NAPD 2021 Women's Virtual Conference: Full Schedule

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12:45pm EDT

Opening Remarks

Speakers

Lori James-Townes

Executive Director, National Association for Public Defense

Lori James-Townes is the Executive Director of the National Association of Public Defense. Lori assumed this leadership position after three years of working as Assistant Training Director for NAPD and more than 25 years of working on defense teams representing indigent defendants... Read More →

Thursday September 23, 2021 12:45pm - 1:00pm EDT
A

Plenary Presenter

1:00pm EDT

Opening Plenary

Speakers

Jericka Duncan

Anchor, CBS Weekend News Sunday Edition, CBS

Jericka Duncan is a national correspondent and anchor of the Sunday edition of the "CBS Weekend News." She's based in New York City.Duncan, who has been a CBS News correspondent since 2013, has reported such significant stories as accusations against R Kelly, Bill Cosby and Harvey... Read More →

Thursday September 23, 2021 1:00pm - 1:45pm EDT
A

Plenary Presenter

1:45pm EDT

Legal Server Open Table Talk

LegalServer case management software is optimized to help public defenders protect fundamental rights, liberties, and dignity of those who are unable to afford an attorney. With an innovative case management platform that simplifies workflows and information access, public defenders are positioned to amplify advocacy and make a positive difference in providing an effective defense to all clients. Productive representation while balancing high case loads; Increase client level of service; Administer resources wisely and promote efficient operations; Demonstrate improved outcomes; Free access for contract attorneys and third party experts.
We'll be available at this Zoom site during breaks: https://zoom.us/j/9384557764
Or
Contact us for more information after the conference by sending an email to sales@legalserver.org

Sponsors

Legal Server

LegalServer

At LegalServer we know you want to make a difference in society and help people who cannot afford legal representation. To optimize great legal services, advocates need a case management platform that can simplify and organize work. LegalServer is an innovator in providing technology... Read More →

Thursday September 23, 2021 1:45pm - 2:00pm EDT

Sponsor

2:00pm EDT

Advocacy for Neurodivergent People

A popular education workshop on advocacy, communication, and how to best represent neurodivergent people (autistic people, people with ADHD, other developmental disabilities, intellectual disability, plurality and dissociative disorders, etc) and how the intersection of other marginalized identities affects us. An open discussion where we will all learn from each other.

Speakers

Winter Sherman

Autistic Self Advocate, Autistics United Kentucky

Winter Sherman (she/they) is an autistic self-advocate and author from Lexington, KY. Winter has been a community organizer in Lexington and in Appalachia for many years. As an autistic trans woman with dissociative identity disorder, Winter specializes in trainings and workshops... Read More →

Thursday September 23, 2021 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
E

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Intersectionality and Connecting Our Stories, CE Session

2:00pm EDT

Exiled & Silenced: The Plight of Incarcerated Mothers in the Child Welfare System

Incarcerated mothers suffer from the same forced separation from their children as mothers in the community, yet research finds they are largely an ignored population in the family regulation system, tucked away and exiled by the thickness of a concrete barrier. Both the criminal justice system and the child welfare/family regulation system are part of this nation’s systemic racism structure that marginalizes and oppresses primarily BIPOC. The incarceration rate of women of color has increased and with it the number of children in the child welfare system. These women behind the walls agonize in silence as they are forcefully separated from their children, many lose their parental rights based solely on the lengths of sentences. This session tells their stories, unveils their plight, and inspires and challenges public defense teams, public defenders and social workers, to be the light in their dark places and liberate the silenced voices of these mothers.

Video References:

1. TedxUCIrvine, Michele Goodwin Women and Mass Incarceration
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aPeOdSpWkI&t=274s

2. Moms Raising Kids From Prison
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2udoQlxMsrE&t=636s

3. Tonier Cain, Healing Neen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnK00sXdTW8&t=2143s

4. Love Letters from Incarcerated Mothers and their children
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZKk7lkRo2A&t=7s

Here's the list of references:
•Hager, E. & Flagg, A. How Incarcerated Parents Are Losing Their Children Forever. The Marshall Project, December 02, 2018
•The Sentencing Project. Incarcerated Women and Girls. November 24, 2020
•Harvey, S. How A Trip to Prison Cost Kenneth Clark His Right to Be a Parent. The Nation. July 20, 2020
•Halter, E. Parental Prisoners: the Incarcerated Mother’s Constitutional Right to Parent. Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology, Vol. 108, No. 3, 2018
•Downey, M. Losing More Than Time: Incarcerated Mothers and the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997
•Cooper-Sadlo, S., et al. Mothers Talk Back: Exploring the Experiences of Formerly Incarcerated Mothers. Contemporary Family Therajsture, A. Women’s Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2019. Prison Policy Initiative. October 29, 2019

Speakers

Terri Green

Director of Social Work, Maryland Office of the Public Defender

Terri Collins-Green, LCSW-C is the Director of Social Work for the Maryland Office of the Public Defender. Mrs. Collins-Green has been with MOPD over ten years, beginning her career with MOPD as a line social worker, she was promoted to Regional Social Work Manager, and finally... Read More →

Thursday September 23, 2021 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
G

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Representing Women Families and Children, CE Session

2:00pm EDT

From Trauma to Transformation: A Financial Healing Experience

If you’re feeling stuck, frustrated, or overwhelmed with your finances or just don’t know where to start when it comes to creating a strong financial foundation, it’s time to experience financial healing. We will begin to explore your financial story to uncover unhealthy patterns using yoga and aromatherapy as tools to release limiting beliefs and to begin moving you towards an empowering financial freedom narrative.

Speakers

Mia Bradford

Financial Self-care Coach, LaMiere Co

Mia Bradford is a financial self-care coach and the founder of Beyond the Busyness, LLC. She holds a bachelors degree in Economics, a Master's in Counseling, and a 200 RYT (registered yoga teacher). She uses her passion for finances and holistic wellness to support her business and individual cli... Read More →

Thursday September 23, 2021 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
D

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Professional Growth and Leadership, Well-Being and Self Care

2:00pm EDT

It's a Vibe!

Sometimes our feelings become too much and we need to distract ourselves until we are better able to cope. There are ways to strategically change how we are feeling when things become too overwhelming. Self-care is important to maintaining a healthy relationship with yourself by doing things to take care of our minds, bodies, and souls through engaging in activities that promote well-being and reduce stress. Doing so will enhance our ability to live fully, vibrantly, and effectively to achieve our personal and professional goals. The practice of self-care also reminds both you and others that your needs are valid and a priority.

Speakers

Jenny Miller

Contract Social Worker, Office of Respondent Parent’s Counsel

Jenny Miller, LSW is a contract social worker with the Office of Respondent Parent’s Counsel in Colorado’s 17th Judicial District. Prior to moving to Colorado, she was a Social Work Supervisor at the Center for Family Representation (CFR) in New York City. CFR is a legal... Read More →

Thursday September 23, 2021 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
C

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Well-Being and Self Care

2:00pm EDT

Performance Evaluations and SMART Goals 101

I believe performance evaluations are integral to a good performance management structure and to helping our individual team members grow. I find that we, as managers, often fall into the same pit falls (halo effect, receny issues, only addressing issues once a year) so I try to talk through those and highlight why performance evaluations are important, what should and should not be in performance evaluations, the importance of using self evaluations and how to develop SMART goals so the basic learning objectives I cover are:

1) Better understanding of the crucial role performance evaluations play in performance management;

2) Tools to draft a performance evaluation that provides meaningful and constructive feedback;

3) Develop SMART goals that enhance your staff’s skills, motivation, and success!

Speakers

Elizabeth Miller

Assistant Director, Office of the Ohio Public Defender

Elizabeth Miller is the Assistant Director of the Office of the Ohio Public Defender (OPD). She has dedicated her legal career to ensuring the most vulnerable individuals in our society are afforded quality legal representation. Elizabeth first joined the OPD in 2004 and served as... Read More →

Thursday September 23, 2021 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
B

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Professional Growth and Leadership, CE Session

3:00pm EDT

Legal Server Open Table Talk

Sponsors

Legal Server

LegalServer

Thursday September 23, 2021 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT

Sponsor

3:15pm EDT

Plenary Speaker

Speakers

Lara Bazelon

Professor of Law, University of San Francisco School of Law

Lara Bazelon is a Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco School of Law where she holds the Barnett Chair in Trial Advocacy. Before that, she spent seven years as a trial lawyer in the Office of the Federal Public Defender in Los Angeles. From 2000-2001, she served... Read More →

Thursday September 23, 2021 3:15pm - 4:00pm EDT
A

Plenary Presenter

4:00pm EDT

Legal Server Open Table Talk

Sponsors

Legal Server

LegalServer

Thursday September 23, 2021 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT

Sponsor

4:15pm EDT

Avoid the Brink: Setting Boundaries for Self-Care

In this session we will discuss the meaning of boundaries, the importance of boundaries and the top five ways to set healthy boundaries at work in order to make self-care a priority.

Speakers

Bonnie Potter

Attorney, Capital Trial Branch East, Department of Public Advocacy

For almost 17 years I have dedicated my career to indigent defense as a public defender in Lexington. During my tenure in the Lexington Trial Office, I represented clients charged with all level of felonies from child support to capital murder as well as taught other attorneys in... Read More →

Thursday September 23, 2021 4:15pm - 5:15pm EDT
C

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Well-Being and Self Care, CE Session, Not Recorded

4:15pm EDT

Backwoods Barbie: Recruiting, Retaining and Working as Women in Rural America

Just as Dolly Parton's classic, Backwoods Barbie, delves into the hurtful stereotypes that get applied to the singer, this session will delve into the stereotypes about working in rural America that can make it a challenge to recruit and retain a diverse workforce for rural defender's offices around the country. Deirdre Ewing, a queer, Jewish woman working in rural counties in southeastern New Mexico, will facilitate a discussion for leaders in rural offices and for women who work in or who have considered but rejected the idea of working in rural offices. For those who have never worked in a rural office, what has stopped you from taking that leap? What could entice you to try it? For those who have worked in rural offices, what has your experience been like? What has surprised you about the experience? For those who have left rural practice, what could have convinced you to stay? What additional support might you have needed? The goal of this discussion will be to allow leaders of rural offices to learn what the women they might want to recruit would want from their work and to allow working in or considering work in rural offices to have their concerns addressed and questions answered.

Speakers

Deirdre Ewing (she/her)

Public Defender, Law Offices of the Public Defender, New Mexico

Deirdre Ewing is a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, Mount Holyoke College, and the London School of Economics General Course. She is a member of the board of directors for the New Mexico Humanities Council. In addition to a nearly decade long career with the... Read More →

Thursday September 23, 2021 4:15pm - 5:15pm EDT
B

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Professional Growth and Leadership

4:15pm EDT

Confronting and Overcoming "Gendered" Communication in the Courtroom

This panel presentation would start with statistics and research regarding how women are treated differently both outside (e.g., lack of promotions, lesser pay) and inside the courtroom (e.g., women are interrupted more often). After providing the research and statistics, the panel then provides concrete actions female attorneys can take to change the narrative and gain confidence & courage to become better trial attorneys.

Speakers

Elizabeth Lippy

Executive Director, Trial Advocacy Consulting & Training

Elizabeth Lippy is the Founder and Director of TACT. She has over 15 years of trial advocacy experience, both inside the courtroom and classroom. She is a nationally recognized trial attorney and one of the nation’s premier trial advocacy instructors. Her enthusiastic style is... Read More →

Sara Jacobson

Executive Director of Training, Public Defender Association of Pennsylvania (PDAP)

Sara Jacobson is the Executive Director of Training for the Public Defender Association of Pennsylvania, where she is responsible for training public defenders across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in trial skills, criminal defense, and case theory. Before joining PDAP, she served... Read More →

Marian Braccia

Director of Trial Advocacy, Practice Professor of Law, Temple University Beasley School of Law

Marian Braccia is the Director of the LL.M. in Trial Advocacy Program and a Practice Professor of Law at Temple University Beasley School of Law, where she brings particular expertise in courtroom technology, e-discovery issues, and trial skills.Prior to joining the full-time faculty... Read More →

Thursday September 23, 2021 4:15pm - 5:15pm EDT
D

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Professional Growth and Leadership

4:15pm EDT

Incorporating Research into Effective Social Work Practice – The Benefits of a Research Development Team

In light of the ongoing need for research access and of Maryland’s change to the Daubert standard, the Maryland OPD Social Work Division established a Research Development Team (RDT). Research is often incorporated in psychosocial evaluations and discussed during testimony, so it is essential and ethically necessary to use appropriate research. RDT is responsible for creating an internal research database, teaching research skills, critically evaluating peer-reviewed research, and sharing that research through monthly research presentations. The goal is to equip our social workers with current knowledge and to reinforce critical thinking skills in order to strengthen our expertise. This presentation will discuss how RDT was built, what RDT has provided, and what benefits it has brought for the division.

Speakers

Lindsey Balogh

Advanced Social Worker, Maryland Office of the Public Defender

Lindsey Balogh, JD, LCSW-C is an attorney-turned-social worker who has been with the Maryland OPD since July of 2019 where she is currently assigned to the Mental Health Division. Lindsey earned her BA from Washington University in St. Louis (2007) and both her JD (2010) and MSW (2016... Read More →

Jessica Marvel

Social Worker, Office of the Public Defender

Jessica earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Family Science from the University of Maryland, College Park and a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. She has been with the Office of the Public Defender in various social work capacities... Read More →

Thursday September 23, 2021 4:15pm - 5:15pm EDT
F

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Professional Growth and Leadership, CE Session

4:15pm EDT

The Role of Psychology Within Tribal Holistic Defense

The role of a psychologist within the Holistic Defense model can go well beyond the typical role of conducting forensic evaluations for competency. The premise of holistic defense is to provide whole-person services to criminal justice-involved clients. Psychologists can assist in this goal by providing direct and indirect services. Direct services in the form of psychological assessments, chemical dependency and mental health evaluations, individual or group therapy, and psychoeducation. Indirect services include interdisciplinary education and consultation for defenders, prosecutors, courts, and probation officers. Indirect services also include the collection of data and conducting research and program evaluation.

