NATIONAL CRIMINAL DEFENSE COLLEGE FACULTY

Denise de La Rue lives in Atlanta, Georgia and is an attorney and trial consultant, specializing in jury selection, witness preparation, pre-trial research and trial strategy. She consults on trials throughout the United States, in both criminal and civil cases and was the jury consultant for the defense in State of South Carolina vs. Susan Smith, U.S. vs. Theodore Kaczynski , State of Georgia vs. Ray Lewis, U.S. v. Eric Rudolph, and U.S. v. Richard Scrushy, and U.S. vs. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. She is a faculty member of National Criminal Defense College, and has been on faculty at the Institute of Criminal Defense Advocacy at California Western School of Law, Western Institute of Trial Advocacy in Laramie, Wyoming, the Georgia Institute of Trial Advocacy and the Kessler Eidson Program for Trial Techniques at Emory University School of Law. She has been an adjunct professor at Georgia State University College of Law, and is a frequent lecturer at law schools, and continuing legal education seminars throughout the U.S.

Denise deLaRue has a B.S. Degree with Distinction in Psychology from Georgia State University and a J.D. Degree from Georgia State University College of Law.

She was Recipient of the 2001 Glenda Hatchett Volunteer of the Year Award, for

the Truancy Intervention Project, Fulton County, Georgia and is proud of and gratified

by her work as a volunteer lawyer with this remarkable project.

Sam Dennis is the owner and founder of Sam D. Dennis, P.C. in Valdosta, Georgia, a law firm representing injured people and citizens under attack by their government.

Sam is a lifetime resident of Valdosta, attending St. John Catholic School and Lowndes County High School. Sam graduated from Valdosta State University with a BS in Criminal Justice and a Masters in Public Administration. He also studied at the world-renowned Magdalene College in Oxford, England. He received his JD from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Sam began practicing law in 1995 and founded his law practice in 2001. He has won hundreds of cases for his clients, earning a reputation as one of Georgia’s top lawyers. He is passionately committed to justice and public safety.

Sam served as the President of  the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (GACDL) for two consecutive years 2014 and 2015. He has served as the Vice President of the GACDL off and on for many years and he is a Life Member of the association. Sam is also a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) and Georgia Trial Lawyers Association (GTLA). Sam has served as former Chairman of the Judicial Council of Georgia, Board of Court Reporting. He is a board member of the Board of Directors for the Community Defender Organization for the Eleventh Circuit District Court.

In addition to teaching with the Bill Daniel Program since its creation, Sam has been a member of the National Criminal Defense College faculty since 1998 and has lectured and taught nationally and internationally on the topics of Cross Examination, Impeachment, Voir Dire, Opening Statements, Scientific Evidence,  Expert Testimony, and all aspects of trial advocacy.

Sam lives in Valdosta with his wife and four children. He is an avid hunter, angler, gun collector, and model airplane enthusiast. He is an active member at St. John’s Catholic Church.