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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.
18 - 20
2024 L&T Series: Electronic Courtroom Presentation (ECP) Workshop
The Law & Technology Series: Electronic Courtroom Presentation (ECP) Workshop provides CJA panel attorneys and federal defender organization staff with the legal, strategic, and technological considerations involved with presenting information in federal courtrooms during trials and hearings. This 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 PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat Reader and Trial Director software which are well suited for electronically presenting information in the courtroom.
To best participate at this program, all attendees are required to supply their own laptop computer and are strongly encouraged to utilize their own case materials (hearing/trial, small/large). In order to be considered for admission, all applicants MUST complete and return a short skill set rubric (SSR) before an individual registration submission is finalized. NOTE: the presentation 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.
18 - 20
2024 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 social workers, mitigation specialists, investigators, sentencing advocates, attorneys and other professionals who provide this work under the Criminal Justice Act (CJA).
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 seminar. 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.
- CLE accreditation for this DSO Training Division Program will be requested unless otherwise noted. Program Credit hours are subject to each state’s approval and credit rounding rules.
For those attending in person from FPDOs, the Conference Identification Number (CIN) for this workshop is CONF240015.
Financial Assistance
Limited financial assistance may be available to non-federal defender registrants for travel and/or lodging purposes. Completed financial assistance applications must be returned no later than 5:00 PM EDT on June 5, 2024.
24
Supreme Court Wrap-Up: Term Review for Federal Criminal Practitioners
Join us for a practitioner focused webinar as we wrap up the Supreme Court decisions that have reshaped federal criminal practice from the October 2023-24 Term. Get the inside scoop on the Court’s rulings, both favorable and challenging, and arm yourself with strategies to effectively use these decisions to your clients’ advantage—or to mitigate any adverse effects.
Presenters:
Adeel M. Bashir is an attorney with the Federal Public and Community Defender’s Sentencing Resource Counsel. In his role, Adeel supports the Defenders and CJA Panels nationwide, offering appellate and trial litigation assistance, engaging with the U.S. Sentencing Commission, and addressing congressional inquiries on matters of national significance in criminal law. Before his current position, Adeel served as an Assistant Federal Public Defender and Senior Appellate Attorney for over a decade with the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Middle District of Florida.
Rene L. Valladares is the Federal Public Defender for the District of Nevada. He is an Adjunct Professor at the William S. Boyd School of Law. Rene was the recipient of the 2023 NACDL Champion of Justice Award-Legal Education. Rene is the author of A Defender’s Guide to Federal Evidence (now on its Second Edition) the only evidence practice handbook exclusively for federal criminal defense attorneys. A Defender’s Guide can be purchased at nacdl.org. All royalties from the book go toward advancing criminal justice reform.
CLE - We did not be apply for CLE for this webinar in the interest of getting the content out as quickly as possible. We will provide attendees a certificate of attendance which may be used to self-apply for CLE, depending on the rules of the applicant’s bar.
4 - 9
Trial Skills Academy
Join the Training Division in Milwaukee for the 2024 Trial Skills Academy (TSA) from August 4-9, 2024! Now in its 15th year, TSA continues to be a cornerstone for enhancing the courtroom advocacy skills of Federal Defenders and CJA panel attorneys.
Through a blend of plenary sessions and small group workshops, our experienced faculty guide participants in crafting compelling, fact-driven theories and supporting themes. Plenaries and demonstrations cover essential elements of effective litigation and trial advocacy, followed by hands-on practice and personalized feedback in small group workshops. This teaching methodology is integral to TSA, making it one of the premier trial skills programs nationwide.
One of TSA’s unique features is the inclusion of professional actors in each small group, infusing the program with added energy and realism.
Participants are encouraged to bring their own cases, providing a unique opportunity to delve deeply into their litigation strategies with the support of fellow group members and expert faculty. Beyond skill-building, TSA offers an unparalleled chance for a six-day immersive brainstorming session alongside some of the nation’s leading trial lawyers.
21
Unlocking the Sentencing Guidelines, A Virtual Series: Session 4 - Targeting the Firearms Guidelines from Section 2K2.1 and Beyond
Unlocking the Sentencing Guidelines: A Virtual Series is a comprehensive examination of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. Monthly webinars will examine topics in Chapter One on relevant conduct; in Chapter Two on guideline calculations for drug offenses, firearm offenses, immigration offenses, sex offenses, and economic crime offenses; in Chapter Three on adjustments and grouping; in Chapter Four on criminal history calculations and career offender/categorical approach problems; in Chapters Five and Seven on imposition and violations of probation/supervised release; on recent guideline amendments and trending sentencing guideline issues; on the effective use of data and resources in deconstructing the guidelines; and, finally, on the importance of injecting the clients' stories to move away from a rigid application of the guidelines, particularly when the guidelines provide too harsh a sentence.