Presented by two Indigenous women who trained within a Westernized education model, while balancing Indigenous values, worldviews, and healing. Both presenters worked within a Tribal Defenders Office using a Holistic Defense model and supported an on-reservation re-entry program. They completed their doctoral dissertations utilizing data collected from the program they helped design with the goal of facilitating a culturally-appropriate risk-needs-responsivity assessment.

Speakers

Ciara Hansen

Clinical Psychologist, Northern Navajo Medical Center

Dr. Hansen is a clinical psychologist in the ‘Iina Counseling Services department at Northern Navajo Medical Center located at the Indian Health Service Hospital in Shiprock, NM. Dr. Hansen earned her Ph.D. from the University of Montana as a member of the Indians into Psychology... Read More →

Desiree Fox

Thursday September 23, 2021 4:15pm - 5:15pm EDT
E

Workshops/Breakouts

5:15pm EDT

Legal Server Open Table Talk

Sponsors

Legal Server

LegalServer

Thursday September 23, 2021 5:15pm - 5:30pm EDT

Sponsor

5:30pm EDT

Plenary Speaker

Join us as four incredible women come together for one incredible session to examine the struggles, triumphs, and ultimately the legacy of being women in public defense.

Led by awarding-winning strategist and executive coach Cheryl Procter-Rogers, the panelists will share their insights on how they continue to thrive as leaders in the face of gender bias, ageism, and other factors meant to derail their forward progress. Leave this session empowered and inspired by three women who have decades of experience as public defenders.

Speakers

Cheryl Hughes-Redd

Digital Forensics Analyst Manager, Maryland Office of the Public Defender

Cheryl Hughes-Redd is a Digital Forensics Analyst in the Forensics Division for the Maryland Office of the Public Defender. Cheryl has been working in public defense for the last 19 ½ years beginning as a paralegal in the public defender’s Parental Defense Division where the... Read More →

Lori James-Townes

Executive Director, National Association for Public Defense

Andrea Lyon

Principal, Professor Emeritus, Lyon Law

Ms. Lyon is a renowned lawyer, author, speaker, professor and former Dean of the Valparaiso University Law School, who has been featured on national news and media outlets. Dubbed “The Angel of Death Row” by the Chicago Tribune, she was the first woman to serve as lead attorney... Read More →

Cheryl Procter-Rogers

Executive Coach and Associate Director, Ernst & Young (EY)

An award-winning PR and business strategist, Cheryl Procter-Rogers is currently executive coach and associate director for Ernst & Young's Americas Coaching Practice. Prior, she was senior consultant and executive coach for her firm, she established in 1986, A Step Ahead PR Consulting... Read More →

Thursday September 23, 2021 5:30pm - 6:20pm EDT
A

Plenary Presenter

6:30pm EDT

Networking and Meetup Events

These are meetups hosted by participants in the conference. Think of these as asking several people you meet at an in person conference to join you for a discussion, yoga, or to hangout out. These are not officially part of the NAPD's conference.

Click here to set up your meeting. You will need your own Zoom or other video conferencing account.

Click here see the listing of meetings you can join

Thursday September 23, 2021 6:30pm - 8:00pm EDT

Networking/Meetups

7:00pm EDT

NAPD Women's Trivia

Do you know a lot of random facts? Like pop quizzes? Just want to have some fun? Come play trivia along with your fellow defenders! Participants will test their knowledge of a variety of topics for the chance to a conference t-shirt. Trivia will be played using Mentimeter. You will use your phone to play at www.menti.com while logged into your computer.

Speakers

Kristin LaVoy

Training Director, Neighborhood Defender Service of Detroit

Kristin LaVoy is the training director for NDS Detroit where she coordinates and administers training for NDS and assigned counsel in Wayne county. She has spent her entire 14 year legal career as a public defender, having also been assistant appellate defender at the State Appellate... Read More →

Thursday September 23, 2021 7:00pm - 8:00pm EDT

Networking/Meetups

9:00am EDT

Writing for Self Care

passcode if needed: 877316

this session will not be recorded

For me, women’s poetry of witness, of justice, of inspiration and loving kindness has been profoundly inspiring, empowering and comforting. What follows is a collection of some of my favorites as well as some of my own poems that describe aspects of the defender experience – one about a client of mine who is now off death row in Colorado and two others about friends’ clients who were executed. I think some of not getting burned out is to find a place where our outrage and sadness over injustice can be honored and memorialized beyond the courtroom, so we are less at risk to be driven from this critical work.

Speakers

Jodie A. English

Capital and JLWOP Defender, Mitigation Specialist, LAW OFFICE OF JODIE ENGLISH

Jodie has been a public defender in North Carolina and a federal defender in Baltimore. She represented her first capital client forty-three years ago. For the past 33 years she has been in private practice in Indianapolis handling death penalty cases - at times as a trial defender... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 9:00am - 9:50am EDT
C

Wellness Practice

Subject Well-Being and Self Care, Not Recorded

9:00am EDT

Yoga

Speakers

Colette Tvedt

The Law Firm of Colette Tvedt LLC

COLETTE TVEDT is the founder and owner of Tvedt Law, where she represents individuals charged with complex felony cases in state and federal court. Prior to starting her law firm in Denver, she served as the Director of Public Defense Training and Reform for the National Association... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 9:00am - 9:50am EDT
B

Wellness Practice

10:00am EDT

Imagining a Criminal Justice System That Works for Women and Girls

Typically, there are far fewer women and girls in the criminal justice system than men and boys - at least upon first look. However, the criminal justice system can impact women and girls’ lives in a variety of ways - as those who are accused or incarcerated, as those trusting in it when they file a complaint, as the family or community members of accused or convicted men and boys, and as lawyers and other staff. Women and girls are certainly not a monolithic group, with experiences with the justice system differing, including based on intersecting identities. This is true for the United States, as well as many other countries around the world. Women and girls come into contact with the system in a diverse range of ways, but one factor carries true for most of them - the criminal justice system was not built in a way that recognizes gender, and therefore can miss the unique needs and experiences of women and girls.

This interactive session will center around several case stories from Palestine, Tunisia/Myanmar/Nepal, with each showing the robust and dynamic life of a woman or girl, and how it relates to her contact with the criminal justice system. In the absence of adequate, gender-based support, lawyers from each of these countries will share examples for how they have worked to fill this gap, to ensure women and girls are treated fairly throughout the process, and how they navigated this as female lawyers in their field. Following these case stories and perspectives, the session will open up for an interactive exercise where, based on participants’ diverse range of experience, we will together re-imagine what a criminal justice system should look like to not only uphold women’s and girls’ rights, but to ensure agency, dignity, and even to support them to thrive.

