The criminal discovery requirements imposed on prosecutors and defense attorneys in federal and state cases will be the focus.  At the state level, the discovery requirements are relatively new.  With respect to the federal level, there will be a discussion of the four areas of discovery (Brady, Giglio, Jencks, and Rule 16), all of which can be very confusing and challenging for new--and even experienced litigators.  The presentation will discuss the major principles of state and federal discovery, as well the expectations from state and EDVA judges.  In addition, discussion of how federal courts handle classified documents and information under CIPA.  For any litigator, this presentation will be a good introduction or reminder of what each side is responsible for in a criminal proceeding, such as bond and motion hearings, trials, and sentencings.

Gene Rossi
Shareholder
Carlton Fields

“Levity is Life” is Gene Rossi’s motto from death-defying medical challenges. He is a shareholder at Carlton Fields—and an adjunct instructor of constitutional law (George Mason University) & trial advocacy (Harvard Law School). He was a 2017 Democratic primary candidate for Lt Governor of Virginia. He & wife Diane (Greenwood, Mississippi) have lived in Alexandria, Virginia, since 1989. Their 3 children (Leigh, Will & Jack) are all “Titans” who attended Alexandria public schools. Born in 1956 in Middletown, Connecticut, he lived on a dairy farm & worked in a lumber yard—a business begun in 1926 by his late father (“Ted” Rossi) with a team of horses & portable sawmill. At age 10, Gene’s father passed away; he & 3 older brothers were then raised by his single mother Alma.

In 1983-89, he was a Washington representative for Connecticut Governor Bill O'Neill. In 1989-2016, Gene was a prolific prosecutor with the U.S. Justice Department, for which he was trial counsel in an unprecedented 110 trials (90 jury) in U.S. Courts. In 2001-16, he was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA)--famous “Rocket Docket." In EDVA's Alexandria Division, he was Deputy Chief of the Narcotics Unit and Chief of the Specials Unit, where he trained over 500 prosecutors.

He tried an EDVA record 65 felony jury trials. His Dr. William Hurwitz trials--part of nationally renowned Operation “Cotton Candy”--were the subject of a 2016 Hollywood documentary (“Dr. Feelgood”) about the opioid epidemic. To honor his historic trial work, EDVA’s Alexandria Office set aside a special conference area—the “Gene Rossi War Room.” The FBI Washington Field Office honored him in 2016 with a Career Achievement Award--first time given to a prosecutor. He’s appeared often on TV (e.g., CNN, MSNBC, FoxNews, CBS News, ABC News, NewsNation & Court TV). He is a legal analyst for the Law & Crime Network. He had a radio program—“The Gene Rossi Show.” In 2024, he was elected to the Cosmos Club of D.C.

Born in Middletown, Connecticut. His home town of East Hampton, CT, inducted Gene into its Athletic Hall of Fame. He was a 3-sport (basketball, baseball & soccer) high school athlete. As an All-Stater in basketball, he scored 1,300 points, including 41 points in 1 game, and later played two seasons in college. He went to law school after he failed to fulfill a baseball dream (as a catcher) at a 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates tryout camp & after earlier reading Stephen Oates’ best-selling biography of former uber trial lawyer Abe Lincoln: “With Malice Toward None.”

Dennis Fitzpatrick
Partner
Whiteford, Taylor & Preston LLP

Dennis is a decorated national security attorney and litigator who has been recognized for leading difficult and highly sensitive cases over a 20-year government career.  While he has a specialty in national security matters, Dennis’s core competencies are investigations and, if necessary, trial advocacy.  His investigative experience includes leading over 50 criminal trials, examining hundreds of witnesses before the grand jury, and coordinating with numerous agencies within the federal government, including the CIA, FBI, DEA, ATF, Department of Treasury, Homeland Security, Department of Defense, Department of Commerce, and others.  In addition to practicing law, Dennis serves as a Senior Legal Advisor to The Soufan Group, as an advisor to the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, and on the faculty of the National Security Institute at the Scalia Law School at George Mason University.

Dennis has been recognized for the quality and significance of his work by the legal community and the Department of Justice. In 2017, Virginia Lawyers Weekly honored Dennis with a Leader in the Law award. He has also received the following awards from the Department of Justice: