Online Course – The Critical Examination of Mitigation and Our Role in Uncovering It

“The Critical Examination of Mitigation and Our Role in Uncovering It” course provides an in-depth exploration into critical aspects of mitigation development and report writing. This course is for Sentencing Advocates, Client Service Professionals, Mitigation Specialists/Mitigation Experts, Life History Investigators, Mental Health Social Workers, and those in similar fields who work in and want to know more about creating and developing successful mitigation. It is ideally suited for those who have been practicing mitigation and want to explore themes and enhance their mitigation writing, or as a follow-up to the Mitigation Mechanics course, or simply for those who are interested in a more in-depth look at mitigation development.

This course explores intersectionality and use of self in mitigation development, client-centered representation advocacy, environmental and community factors impacting clients, report writing, and the inclusion of special topics to understand and give context to a client’s life and story. The capstone project at the conclusion of the course will require you to prepare a report and summary presentation that relies on the content learned from the modules through this course. 

Six week course beginning October 9 through November 13, 2024

Registration Deadline September 30 at noon EST

Scholarship Application due Sept 13

Live virtual class sessions from 5 PM EST – 6:45 PM EST (each Wed. from 10/9 – 11/13)

Faculty includes Stephanne Thornton, Michael Moore, Lindsey Sandoval

Stephanne Cline Thornton is a West Virginia native who has worked in and around criminal defense and mitigation for more than 20 years in Georgia, Colorado, and West Virginia. She is currently the Social Work Training and Resource Coordinator for NAPD, Clinical Director for the West Virginia Judicial and Lawyer Assistance Program, and owner of Transform Legal, a consultancy focused on mitigation, training, and sustainability. As a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and Master Addiction Counselor, Stephanne focuses on proper assessment for and access to trauma and substance use disorder treatment to ensure the health and well-being of affected individuals. Stephanne is on the Trauma-Informed Care Network Speakers Bureau and uses that platform to call attention to the intersection of secondary traumatic stress and legal practice. She approaches her work with clients, lawyers, social workers, and mitigation specialists through a contextualized mitigation lens.

Lindsey Sandoval is a licensed clinical social worker who has been practicing social work for seventeen years. She received her Bachelor of social work degree in 2006 and a Master of social work degree in 2014. Lindsey’s experience includes child welfare, respondent parent advocacy, guardian ad litem social work, school social work, and defense-based forensic social work. In August 2014, Lindsey was hired as the first Juvenile Denver Public Defender social worker and helped to create the social work position at the Denver Trial Office. After leaving the Public Defender’s office, Lindsey became a private contract forensic social worker at Sandoval Forensic Social Work Services Inc. Lindsey is also a field instructor and supervising clinical consultant for the Colorado Alternate Defense Counsel contract social workers. Lindsey has done training for the National Association for Public Defense, The Colorado Public Defender’s Office, The Office of Child Representative, Alternate Defense Counsel, and the Juvenile Defender Center. Lindsey is also on the board for Chained Voices, supporting incarcerated adult and juvenile artists throughout Colorado. Lindsey has worked on countless juvenile and adult cases, specializing in direct files and homicides.

Michael Moore has over 20 years of experience as a social worker. Michael was the first Mitigation Investigator hired at the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Maryland.  He was responsible for developing mitigation reports that positively impacted sentencing. He also advocated for clients to get into alternative to incarceration programs and assisted in trial preparation. At the Office of the Federal Public Defender, Michael created the Social Work Internship Program. He was the Field Instructor for the University of Maryland, School of Social Work. He supervised students’ training with the objective of developing a professional competent social worker. Michael served as faculty and conducted training for the Administration Office of the US Courts Defender Services Training Division. He has developed training on the Role and Responsibilities of a Mitigation Specialist/Social Work in a Non-Capital Case. Currently, Michael is the Social Work Supervisor for the Legal Aid Society Criminal Defense Practice in the Bronx. Also, he is a member of the National Association for Public Defense where he co-facilitates a bimonthly discussion group of Social Work Supervisors across the country. Michael received a Bachelor of Arts Degree at Hampton University in May 1994. In June 1998, he received a Master of Social Work Degree at Hunter College – City University of New York.