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.
28 - 30
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.
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.
4 - 6
Trial Skills Workshop I: Advocacy Strategies & Skills to Maximize the Use of Experts
Trial Skills Workshop I (TSW 1) is our newest skills training. The first iteration of TSW will focus on the use of experts for trials and evidentiary hearings. This presentation of the program is an excellent opportunity for attorneys to learn about the value of experts to (a) help them understand complex areas which impact representation of clients and (b) develop their courtroom skills, when either presenting expert testimony in their cases or cross examining government experts. Participants will learn from an experienced and highly skilled faculty in both plenary and small-group sessions. During the small-group sessions, participants will practice those skills and receive feedback. Areas covered include: (1) identifying and screening experts to support the theory of the case, with practice sessions on screening, interviewing, records collection and qualifying the experts to testify; (2) using the Federal Rules of Evidence to make sure that experts are qualified and the reports and documents that further the defense theory are admitted into the record; and (3) cross examining the government’s expert witness.
Attendance at this program is limited and requires an application. Once accepted, applicants will be moved from the waitlist to accepted status and will be notified promptly.
7 - 9
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 include presentations on 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. Topics might be of interest to mitigation specialists and social workers as well. In addition, the seminar will include an interpreter track, with topics of interest to those who perform interpreter duties in their offices, as well as paralegals and investigators who work with interpreters.
**UPDATE**
An updated agenda has been posted featuring 3 NEW sessions on immigration, legal research and writing for paralegals, and reentry programs.
29 - 31
NATIONAL SEMINAR FOR FEDERAL DEFENDERS
The National Seminar for Federal Defenders is designed for federal defenders and assistant federal defenders who have been practicing criminal law for a minimum of three years. It includes a mix of topics on substantive federal criminal law, trial tactics, appellate practice, evidence, ethics, and sentencing issues, and more. The topics are presented in both plenary and breakout sessions.
For more information regarding this program, including registration information, please contact Chuck Arberg at the Federal Judicial Center at (202) 502-4050 or e-mail him at carberg@fjc.gov. The agenda and materials will be posted on the Federal Judicial Center's intranet page.
6
Fundamentals of Federal Criminal Defense Seminar II
This program is designed for those new to federal criminal defense practice and addresses topics such as discovery and motion practice, pleas and proffers, the Bail Reform Act, and the basics of the sentencing guidelines. Limited financial assistance may be available to non-federal defender registrants for travel purposes.
6 - 8
Winning Strategies Seminar II
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. The anticipated sessions will include such topics as defending drug, conspiracy and immigration cases, implicit bias, sentencing issues, BOP issues, discovery management, ethics, and more. For those new to federal criminal defense practice, the Fundamentals of Federal Criminal Case will occur concurrently on January 10, 2019. Please register separately for the Fundamentals program.
21 - 26
TRIAL SKILLS ACADEMY
The skills-based Academy has been a tremendous success. This program focuses on (1) the use of a trial advocacy process to facilitate the 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.
REGISTRATION WILL OPEN IN EARLY APRIL.