened Ruane Attorneys, a criminal defense law firm primarily working with DUI defense. Since then, Ruane Attorneys has grown to be the largest criminal defense firm in the state of Connecticut, thanks to Jay and his father’s leadership, as well as the efforts of the associates, paralegals, and marketing team at the firm.

Since beginning Ruane Attorneys, Attorney Jay has gone on to lecture law students, other attorneys, and judges on the intricacies of DUI defense. He devotes a minimum of 40 hours yearly to continuing DUI defense education, and in November 2001 completed the rigorous NHTSA Standardized Field Sobriety Testing course of study. He has also been certified as an operator and maintenance technician on the Intoxilyzer 5000. He has been recognized as an expert in DUI Defense, field testing and breath testing in both administrative hearings before the Connecticut DMV and in Habeas proceedings. His latest efforts in helping clients and colleagues has come in the form of several books that he has worked on and published in the past few years.

He has argued or briefed many of the seminal DUI cases to Connecticut’s Appeal’s courts, including State v. Pjura, State v. Kelley, State v. Pilotti, and State v. Hood. Jay is the Connecticut State Delegate to the National College of DUI Defense, and members of several lawyer organizations, including the DUI Defense Lawyer’s Association (DUIDLA) and the Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Association (CCDLA).

Brian Davis, LISW-S, SAP

Brian Davis earned his Master of Social Work degree from The Ohio State University and holds a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) credential. He has nearly 30 years of clinical experience and is the founder and owner of Directions Counseling & Coaching. He also is the founder of New Directions Assessments, a leader in online substance abuse and mental health assessments throughout the U.S.  Additionally, Brian provides a limited amount of assessments and counseling services and frequently helps referring professionals such as attorneys & physicians find the assessment, therapy, and treatment options best suited to the specific needs of their clients and patients.

 

Janine Arvizu

Janine Arvizu is a chemist (BS Biochemistry California Polytechnic State University at San Luis

Obispo; ABD chemistry University of New Mexico) and Certified Quality Auditor (American

Society for Quality #19856) who has spent four decades in the field of analytical measurement quality. She established and managed an analytical laboratory for the Department of Energy, managed US Navy’s nationwide laboratory audit program, and has audited dozens of government and commercial laboratories. She conducts independently quality assessments of forensic results, helps lawyers understand laboratory analyses, and has testified in state, federal, and international courts.

 

Mark Thiessen, JD, ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist

Mark Thiessen prides himself on being an aggressive trial lawyer. If the district attorney will not bargain or justice will not be served by allowing the client to plead guilty, Mark passionately and professionally represents his clients at trial. He has won DWI cases from total refusals up to quadruple intoxication manslaughter. Mark has earned formidable reputation for being a tenacious Houston DWI trial lawyer, and he works hard to maintain that status. Mark is licensed and tries cases in Texas and Colorado.

Since opening Thiessen Law Firm, Mark has continued to add to his growing list of accomplishments. In addition to his widely publicized feats as a winning Houston intoxication manslaughter lawyer, Mark Thiessen was the youngest criminal Super Lawyer in Texas in 2013. As of 2021, Mark is a 9 time Texas Super Lawyer, 5 time Top 100 Super Lawyers in Houston and 3 time Top 100 Super Lawyers in all of Texas. For the past two years, Mark has been the only DWI lawyer listed in the Top 100 in Houston and the only criminal Super Lawyer listed in the Top 100 Lawyers in Texas.

Mark is the only lawyer in America who is triple board certified in:

1. Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
2. DUI Defense by the National College for DUI Defense as approved through the American Bar Association
3. DUI Law by the DUI Defense Lawyers Association.

Mark has also earned the American Chemical Society-Chemistry and the Law’s (ACS-CHAL) Forensic Lawyer-Scientist designation — the highest form of scientific recognition available for lawyers.

Mark is also a frequent legal seminar lecturer, author of numerous published legal articles, and a faculty member for various organizations. Mark is an international lecturer and is regularly called on to speak and educate students, police officers, lawyers and judges.

Mark Thiessen was born and raised in Houston, Texas. Mark attended the Village School and St. Francis Episcopal Middle School before graduating from the Kinkaid School in 1996. Mr.

