National Association for Public Defense

Investigator Meetup - Open Chat
2024-04-12 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | https://publicdefenders.us/event/investigator-meetup-open-chat-2/
Hey Investigators,
We understand how things can get stressful, and we’re here to make it better. Our meetup? It’s more of an open conversation—no strict agenda. It’s Friday, a perfect day to let off steam! Bring your complaints, quirks, and successes. Let’s hang out!
Come join us,
Jon

Investigator Supervisor meetup
2024-04-10 14:00 - 15:00 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/investigator-supervisor-meetup/
Supervisors, leaders and senior investigators
Please join us next Wednesday for our monthly meetup, bring your concerns, issues and successes!
See you then!

Join us for the April 2024 edition of the RACIAL JUSTICE MEETUP!
2024-04-09 13:00 - 14:00 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/join-us-for-the-april-2024-edition-of-the-racial-justice-meetup/
We will be led by guest meetup speaker, Bahar Mirhosseni. Bahar will lead us in discussion about public defense, racial justice, and SWANA communities. You definitely don’t want to miss this!

The meetup agenda, speaker bio, and reminders will be posted on the listserv.

Be sure that you don’t miss a Racial Justice Meetup (every second Tuesday of the month) or our discussions by adding our calendar and joining the listserv.

See you there!

Transforming Public Defense: Redefining Our Culture, Sustaining Ourselves, Centering Our Clients
2024-04-09 12:00 - 2024-04-12 12:00 | Delamar Hotel, 615 East Front Street, Traverse City, MI, United States
April 9-12, 2024
Traverse City, Michigan Delamar Hotel
March 6 deadline on Room block rate $134 (plus taxes and fees). Click here to reserve rooms. or call 231-947-3700 and reference group code NAPD0424
Pricing before Feb 20, 2024 $700 NAPD Members, $800 Non Members
Pricing Feb 21 and beyond $800 NAPD Members, $900 Non Members
Need help with this registration process? Watch this video.
Scholarship Application – Due March 1
Check out the current schedule – still developing
Client centered public defense systems recognize that redefining our culture and building systems to support the sustainability and wellbeing of their teams is critical. This leads to higher quality representation, increased retention, and greater recruiting success.
This conference will model an approach to public defense gatherings creating space for the participants to renew their commitment to the work, network and share ideas, and begin drafting plans to bring sustainable, practical solutions back to their organizations.
This conference will focus on the following areas:

Cultivating a culture around wellbeing
Handling challenges related to culture change
Responding to microaggressions and implicit bias
Healing from racial trauma
Developing structured crisis debriefings
Addressing physical and psychological safety in the workplace
Managing toxic workplaces
Creating and maintaining boundaries
Shifting the mindset and adding structure and purpose to self-care
Implementing NAPD’s “10 Principles for Creating Sustainability in Public Defense“

After the conference, we will continue to work together to share progress on our plans and provide support for each other.
NAPD Events and Cancellation Policy

Investigator Meetup - 04/05/2024 2:00 EST, 1:00 CST - Open Chat
2024-04-05 14:00 - 15:00 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/investigator-meetup-4-5-2024-open-chat/

Social Worker Meet-Up: Help! I Need an Expert (Witness)
2024-04-03 12:00 - 13:00 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/sw-meetup-help-expert/
Need help with this registration process? Watch this video.
This meetup will discuss how we can brainstorm and identify, consult with, research, and prep expert witnesses with our team. Knowing when an expert witness is needed is one thing, finding one is another, and having team discussions about that need is a third. We will cover these aspects in our discussion so bring your ideas, thoughts, blockages, and resources to this meetup!
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 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.

Investigator Meetup - Open Chat
2024-03-29 14:00 - 15:00 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/investigator-meetup-03-29-2024-open-chat/
Hey Investigators, We understand how things can get stressful, and we’re here to make it better. Our meetup? It’s more of an open conversation—no strict agenda. It’s Friday, a perfect day to let off steam! Bring your complaints, quirks, and successes. Let’s hang out!

Celebrating Women's History Month: Purpose, Passion, and Power!
2024-03-28 13:00 - 14:30 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/celebrating-womens-history-month-purpose-passion-and-power/
Join us this Women’s History Month for an empowering webinar designed for the fierce and dedicated women in public defense.
Speakers:
Cynthia Roseberry, Director, Policy and Government Affairs, Justice Division, American Civil Liberties Union
Colette Tvedt, Chief Municipal Public Defender, Office of the Municipal Public Defender
Gem Jones, Management Consultant, Currently serving as Arkansas Empathy Network Lead at Dream.org
Chelsea Hawkins, Lead Mitigation Specialist, Kent County Office of the Defender
Lori James-Townes, Executive Director, NAPD
As we navigate through our careers and personal journeys, we often encounter moments that challenge our resolve. This is why our theme, Purpose, Passion, and Power, resonates so deeply within our community.
Even on the toughest days, it is our purpose that sustains us. It’s not just about what we do, but the spirit with which we do it. And yes, while power has been wielded against us, it is also ours to claim and channel towards creating positive change.
As multifaceted women, we bring a spectrum of strengths and perspectives to the table.
This webinar isn’t just a gathering; it’s a celebration of who we are and all that we’ve accomplished. It’s a call to arms for all women in public defense to stand tall, embrace their power, and continue the vital work of shaping a just world.
Save your spot today and be part of this inspiring event where we’ll delve into meaningful discussions, share stories of triumph, and strategize on how to further empower ourselves and our communities.
Together, let’s celebrate our purpose, ignite our passion, and unleash our power.

Investigator Meetup - 03/22/2024 2:00 EST, 1:00 CST - Abusive Head Trauma: What we know about Shaken Baby Syndrome
2024-03-22 14:00 - 15:00 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/investigator-meetup-03-22-2024-200-est-100-cst-abusive-head-trauma-what-we-know-about-shaken-baby-syndrome/
Hi fellow investigators,
We have a special guest this week, Jessica Curci, RN from Godoy Medical. She’ll be talking about Abusive Head Trauma also known as Shaken Baby Syndrome.
Here’s how they describe it: … Non-accidental trauma cases involving retinal hemorrhages, intracranial bleeding, and cerebral edema are complex and involve several specialty areas of medicine. Our experts will review the medical records and help determine what kinds of experts may be needed. We will assess for mimics, determine the timeline of injury, and provide opinions about causation.
Come Join us,
Jon
P.S. An NAPD staff member will be the host for this session.

Stitching Freedom: Embroidery and Incarceration
2024-03-22 13:00 - 14:00 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/stitching-freedom-embroidery-and-incarceration/
This webinar will focus on five hundred years of embroidery and incarceration. Content is drawn from Isabella Rosner’s new zine, Stitching Freedom: Embroidery and Incarceration, published by Common Threads Press. Isabella will be joined by Laura Moseley, founder and head of Common Threads Press, a small, UK-based press that specializes in radical histories of crafts and making.
Isabella Rosner is Curator of the Royal School of Needlework, Research Associate at Witney Antiques and host of the Sew What? podcast.

Isabella is an art historian who studies material culture from the seventeenth through nineteenth century. She specializes in the study of early modern women’s needlework, especially British examples, and schoolgirl samplers across all time periods. Isabella is a 2023 BBC/AHRC New Generation Thinker and has just completed her PhD at King’s College London, where she studied Quaker women’s needle, shell, and wax work before 1800.

Social Worker Meet-Up: Using Mitigation to Challenge the Presentence Investigation Report - 03-20-2024 12:00 EST
2024-03-20 12:00 - 13:00 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/social-worker-meet-up-using-mitigation-to-challenge-the-presentence-investigation-report-03-20-2024-1200-est/
Need help with this registration process? Watch this video.
The presentence investigation report is often a report generated by probation about aspects of our client’s life, but it does not tell the story of the client in the same way mitigation does. How can we use mitigation to challenge the presentence investigation report (whether through our work or representation by the attorney of our work)? How can we ensure mitigation exists and the client’s story is told when a presentence investigation report tells a different story? How can we get creative when a document by probation or the state is telling a rote or one-sided story of our client (including presenting information that is untrue)? These questions will be discussed and explored during this meetup, so bring information from your jurisdiction about presentence investigation reports, how your office handles them, and what you would like to know to creatively introduce mitigation!
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 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.

Social Worker Supervisors Meet-Up: Clinical Supervision and Mentorship
2024-03-19 13:00 - 14:00 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/84420649329
Need help with this registration process? Watch this video.
Plan to join the next supervisors discussion and talk as supervisors in the social work role about this work. The next meeting is scheduled for March 19, 2024 at 10aPDT/11aMDT/12pCDT/1pEDT and the topic for discussion will be about clinical supervision and mentorship. Bring your thoughts, questions, highs, and lows. We’re looking forward to the discussion.
The Supervisor Discussion for those in the Social Work role is jointly facilitated by Kevin Bishop, Michael Moore, and Claudia Dunne.
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 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.
Kevin Bishop, LCSW, Social Worker Coordinator with The Office of the Alternate Defense Counsel (CO);
Michael E. Moore, LMSW, Social Work Supervisor with The Legal Aid Society, Criminal Defense Practice (NY)
Claudia Dunne, LICSW, Director of Social Work & Private Social Service Vendors, Youth Advocacy Division (YAD), CPCS (MA).

2024 Rise. Resist. Represent. National Public Defense Virtual Conference
2024-03-14 12:30 - 2024-03-16 12:30
2024 Rise. Resist. Represent. National Public Defense Virtual Conference will provide over a dozen topic areas to provide to the wide variety of professions and practice areas in public defense across the country. There will be skills training, but also opportunities to explore innovations, systemic litigation, development research projects – and to network with thousands of colleagues who champion the right to counsel and for the opportunity and dignity of their clients.
See the most current listing of confirmed sessions. More being added daily.
Check out the current schedule – still developing
Check out the outstanding speakers bios

Pricing
Before Jan 29

$75 individual
$50 each ticket – bulk for 5-100
$25 each ticket – bulk for 101 and above

Jan 30-March 1

$100 individual
$75 each ticket – bulk for 5-100
$50 each ticket – bulk for 101 and above

March 2 and after

$125 individual
$100 each ticket – bulk for 5-100
$75 each ticket – bulk for 101 and above

Investigator Supervisor meetup - Come Join us! 3-13-2024
2024-03-13 14:00 - 15:00 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/investigator-supervisor-meetup-come-join-us-3-13-2024/

Join us for the March 2024 edition of the RACIAL JUSTICE MEETUP!
2024-03-12 13:00 - 14:00 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/join-us-for-the-march-2024-edition-of-the-racial-justice-meetup/
We will be led by guest meetup speaker, Stephanie Thornton. Stephane is NAPD’s Social Work Training & Resources Coordinator and has worked in and around criminal defense and mitigation for more than 20 years in Georgia, Colorado, and West Virginia. In honor of Social Work Month, Stephanne will lead us in a historical review and critical discussion about the whitewashing of social work and its impact on racial & social justice. Don’t miss it!

The meetup agenda, speaker bio, and reminders will be posted on the listserv.

Be sure that you don’t miss a Racial Justice Meetup (every second Tuesday of the month) or our discussions by adding our calendar and joining the listserv.

Not on the listserv? Send your request to be added to the racial justice listserv to BGT, DEIJ Coordinator, at Brittanygt@publicdefenders.us.

See you there!

Investigator Meetup - 03/08/2024 2:00 EST, 1:00 CST - Open Chat
2024-03-08 14:00 - 15:00 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/87895561683

Social Worker Meet-Up: Tuesday edition - 03-05-2024 12:00 EST
2024-03-05 12:00 - 13:00 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/81277929417
Need help with this registration process? Watch this video.
In this special Tuesday edition of our social worker meet-up (for social workers, sentencing advocates, dispositional advocates, mitigation specialists, and others in similar roles) we are going to discuss mitigation theories! There will be a sample scenario reviewed and we will talk about the strength of different theories and why we might select one theory over another. Join the meeting on this special day, Tuesday, March 5!
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 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.

Investigator Meetup - 03/01/2024 2:00 EST, 1:00 CST - Open Chat
2024-03-01 14:00 - 15:00 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/87895561683

Unlocking the True Potential of Language Through the Prism of Humanity
2024-02-29 14:00 - 15:30 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/unlocking-the-true-potential-of-language-through-the-prism-of-humanity/
In our everyday lives, we are constantly exposed to language that devalues and dehumanizes others. We often overlook the consequences of our words on our clients, their families, and even ourselves. Join our webinar to listen to personal stories from individuals who have been affected by dehumanizing language. Additionally, an attorney and mitigation specialist will discuss the importance of using humanizing language, how we can engage in difficult conversations, and how we can shift our perspectives towards our clients just through the language we use. Together, we can change the way our clients are perceived by the system, society, and most importantly, themselves.
Ronda Swenson has an MA in Education with a credential in Sociology & extensive coursework toward completing her Ph.D. in Human Services with a specialization in the Criminal Justice System. A BA in Sociology with extensive units in Criminal Justice. As well as hundreds of hours of continued education training in multiple fields and topics. Her career includes over twenty-five years in Criminal Defense on adult and juvenile cases, focusing on serious felonies & capital cases at both the state and federal levels. Seventeen + years as a Juvenile Dependency Social Worker/Investigator. As well as three years with the Northern California Innocence Project. Ronda started a social work program at a Public Defender’s Office and is certified as a Paralegal and in Forensic Social Work. She also sits on the advisory board of PJDC & the NAPD Education Committee & CDSW Steering Committee. In addition to working in the criminal defense & juvenile dependency field, she has worked for over thirty years teaching children and adults’ modeling & self-esteem skills. Ronda and her family, provided foster care to adolescent “brothers” of all different races and cultures in her home for twenty years which deeply has impacted how she shows up in her work because she has seen first hand how our systems fail children. Lastly, Ronda is a single mother of a beautiful bi-racial daughter who has been by her side advocating throughout her entire career.

