Training Event Description
The Paralegal and Investigator Skills (PISW) Workshop is a hands-on program providing intensive training in several skills (e.g., case management/organization, locating records/witnesses, and analyzing documents) that are essential to the daily work of paralegals and investigators. This workshop has been newly redesigned, featuring a new case problem and updated learning objectives. This program is limited to federal defender staff, with a preference given to paralegals/investigators who work on trial level cases. It is designed to give participants the opportunity to learn by doing, using a combination of plenary sessions and interactive small group breakouts. In the small groups, participants practice the skills introduced in the plenary sessions, using the facts of a model case.
Due to the workshop format of this program, participants will be required to attend all sessions through Saturday morning. Participants must bring a laptop with Excel and Google Earth Pro for a session on analyzing phone records and location data.
NOTE: Enrollment for this training event is limited to 72 participants. Federal defender staff who did not attend the 2026 Defender Paralegal and Investigator Seminar (San Francisco, CA) in August will be given priority. In the interest of allowing more offices to be able to send participants, there will be a cap of 2 attendees per federal defender office.
Not a CLE event
We did not apply for CLE for this program. However, attendees will be provided a Certificate of Attendance for their records within 15-30 days of the broadcast, which may be used to self-apply for CLE, depending on the bar rules for your jurisdiction.