Thiessen then attended and graduated from Texas Christian University in 2000 with a Bachelor’s of Business Administration in Marketing. While at TCU, Mark was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity and on the dean’s list.

Following his time at TCU, Mr. Thiessen returned to Houston and began his law school education at South Texas College of Law (STCL). Mark made the most of his time at STCL, actively taking part in mock trials and campus law societies. Mark’s passion for the law also took him abroad: he has studied at the International Criminal Law at the University of Malta, the BPP Law School in London, England, and at the University of Hawaii. Studying in these unique legal environments required Mark to adapt to various social, cultural, ethnic, and economic groups, which is evident in his approach and personality to this day.

After graduating from law school, Mark practiced civil law at Bell, Ryniker & Letourneau and at

Brown Sims, P.C. In 2006, he followed his passion for criminal law by joining the team at

Trichter & Murphy, P.C., where Mark was able to study under some of the foremost legal authorities in Texas. After five years with Trichter & Murphy, P.C., Mark decided to start his own law firm, thus opening Thiessen Law Firm.

Although his practice includes all areas of criminal defense, Mr. Thiessen specializes in cases regarding DWI, drugs, and controlled substances. The trial of a DWI case dictates that, on any given date, a trial lawyer must be not only well-versed in Rules of Evidence, case law pertaining to DWIs, and constitutional law, but also numerous areas of science such as anatomy, physiology, toxicology, chemistry, computer science, biology, and physics. Additionally, Mark has studied many hours of trial strategies in order to properly educate jurors and judges on the sciences involved.

Mark is the current DWI Committee co-chair and on the Board of Directors for the Texas

Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (TCDLA), the 50th President and on the Board of Directors for Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) and a Charter Member and Treasurer and Director for DUI Defense Lawyers Association (DUIDLA).

Mark’s reputation as a fearless, famous Houston attorney extends beyond his presence in the courtroom. In his free time, he competes in Brazilian jiu-jitsu as a black belt for Brazil-021 School of Jiu Jitsu in Houston and also trains Muay Thai. Mark is an avid snow skier, tennis player and waterman. But above all else, he loves going on adventures with his family.

 

Cailey McLain, JD, ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist

Cailey McLain was born and raised in Navasota, Texas. She is a proud Rattler alumni. Cailey earned her undergraduate degree from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, where she was a member of the Southwestern Pirates’ Women’s Soccer Team. She graduated with a Bachelor’s of Arts in English and a minor in Business. Cailey went on to obtain her juris doctorate from South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas.

Upon her graduation from South Texas, Cailey returned to her roots in the Brazos Valley to begin practicing law. She places value in serving indigent clients in rural communities. In 2021, Cailey opened her solo practice to help provide quality legal representation to the place that raised her – Grimes County. To this day, Cailey’s office is located in her hometown of Navasota, Texas, but she services all of the Brazos Valley.

One of the unique aspects of Cailey’s practice is she prioritizes mental health and substance abuse treatment for her clients. Coupled with her in-house Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, one of the main focuses at CMM Law is helping others fix both personal and legal issues. She is an experienced trial lawyer on both the felony and misdemeanor levels.

In 2019, she became the youngest attorney to be designated as a Lawyer Scientist by the American Chemical Society—Chemistry and the Law Division (ACS-CHAL). This designation is given to attorneys who complete courses on Forensic Chromatography, Solid-Drug, and Driving Under the Influence of Drugs at Axion Labs in Chicago, Illinois. Less than 100 attorneys across the nation have successfully completed these courses. Cailey has joined the ranks with some of the sharpest, and most successful DWI and drug attorneys in the nation.

Attorneys who receive the Lawyer-Scientist Designation study valid and legitimate science relating to drug and alcohol cases and apply it in the courtroom. Cailey’s knowledge from these courses helps to ensure her clients’ life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness are not compromised by bad science.

Since opening her own law firm in 2021, Cailey has built her practice with a heavy focus on DWI trial work. She has won several local awards recognizing her for her skills as a criminal defense attorney.  She is a member of The Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (TCDLA) and the DUI Defense Lawyers Association (DUIDLA).

Cailey also is part of the indigent defense program in Grimes County, providing representation to individuals who could not afford it otherwise. She aims to focus on fighting hard for each client, no matter their circumstances.

