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.
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Defending Illegal Reentry Cases (§ 1326): The Basics
This presentation will walk participants through the basic steps for defending a § 1326 case. This session will be focused on litigating § 1326 cases from the discovery stage through trial. Participants will get a basic overview of the common legal and factual issues in a § 1326 case, the unique discovery and investigation required to defend these cases, and an overview of trial defenses. After this session participants should come away with a concrete framework for representing clients charged with § 1326.
Presenters
Bridget Kennedy is an Assistant Federal Public Defender in the capital habeas unit for the Southern District of Ohio. She previously worked as a trial attorney at the Federal Public Defenders of San Diego for 12 years where she represented countless clients charged with 8 U.S.C. § 1326 and related offenses. She has trained nationally on immigration crimes, and was the updating author for “International Border-Crossing Offenses” for the 2023 edition of Defending a Criminal Case.
Sara Peloquin joined the Defender Services Training Division in November 2024. Previously she had been a trial attorney with the Federal Defenders of San Diego from 2007 to 2024. She has tried a variety of cases including illegal re-entry, drugs, guns, sex trafficking, assault, and fraud charges.
CLE
To ensure we could deliver the content as quickly as possible, we did not apply for CLE for this webinar. However, attendees will receive a Certificate of Attendance, which can be used to self-apply for CLE credits, depending on the requirements of your state's bar, within 15-30 days of the broadcast.
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Unlocking the Sentencing Guidelines, A Virtual Series: Session 10 – Grouping Under The Guidelines
This webinar was previously postponed for reasons beyond our control. This webinar will be recorded and available for playback on the password side of fd.org. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Just when you thought you had finished calculating the sentencing guidelines properly, the dreaded issue of grouping rears its ugly head! Never fear, this session is aimed at helping attorneys grasp the concept of grouping. After this session, you will understand how to determine a single guideline range where there are multiple counts.
Presenter
Cherrelle Herbert is an attorney with the National Sentencing Resource Counsel (SRC), a project of the Federal Public and Community Defenders. Prior to working with SRC, Cherrelle worked as an Assistant Federal Public Defender in the District of Puerto Rico and as an Assistant Public Defender in Miami-Dade, Florida. Cherrelle earned her J.D. from Cardozo Law School and her B.A. from Stanford University. She is originally from the Virgin Islands, where she now resides. Cherrelle has presented at the National Seminar for Federal Public Defenders, the Multi-Track Federal Criminal Defense Seminar, and for various CJA panels.
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 60 days of the broadcast.
- 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.
11
Unlocking the Sentencing Guidelines, A Virtual Series: Session 13 - Probation and Supervised Release Guidelines
This presentation will provide an overview of United States Sentencing Guideline Sections 7B1.1 through 7B1.5 and how those sections interact with relevant statutory provisions. The presenter will delve into the most common issues that arise in the application of the probation and supervised release guidelines, both during the original sentencing hearing and revocation proceedings. The presentation will include strategies to use at the original sentencing hearing that will impact your client’s time during supervised release, including tailoring the terms and conditions of supervised release to the individual.
Presenter:
Johanna M. Christiansen is an Assistant Federal Public Defender in the Central District of Illinois. She has been with the office since 2001, primarily working as an appellate attorney and Appellate Division Chief.
In addition to representing her clients in the Seventh Circuit, Ms. Christiansen writes the Case Law Update from her office which summarizes recent developments in criminal law in the Seventh Circuit and United States Supreme Court. She authors several publications for the office including the “Handbook for Criminal Appeals in the Seventh Circuit.” She also teaches as an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois College of Law. Prior to obtaining her position with the Federal Public Defender, she served as an appellate law clerk to the late Honorable Daryl L. Hecht of the Iowa Court of Appeals (later of the Iowa Supreme Court.) Ms. Christiansen received her J.D. from Drake University School of Law and her B.A. from St. Olaf 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 webinar.
- 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.
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Strategies for Defending § 1325 Cases
Your client isn’t a citizen and allegedly crossed the border illegally in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1325? Seems like an open and shut case. Not so! The § 1325 statute is poorly written with multiple subsections and defenses abound! This session will cover the statute’s unique subsections. We’ll discuss trial strategies as well as potential constitutional challenges. Come learn how to effectively challenge these prosecutions.
Presenter
Doug Keller is a partner at Flowers Keller LLP. He represents clients in state and federal courts around the country in criminal cases and civil wrongful-conviction cases. The firm’s mission is to defend the accused, vindicate the convicted, and change the criminal legal system. As part of that mission, Doug regularly leads trainings to help other criminal-defense and civil-rights lawyers. Previously, Doug worked as a federal public defender in San Diego and clerked for the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He was also the Legal Director at the Lone Star Defenders Office, a public defender office that represents individuals charged with state crimes at the Texas-Mexico border. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas School of Law. He is based out of Austin, Texas. You can reach him at dkeller@flowerskeller.com.
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.
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.
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Appellate Webinar Series, Session 4 - Writing, With Style: The Rules of Replies
Replies serve a vital role in the briefing process, shedding light for your reader on why the government’s arguments fall short. In this presentation, we’ll unpack how to craft a reply in a structured, replicable format, allowing you to efficiently take down arguments and put your points across the finish line.
Presenter:
Jay McEntire is a civil rights attorney with Connelly Law Offices in the State of Washington. Before joining Connelly, Jay previously served as the senior litigator for the Federal Defenders of Eastern Washington and Idaho. There, he represented clients charged with terrorism, white collar crimes, and serious assaults and murders on Native American lands. He took several federal criminal cases to trial, all of which resulted in partial or complete acquittals. Before joining the Federal Defenders, he spent two-and-a-half years clerking for the Honorable Edward F. Shea, U.S. District Court – Eastern District of Washington. Jay also teaches trial advocacy, advanced federal criminal procedure, and advanced legal writing at Gonzaga University School of Law. He loves skiing, triathlon, stylish socks, and talking about good grammar.
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.
8 - 12
The Andrea Taylor Sentencing Advocacy Workshop - Virtual Style
This is the sixth virtual Andrea Taylor Sentencing Advocacy Workshop (SAW). In contrast to the in-person 2½-day program, virtual SAW will be a course that engages participants in multiple ways over the course of five consecutive days, from Monday, September 8, 2025, through Friday, September 12, 2025.
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. Pre-recorded presentations for this workshop include client-centered communication, interviewing for mitigation, fact busting, developing persuasive theories and themes, storytelling at sentencing, persuasive writing, and persuasive presentation.
This virtual program will use a combination of pre-recorded presentations and live workshop sessions. Each of the recorded presentations will correspond with one or more of the workshop sessions. The recording corresponding to the workshop session must be viewed prior to attending the workshop session. For example, for Day 1, prior to attending the live Workshop Session 1, “Fact-Busting the Case,” on September 8, 2025, participants must view the 60-minute Recording 1, “Fact-Busting the Case.” All recordings will be available to view approximately two weeks prior to the corresponding live workshop session. Instructions for watching the pre-recorded videos and attending the workshop sessions will be provided in advance of the start of this program.
The five live 120-minute workshop sessions will be led by skilled facilitators in small group settings. These sessions will be held from 3:30 – 5:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), on five consecutive days, Monday, September 8, 2025, through Friday, December 12, 2025.
As with our traditional in-person workshops, participants will get on their (virtual) feet and practice skills and receive peer feedback. Participants are encouraged to bring their own case to this program.
We have a limited number of spots in this workshop; therefore, we require each participant to commit to timely watching the recorded presentations (total of 7 hours, plus 1 optional hour) and to actively attending all live workshop sessions (total of 10 hours).