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. Continuing Legal Education (CLE) accreditation for DSO Training Division Programs will be requested unless otherwise noted. Program Credit hours will always be subject to each state's approval and credit rounding rules. Approved programs and credit hours will be made available at the conclusion of applicable programs.
For CLE information and available resources pertaining to your state, please visit the CLE Information Center.
If you have any questions about registering, please emailus.
23 - 25
Bail Boot Camp Workshop
Three out of every four federal criminal defendants in the United States are held in pretrial detention, despite a presumption of innocence. Shocked? A high majority of the people held are of color. Outraged? One reason for this high rate of pretrial detention involves a misunderstanding and misapplication by the parties – the court, the prosecution, probation, and yes, the defense – of the Bail Reform Act (BRA). Appalled? The failure of the parties to adhere to the Bail Reform Act and the lack of zealous advocacy at the initial appearance and detention hearings have led to a crisis within the federal bail system – a crisis that has caused detrimental, and in many cases, irreversible negative consequences to the clients we represent.
The Bail Boot Camp is a skills-based workshop designed to change the system. Using a combination of lectures, demonstrations, and small group exercises, participants will learn the tools necessary to zealously defend their clients in the context of initial appearances and detention hearings.
Registration will be limited to 60 CJA Panel Attorneys and Federal Defender attorneys. Limited financial assistance may be available to CJA Panel Attorneys.
CLE & CIN
We have applied for CLE accreditation in states that have mandatory requirements. We regret that we cannot respond to telephone inquiries regarding the status of CLE approval prior to the workshop. All information related to CLE will be emailed to attendees within 15-30 days following the program.
* In an effort to minimize reporting fees per attorney/program, if you are barred in more than one of the following states NM, TN, PA, NE, attendance will be reported to one state only. The attorney is responsible for making sure the appropriate state and bar number is on file with the DSO Training Division.
* For applicable states, attendance will be reported using the bar number and state(s) listed on the registration form submitted for this program.
* Failure to provide the state and bar number may result in the Training Division not being able to report your attendance.
For those attending from FPDOs, the Conference Identification Number (CIN) for this workshop is CONF250016.
13 - 15
Winning Strategies Seminar
The Winning Strategies Seminar brings together a dynamic group of attorneys and other legal professionals to speak on a wide variety of topics, all specifically designed to keep CJA practitioners abreast of the most recent and important developments in federal criminal defense. Sessions include both large plenary lectures as well as smaller breakout sessions that meet the specific needs of the advanced practitioner and the less experienced attorney alike.
Sessions will include such topics as: Keynote address by Christina Swarns, Innocence Project Director; Wellness for All in Public Defense with Ron Tyler; Supreme Court Update with Easha Anand; Presumed Guilty - How the Supreme Court Empowered the Police and Subverted Civil Rights with Dean Erwin Chemerinsky; When Fake Becomes Real – Defending Against AI-Generated CSAM Charge with Megan Graham; Coloring in the Fourth Amendment with Daniel Harawa; Breaking the Cycle – An Attorney’s Role in Understanding and Addressing the Impact of Clients’ Traumatic Experiences with Dr. Kele Kirschenbaum; Eyes in the Sky – Defending Privacy Rights Against Persistent Aerial Surveillance with Kyana Givens and Ebisa Bayisa; Ethics – How Much to Advise Naturalized U.S. Citizen Clients about Immigration Consequences with Isaac Wheeler; A Defender’s Guide to Top Ten Evidence Issues with Rene Valladares, and much more.
Continuing Legal Education (CLE) accreditation for this seminar will be sought in all applicable jurisdictions. Limited financial assistance may be available to non-federal defender registrants for travel and/or lodging purposes. Financial assistance applications must be returned by 5:00 PM EST on December 30, 2024.
For those attending in person from FPDOs, the Conference Identification Number (CIN) for this seminar is CONF250034.
13 - 14
Fundamentals of Federal Criminal Defense Seminar
This program is designed for those new to federal criminal defense practice and addresses topics such as discovery and motions practice, pleas and proffers, the Bail Reform Act, and the basics of the sentencing guidelines.
The Fundamentals of Federal Criminal Defense program is a 1 1/2 day program, ending around 2:00 PM PT on Friday, February 14, 2025. Fundamentals will occur concurrently with the Winning Strategies Seminar (a 2 1/2 day program), which runs from February 13-15, 2025, at the same hotel. Fundamentals registrants are welcome and invited to stay over and attend the Winning Strategies Seminar. Separate registration is not required; however, when you register for Fundamentals, please answer "yes" to the registration question about whether you also plan to stay and attend Winning Strategies.
Continuing Legal Education (CLE) accreditation for this seminar will be sought in all applicable jurisdictions. Limited financial assistance may be available to non-federal defender registrants for travel and/or lodging purposes. Financial assistance applications must be returned by 5:00 PM EST on December 30, 2024.
For those attending in person from FPDOs, the Conference Identification Number (CIN) for this seminar is CONF250034.
25
Unlocking the Sentencing Guidelines, A Virtual Series: Session 8 – Calculating Guidelines for Sex Offenses and Obscenity
Possession, distribution, and production of child pornography, covered by guidelines sections 2G2.1 and 2G2.2, along with coercion or enticement of a minor and transferring obscene material to a minor, covered by sections 2G1.3 and 2G3.1, respectively, are the types of sex offenses most commonly prosecuted in federal court. This training session will focus on the fundamentals of the applicable guidelines and enhancements for a range of conduct that often applies in these types of cases. The presenter will provide practice pointers and strategies to help minimize your client’s guideline range and sentencing outcomes.
Presenter:
RACHEL BRAVER is an assistant federal public defender in Corpus Christi, Texas. Prior to joining the office in 2016, she clerked for Judge Roger L. Gregory of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and Senior Judge Hilda G. Tagle of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, she is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and Grinnell College.
CLE
We have applied for CLE accreditation in states that have mandatory requirements. We regret that we cannot respond to telephone inquiries regarding the status of CLE approval prior to the webinar. All information related to CLE will be emailed to attendees within 15-30 days following the program.
- To minimize reporting fees per attorney/program, if you are barred in more than one of the following states NM, TN, PA, NE, attendance will be reported to one state only.
- The attorney is responsible for making sure the appropriate state and bar number is on file with the DSO Training Division.
- For applicable states, attendance will be reported using the bar number and state(s) listed on the registration form submitted for this program.
- Failure to provide the state and bar number may result in the Training Division not being able to report your attendance.
6 - 8
2025 L&T Series: Techniques in Electronic Case Management (TECM) Workshop
Twenty years ago, discovery came on paper. Now most information starts digitally and never appears on paper. As a result, electronic discovery has inundated the modern criminal defense lawyer with large amounts of information in multiple formats. How you receive, organize, search, and retrieve that information can make all the difference in your client’s case. And “lawyers have a responsibility to have an adequate understanding of electronic discovery.” Office of the U.S. Courts Joint Working Grp. on Elec. Tech. in the Criminal Justice Sys., Recommendations for Electronically Stored Information (ESI) Discovery Production in Federal Criminal Cases Recommendations 2 (2012). The ABA has also adopted this position. See Commentary to Model Rule of Professional Responsibility 1.1.
The Law & Technology Series: Techniques in Electronic Case Management (TECM) Workshop is designed specifically for CJA panel attorneys who work on their own; however, anyone practicing criminal defense work, including Assistant Federal Public Defenders, paralegals, investigators, and mitigation specialists will benefit from this program. Participants will learn basic and advanced features of four litigation support software programs (Adobe Acrobat Pro, dtSearch, Cellebrite Reader, and CaseMap/TimeMap suite) that they can immediately incorporate into their daily practice.
This two-and-a-half-day program uses a combination of plenary presentations and small group instruction. Most of the participants’ time will be doing hands-on, interactive exercises that demonstrate strategies for solving e-discovery challenges using the litigation support software and a model case. Participants are encouraged to bring a case of their own to practice deploying their newly learned skills with experienced faculty. Participants will better understand how litigation support programs work, how they can use these tools while working on their own, and how to use these skills to better collaborate with the defense team.
