Please be advised that registration for all Training Division Events is limited to persons who provide services pursuant to the Federal Criminal Justice Act (CJA). For more information please read our Training Events Registration Disclaimer.
If you have any questions about registering, please emailus.
27 - 29
Non-Capital Sentencing Mitigation Skills Workshop
Using a storytelling approach, this workshop presents a hands-on method on the development of non-capital mitigation and its integration into persuasive sentencing advocacy. Through plenary and small group sessions, participants will further their understanding on non-capital mitigation evidence and the skills necessary to effectively interview for mitigation; investigate, collect and analyze records; and write reports and/or sentencing memorandum to present mitigation at sentencing. In the small group sessions, participants will use pending cases of their own to practice interviewing, storytelling, and persuasive writing. This workshop is specifically designed for non-capital mitigation social workers, sentencing advocates, attorneys and other professionals who provide this work under the Criminal Justice Act (CJA). Please note that due to the workshop format of this program, participation in all of the sessions is mandatory.
Enrollment for this program is limited to 45 federal defender staff and non-capital mitigation social workers, sentencing advocates, attorneys and other professionals who provide this work under the Criminal Justice Act (CJA).
5 - 7
Law & Technology Series: Techniques in Electronic Case Management (TECM) Workshop
In the digital era, knowledge about managing, reviewing, and analyzing electronic discovery or voluminous discovery is a critical skill for criminal defense attorneys. In fact, the first principle of the national joint electronic discovery protocol developed by representatives of the Federal Public Defenders, CJA panel attorneys, the Department of Justice and the Defender Services Office reflects this trend in the law: “[l]awyers have a responsibility to have an adequate understanding of electronic discovery.” (See ESI Protocol). This position has been adopted by the ABA. See, Commentary to Model Rule of Professional Responsibility 1.1.
The Law & Technology Series: Techniques in Electronic Case Management (TECM) Workshop exposes CJA panel attorneys and FDO staff to the legal, strategic, and technological considerations involved with electronic and/or voluminous discovery. This two-and-a-half-day program uses a combination of plenary presentations and small group, hands-on instruction. Besides gaining an understanding of the legal, practical, and technological issues in these types of federal criminal cases, participants will learn basic and advanced features of three litigation support software programs (Adobe Acrobat Pro, dtSearch, and CaseMap/TimeMap suite). Attendees will better understand how legal litigation support programs work, and how to coordinate thoughtful workflow processes with co-counsel, staff, and potential vendors. Workshop participants will also improve their overall ability to master case information, in order to better prepare a defense.
17
Defending Noncitizens in Today’s Harsh Environment: Considerations for Undocumented Persons, Asylum Seekers, and Legal Permanent Residents
Criminal defense attorneys not only have a duty to properly advise noncitizen clients about the immigration consequences of pending charges but also are often the only individuals clients can count on to best prepare them for what comes next in immigration proceedings, including how to defend against deportation. This session will address when non-citizens – with a focus on asylum seekers and lawful permanent residents – may be eligible to remain in the United States and explain which types of offenses disqualify such individuals from immigration relief. This session will also address how to put clients in the best possible position to minimize immigration consequences and provide practical tips for plea negotiations. Finally, the session will explain what the immigration process looks like for asylum seekers and LPRs who are facing deportation, and provide practical tips for preparing clients for that process.
Presenters:
Hena Mansori, Managing Attorney, National Immigrant Justice Center, A Heartland Alliance Program, Chicago, IL
Tamara Mulembo, Assistant Federal Defender & Visiting Attorney Advisor, Training Division, Defender Services Office, Washington, D.C.
19
Defending Noncitizens in Today’s Harsh Environment: Considerations for Undocumented Persons, Asylum Seekers, and Legal Permanent Residents (REPEAT)
Criminal defense attorneys not only have a duty to properly advise noncitizen clients about the immigration consequences of pending charges but also are often the only individuals clients can count on to best prepare them for what comes next in immigration proceedings, including how to defend against deportation. This session will address when non-citizens – with a focus on asylum seekers and lawful permanent residents – may be eligible to remain in the United States and explain which types of offenses disqualify such individuals from immigration relief. This session will also address how to put clients in the best possible position to minimize immigration consequences and provide practical tips for plea negotiations. Finally, the session will explain what the immigration process looks like for asylum seekers and LPRs who are facing deportation, and provide practical tips for preparing clients for that process.
Presenters:
Hena Mansori, Managing Attorney, National Immigrant Justice Center, A Heartland Alliance Program, Chicago, IL
Tamara Mulembo, Assistant Federal Defender & Visiting Attorney Advisor, Training Division, Defender Services Office, Washington, D.C.
