I hope this message finds you well and recovering from the holidays. As you know, the Criminal Law Section has been on full throttle since the beginning of the bar year. We kicked things off in August with a free happy hour in honor of prosecutors and public defenders with a record-breaking turnout! We followed that with a lunch seminar featuring Fulton County Superior Court judge Robert McBurney. Amy Weil was the highlight of our October meeting. Amy gave a presentation on new Supreme Court and 11th Circuit law on technology and the 4th Amendment. Did you know that law enforcement can remotely activate the microphone on your phone, even if it is off? Wow! In November, Paul Kish and Assistant United States Attorney Kurt Erskine held a thought-provoking roundtable seminar on the utilities and potential pitfalls of government proffer sessions.

There is no slowing down for 2014. After some widely publicized and televised trials last year, we thought it would be interesting to explore the paradigm between media and criminal cases. Our January meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 8, 2014 at noon at Jones Day (parking validated). The topic for discussion is "The Media and Criminal Cases: Friend or Foe?" We will be joined by a team of experts, including Patrick Crosby, public relations specialist, Rachel Stockman, WSBTV reporter and our colleagues from some high-profile cases, Page Pate, and Steve Sadow. Please plan to attend and spread the word. The cost is $15 for section members and $20 for non-members.

On the Friday of that same week, January 10, 2014, we will be co-sponsoring a breakfast seminar with the Litigation Section. The topic is "Accountability Courts." Fulton State Court Judge Susan Edlein has recruited the judges in Fulton County who handle the DUI court, the Veteran's Court and the Drug Court to come and speak. The meeting is at 7:30 am at Ansley Golf Club. There will be a buffet breakfast and free parking. Tickets for section members are $20.

On Thursday, January 16, 2014, we are joining the Public Interest Law Section to host a screening of the new HBO documentary Gideon's Army. Gideon's Army takes an inside look at the criminal justice system in the South by shadowing the lives of three young public defenders, two of whom practice in Georgia. The film also features John Rapping, an Associate Professor of Law at Atlanta's John Marshall Law School. An open discussion period with Gideon's Promise will follow the screening. The event will be held from 6-8:30 pm at Emory University School of Law's Tull Auditorium. The cost is $5 per person and free for law students. Light refreshments will be served.

Looking ahead, please save the date for our Second Annual Wine and War Stories Social/Competition. It will be held on Wednesday, February 26, 2014 at Java Vino, 579 North Highland Avenue, from 5-7:30 pm. There will be plenty of wine, good food, and great company. If you ask anyone who attended last year, they will tell you that it was an absolutely fun and hilarious evening. I will likely ask Bruce Maloy, Jerry Froelich, and Paul Kish to reprise their stories. Those stories are just too good to have only been told once to our group. Start thinking about your craziest trial/case/defendant/client/court bloopers. There are great prizes for the winners. And, as an added incentive to getting you all to renew (or apply for) your Atlanta Bar Association and section dues, this event will be FREE to all paid up section members. $20 to non-section members. So, encourage your friends who have not paid their dues to join so they too can partake in the revelry for free!

Lots more to come but for now, I plan on seeing you on Wednesday, January 8, 2014 at noon at Jones Day.

Best regards,

Jamila M. Hall

Partner, JONES DAYŽ - One Firm Worldwide

Jamila M. Hall

James M. Deichert

Jessica K. Stern

R. Joseph Burby IV

Cindy S. Manning

William F. Smith

William H. Thomas, Jr.