Training Events | Defender Services Office

Below on this page you will find all events funded for FY 2017 (October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017). Events for which dates and locations have not been finalized are indicated by TBD. You can also view our List of All Authorized FY 2017 Training Events and Conferences. Training by other organizations is listed on the Programs by Other Organizations page

2017 Jun 26 June 26, 2017 - 10:00am Add to Calendar iCalendar Outlook Google Yahoo	WEBINAR: STRATEGIES FOR DEFENDING NONCITIZENS: KNOWING IMMIGRATION BASICS Contact: odstbwebtraining@ao.uscourts.gov Time: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM Register Here Event Description Noncitizens represent approximately 13% of the population but unfortunately face increased criminal prosecutions. As a result, practitioners need to know generally about immigration law and what the immigration consequences are for their clients. This webinar will cover the basics, including immigration statuses, deportation and removal, deportability vs inadmissibility, forms of immigration relief, and potential avenues of defense for certain crimes. This webinar is ideal for counsel who seek a basic understanding of immigration law as well as those who have experience in “crimmigration” defense. Presenter Ubong E. Akpan, Attorney Advisor, Defender Services Office Training Division
2017 Jun 28 June 28, 2017 - 2:00am Add to Calendar iCalendar Outlook Google Yahoo	WEBINAR: STRATEGIES FOR DEFENDING NONCITIZENS: KNOWING IMMIGRATION BASICS (REPEAT) Contact: odstbwebtraining@ao.uscourts.gov Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Register Here Event Description Noncitizens represent approximately 13% of the population but unfortunately face increased criminal prosecutions. As a result, practitioners need to know generally about immigration law and what the immigration consequences are for their clients. This webinar will cover the basics, including immigration statuses, deportation and removal, deportability vs inadmissibility, forms of immigration relief, and potential avenues of defense for certain crimes. This webinar is ideal for counsel who seek a basic understanding of immigration law as well as those who have experience in “crimmigration” defense. Presenter Ubong E. Akpan, Attorney Advisor, Defender Services Office Training Division
2017 Jul 20 - 22 July 20, 2017 - 6:45am Add to Calendar iCalendar Outlook Google Yahoo	Law & Technology Workshop Series: Electronic Courtroom Presentation Cincinnati, Ohio Contact: Caryn_Pierce@ao.uscourts.gov Registration Here (Waitlist Only) Draft Agenda Event Description The Law & Technology Series: Electronic Courtroom Presentation Workshop (ECP) exposes CJA panel and federal public/community defender attorneys and professional staff to the legal, strategic and technological considerations involved with electronically presenting information in the federal courtroom during trial and hearings. This two-and-a-half-day program uses a combination of plenary presentations and small group, hands-on instruction. In the smaller breakout groups, attendees will practice direct and cross-examination, opening statements, and closing arguments, using Trial Director and PowerPoint software which are well suited for electronically presenting information in the courtroom. To participate in this program, participants must bring their own laptop computer. Interested participants MUST complete a short skill set survey before their registration request will be considered. NOTE: The litigation support software programs used in this workshop are designed to work on Windows operating systems (as opposed to Mac). If accepted, you must bring a laptop running Windows, or a Mac laptop running a virtualized copy of Windows.
2017 Jul 27 - 29 July 27, 2017 - 6:15am Add to Calendar iCalendar Outlook Google Yahoo	Paralegal And Investigator Skills Workshop New Orleans, Louisiana Contact: Heidi_Capati@ao.uscourts.gov Registration Here (Waitlist Only) Draft Agenda Event Description The Paralegal and Investigator Skills Workshop is a hands-on program providing intensive training in several skills (e.g., interviewing, case management/organization, locating records and witnesses, analyzing documents) that are essential to the daily work of paralegals and investigators in federal defender offices or assigned to CJA panel cases. The program 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. Because the workshop emphasizes essential skills, it is particularly valuable to new investigators and paralegals. Those with more experience will find it to be a useful refresher and an opportunity to share their knowledge with others. Please note that, due to the workshop format of this program, participants will be required to attend all sessions. Registration will open in early May and will be limited to 70 participants. First priority in registration will be given to those who have never attended the workshop in the past. In order to attend this workshop, participants must be employees with paralegal and/or investigator duties in a federal defender office, or regularly perform such duties in conjunction with federal CJA panel attorney appointments.
2017 Jul 30 - 4 July 30, 2017 - 7:15am Add to Calendar iCalendar Outlook Google Yahoo	CJA FEDERAL TRIAL SKILLS ACADEMY Indianapolis, Indiana Contact: Juval_Scott@ao.uscourts.gov Registration Here (Waitlist Only) Draft Agenda Event Description The skills-based Academy has been a tremendous success. This program focuses on (1) the use of a trial advocacy process to facilitate development of a persuasive, fact-based theory and supporting themes, and (2) the advocacy skills necessary to persuasively advance that theory and those themes throughout the trial. A very experienced and skilled faculty leads this program through a series of plenary sessions and workshops. Elements of effective litigation advocacy skills are presented in the plenaries. Participants then engage in hands-on practice of those skills and receive feedback in small group workshops. Participation is limited to 66 attendees, with a majority of participants accepted being CJA panel attorneys.