Speakers

MaryBeth Bognar

Program Officer, International Legal Foundation

MaryBeth has over a decade of experience in global program coordination and management, with expertise in gender and human rights. She has worked in programs that range from research, advocacy, and service delivery, and has brought feminist, participatory and analytical approaches... Read More →

Asil Ibrahim

Communications Officer, International Legal Foundation

Asil Ibrahim has over a decade of experience in communication and program coordination for projects relating to justice and human rights. Asil is the Communications Officer at the ILF West Bank in Palestine, where she has worked for more than 10 years. With the ILF, Asil monitors... Read More →

Bimala Yadav

Senior Attorney In-Charge, Public Defender society of Nepal

I am the senior staff members of PDS-Nepal. I have joined ILF-Nepal as an advocate in 2008 now holds the position of Senior Attorney In-charge in PDS-Nepal. Having 19 years of experience as a lawyer am working here as a different important role in transferring the jurisdiction... Read More →

Nahla Hamdi

Translator and communication officer, The International Legal Foundation

Nahla Hamdi has several years of experience working in communications and translation for international organizations and initiatives. Nahla is currently a Communications Officer and translator for ILF Tunisia, which she joined about 2 and a half years ago. She works on translation... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
D

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Professional Growth and Leadership, Representing Women Families and Children, Intersectionality and Connecting Our Stories

10:00am EDT

Microaggressions: What are They and Why are They Harmful?

In this session, Jenerra and Tatiana will discuss what microaggressions are, how to identify them, and how to respond if you are the receiver or the perpetrator of them.

Speakers

Tatiana Kline

Deputy Public Defender III, San Diego County, CA Public Defender

Tatiana Kline is a Public Defender in San Diego. She graduated from University of San Diego School of Law in 2013 and has been with the office of the Primary Public Defender since taking the bar in August of 2013. She graduated from the University of Michigan in 2009 with a B.A. in... Read More →

Jenerra Crenshaw

Deputy Public Defender IV, San Diego County Public Defender

Jenerra Crenshaw began her career as an attorney in the San Diego County Public Defender’s Office in January 2012. Her experience includes advocating for the rights of both juveniles and adults accused of committing crimes which range from low level theft offenses to homicides... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
F

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Women and Racial Justice, Intersectionality and Connecting Our Stories, CE Session

10:00am EDT

Twice Blessed

Interdisciplinary approach to the representation of parents (who have intellectual and/or mental health diagnoses) in reuniting with their children. The foster care system disproportionally impacts women of color and especially those who are twice blessed with intellectual and/or mental health diagnoses. This session will focus on the work begun by the Baltimore County Parental Defense Office to create an attorney and social worker team to focus on the unique challenges of this population of parents, developing realistic reunification plans and their ability to successful meet the needs of their children, children who often times have their own intellectual and/or mental health diagnoses.

The session will be presented by the Supervising Attorney and Clinical Social Worker assigned to the Baltimore County Parental Defense Office. There will be information presented on how prevalent the challenges are faced by this population, efforts around the country to address the needs, with emphasis on the strategies and lessons learned through case studies in Baltimore County.

Speakers

Beverly Schulterbrandt

Parental Defense Supervisor, Maryland Office of the Public Defender

Beverly Schulterbrandt is the Supervising Attorney for the Parental Defense Division – Baltimore County, Maryland. She rejoined the Maryland Office of the Public Defender in 2013. From 1998-2002, Ms. Schulterbrandt worked as an Assistant Public Defender and then Supervising... Read More →

Mwuese L. Igyor

Defense Social Worker, Parental Defense Division – Baltimore County

Mwuese L. Igyor, LCSW-C is the Defense Social Worker for the Parental Defense Division – Baltimore County, Maryland. She has been with the office of the public defender since the inception of the program new social work initiative in January 2021. As a Masters level intern Mwuese... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
E

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Representing Women Families and Children, Professional Growth and Leadership, CE Session

10:00am EDT

Why You Should be Meditating: Creating a Meditation Practice That Works for You

Meditation can help you to improve resiliency, reduce stress, control anxiety, improve brain function, sleep better and even reduce chronic pain. With all of these benefits, developing a meditation practice can often seem daunting and intimidating. In this session we’ll discuss the benefits of meditation, outline various types of meditation, talk about how to begin a meditation practice and work it into your schedule, and identify resources. We will end with a brief guided meditation.

Speakers

Gabrielle Amber Pittman

Middle Georgia Regional Capital Defender Office

Gabrielle Amber Pittman has been representing indigent persons facing the death penalty as the head of the Middle Georgia Regional Capital Defender Office since 2013. After graduating from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2003, Amber worked as a fellowship attorney... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
C

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Well-Being and Self Care, CE Session

10:00am EDT

Will The Real Legal Professional Please Stand Up? Understanding and Confronting Imposter Syndrome

Impostor Syndrome is a real psychological phenomenon that consists of second-guessing oneself, feeling like a fraud, and being shrouded in self-doubt at work. Women do not corner the market on impostor syndrome, but women certainly are plagued by this dug-in fear of inadequacy as professionals working in the legal field where high levels of achievement, dire and unpredictable client outcomes, and people-pleasing can occur. This presentation will provide an overview of impostor syndrome as well as an exploration of the intersectionality of gender in professional work and the biases that result. Solutions for overcoming feelings of impostor syndrome and addressing workplace bias will be brainstormed and discussed in this solution-focused session.

Speakers

Stephanne Cline Thornton

Clinical Director, West Virginia Judicial and Lawyer Assistance Program

Stephanne Cline Thornton is the Clinical Director for the West Virginia Judicial and Lawyer Assistance Program and owner of Transform Legal, a consultation service that offers training, program development, support, and instruction on trauma-informed legal practice, mitigation, and... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
B

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Professional Growth and Leadership, CE Session

11:00am EDT

Legal Server Open Table Talk

Sponsors

Legal Server

LegalServer

Friday September 24, 2021 11:00am - 11:15am EDT

Sponsor

11:15am EDT

Plenary Speaker

Speakers

Martesha Johnson

Chief Public Defender, Nashville Defenders

Martesha L. Johnson was sworn-in as the Nashville Metropolitan Chief Public Defender on August 28, 2018. She is the first African American to be elected to this position and only the second woman. She has a heart for serving people and was determined to be a public defender since... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 11:15am - 12:00pm EDT
A

Plenary Presenter

12:00pm EDT

Legal Server Open Table Talk

Sponsors

Legal Server

LegalServer

Friday September 24, 2021 12:00pm - 12:15pm EDT

Sponsor

12:15pm EDT

Empowering Women Where They Are: Supporting Women and Families in the Community

Speakers

Samantha Paige Davis (she/they)

Founder & Executive Director, Black Swan Academy

Samantha Paige Davis (she/they) is the Founder & Executive Director of the Black Swan Academy (BSA). She is a Black Feminist, organizer, policy wonk, and storyteller working through an anti-oppressive framework. In the aftermath of the Trayvon Martin verdict; Samantha was sparked... Read More →