Artie Gonzales is the creative who almost never was. A juvenile-tried-as-an-adult at age 16, he spent 21-years of a Life sentence in the California prison system, eight of which included housing within Pelican Bay’s notorious super-max Solitary Confinement unit. It was here that he evolved past the brutality of his surroundings, as well as the highly political stature he held as a gang leader, committing himself to rehabilitation and non-violence. Released as a model prisoner by the Board of Parole Hearings in 2015, he then dedicated himself to building a new life. Applying the same acumen and intelligence that helped him survive the inhumane conditions of our prison system, he has become a leader in his community, an advocate for legislative reforms, and a member of several social justice organizations. After graduating from a Hollywood-oriented workforce development program, Manifest Works of which he presently resides on the board of directors–he rose through the ranks from production assistant to writer, producer, and author of “The Unseen Shackles.” This article sent reverberations throughout the criminal justice reform arena, and is the basis for what he would later coin the term “Conscious Positioning.”
Additionally, he is the Creator and Executive Producer of the anticipated series, “Lessons From A Lifer,” which seeks to shift the culture between the system-impacted and Society by highlighting universal wisdoms and commonality. His platform challenges preconceived notions about what it means to be “System-Impacted,” and creates a fresh narrative as a new voice for this generation of bold storytellers.

Franky Carrillo is living proof of the power of hope, determination, and optimism. Franky grew up in Lynwood, California, a small suburb of Los Angeles. At the age of 16, he was arrested for murder, tried and convicted as an adult, and sentenced to life in prison. Throughout the entire process, Franky maintained his innocence and devoted his life to proving that the system made a terrible mistake. For twenty years in prison, Franky never lost hope in himself ,the judicial system, or his unwavering faith in humanity. He wrote hundreds of letters requesting assistance, he filed legal briefs on his own, and after 15 years he finally got the attention of a lawyer who believed in him. During the final court hearing, the new evidence was presented and the prosecutors asked the judge to dismiss all charges. On March 16, 2011, after living
through the most unimaginable human experience, he re-emerged as a compassionate man with no animosity ready to live. After his release, Franky graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in Sociology. Based on his experience, Franky has become a renowned champion for fairness and justice – both in the judicial system and beyond. He found his voice and civic engagement early on when he joined the state and national campaign to end the death penalty along with other criminal justice reforms. Franky is an elected member of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party and chair
of his 52nd assembly district. He’s co-chair of the judicial interview committee. He is also the former Chair of the Los Angeles County Probation Oversight Commission.

Ray Ibarra is a training attorney in California’s Indigent Defense Improvement Division of the Office of the State Public Defender. Prior to this role, he served as a public defender in multiple California counties, Montgomery County, Maryland,and throughout the state of Kentucky. Graduating from Georgetown Law in Washington, DC in 2009 and the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication in 2005, he joined Kentucky’s Department of Public Advocacy in 2011 as an Equal Justice Works Public Defender Corps Fellow specializing in Pretrial Release Litigation. His fourteen years as a public defender there and across California include representation of adults and children at all stages of prosecution, including capital eligible cases. Ray led two different units in Kentucky’s state public defense system, including the new attorney training unit of its Education and Strategic Planning Branch. In addition to being a proud member of the Gideon’s Promise class of 2011, Ray serves on faculty in that program, as well as various trial skills programs. Ray, along with his wife Andrea Kendall, who serves as a Public Defender in Orange County, California, have a combined total of twenty-four years and ten household moves working in public service to build a community of committed and passionate defenders throughout the country.

Beyond Black History Month
2024-02-28 13:00 - 14:00 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/beyond-black-history-month/
Black excellence extends well beyond February but this month we are proud to set aside time to celebrate it as a community. This Black History Month, DEIJ Meetup speaker, Rachel Lindley, will review the background of Black History Month and highlight the continued work that needs to be done as we speak up and out against racism (in the criminal legal system and beyond). This session will further analyze how we can embrace Black History as American history and answer the question – “How can we create, foster, and cultivate equitable and inclusive spaces in order to to honor Black public defense professionals?”
Join us as we do the work and have the hard conversations in a brave and inclusive space dedicated to honoring the experience of Black people during Black History Month.
Rachel Lindley is the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Maryland Office of the Public Defender. Prior to joining OPD, they worked in administration for both the judicial and correctional systems in the state of Michigan and Illinois for over 15 years. Rachel has extensive experience in the direct planning, implementation and improvement of policies, procedures and programs that promote access to justice for all members of the public. In her various roles, they worked to implement training and advance awareness of diversity, equity and inclusion and build intentional spaces and a working environment where talented people from a variety of backgrounds could thrive. Rachel is a certified diversity professional through the National Diversity Council and the Maryland Equity and Inclusion Leadership Program, and serves as a Faculty Consultant for All Rise (Formerly National Association of Drug Court Professionals). They are exceptionally passionate about training on Implicit Bias, Urban Trauma, Intersectionality, Inclusive Leadership, Trauma Recovery and Empowerment Model (TREM), Restorative Justice in the Workplace and SUD & MH Treatment (specifically for marginalized populations).
Our DEIJ Coordinator, Brittany Gail Thomas (BGT), Esq., will moderate.

Film Screening of Sansón and Me
2024-02-26 13:30 - 15:30 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/film-screening-of-sanson-and-me/
Sansón and Me is a story a decade in the making, which began when filmmaker Rodrigo Reyes served as a court interpreter in rural California for the then 19-year old Sansón Noé Andrade, an undocumented Mexican immigrant who was sentenced to two life sentences without parole. The film is a vibrant portrait of a friendship navigating immigration and the depths of mass incarceration. Sansón and Me pushes the boundaries of cinematic imagination to rescue a young person’s story from oblivion, and makes the case for a justice system that works to protect those who are vulnerable, rather than continue to reinforce cycles of violence.

The nonprofit Represent Justice is running a national impact campaign to bring the film and conversations about incarceration and immigration with Sansón and Rodrigo to prisons, lawyers, journalism schools, advocacy organizations and community programs: https://www.representjustice.org/campaigns/sanson-and-me/.

This webinar screening of Sansón and Me will be followed by a group discussion of the film and the ways in which the most vulnerable in the legal system can be served.

This film by Rodrigo Reyes is brought to you by Represent Justice and the webinar, screening, and discussion are hosted by the National Association for Public Defense.

Investigator Meetup - 02/23/2024 2:00 EST, 1:00 CST - DUI - DID U INVESTIGATE With Kevin McClain
2024-02-23 14:00 - 15:00 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/investigator-meetup-02-23-2024-200-est-100-cst-dui-did-u-investigate-with-kevin-mcclain/
DUI – DID U INVESTIGATE With Kevin McClain
Your client gets pulled over for a suspected DUI, what things should the officer do and say? If they conduct Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST), what do they accomplish and what should you watch out for in their report? Let Kevin McClain teach us how to properly defend these kinds of cases, what you can expect the other side to pay attention to and remind the court about? He will also provide you with the kinds of things you should ask for, both through FOIA and Subpoena’s. This is one not to miss!
Please also provide Kevin with your questions ahead of time to ensure he covers your needs in your cases: Email them here!
JONATHAN LYON is currently the Investigator Resource Coordinator, past Member Support Coordinator and the national survey investigator for National Association for Public Defense. Since the pandemic he has led roughly 150 meetups for investigators both nationally and internationally. Jon is the president of Lyon Legal Logistics to help attorneys in and out of court with Discovery and technology and has assisted attorneys in multiple federal court jurisdictions (www.lyonlegallogistics.com/). He is also a legal investigator for McClain Investigations. Jon began his investigative background working in a PI firm and then for 12 years for the Office of the State Appellate Defender of Illinois. His primary focus has been on post-conviction death penalty cases. In addition, Jon worked for LexisNexis as an award-winning national trainer of the CaseMap suite of software. He also worked for Lockheed Martin as a contractor supporting government attorneys and investigators with software and electronic discovery support needs. He is a Certified Defense Investigator through DePaul’s Center for Justice in Capital Cases and a Certified Trainer through the Bureau of Justice Assistance. He has taught at the Clarence Darrow Death Penalty Defense College, Cardoza, DePaul, Kent, Iowa, and University of Michigan law schools.
He has also taught at the National Defense Investigator Associations Annual Conferences, National Association of Legal Investigators annual conference, National Association for Public Defense, The Innocence Project, NACDL, Federal Defender’s winning strategies conferences, Life in the Balance, American Society of Criminology, US Army, Intellenet and numerous state and county public defender conferences. It is not unheard of for Jon to be invited back to conferences. Jon was most recently interviewed on “Public Defenseless” episode #99. Jon is the Creator/Webmaster for the internationally utilized website www.internetsleuth.net.
Kevin W. McClain is a licensed private investigator in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Missouri, and Wisconsin. He is a Board-Certified Criminal Defense Investigator, a Board Accredited Investigator and President of Kevin W. McClain Investigations Ltd., which is a multi-state investigative firm (Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Kentucky) with 10 investigators that have over 200 years of investigative experience. He is qualified as an expert in Criminal Investigations, and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing. He has also been a college instructor in personal security. Mr. McClain began his career in 1993 and gained distinction as one of the regions premier private investigators assisting some of the finest criminal defense and civil attorneys with major felonies, personal injuries, wrongful deaths, excessive force shootings, civil rights investigations, police misconduct investigations, white collar defense investigations, corporate investigations and high profile media cases. He has been a featured speaker at the national and international conferences for NLADA “Life in the Balance” Capital Defense training seminars in New Orleans, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Florida and St. Louis. He has spoken for the IICLE, ISBA, IACDL, MACDL, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana, Louisiana and Tennessee Public Defenders Mr. McClain has taught for Jon Rapping’s Gideon’s Promise for returning attorneys. He also has been a featured speaker at the international and national conferences for NACDL,NALI, NCISS, NAPD, Intellenet and the Federal Defenders. Mr. McClain has presented on over 20 different criminal defense subject matters in over 25 states and internationally.

30 YEARS QUALIFIED EXPERT ON NHTSA DWI DETECTION AND TRAINING AND THE STANDARDIZED FIELD SOBRIETY TESTS
2- APPELLATE COURT DECISIONS REVERSED BASED ON TESTIMONY

Social Worker Meet-Up: Supporting Clients' needs 02-21-2024 12:00 EST
2024-02-21 12:00 - 13:00 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/81277929417
Need help with this registration process? Watch this video.
In this week’s meet-up we are going to talk about the challenges we face in our roles related to supporting client needs when the court orders something that is seemingly out of reach – whether incredibly high restitution to be paid, or living in a more expensive residence, or attaining adult literacy in a matter of months. How can we advocate for our clients’ dignity and autonomy when an order seems unobtainable but is required? Bring solutions and ideas to this week’s meet-up!
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 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.

Social Worker Supervisors Meet-Up: Training Needs
2024-02-20 13:00 - 14:00 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/84420649329
Need help with this registration process? Watch this video.
We are really excited to get a chance to meet-up and talk as supervisors in the social work role in this work, and this year we’re hoping to make our monthly meet-ups engaging and purposeful. Our first meeting of 2024 will be held virtually on February 20th at 10 am PST/11 am MST/12 pm CST/1 pm EST and the topic for discussion will be about finding ways to support the training needs of our supervisees! Bring your thoughts, questions, highs, and lows. We’re looking forward to the discussion.
The Supervisor Discussion for those in the Social Work role is jointly facilitated by Kevin Bishop, Michael Moore, and Claudia Dunne.
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 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.
Kevin Bishop, LCSW, Social Worker Coordinator with The Office of the Alternate Defense Counsel (CO);
Michael E. Moore, LMSW, Social Work Supervisor with The Legal Aid Society, Criminal Defense Practice (NY)
Claudia Dunne, LICSW, Director of Social Work & Private Social Service Vendors, Youth Advocacy Division (YAD), CPCS (MA).

Investigator Meetup - 02/16/2024 2:00 EST, 1:00 CST - Open Chat
2024-02-16 14:00 - 15:00 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/87895561683
Get ready for a fantastic Friday stress-busting meet-up! We’re here to lend an empathetic ear and be your sounding board for whatever is on your mind. There’s no rigid agenda here – we’re keeping it free-flowing. Whether you’ve got complaints, gripes, or exciting successes to share, we’re all ears and ready to chat. So, don’t miss out on this opportunity to unwind, connect, and let it all out! Join us for an uplifting conversation!
JONATHAN LYON is currently the Investigator Resource Coordinator, past Member Support Coordinator and the national survey investigator for National Association for Public Defense. Since the pandemic he has led roughly 150 meetups for investigators both nationally and internationally. Jon is the president of Lyon Legal Logistics to help attorneys in and out of court with Discovery and technology and has assisted attorneys in multiple federal court jurisdictions (www.lyonlegallogistics.com/). He is also a legal investigator for McClain Investigations. Jon began his investigative background working in a PI firm and then for 12 years for the Office of the State Appellate Defender of Illinois. His primary focus has been on post-conviction death penalty cases. In addition, Jon worked for LexisNexis as an award-winning national trainer of the CaseMap suite of software. He also worked for Lockheed Martin as a contractor supporting government attorneys and investigators with software and electronic discovery support needs. He is a Certified Defense Investigator through DePaul’s Center for Justice in Capital Cases and a Certified Trainer through the Bureau of Justice Assistance. He has taught at the Clarence Darrow Death Penalty Defense College, Cardoza, DePaul, Kent, Iowa, and University of Michigan law schools.
He has also taught at the National Defense Investigator Associations Annual Conferences, National Association of Legal Investigators annual conference, National Association for Public Defense, The Innocence Project, NACDL, Federal Defender’s winning strategies conferences, Life in the Balance, American Society of Criminology, US Army, Intellenet and numerous state and county public defender conferences. It is not unheard of for Jon to be invited back to conferences. Jon was most recently interviewed on “Public Defenseless” episode #99. Jon is the Creator/Webmaster for the internationally utilized website www.internetsleuth.net.