April Campbell, JD

April Campbell is the founder of Campbell Law LLC, a criminal defense and appeals firm based in Dublin, Ohio. She practices exclusively in criminal law throughout Ohio and has successfully litigated numerous cases in hearings, at trial, and on appeal.

Background & Experience

Before establishing Campbell Law, Ms. Campbell served as a prosecutor, beginning her career with the Columbus City Prosecutor’s office where she prosecuted traffic offenses and represented the BMV in license restoration hearings. She later advanced to prosecuting serious felony offenses in Montgomery County. This prosecutorial experience allows her to anticipate the prosecution’s approach and develop strategic defenses for her clients.

Practice Areas

Ms. Campbell’s criminal law practice focuses on OVIs (Operating a Vehicle under the Influence), drug and weapon offenses, and violent crimes. Campbell Law represents clients throughout Ohio in both state and federal court, handling cases ranging from first-time DUIs to serious felony offenses.

Education & Recognition

Ms. Campbell earned her J.D. from The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law in 2012. Her legal skills have been recognized with a 10.0 Avvo rating and selection for inclusion in Super Lawyers Rising Stars.

Professional Affiliations

She maintains active memberships in the Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, American Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Association, Dublin Chamber of Commerce, and Women Lawyers of Franklin County.

Dr. Lee N. Polite, BA, MBA, PhD

Dr. Lee N. Polite is the president and founder of Axion Analytical Labs, Inc. Since its inception in 1995, Axion has provided in-depth chromatography training to every major pharmaceutical, chemical and petroleum company in the US.  Axion has also provided these services to most of the major government labs including the FDA, DEA, DOE, DOD, EPA, USDA, Homeland

Security, etc.  Lee has been teaching chromatography to professionals for more than 25 years.

He has been invited to lecture on the topic in 17 countries and has trained more than 13,000 professionals.  Axion’s Chicago training facility is equipped with 8 modern HPLC’s and 16 state of the art GC’s.  All dedicated to Axion’s hands-on training courses.

Dr. Polite also serves as the Chief Science Officer for Sweetwater Energy (a leading renewable energy and chemicals company), is an Adjunct Professor of Chemistry at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) and continues to teach as the National Instructor for the American Chemical Society.

Dr. Polite earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Virginia Tech, where he worked under the direction of Professor Harold McNair.  Dr. McNair is recognized as one of the premier chromatography professors in the world, and o ne of the pioneers in the field.

In addition to his technical degrees, Lee holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management, where he majored in both strategy and marketing.  Throughout his four years at Kellogg, it was ranked as the top business school in the US.

Prior to receiving his advanced degrees, Dr. Polite received his Bachelor of Arts Degree (BA) in Chemistry from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, where he was a Rector Scholar, a member of Sigma Pi Sigma (Physics honor society) and Sigma

Xi (Chemistry honor society).

After receiving his Ph.D., Lee spent 9 years with Amoco Corporation, holding a variety of scientific and management positions, including Research Scientist, HPLC Team Leader, Group Leader of Environmental Analysis, and Laboratory Supervisor of one of the largest refinery labs in the US.

Dr. Polite is a recognized authority in the field of chemistry, demonstrated by the fact that he has taught chromatography courses for more than 30 years to a variety of professionals in 17 countries.  He is the professor in charge of the popular American Chemical Society’s “Fundamentals of HPLC Course”, and “Practical and Applied Gas Chromatography Course”.  His company (Axion Analytical Labs, Inc) is the sole supplier of hands-on chromatography courses to the ACS and its 165,000 members.  He has served as chromatography instructor for the DEA, United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), the New York City Police

Department’s crime laboratory, DOE’s Argonne National Labs, Hewlett Packard, Agilent Technologies, Phenom

enex, Shimadzu, along with pharmaceutical, petroleum, chemical and environmental companies throughout the world. Dr. Polite has authored countless professional course books on chromatography, a number of publications, and 3 book chapters on Chromatography.  Dr. Polite also founded the renewable energy company, “Helios Scientific, LLC”, where he helped to develop “sunburst” technology.  Sunburst facilitates the economical production of clean burning ethanol along with a variety of renewable chemicals from a wide variety of waste plant material.  This technology will help to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout the world.  Helios Scientific, LLC was acquired by Sweetwater Energy, Inc. in 2015.  Dr. Polite now serves as the Chief Scientific Officer of Sweetwater Energy, Inc., where he will help direct the building and startup of one of the world’s first cellulosic ethanol plants in October 2020.

