Our regular readers know that I place a lot of emphasis on advanced DUI training and lecturing. In 2011 I spent over 600 hours in training seminars and will top that again this year. That’s the equivalent of 3 months solid of training. There is no DUI lawyer in PA who spends this much time in training or lecturing. No other attorney in the United States can match this. My motivation for this is because I want to be the best and offer the very best defense to all of my clients.
I also make it a point to ensure that all of the attorneys in my firm are thoroughly trained in DUI defense so they too can offer a vigorous fact-based and scientific-based defense and uphold the reputation of The McShane Firm as Pennsylvania’s premier DUI defense firm.
As of July 11, 2012, all of the attorneys from The McShane Firm have graduated from The American Chemical Society Hands-on Forensic Chromatography course. It is a five-day class with laboratory instruction conducted at Axion Analytical Laboratories, Inc. in Chicago, Illinois. This hands-on course is taught by three icons of chromatography (Dr. Harold McNair, PhD, Dr. Lee Polite, PhD and Mr. Lew Fox) and three attorneys who specialize in evaluating chromatography and forensic science related cases (Justin J. McShane, Josh D. Lee, and Ron Moore).
The agenda includes:
Day 1
| 8:15am | Registration and Snacks |
| 8:30am | Introduction to Gas Chromatography |
| 9:30am | Inlet Systems for Liquid Injections |
| 10:30am | Lab 1: GC Familiarization and Parameters |
| 11:45 | Lab Review |
| 12:00pm | Lunch |
| 1:00pm | Fundamentals of Separation — Resolution |
| 2:30pm | GC Theory |
| 3:30pm | Capillary Columns |
| 4:30pm | Lab 2: Column Installation |
| 6:00pm | End of Session |
| 7:30pm | Group Dinner |
Day 2
| 8:30am | Quantitative Analysis |
| 9:30am | Discussion of QC in the Forensic World |
| 10:30am | Lab 3: GC Quantitation |
| 12:00pm | Lunch |
| 1:00pm | Lab Review |
| 2:00pm | Headspace GC |
| 4:00pm | Lab 4: Headspace Demo |
| 5:00pm | End of Session |
| 6:30pm | Axion Labs sponsored Group Dinner |
Day 3
| 8:30am | GC-MS Theory |
| 10:30am | LC-MS Theory |
| 12:00pm | Lunch |
| 1:00pm | Labs 5–7: Wet Lab –Sample Preparation/ Integration / GC-MS Instrumentation |
| 3:00pm | FID Detector |
| 4:00pm | Discovery |
| 5:30pm | End of Session |
| 7:05pm | Sporting event |
Day 4
| 8:30am | Ethics |
| 9:30am | Lab 8: Walking Down a Case-How to Sort, Identify and Examine Data (Confrontation Clause) |
| 11:00 am | General Review of Major Concepts |
| 12:00pm | Lunch |
| 1:00pm | Defenses That Work |
| 3:00pm | Lab 9: Troubleshooting GC Problems |
| 4:30pm | Lab 10: Beers and Data Roundtable (Bring your own data set evaluate with your small group) |
| 8:30pm | End |
Day 5
| 8:30am | Troubleshooting Lab Review |
| 9:00am | Cross examination of an Analyst |
| 10:30am | Direct Examination of an Expert |
| 12:00pm | Trouble Shooting Lab Review |
| 12:30pm | Soft stop of the course with general discussion |
| 2:00pm | Hard Stop-End of Course |
Gas Chromatography is the method most widely used in DUI blood testing. While most DUI lawyers have never even seen a GC performed, this course allows the attendees to perform many of the tests and lab work live. They graduate with a clear understanding of GC and with strategies they can use in the courtroom.
The graduates of the ACS Forensic Chromatography Course are clearly a cut above the rest in terms of knowledge and experience. This is the type of experience you want on your side if you are charged with a DUI.
If you are charged with a DUI with blood testing evidence, make sure to ask your lawyer if they have attended the ACS Forensic Chromatography Course.
Justin McShane
PA DUI attorney Justin J. McShane is the President/CEO of The McShane Firm, LLC - Pennsylvania's top criminal law and DUI law firm. He is the highest rated DUI attorney in PA as rated by Avvo.com. Justin McShane is a double Board certified attorney. He is the first and so far the only Pennsylvania attorney to achieve American Bar Association recognized board certification in DUI defense from the National College for DUI Defense, Inc. He is also a Board Certified Criminal Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, a Pennsylvania Supreme Court Approved Agency.