Angelica Cogliano: Speaking & Teaching

Angelica Cogliano teaches and speaks to criminal defense lawyers across the country. She has been course director of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association’s annual Forensics seminar every year since 2022 and program co-chair of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ annual forensic science seminar since 2024. She co-updated the Eleventh Edition of TCDLA’s Trial Notebook (2025–2026), the association’s practice guide to Texas criminal trials. She serves on the faculty of the Trial Lawyers College, TCDLA’s Advanced Trial Academy at Round Top, and Emory Law’s Kessler-Eidson Trial Techniques Program.

Her talks come out of her trial work: DNA and forensic science, child abuse and shaken baby cases, fentanyl and overdose homicide prosecutions, mental health in criminal defense, and the motions and cross-examination that keep unreliable science away from juries.

What Attendees Say

Attendees have rated Angelica’s presentations an average of 4.8 out of 5, including several perfect 5.0 scores.

“Angelica was a revelation – absolutely fantastic and by far the best presentation of the day. She should be given time at every CLE session everywhere and always.”

Beyond the Diagnosis: Mental Health and the Defense Narrative, 2024

“This was great! I tried many shaken baby cases and did not realize how to pull the [doctors] away from their standardized approach to each case, but more importantly, how to get them to admit the alternatives.”

“Cross of a Medical Expert in a Child Abuse Case,” 2021

“Strong and powerful presentation which gave me ideas to create a more fair trial for my clients.”

“Creative Pretrial Litigation: Motions in Limine and More!,” 2023

“One of my favorite presentations – extremely helpful!”

“Drug Overdose Homicides: Fighting Fire with Fire,” 2025

“Really highlighted ways to take symptoms and turn them to defenses”

Beyond the Diagnosis: Mental Health and the Defense Narrative, 2024

“This was a ‘next-level’ presentation. One of the best I’ve heard. Well done.”

“Child Abuse/Shaken Baby Syndrome,” 2025

“Excellent! So helpful and informative. A rare gem.”

“Special Teams: Experts & Witnesses,” 2021

Topics

• Forensic science and DNA: the fallibility of forensic evidence, complex DNA mixtures, Y-STR analysis, junk science
• Expert witnesses: combating the State’s experts, including child abuse and shaken baby experts
• Fentanyl and overdose homicides: the science, the statutes, and the trial
• Mental health: the client’s mental health story, clients with autism, neurodivergence, and working with mental health experts
• Trial skills: motions in limine, voir dire, jury charges, defenses, cross-examination, mock jury focus groups
• Pretrial litigation: writs of habeas corpus and constitutional challenges, including Operation Lone Star

Upcoming

• October 20, 2026. “Working with Mental Health Experts.” CAPDS Mitigation Webinar Series, online. Co-presenter.
• November 5–6, 2026. “A Different Way of Thinking: Neurodivergence in the Practice of Law.” 2026 Judicial Summit on Mental Health (Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health), San Marcos. Speaker.
• November 2026. “The Fallibility of Forensic Evidence.” Kick Ass Trial Skills Seminar, Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Speaker.
• December 10–11, 2026. Sexual & Family Violence Offenses (TCDLA), Round Rock. Speaker.
• January 2027. Kessler-Eidson Trial Techniques Program, Emory University School of Law, Atlanta. Faculty.
• February 11–12, 2027. Criminal Law in the French Quarters (TCDLA), New Orleans. Course Director and Speaker.
• March 2027. Mastering Cross-Examination & Dismantling the State’s Case (TCDLA), Arlington and livestream. Speaker.
• March 5, 2027. “Motions in Limine: You Can’t Unring a Bell.” NACDL Midwinter Meeting & Seminar, “Advanced Advocacy Skills for Every Lawyer,” Austin. Faculty.
• April 1–3, 2027. 20th Annual Forensic Science Seminar, “Making Sense of Science” (NACDL), Las Vegas. Program Co-Chair.