 

Brian Johnson, JD

Brian J. Johnson is the founder of Brian J Johnson Law LLC, a criminal defense firm based in Danville, Indiana, serving clients throughout multiple counties in Indiana. As a former deputy prosecutor with almost two decades of experience, he is recognized as an aggressive trial lawyer.

Background & Experience

Mr. Johnson began his legal career as a deputy prosecutor in Hendricks County, trying his first jury trial as an intern before graduating from law school. He transitioned to private practice in 2000, focusing almost exclusively on criminal defense. He has handled cases at all levels, from “simple” misdemeanors to major felonies, including murder. In addition to winning trials before judges and juries around Indiana, Brian has successfully argued cases before the Indiana Court of Appeals and the Indiana Supreme Court.

Notable Achievements

Mr. Johnson achieved a significant victory against the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, making it easier for people around Indiana to obtain relief from lifetime drivers license suspensions. In addition to over two decades of experience handling criminal matters at the trial and appellate level, Brian works with clients seeking relief from license suspensions, expungements, sentence modifications, and petitions for post-conviction relief.

Education & Academic Honors

Mr. Johnson was an honors division student at Indiana University in Bloomington, graduating with a B.A. in Journalism and minor in Psychology. He obtained his J.D. (magna cum laude) from the Indiana University School of Law in Indianapolis, where he was on the Dean’s List all three years. He served as associate editor of the Indiana Law Review, was elected to the Order of Barristers, and was a national finalist in the National Appellate Advocacy Competition of the American Bar Association—one of only two teams from the school to accomplish this feat in the past 25 years.

Practice Philosophy

Brian J Johnson Law LLC provides trusted criminal defense services with an approach that is compassionate yet assertive, understanding the stresses clients encounter while believing that an aggressive response is needed when dealing with the Indiana criminal justice system.

Joe Hada, JD, ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist

Joseph Hada is a defense attorney representing clients across northeast Ohio. Mr. Hada dedicates his practice to the defense of charges relating to OVI/DUI, Criminal and Traffic offenses. He is deeply rooted in Northeast Ohio and built a reputation as a strong advocate for his clients.

Background & Experience

Mr. Hada graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from

Heidelberg University and went on to receive his J.D. from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. He began his career as a public defender in Lake County, Ohio, representing juveniles and adult defendants accused of all type of criminal offenses, including high-level felony trials, until transitioning into his private practice in 2012.

His professional journey includes working as a law clerk at the Lake County Public Defender’s Office (2007-2008), an extern at the Cleveland City Prosecutor’s Office (2007), and a law clerk at Cleveland Municipal Court (2006-2007). After serving as an Assistant Public Defender from 2008 to 2012, Hada transitioned to private practice, working with The Law Offices of Saia & Piatt, Inc. (2012-2016) and Quinn Legal Associates, Inc. (2016-2019). In 2019, he established his own firm, Joseph Hada, Attorney at Law, based in Mayfield Heights, Ohio.

Specialized Training & Certifications

A member of many national and local professional associations that provide the best resources for DUI Defense, Mr. Hada has attended NHTSA DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing and Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement training as well as having completed training in the physiology, theory, and operation of infrared breath alcohol testing instruments. In 2018, he became a member of the American Chemical Society’s Chemistry and the Law Division and earned The ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist Designation. He is also certified as a Standardized Field Sobriety Testing and Training Instructor (2018).

Speaking & Publications

Mr. Hada frequently presents at legal education seminars across Ohio on topics including DUI defense, criminal defense, and the use of technology in the legal field. He continues to research and pursue innovative defense strategies for his clients. His speaking engagements include presentations for the Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Association, and various county bar associations on topics such as “Attacking Breath Machines,” “Intoxilyzer 8000 Update,” and “Using Video in the Courtroom.” He has also contributed to legal publications, authoring “The Right to a Defense: The City of Cincinnati v. Daniel Ilg” for the Vindicator, the official journal of the Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Professional Memberships

Joseph Hada is a member of the DUI Defense Lawyers Association and maintains memberships in multiple national and local professional organizations focused on criminal defense.