Kirsten Downs

District Public Defender, Maryland Office of the Public Defender

Kirsten Gettys Downs currently serves the citizens of Baltimore as the District Public Defender for the Maryland Office of the Public Defender in Baltimore City. In this role, Ms. Downs is committed to providing Baltimore City with client centered, and well-trained advocates at... Read More →

Brittany Gail-Thomas

Founder & CEO, The Color of Excellence

BRITTANY GAIL THOMAS, Esq. (BGT) is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Color of Excellence® (COE). COE is a nonprofit organization that educates, enhances, and empowers both law students and attorneys of color. Under BGT’s leadership, COE trains its members to be highly... Read More →

Sonia Kumar

Senior Staff Attorney, ACLU of Maryland

Sonia Kumar is the Senior Staff Attorney for the ACLU of Maryland with a strong interest in issues at the intersection of criminal justice, poverty, and racial and gender equity. Before becoming a staff member in 2013, she spent several years as a fellow at the ACLU, advocating for... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 12:15pm - 1:15pm EDT
D

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Representing Women Families and Children

12:15pm EDT

Litigating for Trans Youth

Passcode if needed: 637954

Legal attacks against trans youth have hit an all-time high in the past year, focusing on trans kids in sports, access to bathrooms, respect for names and pronouns, and access to life-saving medical care. Building on knowledge previously learned in the Trans 101 session, this session covers the needs of trans youth, the specific legal threats they face, and litigation tactics and tools. This session is critical for anyone who represents youth in the criminal or family law systems.

Speakers

Dee Glickman (they/them)

Staff Attorney, Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia

Deanna “Dee” Glickman began as a public defender in Robeson County, NC as a Gideon’s Promise Fellow in 2015. There, they represented adult and juvenile charged with misdemeanors and felonies. Dee pioneered a project representing people being jailed for not paying fines and court... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 12:15pm - 1:15pm EDT
E

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Intersectionality and Connecting Our Stories

12:15pm EDT

Repair & Rebuild: Resiliency In This Time

passcode if needed: 877316

this session will not be recorded

This program will explore how the personal, professional, and societal challenges of the last 1.5 years have physically and emotionally impacted women of public defense. We will discuss the mind-body connection of stress, vicarious trauma, and moral injury and provide concrete ways to ameliorate its effects. We will share our stories in small groups and learn how to cultivate resiliency.

Discuss and explore the emotional and physical impact of the last 18 months of extreme upheaval in the personal, professional, and societal realms. Participants can share their emotional and physical experiences in the chat box.
Different Spaces & Common Themes: Ruth and I will share a brief story on this time’s emotional and physical impact on us and then open breakout rooms so participants can share in small groups. When they return, we will ask them to put their common themes in the chat box.
We will then discuss the mind-body connection of stress, vicarious trauma, and moral injury. We’ll examine how the last 18 months convergence and persistence of stress, vicarious trauma, and moral injury has overwhelmed us.
Moving into resiliency. We will provide different methods and modalities to combat the effects of stress, compassion fatigue, and moral injury so participants can practice moving into and remaining resilient in their daily lives.
Provide participants with a self-compassion inventory so they can self-check and reflect. Provide writing prompts. Provide a reading list.

Speakers

Diane Black

Training Director, Indiana Public Defender Council, Indianapolis, IN

Diane Black is the Training Director for the Indiana Public Defender Council. As IPDC’s Training Director, Diane is focused on the development and implementation of high quality programming for defenders across the state. This focus includes innovative regional training programs... Read More →

Ruth Johnson

Research Attorney, Indiana Public Defender Council

Ruth is a research attorney with the Indiana Public Defender Council (IPDC) where she updates defense manuals and provides research and training to public defenders across the State of Indiana. Ruth’s long public defender career includes representing clients in post-conviction relief... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 12:15pm - 1:15pm EDT
C

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Professional Growth and Leadership, Well-Being and Self Care, CE Session, Not Recorded

12:15pm EDT

Riding Your Wave: Leadership at Every Level to Impact, Influence & Inspire

Some of the most powerful influences and guides in our lives are persons who are natural leaders, teachers, visionaries. A few have words in their titles like “Director,” “Supervisor,” “Senior” or “Chief.” But many are notable for generously sharing their time, teaching and talents because they embrace the attitude of a leader. Initiatives and fresh ideas germinate from these leaders and can transform group culture.

Are you one of these leaders? Do you want to be? Lisa shares 8 tips on how to lead to your full potential, bits of wisdom she has collected from working over 20 years with remarkable people in multiple careers from microbiology to book publishing to law.

Speakers

Lisa Lunt

Attorney Advisor, Defender Services Office Training Division, Maryland

LISA LUNT joined the Training Division of the Defender Services Office in early February 2019 as an Attorney Advisor. Lisa was an Assistant Federal Public Defender (AFPD) in the District of Maryland from 2004-2019, where she carried a diverse felony caseload and served as the Co-Chair... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 12:15pm - 1:15pm EDT
B

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Professional Growth and Leadership, CE Session

12:15pm EDT

Supporting Resilience in Public Defenders: Strategies for Training, Mentoring, and Supervising Interdisciplinary Defense Teams

passcode if needed: 499983

Training, supervision, and mentorship are critical to building strong defense teams. In addition to offering training and feedback on legal strategies, we must prepare attorneys, social workers, and advocates to work with clients in moments of crisis. At the same time, we must attend to the impact of the work on defenders to prepare them to do the work for the long haul, and guard against burnout. Our presenters will review strategies leaders and supervisors can employ to promote sustainability on interdisciplinary parent defense teams.

Speakers

Caitlin Becker

Caitlin Becker(she/her) is the Managing Director of Social Work at the Bronx Defenders. She joined The Bronx Defenders as a social worker in the Family Defense Practice in 2011 and went on to supervise the practice before assuming her current role managing the interdisciplinary social... Read More →

Maya Prabhu

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine

Maya Prabhu, MD LLB is an Associate Professor with the Division of Law and Psychiatry, at Yale University. She previously was a litigation associate with Davis Polk and Wardwell in New York and a deputy counsel with the UN Oil for Food Investigation. She has worked extensively... Read More →

Nicole Velazquez

Deputy Director, Family Defense Practice, The Bronx Defenders

Nicole Velazquez began as a staff attorney in the Family Defense Practice at the Bronx Defenders in 2015. Nicole is currently the Deputy Director of the Family Defense Practice at The Bronx Defenders working with an interdisciplinary team of social workers, parent advocates, and attorneys... Read More →

Noemi Cotto

Director Of Social Work, The Bronx Defenders

Bronx born Latinx, Noemi Cotto (She, Her, Hers) is a single mother of an amazingly sharp, affectionate and inquisitive young boy. Raised and inspired by her love for hip hop.She is a licensed Master Social Worker, who has acquired a dual bachelors degree in Media, Communication and... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 12:15pm - 1:15pm EDT
G

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Professional Growth and Leadership, Well-Being and Self Care, CE Session

12:15pm EDT

Youth Mobile Response: An Investment to Decriminalize Mental Health

passcode if needed: 358028

During this presentation, participants will have the opportunity to learn about an alternative to policing for young people of color facing a crisis, mobile response. Next, the presenter will briefly overview the criminal legal and mental health system history and their relationship to racial justice. Then the presenter will provide six principles to create an equitable mobile response system. Finally, the presentation will conclude with an interactive discussion with participants on more ways to develop community safety for Black and brown communities.