Past Presentations

2026

• October. Beyond the Diagnosis: Mental Health and the Defense Narrative. Tennessee District Public Defenders Conference, Chattanooga. Speaker.
• October 14–16. 23rd Annual Forensics (TCDLA), Austin. Course Director.
• September. 14th Annual Advanced Trial Academy (TCDLA), Round Top. Faculty.
• September. “Frontloading Mitigation in Voir Dire.” Webinar (CAPDS), online. Co-presenter.
• August. “Other Challenging Issues that May Impact Case Outcomes in a Complex DNA Mixture.” DNA on Trial (Center for American and International Law, with the Texas Forensic Science Commission). Co-presenter; Planning Committee.
• July. “DNA: The Dangers of Relatedness.” Friday CLE (Austin Criminal Defense Lawyers Association), online. Speaker.
• June. Beyond the Diagnosis: Mental Health and the Defense Narrative. Office of Capital and Forensic Writs, Austin. Presenter.
• April. “Drug Overdose Homicides: Fighting Fire with Fire.” 19th Annual Forensic Science & Technology Seminar (NACDL), Las Vegas. Program Co-Chair and Speaker.
• April. “Understanding and Advocating for Clients with Autism.” Fiesta Advanced Criminal Defense CLE (San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyers Association), San Antonio. Speaker.
• March. Fentanyl murder cases. Defending State & Federal Drug Charges (TCDLA livestream). Speaker.
• January. Beyond the Diagnosis: Mental Health and the Defense Narrative. In-house CLE, El Paso County Public Defender’s Office, El Paso. Speaker.
• January. Beyond the Diagnosis: Mental Health and the Defense Narrative. 45th Annual Prairie Dog Advanced Criminal Law (TCDLA), Texas Tech University School of Law, Lubbock. Lunch Speaker.

2025

• November. Roundtable on Sexual Assault & Discovery (TCDLA), online. Co-leader.
• October. Beyond the Diagnosis: Mental Health and the Defense Narrative. 2025 Indigent Defense Workshop (Texas Indigent Defense Commission), Austin. Lunch Speaker.
• October. 22nd Annual Forensics (TCDLA), Austin. Course Director.
• September. 13th Annual Advanced Trial Academy (TCDLA), Round Top. Faculty.
• July. “Defenses.” Advanced Criminal Law Course (State Bar of Texas). Speaker and course book author.
• July. “Drug Overdose Homicides: Fighting Fire with Fire.” NACDL Annual Seminar, “Defending Mayhem: Murder, Malice, and Crimes of Violence,” Minneapolis. Speaker.
• June. “Fentanyl.” 38th Annual Rusty Duncan Advanced Criminal Law Course (TCDLA), San Antonio. Course Director and Speaker.
• June. Beyond the Diagnosis: Mental Health and the Defense Narrative. Indigent Defense Seminar (TCDLA), San Antonio. Speaker.
• April. 18th Annual Forensic Science Seminar (NACDL), Las Vegas. Program Co-Chair.
• February. “Cajun Crossfire: Attacking the State’s Forensic Case & Handling Experts.” Gumbo Advanced Trial Tactics (TCDLA), New Orleans. Speaker.
• January. “Jury Charges & Defenses.” “Murder Was the Case (They Gave Me)” (TCDLA livestream). Speaker.
• January. “Child Abuse/Shaken Baby Syndrome.” 44th Annual Prairie Dog Advanced Criminal Law (TCDLA, co-sponsored by the Federal Public Defender), Lubbock. Speaker.

2024

• October 30–November 2. Beyond the Diagnosis: Mental Health and the Defense Narrative. Fall Mental Health Seminar, “The Science of the Mind” (NACDL), Nashville. Faculty.
• October. 21st Annual Forensics (TCDLA), San Antonio. Course Director.
• September. 12th Annual Advanced Trial Academy (TCDLA), Round Top. Faculty.
• June. “Junk Science: Learning from It & Preventing It.” 37th Annual Rusty Duncan Advanced Criminal Law Course (TCDLA), San Antonio. Course Director and Speaker.
• April. “Dealing with Expert Witnesses in Child Abuse Cases.” 17th Annual Forensic Science & the Law (NACDL and California Attorneys for Criminal Justice), Las Vegas. Program Co-Chair and Co-presenter.
• 2024. “Motions in Limine.” Fiesta Advanced Criminal Defense CLE (San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyers Association), San Antonio. Speaker.
• 2024. Child abuse and shaken baby cases. Friday CLE (Austin Criminal Defense Lawyers Association), online. Speaker.