 

Tommy Dewey, JD, ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist

1. Thomas “Tommy” Dewey is a distinguished criminal defense attorney based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He attended Southern University School of Law, graduating cum laude in 2007, and has been licensed to practice law in Louisiana since October of that same year.

Background & Experience

As a former law enforcement officer and military veteran, Dewey brings a unique perspective to his legal practice. He is a retired officer from the Baton Rouge Police Department, giving him firsthand experience with both sides of the criminal justice system, including knowledge of disciplinary proceedings and the civil service board. Since he began practicing in 2007, Dewey has accumulated many awards recognizing his tenacity in the courtroom.

Specialized Training & Certifications

Tommy Dewey recently completed his Gas Chromatography training at Axion Labs and

Training Institute in Chicago. His success in passing the final exam not only solidified his expertise in this analytical technique but also earned him the distinguished “Lawyer Scientist” designation from the American Chemical Society. Tommy is certified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association in the field of sobriety testing, giving him in-depth understanding of the methods used by law enforcement to make arrests and work toward convictions in DWI cases.

Continuing Education

In furthering his goal to remain a top-level criminal defense attorney, he has completed the following courses: National College for DUI Defense Summer Session in 2008, 2010,and 2013; TCDLA Annual Mastering Scientific Evidence in 2009, 2010, 2011,and 2014; Recertification:

NHTSA Sobriety Testing in 2013; Forensic Toxicology for attorneys in 2015; DUI Defense Lawyers Association Summer Session in 2015; DUI Defense Lawyers Association Spring Seminar in 2017; DUI Defense Lawyers Association Spring Seminar in 2018.

Recognition & Professional Affiliations

Attorney Tommy Dewey was named among the National Trial Lawyers’ Top 100, and his dedication and skill have earned him recognition as one of the National Trial Lawyers’ Top 100. Known for his thorough approach to cases and client-centered representation, Tommy Dewey has established a reputation for securing favorable outcomes for his clients throughout southern Louisiana, especially in challenging criminal defense cases. Thomas Dewey is a member of the DUI Defense Lawyers Association.

Education

• Jesuit High School – New Orleans (1984)
• Louisiana State University (1992)
• Southern University Law Center – J.D. (2007) Cum Laude

Dewey is the founder of Dewey & Braud Law, LLC, where he serves as managing partner. His legal career has been particularly noted for his expertise in DWI defense and criminal defense matters.

James Madden

James D. Madden, P.E. is a Board Certified Diplomate Forensic Engineer and Senior Forensic Engineer at Madden Accident Analysis, Investigation, Reconstruction. For over 35 years he has specialized in investigation, analysis, and reconstruction of accidents causing injury, death and property damage, and the analysis of the safety of products, equipment and facilities.

Experience & Accomplishments

During over 35 years of Forensic Engineering work Senior Forensic Engineer James D. Madden, P.E. has: completed over 1100 cases, prepared and issued over 700 written reports, prepared and issued over 70 affidavits, testified in over 100 depositions, and testified in over 90 trials and arbitrations.

Areas of Expertise

This practice includes accidents in the areas of: Traffic, including roadway design and condition and control devices; Consumer products and industrial, commercial and construction equipment; Workplaces, including commercial and industrial operations and construction equipment. Additional specialties include fires and explosions, chemical incidents, HVAC systems, and premises safety including slips, trips and falls.

Professional Services

The forensic engineering work typically includes: inspection of the accident site, such as a roadway, building or industrial facilities; inspection of the involved equipment, during operation, or in damaged condition; photography and/or video of the accident site and involved equipment; interviewing witnesses; review and study of case documents, evidence and applicable codes and standards; testing accident items and exemplar items; preparation of drawings, calculations, graphical analyses, computer analyses; preparing written expert reports and affidavits, and courtroom exhibits; providing expert testimony in deposition, trial and arbitration.