Speakers

Whitney Bunts

Policy Analyst, CLASP

Whitney Bunts is a policy analyst with CLASP's youth policy team, focusing on juvenile justice, mental health, racial equity, and Opportunity Youth. Whitney has expertise in education justice, mental health, racial equity, and system dynamics.Preceding her career at CLASP, Whitney... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 12:15pm - 1:15pm EDT
F

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Women and Racial Justice, Intersectionality and Connecting Our Stories

1:15pm EDT

Legal Server Open Table Talk

Sponsors

Legal Server

LegalServer

Friday September 24, 2021 1:15pm - 2:00pm EDT

Sponsor

2:00pm EDT

A Contextual and Client-Centered Approach to The Transgender Client

Passcode if needed: 637954

According to the 2015 U.S. Transgender survey, nearly one-third (29%) of respondents were living in poverty,
compared to 12% in the U.S. population. A major contributor to the high rate of poverty is likely respondents’ 15% unemployment rate—three times higher than the unemployment rate in the U.S. population at the time of the survey (5%). Respondents were also far less likely to own a home, with only 16% of respondents reporting homeownership, compared to 63% of the U.S. population. Even more concerning, nearly one-third (30%) of respondents have experienced homelessness at some point in their lifetime, and 12% reported experiencing homelessness in the year prior to completing the survey because they were transgender.

So, as Public Defenders it is highly likely that they will have a Transgender client at some point in their career. How you approach and address that client is extremely important to establishing trust, dignity, and quality representation. How do you bring it up with them? How do you address them in Court? What do you do when you make a mistake? This Presentation will address all these topics.

Speakers

Madison Leach

Attorney, Law Office of Madison Leach

Madison Leach is a 2015 graduate of Southern Illinois School of Law and worked as a Public Advocate for two years with the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy. After her time with DPA she opened her own office since 2018. She is a trans woman and has represented countless Trans... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
E

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Intersectionality and Connecting Our Stories

2:00pm EDT

Black Widow: Changing the Rep of Women

passcode if needed: 877316

In this session, participants will explore some of the narratives in our society concerning our women clients in any of the legal systems our offices interact with regularly. We will create strategies to take our litigation beyond the stereotypes of women intentionally, vividly, and successfully. We will be able to use jury exclusion to ensure open minds toward both traditional and non-traditional narratives.

Speakers

La Mer Kyle-Griffiths

Director of Training and Complex Litigation, Still She Rises

La Mer Kyle-Griffiths is the Director of Training and Complex Litigation at Still She Rises, Tulsa. La Mer has been a lifelong public defender amplifying the voice of the poor in Kentucky, Massachusetts, Washington, Oklahoma, and will soon be the Assistant Public Defender for the... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
C

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Representing Women Families and Children

2:00pm EDT

Carrying What Can't Be Fixed: Grief and Public Defense

Megan Devine says in her book It's OK That You're Not OK, "Some things cannot be fixed. They can only be carried." Our clients' trauma, our moral injury, and the soul-scarring losses we all experience are too much...in a normal year. Add a pandemic that has disproportionately harmed poor people, people of color, and women, and we sort of wonder how we're still standing.

Join Georgia Sims, career public defender, and Khette Cox, hospital and hospice chaplain, as we explore and apply the psychology of grief to public defending. We will identify our core belief systems and explore the ways that our experiences as PDs have challenged or reshaped those belief systems, and we will use the lens of grief as a guide for our path forward. We will create space for community and hope to leave you with some simple practices that might help lighten the load you are carrying.

Notes:
1) Khette and Georgia recognize that The Church (i.e. organized religion) have deeply wounded many folks. While there may be some conversation around belief systems generally, it is our hope to create an inclusive space for everyone.
2) We don't want you to leave this session with another item for your self care to do list that you'll then feel guilty about not doing. This session is about offering a different lens, not giving you new tasks.
3) We hope this will be a conversation BUT there will be no forced participation. Georgia is both an introvert and generally allergic to talking about feelings and Khette is the opposite, so wherever you are on the introversion/extroversion and warm&fuzzy/icy&tough spectrums, we hope you'll join us.

Speakers

Rev. Khette Cox, M. Div., M.A.

Khette Cox is a product of East Tennessee, who had a career in the corporate world, got a Master's in History, and then found her way to Vanderbilt University Divinity School where she received her Master's of Divinity with a focus on Counseling in 2009. She was ordained to chaplaincy... Read More →

Georgia Sims

Assistant Deputy Public Defender & Training Director, Nashville Defenders

Georgia Sims is a Nashville native. She received her undergraduate degree from Transylvania University, where she played volleyball. She attended Vanderbilt University Law School and served as executive director of the Vanderbilt Legal Aid Society and as an editor for the Vanderbilt... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
D

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Professional Growth and Leadership, CE Session

2:00pm EDT

Leading & Empowering the Next Generation: Here Us Now!

In lieu of the original session 'Why Black Women Are Mad,' we invite attendees to an extension of this important conversation in this re-sharing of “Leading & Empowering the Next Generation Here Us Now!” from our 2020 Women’s Conference with Heather Pinckney and Lisa Wayne.

The session will be shared over Zoom during this session time with live facilitators so that you can discuss and respond with one another.

Friday September 24, 2021 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
F

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Women and Racial Justice, Intersectionality and Connecting Our Stories

2:00pm EDT

When Oppression Isn't Only Systemic: How to Effectively Interrupt Racism and Sexism While Maintaining Relationships

passcode if needed: 352053

This session will not be recorded.

Even though the field of public defense is about working for justice, we know too well that the field is not exempt from oppressive beliefs, acts, and comments.