Limited financial assistance may be available to non-federal defender registrants for travel and/or lodging purposes. Financial assistance applications will be available when registration opens.
The Conference Identification Number (CIN) for this seminar is CONF250021.
27 - 28
Non Capital Habeas Conference
This program will cover the broad spectrum of issues specific to habeas corpus litigation on behalf of state and federal prisoners with noncapital cases. Plenary sessions will feature both national speakers and seasoned non-capital habeas attorneys, with breakout sessions for advanced and novice habeas practitioners. Sessions will include investigating and pleading claims, and habeas case updates from the circuits.
Continuing Legal Education (CLE) accreditation for this program will be sought in all applicable jurisdictions. Additional CLE information will be available after the conclusion of this program. Limited financial assistance may be available to non-federal defender registrants for travel and/or lodging purposes. Financial assistance applications must be returned by 4:00 PM EST on February 11, 2025.
For those attending in person from FPDOs, the Conference Identification Number (CIN) for this event is CONF250032.
10 - 12
Federal Defense Race Conference: Strategies in Pursuit of Justice
In July, Defender Nation will gather in Philadelphia to share litigation ideas, foster friendships, and strengthen our collective resilience and hope in our work at the Race Conference.
The American criminal legal system’s history is steeped in racial inequities, from the oppression of Indigenous Tribes to the disproportionate incarceration of Black people and the targeted prosecution of Latinx communities. The Race Conference is designed to address these critical issues and many more head-on, providing everyone with tools and strategies to combat racial injustice.
We will cover a wide range of topics, including:
- Strategies for litigating race from street encounters to Fourth Amendment challenges, and a blueprint on winning selective enforcement claims
- Navigating the evolving landscape of federal drug policy
- Practical tips for defending noncitizens
- Methods to reduce racial disparities in detention hearings, charging, pleas, and sentencing
- Techniques for de-biasing the court and creating more inclusive environments
- Approaches to recruiting and retaining diverse talent
- Effective ways to have difficult conversations about race
We will also hear and learn directly from those who have experienced the unnecessary cruelty of the law firsthand.
This program is open to everyone working pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act. Yes, that means heads of offices, administrative officers, attorneys, investigators, legal assistants, paralegals, and literally all CJA defense professionals. Feedback from past conferences has highlighted the immense value of this training, with many remarking it should be “mandatory.”
If you have questions about the content of this program, please contact Akin Adepoju at Akin_Adepoju@ao.uscourts.gov.
Continuing Legal Education (CLE) accreditation for this program will be sought in all applicable jurisdictions. This program may satisfy CLE requirements in ethics, elimination of bias, inclusion and cultural competency, and professionalism.
Aug 2
Multi-Track Federal Criminal Defense Seminar - Hybrid
The Multi-Track Federal Criminal Defense Seminar will be offered as a hybrid program (in person and virtually). The seminar offers in-depth instruction in a variety of substantive areas of federal criminal defense practice. The seminar consists of related sessions, or tracks, which are grouped together allowing attorneys to select areas of practice which will best meet their training needs. There are tracks designed for attorneys at all levels of experience. In addition to the tracks, the seminar includes an additional eight substantive plenary lectures which cover a wide variety of important areas of federal criminal practice. The specific track presentations for the July 31 to August 2, 2025 seminar in St. Louis will be listed in the agenda.
Enrollment for in-person attendance at this seminar is limited to 175 attendees. Enrollment for virtual attendance is limited to 500 attendees. You will have the option to select in-person or virtual during the registration process.
CLE & CIN
Continuing Legal Education (CLE) accreditation for this program will be sought in all applicable jurisdictions. A limited amount of financial assistance based on need will be available for CJA panel attorneys wishing to attend this conference when registration opens.
For those attending in person from FPDOs, the Conference Identification Number (CIN) for this seminar is CONF250018.
10 - 15