Geographic Coverage

Madden Accident Analysis, Investigation, Reconstruction has performed Accident

Investigations, Engineering Analyses and Accident Reconstructions for accidents, incidents and cases in the metropolitan areas of Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Toledo, Warren, Youngstown, Mansfield, Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati, Lima, Findlay, Marietta and Steubenville, Ohio, as well elsewhere throughout Ohio, and the metropolitan areas of Pittsburgh and Erie,

Pennsylvania. Forensic Engineering work has also been performed in, and/or for cases in, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, Vermont, Kansas and Utah, with testimony in court in West Virginia and Kansas.

Court Testimony

Testimony has been provided in Discovery Depositions, Arbitrations, Hearings, and Trials.

Testimony has been presented live in Trial in Federal Court, State Courts in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Michigan and Kansas, and local Court in Ohio, as well as by video deposition for trial presentation in Ohio and Michigan.

Education & Training

Senior Forensic Engineer James D. Madden, P.E. Earned Certificates of Successful Completion in 7 courses, over 8 weeks, in traffic accident courses taught by Engineers who had been and were involved in the development of Scientific Traffic Accident Reconstruction as an application of Engineering.

Blaise Katter, JD

Blaise Katter is a proud Buckeye, having attended The Ohio State University for both college and law school. He graduated magna cum laude with a BA degree with Honors Research Distinction in Political Science and International Studies, where his Honors Thesis dealt with a comparison of Western European and American constitutional government.

In law school he was selected to represent The Ohio State University at a national Moot Court competition reached Sweet Sixteen in the Herman Moot Court Competition. He was a recipient of a Moritz Academic Merit scholarship and spent a semester at Oxford University in the United Kingdom.

Blaise also is proficient in Spanish and holds a Black Belt in a AIKIDO.

Before coming the Huey Defense Firm. Blaise had experience with the Ohio legislature as well as the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office with both the Criminal and Appellate Units gaining a great deal of experience drafting briefs and preparing appellate court arguments as well as doing research and legal memoranda for use at hearings and at trial.

In 2013 the Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives and President of the Ohio Senate created a committee that was tasked to, literally, rewrite the Ohio Criminal Code.

The Ohio Criminal Justice Recodification Committee was made up of 24 members including an Ohio Supreme Court Justice, several judges, legislators, members of the Governor’s cabinet, prosecutors, the Ohio Public Defender and members of his office and (only) two lawyers in private practice. Mr. Huey was one of those lawyers and the only committee member with a significant DUI defense background.

Blaise Katter was hired as a Staff Attorney for the Recodification Committee at the recommendation of Professor Douglas Berman, a highly respected OSU professor whose principal teaching and research focus is in the area of criminal law and criminal sentencing.

The Recodification Committee members were impressed with Blaise’s work. This was particularly true of Mr. Huey who worked closely with Blaise in efforts to significantly change critical parts of the Ohio criminal law. In particular, Blaise showed a strong desire to make the criminal laws fairer and to ensure that the powers given to police, prosecutors and judges did not infringe upon the constitutional rights of accused citizens.

In addition, Mr. Huey was impressed with Blaise’s research and writing skills (not to mention his knowledge of even arcane provisions of the criminal code) and his ability to communicate ideas. He noted that Blaise showed a great deal of poise and confidence when presenting to the full committee and that he quickly developed a good relationship with many of the most important members.

As soon as the Recodification Committee fished its work the Huey Defense Firm snapped Blaise up and he came to work with the firm full time the next day.

Prior to joining our form Blaise already had a strong background in legal research, analysis and writing. He also knew a number of the key players in the criminal law community; prosecutors, judges, legislators and public defenders.

Courtney Collins, JD

Courtney Collins is a criminal defense attorney with nearly fifteen years dedicated to defending those charged with criminal offenses in Arizona. Courtney is a former prosecutor that knows how to use that experience to communicate and negotiate effectively with prosecutors to get the best possible outcomes for her clients.

Background & Experience

Admitted to Arizona State Bar: 2009, Courtney has built her practice around defending individuals facing criminal charges throughout Arizona. As a former prosecutor, she brings a unique perspective to criminal defense, understanding both sides of the legal system and leveraging this knowledge to provide strategic defense for her clients.

Practice Areas

Criminal Defense, DUI, Drug Offenses. Courtney’s practice focuses on a comprehensive range of criminal defense matters, with particular expertise in DUI cases and drug-related offenses.