26 - 28
The Andrea Taylor Sentencing Advocacy Workshop
The Andrea Taylor Sentencing Advocacy Workshop focuses on a vital area of federal practice that has evolved since the Supreme Court declared the federal sentencing guidelines were advisory and no longer mandatory. Since approximately 97% of federal criminal cases continue to the sentencing phase, participation in the Sentencing Advocacy Workshop should not be missed. The Sentencing Advocacy Workshop teaches a comprehensive approach to sentencing where participants are trained to develop persuasive, fact-based, sentencing theories, and are provided with the advocacy skills necessary to advance their theories both in writing and during sentencing hearings. Presentations and demonstrations at the workshop include client relations and interviewing for mitigation, fact busting, developing persuasive theories and themes, storytelling at sentencing, persuasive writing, and persuasive presentation. The workshop consists of plenary sessions and small group breakout sessions. In the small group sessions, participants will use pending cases of their own to bust the facts, develop theories and themes, practice storytelling, persuasively write part of their sentencing memorandums and discuss how best to conduct sentencing hearings. Please note that due to the workshop format of this program, participation in all of the sessions is mandatory.
Enrollment for this program is limited to 65 participants – priority will be given to those people who have not attended this workshop in the past. Limited financial assistance may be available to non-federal defender registrants for travel expenses.
9 - 11
Trial Skills Workshop II: Advocacy Strategies & Skills To Maximize Use Of Experts
The Trial Skills Workshops are two and a half day programs that center upon specific components of criminal trial litigation. This first iteration focuses on expert testimony and is the same workshop that we hosted in January. We will not offer this particular workshop again in 2020. The skills targeted include: (1) Identifying & screening experts to support the theory of the case and qualifying the experts to testify; (2) Recognizing the signs of mental illness, hiring the best expert to consult and maybe testify, and considering how mental illness might impact litigation strategy; (3) Effective use of the Federal Rules of Evidence to make sure that your experts are qualified and the reports and documents that further your theory are admitted into the record; (4) Advanced theme-based cross examination of the government’s expert witnesses; and (5) Preparation of defense expert witnesses and advanced direct examination and understanding how to navigate the direct examination of a “hostile” witness. An experienced and skilled faculty will lead this program. Elements of effective litigation advocacy skills will be presented in the plenary sessions and demos. Participants will practice those skills and receive feedback in small group sessions.
Opportunity to work on your own case: Participants may bring their own case to TSWII for use in some or all of the workshop sessions, provided that the case contains one of the following issues: mental health, toolmark/prints/DNA issues related to guns, and cell site location information (CSLI).
Attendance at this program is limited and requires an application which will be made available when registration opens. Accepted applicants will be notified in advance.
28
National Litigation Support Team (NLST) Webinar: Managing and Reviewing Electronic Discovery
30
National Litigation Support Team (NLST) Webinar: Managing and Reviewing Electronic Discovery (Live Repeat)
12 - 14
Federal Defender Investigator and Paralegal Seminar
This two-and-a-half-day program will cover a wide range of criminal defense topics specifically targeted toward investigators and paralegals, who work at the federal level. A mix of plenary and concurrent breakout sessions will address areas such as sentencing mitigation, mental health, document management and analysis, online investigation, BOP issues and offense-specific tips for building a defense in a variety of federal cases. Additionally, the seminar will include presentations focused on other issues relevant for mitigation specialists, social workers, interpreters and bi-lingual staff.
24 - 26
Trial Skills Workshop III - Crimes Decoded: Emerging Digital Technology Litigation Strategies
Trial Skills Workshop III focuses on Litigation Strategies for Emerging Digital Technology’s impact on Criminal Cases. This iteration in our Trial Skills Workshop series explores the intersection of digital technology and criminal investigations. We aim to increase understanding and inspire CJA lawyers and Federal Public Defenders to think innovatively about how to litigate issues surrounding the digital technology that increasingly permeates our cases. We want to build lawyers’ confidence to use traditional advocacy skills with a new understanding of the vulnerability of the technology that the government relies on. Although criminal investigations are changing by using artificial intelligence-based decision making, the same skills and questions we have always utilized in criminal defense work can be adapted to emerging digital technology today. This workshop will “decode” the technology and increase your advocacy skills. The program is a skills-based workshop. The expectation is that participants spend much of the workshop on their feet practicing their advocacy skills. The skills learned are not limited to the trial setting; they are geared toward other hearings like bail hearings, evidentiary hearings, Daubert and SR violation hearings. Participants are divided into small groups to practice the skills necessary to effectively exclude, explain, and/or persuade a Judge or Jury about the technology utilized. Lectures and demonstrations of these skills supplement and inform the small group workshops.
Attendance will be capped at 70 participants, and each participant must apply to be accepted to the program. Completed applications will be reviewed in the order they are received.
Registration will open in late Spring.