2017 Aug 15 August 15, 2017 - 10:00am Add to Calendar iCalendar Outlook Google Yahoo	WEBINAR: STRATEGIES FOR DEFENDING NONCITIZENS: ANALYZING SCOTUS OPINIONS ON IMMIGRATION CASES Contact: odstbwebtraining@ao.uscourts.gov Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Register Here Event Description The Supreme Court has long recognized that deportation can have devastating consequences on a noncitizen including “result[ing] in poverty, persecution and even death.” Bridges v. Wixon, 326 U.S. 135, 164 (1945). In 2010, the Supreme Court held that the Sixth Amendment requires criminal defense counsel to competently advise a noncitizen about the risks of deportation/immigration consequences arising from a guilty plea. Padilla v. Kentucky, 559 U.S. 356 (2010). This term, the Supreme Court has examined immigration consequences of crimes in aggravated felony drug, arson and sex cases, as well as loss of citizenship in a criminal proceeding. This webinar will analyze recent Supreme Court decisions and provide strategies for defending noncitizens against criminal prosecutions in light of these new cases. Presenter Ubong E. Akpan, Attorney Advisor, Defender Services Office Training Division
2017 Aug 17 August 17, 2017 - 2:00am Add to Calendar iCalendar Outlook Google Yahoo	WEBINAR: STRATEGIES FOR DEFENDING NONCITIZENS: ANALYZING SCOTUS OPINIONS ON IMMIGRATION CASES (REPEAT) Contact: odstbwebtraining@ao.uscourts.gov Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Register Here Event Description The Supreme Court has long recognized that deportation can have devastating consequences on a noncitizen including “result[ing] in poverty, persecution and even death.” Bridges v. Wixon, 326 U.S. 135, 164 (1945). In 2010, the Supreme Court held that the Sixth Amendment requires criminal defense counsel to competently advise a noncitizen about the risks of deportation/immigration consequences arising from a guilty plea. Padilla v. Kentucky, 559 U.S. 356 (2010). This term, the Supreme Court has examined immigration consequences of crimes in aggravated felony drug, arson and sex cases, as well as loss of citizenship in a criminal proceeding. This webinar will analyze recent Supreme Court decisions and provide strategies for defending noncitizens against criminal prosecutions in light of these new cases. Presenter Ubong E. Akpan, Attorney Advisor, Defender Services Office Training Division
2017 Aug 21 - 23 August 21, 2017 - 1:00am Add to Calendar iCalendar Outlook Google Yahoo	Persuasive Writing Workshop Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Contact: Caryn_Pierce@ao.uscourts.gov Register Here Draft Agenda \| Financial Assistance Event Description This hands-on workshop teaches participants how to use fact-busting and principles of storytelling and persuasion to craft fact-driven written advocacy that persuasively integrates the facts of one's case with relevant legal principles. Participants will find that these techniques result in writing that is enjoyable to read and enhances one's chances of winning. During the course of the program, participants will apply these principles to one of their own cases. Registration is open and will be limited to approximately 36 CJA panel attorneys and federal defender attorneys. Participants must bring to the workshop an open CJA case in which they will be filing a written work product (e.g., pre-trial or trial motion, sentencing memo involving some legal challenge, opening brief on appeal).
2017 Aug 24 - 26 August 24, 2017 - 7:30am Add to Calendar iCalendar Outlook Google Yahoo	Multi-Track Federal Criminal Defense Seminar Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Contact: Frank_Draper@ao.uscourts.gov Register Here Financial Assistance Application \| Draft Agenda Event Description The Multi-Track Federal Criminal Defense Seminar offers in-depth instruction in a variety of substantive areas of federal criminal defense practice. The program 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 and the design of the program allows attorneys to attend sessions from different tracks. In addition to the tracks, the program includes additional substantive plenary lectures which cover more general areas of federal criminal practice. The five tracks (breakout sessions) are: (1) Immigration; (2) Motion Practice & Trial Skills; (3) Forensics; (4) Mitigation & Mental Health; and (5) Sentencing Strategies & Practices. Enrollment is limited to approximately 250 attendees and selection will be on a first come first serve basis. Enrollment is limited to approximately 250 attendees and selection will be on a first come first serve basis.
2017 Sep 7 - 9 September 7, 2017 - 6:45am Add to Calendar iCalendar Outlook Google Yahoo	Law & Technology Workshop Series: Techniques in Electronic Case Management Miami, Florida Contact: Juval_Scott@ao.uscourts.gov Event Description In the digital era, understanding how to manage, review and analyze electronic discovery and voluminous discovery has become 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, Department of Justice and the Defender Services Office reflects this emerging trend in the law: "[l]awyers have a responsibility to have an adequate understanding of electronic discovery." (See ESI Protocol) The Law & Technology Series: Techniques in Electronic Case Management (TECM) Workshop exposes CJA panel and federal public/community defender attorneys and professional 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 considerations of 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), which are designed for handling small and medium-sized volumes of discovery. Attendees will better understand how legal litigation support programs work, and how to coordinate thoughtful workflow processes with co-counsel, staff and potential vendors. They will also improve their overall ability to master case information, in order to better prepare their defense. In order to participate in this program, participants are required to provide their own laptop computer. Interested participants are required to complete a short skill set survey before their registration request is completed. NOTE: The litigation support software programs used in this workshop are designed to work on Windows operating systems (as opposed to Mac). If accepted, you must bring a laptop running Windows, or a Mac laptop running a virtual copy of Windows. Registration will open in the summer.