Professional Affiliations & Memberships

AACJ Member – Courtney is a member of the Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice, a statewide not-for-profit membership organization of criminal defense lawyers dedicated to protecting the rights of the accused in the courts and in the legislature. Courtney N. Collins is an experienced DUI attorney in Scottsdale, AZ and a member of the National College for DUI Defense (NCDD).

Client Service

Offers Free Consultations, ensuring that potential clients can discuss their cases and understand their options without financial barriers.

Recognition

Client Champion awards recognize those attorneys who excel at service as affirmed by their clients. The awards, based on the quantity and quality of an attorney’s Martindale-Hubbell client reviews, demonstrate an ongoing commitment to delivering excellent client service.

Terry Rudes, JD

Licensed for 47 years, Terrence Robert Rudes is a Criminal Defense lawyer in Port Clinton Ohio who attended University of Toledo College of Law. Terry Rudes has established himself as a leading DUI/OVI specialist in Ohio, with a practice focused on criminal defense and impaired driving cases.

Areas of Expertise

Legal practice includes criminal law, real estate law and other. Terry specializes primarily in DUI/OVI defense, with additional experience in criminal defense, family law, and real estate matters.

Professional Recognition & Peer Endorsements

Rudes is a fellow member of the Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers(OACDL). He is an excellent OVI/DUI attorney and often contributes to the OACDL list serve and annual DUI seminar in Ohio. His peers consistently recognize him as a leader in Ohio’s DUI defense community.

Fellow attorneys have praised his expertise, with one noting: “I gladly endorse Terry Rudes. He is a leader in the Ohio DUI / DWI community. He represents his clients very well, as evidenced by many wins at the trial court and many wins in the courts of appeals. He willingly helps and instructs other lawyers who are in need, and he is in constant pursuit of new arguments, new caselaw, and new science. He is an innovator, and he is an excellent lawyer.”

Professional Education & Training

OVI Seminars for Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Advanced OVI Seminars for

35 years; numerous OVI Seminars for the Ohio State Bar Association, OVI Seminars for Sandusky County, Ottawa County and Lorain County Bar Association, and Lorman Educational Services.

Professional Affiliations

• Ohio State Bar Member
• Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (OACDL)
• DUI Defense Lawyers Association

Notable Cases

State v. Durnwald,163 Ohio App.3d 361 (Ohio App. 6 Dist. 2005), 837 N.E.2d 1234, 2005Ohio-4867; State v. Galbreath, 741 N.E.2d 936, 138 Ohio App.3d 559, 2000-Ohio-1728 (Ohio App. 6 Dist. 2000); State v. Benton, 737 N.E.2d 1046, 136 Ohio App.3d 801, 2000-Ohio-1656 (Ohio App. 6 Dist. 2000)

John Collins, JD

John Collins has arrested people and trained officers on arrest procedure. He has prosecuted people and trained prosecutors. John has defended people and has trained attorneys from the US and Canada to defend people charged with crimes. He has sat as a special Judge in various courts and has trained Judges.

Mr. Collins started his career in law enforcement, serving as a field training officer, patrolman, investigator, and instructor of an alcohol education program. John went on to become a deputy prosecuting attorney in Garland County. Mr. Collins has spoken at more than 100 courses on Arkansas and Texas DWI DUI  Drug offenses.  He has been a guest speaker for Arkansas and Texas law enforcement training sessions on topics related to DWI DUI.

Mr. Collins has sat as a special judge in numerous Arkansas district courts. Mr. Collins is a founding member and President of the DUI Defense Lawyers Association. John is also a member of the Arkansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Texas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Inns of Court, and the American Chemical Society.

Mr. Collins has been hired as an adjunct professor at William H. Bowen School of Law to teach law students how to perform necessary tasks in a law practice.

John received the Client Distinction Award from Martindale.com/Lawyers.com in 2013, and was named by Thomson Reuters as a Rising Star 2011, has been named as a Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters (2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021), has been published in Arkansas Life

Magazine, Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association Docket Call Magazine, and Arkansas Times Magazine.  He has been ranked as a superb attorney by AVVO.com with a 10 out of 10 rating and, most recently, is a published author of the DWI book used in Arkansas, published by Lawyer and Judges Publishing Company.