Online Train the Trainer - 2 Week Intensive - Create Your Own Online Course
2024-02-15
$1050 NAPD Members, $1200 Non Members
2 Week Intensive
Feb 15 – Feb 27, 2024
Taught online with eight 90 minute small group meetings
We will meet through Zoom at 1:30 pm ET/10:30 am PT on February 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26 & 27
Registration Deadline Feb 1
Need help with this registration process? Watch this video.
Please only sign up if you are able to attend all of the small groups and commit to a minimum of 15 hours of out of class work during this 2 week period. The class is designed to get you to the point that you have a course ready to launch if you have the time to invest in the course during the 2 weeks.
NAPD’s Public Defender Bring Your Own “Course” Train the Trainer program for the development of distance learning courses for your organizations. This course will utilize both synchronous and asynchronous instruction methods. Participants will be expected to read materials and watch short videos on your own in preparation for each class meeting. The class will meet in regular online Zoom video conferences and will also use small group breakout sessions during class where you will work on the course that you are developing. We model best practices for you to incorporate into the course you create.
You will have the option of placing your finished course inside NAPD’s learning management system [LMS]. You will also be able to create a section within NAPD’s LMS for your organization with its own webpage address and design. After the course you will be able to add additional courses and offer them to your own participants. (Your registration fee for this course includes using NAPD’s LMS for one course and up to 25 active participants in that course. Additional courses and active participants will be available for a reasonable cost to be determined to cover NAPD’s costs with the LMS provider (TalentLMS).
You will be part of a cooperative of public defense trainers from across the nation which provides you the opportunity to copy and modify portions of other courses for your use.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will have developed and created a ready-to-launch public defense distance learning course by:
* Creating learning objectives for your target audience
* Storyboarding the arc of the course
* Understanding and choosing between the different approaches to online learning methods, including:
* Asynchronous use of video, reading, discussion forums and quizzes
* Synchronous use of online video conferencing
* Understanding and setting up the equipment needed to record videos
* Understanding and setting up individual modules in NAPD’s learning management system
* Developing online small group facilitation skills
* Assuring user accountability through reporting systems and quizzes
* Sharing knowledge and resources with other public defense trainers to avoid recreating the wheel
* Receiving feedback from the instructors and other participants regarding the design and delivery of the course

Webinar: Collaborative, Holistic Services: Where to Begin? Part 2
2024-02-14 14:00 - 15:30 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/84264954017
Click the “Log In” button at the top of this page before registering.
Need help with this registration process? Watch this video.

February 14, 2024 at 2:00 pm Eastern | 1:00 pm Central | 12:00 pm Mountain | 11:00 am Pacific (90 minutes)
The proliferation of collaborative, holistic styled defense is revolutionizing public defenders across the country. Yet, challenges remain in implementing these expanded services. In this second part of our conversation, our panelists will focus on the successful implementation of a holistic practice, including providing expanded services, collaborating across functions and assessing impact.
Presenters
Vichal Kumar is the Director of Capacity-Building at Partners for Justice. Vichal uses his expertise in creating and implementing collaborative and holistic defense programs to offer technical expertise to public defender offices throughout the country. Prior to PFJ Vichal served as the Managing Director of the Civil Defense Practice at Neighborhood Defender Services of Harlem, where he created the practice responsible for the representation of clients in essential civil matters including: immigration; housing; employment; civil asset forfeiture; and social services connections. While attending the law school, Vichal worked as a Civil Legal Advocate at The Bronx Defenders. Upon graduation, Vichal became a Staff Attorney and subsequently a Supervising Attorney at The Bronx Defenders. He is also a former President of the South Asian Bar Association of North America and the South Asian Bar Association of New York.
Annie Legomsky is the Holistic Defense Services Leader at Missouri State Public Defender. Annie is lawyer and social worker who has combined her expertise in both fields to create a more holistic approach to public defense in Missouri. Annie is a St. Louis native who has been a part of MSPD since 2016. Annie joined MSPD as a trial attorney in St. Louis City in 2016 and served in that role for 3 years before transitioning into a role focused on representing the office’s clients in treatment court programs. Now, as the Holistic Defense Services Leader for MSPD, Annie has been paving the way to implement a collaborative and community-based approach to representation and leads a team of over 20 staff statewide. Before joining MSPD, Annie served as a law clerk for the Hon. Rodney W. Sippel in the Eastern District of Missouri. Annie graduated from Washington University’s School of Law and the Brown School of Social Work in 2014 with her JD/MSW. Annie is also a proud wife and mom of two adorable toddlers.

Investigator Supervisor meetup - Come Join us! 2-14-2024
2024-02-14 14:00 - 15:00 | https://publicdefenders-us.zoom.us/j/82381950121
Supervisors, leaders and senior investigators
Please join us tomorrow for our monthly meetup, bring your concerns, issues and successes!
See you then!

RACIAL JUSTICE MEETUP
2024-02-13 13:00 - 14:00 | https://publicdefenders.us/event/racial-justice-meetup/
We will be led by guest speaker, Tony White. Tony works as the Director of Outreach at the Fletcher Group and is a seasoned advocate for those with substance use disorders and addiction. Tony will lead our meetup in a discussion of the historical and current impact of racial injustice on active substance use disorders. You don’t want to miss it!
The meetup agenda, speaker bio, and reminders will be posted on the listserv.

Be sure that you don’t miss a Racial Justice Meetup (every second Tuesday of the month) or our discussions by adding our calendar and joining the listserv.