2023

• December. “Cost-Effective Mock Juries: Focus Groups, and More!” Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Co-presenter.
• November. “Creative Pretrial Litigation: Motions in Limine and More!” 14th Annual Defending Sex Cases (NACDL), Las Vegas. Faculty.
• October. 20th Annual Forensics (TCDLA), Austin. Course Director.
• October. Advanced Trial Academy (TCDLA), Round Top. Faculty.
• July. “The Fallibility of DNA.” 49th Annual Advanced Criminal Law Course (State Bar of Texas), Houston. Speaker and course book author.
• Summer. Trial Lawyers College. Faculty.
• April. “Sexual Assault.” Fiesta 2023 Advanced Criminal Defense (San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and TCDLA), San Antonio. Speaker.
• April. Addressing Race, Gender, Money & Equity in Criminal Justice (TCDLA), Austin. Speaker.
• March. “Voir Dire in Immigration Cases.” Operation Lone Star Training (TCDLA), Austin. Speaker.

2022

• October. 19th Annual Forensics (TCDLA), Fort Worth. Course Director.
• July. “Special Teams: Experts & Witnesses.” Game Day (TCDLA and the Criminal Defense Lawyers Project), South Padre Island. Speaker.
• May. Community talk, Crockett Early College High School, Austin (arranged by CAPDS). Speaker.
• Spring. “Writs.” Operation Lone Star Training (TCDLA). Co-presenter.
• January. “Pretrial Writs of Habeas Corpus.” Training for Neighborhood Defender Service staff. Trainer.
• January. “Cross of a Medical Expert in a Child Abuse Case.” 41st Annual Prairie Dog Advanced Criminal Law (TCDLA), Lubbock. Speaker.

2021 and Earlier

• December 2021. “Cross of a Medical Expert in a Child Abuse Case.” Cross-Examination & Effective Use of the Rules of Evidence (TCDLA). Speaker.
• October 2021. “Challenging Experts.” In-house CLE, Harris County Public Defender’s Office. Speaker.
• October 2021. “Special Teams: Experts & Witnesses.” “Game Day! How to Tackle Any Courtroom Situation” (TCDLA), El Paso. Speaker.
• September 2021. “Special Teams: Experts & Witnesses.” “Getting Game Day Ready” (TCDLA), Victoria. Speaker.
• June 2021. “Discover the Story of Your Case” (Trial Lawyers College), online. Faculty.
• February 2020. Texas Regional Seminar (Trial Lawyers College), Mo Ranch. Faculty.
• November 2019. “Challenging Expert Testimony from Medical Doctors” (Austin Criminal Defense Lawyers Association). Co-presenter.
• October 2019. Child abuse experts. In-house CLE, Harris County Public Defender’s Office. Speaker.

Publications

• Trial Notebook, Eleventh Edition (2025–2026). Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. Co-updater, with Sarah Kannel. Order from TCDLA
• “Overdose Is Not Murder: Defending Fentanyl Death Cases in the Age of Panic.” Voice for the Defense (TCDLA), December 2025. Also published in The Champion (NACDL), May 2026.
• “Fentanyl, Fear, and the Warped Logic of Overdose Murder Laws.” Seminar paper, NACDL Forensic Science & Technology Seminar, 2026.
• “Defenses.” Course book chapter, Advanced Criminal Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2025.
• “Controlling the Narrative: Motions in Limine.” Seminar paper, NACDL Defending Sex Cases Seminar, 2023.
• “The Fallibility of DNA.” Course book chapter, Advanced Criminal Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 2023.
• “Combating Y-STR DNA Analysis in Sexual Assault Cases.” Voice for the Defense (TCDLA), March 2021.
• “Inside the Cell: The Dark Side of Forensic DNA: A Book Review.” The Warrior (Trial Lawyers College), November 2019.

Podcasts and Recordings

• “Shaken Baby Syndrome & The Law: A Case That Shook Texas.” State House Texas, December 2024. Watch on YouTube
• “Perception Is Reality” (jury selection). Trial Lawyers College Podcast, June 2023. Listen
• “Ask the Lawyers.” Texas NORML livestream, June 2022. Watch on YouTube

Invite Angelica to Speak

To invite Angelica to speak at a seminar, conference, or in-house training, call 512-375-3303 or contact us.

Defense lawyers also bring Angelica in on their own cases. Learn about our co-counsel services and jury and trial consulting.