How do we live our values of working for justice, and maintain relationships, in the face of expressions of oppression, such as racism, sexism, and other '-isms' that maintain systems of power. In this interactive workshop, participants will:

explore how white supremacy, an overarching form of oppression, is infused in American culture and begin to envision an alternative to white supremacy culture
strengthen communication skills, specifically tools of non-violent communication
develop and practice strategies for interrupting oppression

Additional references:

Gender, Sexuality, and Identity Explanations
- Trans Student Educational Resources - Gender Unicorn - https://transstudent.org/gender/
"The Urgency of Intersectionality" TED Talk by Kimberlé Crenshaw
- https://www.ted.com/talks/kimberle_crenshaw_the_urgency_of_intersectionality?language=en#t-206228

Speakers

Lillian Huang Cummins

Mitigation Specialist, SAGE Mitigation

Lillian Huang Cummins (she/her) is a clinical psychologist and writer who has worked and volunteered at the intersections of equity, culture, health, and education for over 20 years. She is a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of California and has both research and clinical... Read More →

Heather Sweeney

Mitigation Specialist, SAGE Mitigation

Heather Sweeney (she/her/hers) is a white cis0gender woman. She has over 30 years of experience working with adults, children, and families as a social worker, teacher, and community activist. Heather works as a Mitigation Specialist with SAGE Mitigation based in the Chicago area... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
B

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Professional Growth and Leadership, Women and Racial Justice

2:00pm EDT

Your Power Can't Be Taken Away Without Your Permission

Power is an "illusive and elusive" concept that tricks many leaders into believing they are powerless or that others can and will take away their power. In reality, power is defined as "the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events." While your power can be controlled, coerced, manipulated, surrendered, and abused, your power cannot be taken away without your permission. This workshop will explore the concept of power through the lens of intentionality, confidence, assertion, and self-care.

Speakers

Sharon Jones-Eversley

Professor, Towson University, Family Studies and Community Development Department

Sharon D. Jones-Eversley, DrPH, is an Associate Professor at Towson University in the Family Studies and Community Development Department. Dr. Jones-Eversley earned a Doctorate in Public Health from Morgan State University School of Community Health and Policy. Her interdisciplinary... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 2:00pm - 3:00pm EDT
G

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Professional Growth and Leadership, Well-Being and Self Care

3:00pm EDT

Legal Server Open Table Talk

Sponsors

Legal Server

LegalServer

Friday September 24, 2021 3:00pm - 3:15pm EDT

Sponsor

3:15pm EDT

Plenary Speaker

Speakers

Keeda Haynes

Senior Legal Advisor, Free Hearts

Keeda Haynes supports state and local advocates advancing sentencing reforms and challenging collateral consequences, with a focus on state campaigns to restore voting rights to all justice-involved people.Haynes is an experienced criminal defense attorney and formerly incarcerated... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 3:15pm - 4:00pm EDT
A

Plenary Presenter

4:00pm EDT

Legal Server Open Table Talk

Sponsors

Legal Server

LegalServer

Friday September 24, 2021 4:00pm - 4:15pm EDT

Sponsor

4:15pm EDT

Advocating for Bail Reform and Pretrial Justice Through Litigation and Legislation

Twyla Carter, National Director of Policy at The Bail Project, and Andrea Woods, Staff Attorney in the Criminal Law Reform Project at the ACLU national office, will discuss bail reform legal principles and the most recent legal rulings, legislative trends, and practical tips for lawyers who handle bail hearings. Carter and Woods will cover the broad legal principles underlying bail reform efforts nationwide and how they have been impacted by recent legal rulings. Next, the course will review legislative trends around the country. Finally, they will provide practical tips for defense lawyers who handle bail hearings, including a discussion about risk assessment tools and community support services.

Speakers

Twyla Carter

National Policy Director, The Bail Project

Twyla Carter is the National Policy Director at The Bail Project, a national nonprofit organization that provides free bail assistance and pretrial support to thousands of low-income people every year. The Bail Project's ultimate goal is to be a catalyst for long-term systemic reforms... Read More →

Andrea Woods

Staff Attorney, ACLU Criminal Law Reform Project

Andrea Woods is a Staff Attorney with the ACLU Criminal Law Reform Project. She focuses on bail and pretrial justice, seeking to end wealth-based pretrial detention, dramatically reduce our nation’s use of jails, and eliminate the exploitation of people who have been arrested. She... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 4:15pm - 5:15pm EDT
E

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Representing Women Families and Children, Professional Growth and Leadership

4:15pm EDT

Compassion Fatigue, Public Defenders and Vicarious Trauma

An interactive lecture on recognizing compassion fatigue within yourself and your organization. We will discuss research-based ways to recognize, avoid and prevent this subversive enemy. We will focus on specific prevention techniques and ways to complete the stress cycle.

Speakers

Ashley Nunn

Investigator, Montgomery County Office of the Public Defender

Ashley Morgan Nunn, LBSW is an Investigator with the Office of the Public Defender 15th Judicial Circuit, Montgomery, Al, where she has been employed for 4 years. Ashley received her Bachelors of Arts in Social Work from Auburn University and has been licensed by the State of Alabama... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 4:15pm - 5:15pm EDT
C

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Well-Being and Self Care, CE Session

4:15pm EDT

Own Who You Are

Sometimes women can be labeled in negative ways as too "bossy," "outspoken," or "aggressive," which can make women shy away from being self-assured, confident, organized, and assertive. Women should lean into these qualities. Similarly, if a woman isn't naturally assertive, it is okay to be non-confrontational or deferential. Women should not have to try to be something different than who they are to be respected. Relatedly, as women we need to come together on avoiding language that minimizes our contributions or opinions (like the word "just.") How do we deal with all of this if how we are perceived can be detrimental to our working relationships? What do I do if I'm assertive and men will label will me as aggressive in a negative way? What if I'm police and soft-spoken and men label me as a pushover? Do we ignore that and dig in? Reflect on how we may present ourselves "better?" Some combination?

Speakers

Jessica Zimbelman

Managing Attorney, State Appellate Defender Office

Jessica Zimbelman is Managing Attorney with the State Appellate Defender Office, representing people statewide as they appeal their convictions and sentences. She has appeared before the Michigan Court of Appeals and Michigan Supreme Court multiple times, as well as trial courts throughout... Read More →

Friday September 24, 2021 4:15pm - 5:15pm EDT
B

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Professional Growth and Leadership, CE Session

5:30pm EDT

Networking/Meetups

Friday September 24, 2021 5:30pm - 8:00pm EDT

Networking/Meetups

8:00pm EDT

Networking/Meetups

Friday September 24, 2021 8:00pm - 9:30pm EDT

Networking/Meetups

9:00am EDT

Yoga

Speakers

Colette Tvedt

The Law Firm of Colette Tvedt LLC

Saturday September 25, 2021 9:00am - 9:50am EDT
B

Wellness Practice

10:00am EDT

Clap Yourself: Applaud the Life You Live

Are you a champion? Being a champion is not simply about talent, connections, wealth or luck, it is firmly rooted in resourcefulness, work ethic and mindset. Join this empowering session, where together we recognize and develop the mindset of a champion through self acknowledgement and self love.

Speakers

Natasha Dartigue

Maryland State Public Defender, Maryland Office of the Public Defender

Natasha Dartigue began her appointment as the Maryland Public Defender on July 1, 2022. She has been with Office of the Public Defender (OPD) since 1996. During her tenure, Ms. Dartigue has represented clients in the juvenile, district and circuit court divisions of OPD’s Baltimore... Read More →

Saturday September 25, 2021 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
C

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Professional Growth and Leadership, Well-Being and Self Care, CE Session

10:00am EDT

Leading with Presence for Greater Impact

passcode if needed: 685642

This session will not be recorded

During this interactive workshop, attendees will learn the behaviors required to build trust quickly and position themselves as a trusted member of the team. We’ll explore the principles of relationship management, effective communication, and how to develop presence. Transform your role in your organization.