Session 4 - Targeting the Firearms Guidelines from Section 2K2.1 and Beyond
Section 2K2.1 is the main guideline for numerous commonly prosecuted firearm offenses, including violations under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g). This presentation offers an in-depth analysis of Section 2K2.1 and other frequently applied firearm guidelines and firearm-related sentencing enhancements in chapters two through five. It covers the legal and factual standards for guideline application, significant case law interpreting these guidelines, and effective litigation strategies to help secure the lowest possible guideline range for your client.
Presenter:
Adeel M. Bashir is an attorney with the Federal Public and Community Defender’s Sentencing Resource Counsel. In his role, Adeel supports the Defenders and CJA Panels nationwide, offering appellate and trial litigation assistance, engaging with the U.S. Sentencing Commission, and addressing congressional inquiries on matters of national significance in criminal law. Before his current position, Adeel served as an Assistant Federal Public Defender and Senior Appellate Attorney for over a decade with the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Middle District of Florida.
CLE Information:
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.
5 - 7
Race in the Federal Criminal Court: Strategies in Pursuit of Justice
The history of the American criminal legal system is marked by racial inequity. Across time and space, numerous racialized groups – from the Indigenous Tribes of North America to the well-documented high rate of imprisonment among Black people to the Central American immigrants at today’s southern U.S. border – have been a focus of attention for the nation’s courts.
The annual Race in the Federal Criminal Court: Strategies in Pursuit of Justice is an inclusive program designed to share with everyone working pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act the many ways race impacts the administration of justice, and to provide strategies and innovation to combat racial injustice in the criminal legal system.
Areas to be addressed include strategies on litigating race from the police encounter on the street and the Fourth Amendment, roadmap for successful Batson challenges, practical tips in defending noncitizens, and ways to decrease racial disparities in detention hearings, charging, pleas, and at sentencing. In addition, sessions devoted to teaching a trauma-informed approach to interviewing, counseling, and other aspects of defender work, exposing racial disparities in risk assessment tools, learning ways diverse teams can work cohesively and effectively, and several other sessions dealing with litigation, mitigation, and professional development will be presented in both plenary and breakout sessions. We will also hear and learn directly from those who have experienced the cruelty of the law firsthand.
This program is open to everyone working with Federal Defender organizations and CJA panel attorneys. Yes, that means attorneys, investigators, legal assistants, paralegals, and literally all defense professionals who will find the program’s content valuable to their work.
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.
11
Unlocking the Sentencing Guidelines, A Virtual Series: Session 5 - Illegal Entry and Re-Entry Sentencing Guideline Section 2L1.2
Unlocking the Sentencing Guidelines: A Virtual Series is a comprehensive examination of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. Monthly webinars will examine topics in Chapter One on relevant conduct; in Chapter Two on guideline calculations for drug offenses, firearm offenses, immigration offenses, sex offenses, and economic crime offenses; in Chapter Three on adjustments and grouping; in Chapter Four on criminal history calculations and career offender/categorical approach problems; in Chapters Five and Seven on imposition and violations of probation/supervised release; on recent guideline amendments and trending sentencing guideline issues; on the effective use of data and resources in deconstructing the guidelines; and, finally, on the importance of injecting the clients' stories to move away from a rigid application of the guidelines, particularly when the guidelines provide too harsh a sentence.
Session 5 - Illegal Entry and Re-entry: Sentencing Guideline Section 2L1.2
Description:
Almost 13,000 people were sentenced in Fiscal Year 2023 under the 2L1.2 Guideline for illegal entry and re-entry offenses. Although the 2016 Guidelines Amendments considerably simplified the Guidelines’ application, many knotty problems remain for practitioners. This training will begin by discussing the basic Guidelines calculations and will cover topics such as challenges to the special offense characteristics under a 1326(d) analysis, the cultural assimilation departure, fast-track departures, and how to account for recidivist clients with trailing supervised release violations. Time permitting, we will also discuss the Guidelines for related offenses such as the use of false documents under 18 U.S.C. 1546 and misuse of a passport under 18 U.S.C. 1544.