Thursday: [240 minutes]

[9:00 am – 12:00 pm DUIDLA BOARD CERTIFICATION EXAM]

10:30 am – 12:00 pm  DUIDLA Committee Meetings

11:00 – 11:45 am        Registration

11:45 am – 12:00 pm Welcome Remarks (Tim Huey, CLE Chair)

12:00 pm – 12:30 pm  Wellness, Addiction & Overcoming Your Demons…But Not Your Donuts! (Evan Levow, JD – NJ)

12:30 pm – 1:00 pm    Effective Legal Research & Writing (Keeley Karatinos, JD – FL)

1:00 pm – 1:45 pm      Professional License Issues After a DUI (Scott Wonder, JD – WA)

1:45 pm – 2:00 pm      BREAK (Snacks!)

2:00 pm – 2:45 pm      Creating a Killer Cross Examination (Dan Sabol, JD, ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist, OH)

2:45 pm – 3:30 pm      Run Your Law Firm Like a Business: Ethically & Profitably (Jay Ruane, JD – CT)

3:30 pm – 3:45 pm      BREAK

3:45 pm – 4:30 pm      Mental Health for Attorneys (Brian Davis, LISW-S, SAP – OH)

4:30 pm                       End for the Day

 

6:00 pm – 9:00 pm      DUIDLA Welcome Party!

 

Friday: [265 minutes]

8:15 am – 9:00 am      Light Breakfast

8:45 am – 9:00 am      Announcements (Tommy Dewey, Course Director)

9:00 am – 9:45 am      BD Blood Tube Issues & “Hospital Blood” (Janine Arvizu – NM)

9:45 am – 10:30 am    SFST Cross Made Simple (Mark Thiessen, JD, ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer Scientist – TX)

10:30 am – 10:45 am  BREAK (Bloody Mary/Mimosa Bar & snacks!)

10:45 am – 11:30 am  Using Science to Build Reasonable Doubt (Cailey McLain, JD, ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist – TX)

11:30 am – 12:15 pm  Using Evidence Rules to Neuter the State’s Experts (April Campbell, JD – OH)

12:15 pm – 1:45 pm    Grab Lunch (provided)

ACS-CHAL Lawyer-Scientist Recognition, DUIDLA Prize Wheel & Terry Wapner Award Ceremony

Understanding Blood Alcohol Analysis (Dr. Lee Polite, PhD, MS, NREMT – Axion Labs)

                                    Announcement from Jan Semenoff

1:45 pm – 2:30 pm      Using AI for Trials & Appeals (Brian Johnson, JD – IN)

2:30 pm – 3:30 pm      Dealer’s Choice: Axion Labs Tour OR

De-Stress for Success: Mindfulness in the Law (Courtney Collins, JD – AZ)

3:30 pm                       End for the Day

3:30 pm – 3:45 pm      PHOTOS – DUIDLA Board, Officers, District Reps, State Ambassadors

3:45 pm – 4:45 pm      DUIDLA BOARD MEETING (all DUIDLA members welcome to attend)

 

Saturday: [255 minutes]

8:15 am – 8:45 am      Light Breakfast

8:45 am – 9:00 am      Announcements (Chuck Rathburn, Course Director)

9:00 am – 9:30 am      Exercise, Fitness & the Health of Your Firm (Tommy Dewey, JD, ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist – LA)

9:30 am – 10:15 am    Accident Reconstruction & Analysis (James Madden, Engineer & Expert – OH)

10:15 am – 10:30 am  BREAK (Snacks!)

10:30 am – 11:15 am  Preparing Your Trial File for Appeal (Greg Willis, JD – GA)

11:15 am – 12:00 pm  Lessons from a Wrongful DUI Arrest (Joe Hada, JD, ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist – OH)

12:00 pm – 12:15 pm  BREAK (Heavy Snacks!)

12:15 pm – 1:00 pm    DUI & Firearm Issues (Terry Rudes, JD – OH)

1:00 pm – 1:45 pm      TikTok, Sarcasm & Using Humor to Advertise Ethically (John Collins, JD – AR)

1:45 pm                       Final Wrap Up (Course Directors)