Not on the listserv? Send your request to be added to the racial justice listserv to BGT, DEIJ Coordinator, at Brittanygt@publicdefenders.us.

See you there!

Online Course: Effective Coaching, Team Work, and Case Review: Helping Defender Leaders Help Clients
2024-02-12
Online Course: Effective Coaching, Team Work, and Case Review: Helping Defender Leaders Help Clients –
Online Weekly February 12 – March 25, 2024
This course has sold out in previous sessions – register soon to guarantee your spot
Registration Deadline Feb 1
Need help with this registration process? Watch this video.
Audience – Defender Chiefs, Deputies, Leadership Team Members, Supervisors
This is a course for lawyer and nonlawyer supervisors and team leaders at all levels in both full-time and managed assigned counsel programs about growth and development of staff to help clients even better and comply with ethical responsibilities of supervision.
Expanding our capacity as a coach and the capacity of our staff to take effective action for clients is a primary responsibility of a defender supervisor-leader. Quality performance for clients is the primary responsibility of public defense programs. With quality representation as a defender core value, active coaching is not an optional undertaking. Supervision is an ethical obligation. The objective of supervision is to assure that all defense services provided by lawyers and staff are effective in accordance with the prevailing professional public defense standards and competency within the meaning of the rules of professional conduct.
Through the course, you will create a comprehensive coaching and communication strategy, performance agreements, and evaluations, as well as ways to provide strengths-based developmental feedback. This course will build on your coaching strengths. You will be applying the information in the presentations to the actual situations that you face now.
You will learn:
• A theory of successful, dynamic coaching
• Offering effective feedback
• Engaging employees
• Using a 3-step performance process
• Managing, creating, and leading interdisciplinary teams
• Promoting productive conflict
• Leading the case-review process
• Conducting file reviews
• Creating performance agreements
• Conducting progressive discipline for unsatisfactory performance or misconduct
• Leading staff meetings and having key coaching conversations
• Communicating and framing your coaching process to staff
• Learning about ways to thrive for the long haul as a hardy coach
There are a total of seven Sections over seven consecutive weeks. Each Section has video presentations and other materials to review at your convenience. Each Section has an assignment based on the work unit situation you bring to the course and you as a coach. The videos, materials and assignments will be discussed in a weekly 90 minute Zoom small group with a structured discussion. These weekly Zoom discussions will be on the same day and at the same time every week.
In taking this online course, you agree to keep conversations in the small group confidential. Time expectations for this course per week are:
• Watching course videos – about 1 – 2 hours
• Weekly assignment – about 1 – 2 hours
• Weekly small groups – 1.5 hours
Course weekly small group meeting times will be set by a poll of registrants to make sure it works with your schedule. When indicating times you can meet, indicate all times you can meet. Because of the number of registrants, we are highly unlikely to be able to accommodate a registrant that can only meet at one of the available times.
Ed Monahan, Ernie Lewis, Hilary Potashner, Stephanne Thornton and Twyla Carter will facilitate the small group discussions. These coaches have many years of experience supervising public defenders.
“In the simplest, day-in, day-out terms, masterful coaching involves expanding people’s capacity to take effective action. It often comes down to making it possible for people to succeed in areas where they are most stuck or ineffective.” – Robert Hargrove
Price: $600 for NAPD Members. $750 for Non-Members.
Live Orientation for All Registrants: Thursday, February 8th at 4:00 pm ET | 3:00 pm CT | 2:00 pm MT | 1:00 pm PT. A recording of orientation will be available for those unable to attend the live presentation.
Registration Deadline – February 1 AT NOON EASTERN
Small Group Meeting Times: Participants will select the options that work best for their schedule at registration; participants must select all times that they can meet; being able to meet only at one time is highly unlikely to be able to be accommodated
Monday 5:00 p.m. ET | 4:00 pm CT | 3:00 pm MT | 2:00 pm PT (this is the only time block for the other defense professionals (not attorneys)
Wednesday 10:30 am ET | 9:30 am CT | 8:30 am MT | 7:30 am PT
Wednesday 11 am ET | 10 am CT | 9 am MT | 8 am PT
Thursday 11 am ET | 10 am CT | 9 am MT | 8 am PT
Friday at 11 am ET | 10 am CT | 9 am MT | 8 am PT
Friday at 1 pm ET | 12 pm CT | 11 am MT | 10 am PT
Friday at 3 pm ET | 2 pm CT | 1 pm MT | 12 pm PT

“The videos were awesome but the breakout sessions were the best. Meeting fellow leaders and knowing that I’m not alone in my leadership struggles. “
“I loved the materials. I worked hard on my assignments and I have some really great things to implement in my office. I loved meeting fellow Defenders who are coaching in different places and facing different struggles.”
“I really liked the small group discussions. It really forces people to open up about the challenges they face in a productive way, instead of these challenges silently weighing on people or being the topic of more toxic discussions within their offices.”