Presenter:
Ben Davis is a Supervisory Attorney and Trial Team Leader at Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc. Ben joined Federal Defenders as a trial attorney in 2010 and has spent the past fourteen years defending clients charged with a wide array of federal crimes, including gun, drug, robbery, fraud, immigration, and sex offenses. He was one of two FDSDI attorneys tasked with filing habeas petitions in the wake of Johnson v. United States (2015) and was an original member of the team assembled to combat the Southern District’s short-lived “Operation Streamline” program in 2018. Since 2019, he has served as a Trial Team Leader, supervising and mentoring a team of 8-12 trial attorneys. He received his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law.
CLE Information:
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.
16
Championing Pretrial Release With the PTRA
This webinar will train you to advocate for your clients’ release using the Pretrial Risk Assessment score (PTRA). Professor Alison Siegler will describe how we can use the PTRA to demonstrate that every single client presents a very low risk of failure-to-appear and a very low risk of reoffending, making the PTRA an unexpectedly strong resource for our pretrial release advocacy. In this webinar, you will learn how to argue the PTRA score during your detention hearings, how to rebut the government’s efforts to minimize the PTRA’s predictions, and how the PTRA can be an evidence-based tool for convincing judges to release more people on bond. The presentation (50 minutes) will be followed by a Q&A session (10 minutes).
Presenter:
Alison Siegler is the Founding Director of the Federal Criminal Justice Clinic (FCJC) at the University of Chicago Law School, the first legal clinic devoted to representing indigent clients charged with federal felonies, pursuing impact litigation in federal court, and engaging in systemic reform of the federal criminal system. Professor Siegler’s clinic recently published the first comprehensive national investigation of federal pretrial detention, Freedom Denied: How the Culture of Detention Created a Federal Jailing Crisis. Professor Siegler has also testified before Congress about the need for federal bond reform and also trained hundreds of federal magistrate judges, hundreds of Pretrial Services Officers, and thousands of AFDs and CJA lawyers on the Bail Reform Act. Professor Siegler’s clinic previously garnered national recognition for its contributions to groundbreaking federal racial discrimination impact litigation in federal “stash house” cases. Before founding the FCJC, Professor Siegler served as a Staff Attorney with the Federal Defender Program in Chicago, a Prettyman Fellow at Georgetown University Law Center’s Criminal Justice Clinic, and a law clerk for U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman in Chicago. She graduated magna cum laude from Yale College, earned a J.D. from Yale Law School, and holds an LL.M. from Georgetown.
CLE Information:
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.
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Unlocking the Sentencing Guidelines, A Virtual Series: Session 3 - Calculating Guidelines in Drug Cases
This webinar is postponed to a later date, to be determined.
Unlocking the Sentencing Guidelines: A Virtual Series is a comprehensive examination of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. Monthly webinars will examine topics in Chapter One on relevant conduct; in Chapter Two on guideline calculations for drug offenses, firearm offenses, immigration offenses, sex offenses, and economic crime offenses; in Chapter Three on adjustments and grouping; in Chapter Four on criminal history calculations and career offender/categorical approach problems; in Chapters Five and Seven on imposition and violations of probation/supervised release; on recent guideline amendments and trending sentencing guideline issues; on the effective use of data and resources in deconstructing the guidelines; and, finally, on the importance of injecting the clients' stories to move away from a rigid application of the guidelines, particularly when the guidelines provide too harsh a sentence.
Session 3 - Calculating Guidelines in Drug Cases
Drug trafficking and distribution cases are the most commonly prosecuted of all federal offenses. As defense practitioners, we are compelled to be experts on the fundamentals and nuances of USSG Section 2D1.1. This session will begin with an overview of the method to determine base offense levels for the type and quantity of drugs involved in your case. We will then delve in to such concepts as relevant conduct, safety value, role adjustments and more, all of which must be considered to determine your client’s total offense level. This session will conclude examining how Kimbrough can mitigate the drug type/quantity/purity structure of USSG Section 2D1.1, which fails to advance the purposes of sentencing under 18 U.S.C. Section 3553(a).
Presenter:
Lex A. Coleman is the Senior Litigator AFPD for the Southern District of West Virginia. He was previously appointed to the Criminal Justice Act Panel for the Northern District of Georgia (2006), the Sixth Circuit (2005), and the Eastern District of Tennessee (2000). He served as judicial law clerk to U.S. Magistrate Judge John Y. Powers, E.D.TN, from 1991-92. Education: Cecil C. Humphrey’s School of Law, Univ. of Memphis, 1991 (Int’l Law Moot Court, Law Review); Rhodes College, B.A. Economics & Finance, 1986 (London School of Economics, summer grant, 1985). Member NACDL, John A. Fields, Jr., American Inns of Court.
CLE Information:
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.