Attendees will leave the session with tools to begin enhancing their brand reputation and presence immediately, such as, Feedback and Decision-making Frameworks, how to use the power of persuasion and how to disagree without being disagreeable.

Speakers

Cheryl Procter-Rogers

Executive Coach and Associate Director, Ernst & Young (EY)

Saturday September 25, 2021 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
B

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Professional Growth and Leadership, CE Session, Not Recorded

10:00am EDT

Loving Kindness Meditation for Peace and Acceptance

We have so much on our To Do lists, and now we are being told that if we are experiencing stress, distress, or mess, that is our own fault and we simply need to meditate away our worries, and engage in self-care. While still fixing everything, for everyone. But! There are benefits to meditation that can be accessed without a lot of time and money, and that's what we will do with a loving kindness meditation, sending love and kindness and peace to others, to each other, to the universe, and to ourselves. We too are living things, just as deserving of our own love and kindness as anyone else.

Speakers

Cynthia Barlow

Senior Assistant Public Defender, Connecticut Division of Public Defender Services

Licensed to practice law in Connecticut since the late 1900's, a certified yoga teacher since 2016, Cynthia wants you to know that meditation and yoga are for you, and that you are whole and complete and perfect, just as you are. Meditation is free, yoga is free, and if you have... Read More →

Saturday September 25, 2021 10:00am - 11:00am EDT
D

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Well-Being and Self Care

11:15am EDT

Plenary Speaker

Speakers

Cynthia Spence

Co-chair of Sociology and Anthropology, Social Justice Fellows Program Director, UNCF/Mellon Programs Director and Associate Professor, Spelman College

Dr. Cynthia Neal Spence is an associate professor of sociology at Spelman College. Her teaching and research interests in the areas of sociology, criminology, law and violence against women support the Law and Criminology concentration in the College’s Department of Sociology.Dr... Read More →

Saturday September 25, 2021 11:15am - 12:00pm EDT
A

Plenary Presenter

12:15pm EDT

Disciplining the Difficult Witness While Advocating Authentically

One of the most difficult challenges women face when conducting a trial is disciplining the difficult witness while also managing the internal and external challenges within the courtroom. This session focuses on teaching women to hone their trial advocacy skills while embracing the challenges we face in order to combat them. Whether you're a newer attorney or an experienced one, it's always important to educate yourself and enhance your advocacy skills. It's always important to empower yourself to be authentically you no matter what the setting.

Speakers

Brittany Gail-Thomas

Founder & CEO, The Color of Excellence

Saturday September 25, 2021 12:15pm - 1:15pm EDT
B

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Professional Growth and Leadership

12:15pm EDT

Going Beyond Self-Care to Community Care

"Shouting “self-care” at people who actually need “community care” is how we fail people.
--Nakita Valerio

Maintaining our well-being is foundational to being able to do this work. What public defenders need to sustain well-being are strategies in three area:(1) Individual strategies and practices to promote wellness and to mitigate inevitable impacts of trauma. (2) Strategies to build public defense culture that supports well-being. (3) Systemic strategies to reduce obstacles to providing highest levels of representation. This session will focus on strategies to build supportive public defense culture, such as: mentorship, trauma-informed practice and training and supervision, and well being programs and initiatives within public defense agencies."

Speakers

Jenny Andrews

Senior Deputy Public Defender, Santa Barbara County Public Defender

A child of counterculture, raised off the grid by back-to-the-land hippies on the Lost Coast in Northern California, Jenny Andrews is a graduate of Cornell University and Harvard Law School. She started her career as a public defender in Oakland, California in 1996, but left after... Read More →

Saturday September 25, 2021 12:15pm - 1:15pm EDT
C

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Professional Growth and Leadership, Well-Being and Self Care, CE Session

12:15pm EDT

Mentorship in Public Defender Systems: Value, Design & Lessons Learned

This session will explore how a structured mentorship program can help to build community, enhance support, and improve retention within a public defender office. We will discuss the Kentucky structured mentorship program from its design and modification based on mentor and mentee feedback over several years. We will also explore the training and support needed for mentors, so they can best support mentees. This will include concrete ideas of what content should be made to mentors before becoming a mentor and during their mentorship relationships. A small portion will be dedicated to potential push-back in agencies and how to address those concerns and fears. There will be ample time for questions and discussion, which will include information about modification ideas currently in development in various PD agencies.

Speakers

Melanie Foote

Education & Strategic Planning Branch Manager, KY Department of Public Advocacy

Melanie Foote is the Education & Strategic Planning Branch Manager for the Department of Public Advocacy. Melanie joined the Education and Strategic Planning Branch of the Department of Public Advocacy in 2015. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of California... Read More →

Saturday September 25, 2021 12:15pm - 1:15pm EDT
E

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Professional Growth and Leadership

12:15pm EDT

Putting Intersectionality into Practice

We all deserve to have our voices heard. Our life experiences reflect our unique needs personally and professionally. The importance of incorporating intersectionality into our everyday practices and policies, will no doubt aid to support our communities. While Maleeka and Linda's upbringings were different, they both come from humble beginnings and have experienced many challenges stemming from poverty and racism. They will share their stories of motivation inspiration. They are two fierce advocates within the public defense community.

Speakers

MJ Jihad

Director- Family Justice Programming, Office of Respondent Parent Counsel

MJ (Maleeka Jihad) is the Director of the MJ Consulting and the nonprofit MJCF: Coalition, an Agency focused on dismantling systemic racism in the family policing (child welfare) system through education, advocacy, and policy reform. MJ recently took on the new role as Director of... Read More →

Saturday September 25, 2021 12:15pm - 1:15pm EDT
F

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Intersectionality and Connecting Our Stories, CE Session

12:15pm EDT

The Benefits of Practicing Gratitude

If a person could do only one thing to increase their health and happiness, expressing gratitude might be it. Martin Seligman, a pioneer in the field of Positive Psychology, has remarked, that when we take time to notice the things that go right, it means we're getting a lot of little rewards throughout the day. In this session, we will discuss the benefits of practicing gratitude and how that practice can benefit not only your mental health but also your legal practice. We will also go through short gratitude exercises together, including but not limited to meditation and journaling.

Speakers

Tatiana Kline

Deputy Public Defender III, San Diego County, CA Public Defender

Saturday September 25, 2021 12:15pm - 1:15pm EDT
D

Workshops/Breakouts

Subject Well-Being and Self Care, CE Session

1:30pm EDT

Closing Remarks

Speakers

Dr. June Mighty

Organizational & Talent Development Division Chief, County of Santa Barbara

I am a multi-faceted and multidimensional thinker who offers practical concrete real-world solutions. Pulling apart seemingly complex organizational problems and assisting organizations, management, and individuals in figuring out powerful workable solutions comes natural to me. I... Read More →

Saturday September 25, 2021 1:30pm - 2:30pm EDT
A

Plenary Presenter