NAPD 2024 We The Defenders - Detroit: Full Schedule

This is the current listing of the schedule and confirmed speakers. We will be updating this page as sessions and speakers are confirmed.

10:45am EDT

Registration Table Open

Map of Hotel Meeting Rooms

We will have a registration/check-in table at the end of the Promenade just outside of the Garden Room. Please stop by the table to say hello and pick up your name tag from the NAPD Team.

This is our largest in-person conference with close to 300 participants, so you are welcome to stop in and pick up your nametag early and then explore the hotel/surrounding areas before opening remarks.

The line tends to get pretty long at 15 minutes prior to the opening remarks so we encourage folks to stop in early.

Monday August 12, 2024 10:45am - 12:45pm EDT
Garden Room

12:45pm EDT

Welcome & The Ground We Stand On

Map of Hotel Meeting Rooms

Welcome to "We the Defenders".

We will hear from some local historians and storytellers about what we need to know about the ground we stand on and the civil rights movement of Albuquerque.

Speakers

Lori James-Townes

Executive Director, NAPD

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 →

Jeff Sherr

Training Director, National Association for Public Defense

Jeff Sherr is the Training Director for the National Association for Public Defense producing hundreds of webinars for public defense professionals across the nation. Prior to that he was the Manager of the Education and Strategic Planning Branch of the Kentucky Department of Public... Read More →

Monday August 12, 2024 12:45pm - 1:30pm EDT

Plenary

Profession Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates, Investigators, Core Staff, Paralegals

1:30pm EDT

Break

Monday August 12, 2024 1:30pm - 1:45pm EDT

Break

1:45pm EDT

Firearms Evidence and Ballistics

This session will cover forensic firearms evidence, nomenclature, operation and ballistics as it applies to your cases. Topic material will cover:
• Interior Ballistics
• Exterior / Terminal Ballistics
• Basic types of firearms and how they operate
• Firearms identification
• Basic shooting incident evidence and reconstruction
• Shooting Reconstruction Checklist

Session Objectives

Help recognize critical questions and issues in cases involving firearms when talking to defendant and or witnesses
Facilitate intelligent discussions with forensic experts such as criminalists, firearms examiners and medical examiners
Assist in the reading of police and medical examiner reports
Understand and recognize the basic reconstruction of shooting scenes from forensic firearms evidence

Speakers

Watani Tyehimba

Investigator, (TSI) Tyehimba Services, Inc. Investigative & Protective Services

Watani S.U. Tyehimba, CPP, CCDI (CPP), Board Certified in Security Management, and (CCDI), Board Certified Criminal Defense Investigator has been in the protective services field since 1972. He has performed duties as a legal investigator and paralegal for law firms in California... Read More →

Monday August 12, 2024 1:45pm - 3:00pm EDT
Texas /Colorado

Profession Investigators, Paralegals

1:45pm EDT

Influencing without Authority

Speakers

J Friley

Public Defender Corporation (PDC) Administrator, Public Defender Services (Charleston, WV)

Jonathan joined NAPD in June, 2017 to administer NAPD’s membership database, manage listservs, and assist and advise on other technological issues and solutions. Jonathan is currently the Public Defender Corporation (PDC) Administrator for Public Defender Services in West Virginia... Read More →

Monday August 12, 2024 1:45pm - 3:00pm EDT
Rio Grande

Profession Investigators, Paralegals, Core Staff

1:45pm EDT

Jury voir dire selection and deselection

Speakers

Shaun Hubbard

Joanne Pena

Investigator II, VA Defenders

Joanne Peña earned her A.S. in Paralegal Studies and her B.S. in Criminal Justice. After working with the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office for three years, she joined the Petersburg Public Defender’s Office in 2005. Joanne’s dedication to serving the rights of indigent clients... Read More →

Monday August 12, 2024 1:45pm - 3:00pm EDT

Profession Investigators, Paralegals

1:45pm EDT

The Busy Paralegal and Investigator’s Guide to Dealing with Prosecution Experts

Speakers

Rene Valladares

Federal Public Defender for the District of Nevada

Rene L. Valladares is the Federal Public Defender for the District of Nevada. He is an adjunct instructor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Boyd School of Law, and the UNLV Criminal Justice Department. He lectures nationally on various criminal law and procedure topics including... Read More →

Monday August 12, 2024 1:45pm - 3:00pm EDT

Profession Investigators, Paralegals, Core Staff

1:45pm EDT

Social Worker and Sentencing Advocates Small Group Introductions: Different Approaches to Defense

Small Group Breakout Room Assignments
Map of Hotel Meeting Rooms

In the first of our small groups we will introduce ourselves and describe the dynamics of where we work as part of defense teams. We will meet our colleagues and introduce the ways in which we practice as social workers, sentencing advocates, case coordinators, reentry coordinators, and the other roles we have in public defender offices, identifying the strengths and challenges of our programs and learning how other programs utilize their social workers/sentencing advocates in an interdisciplinary setting. We will also discuss common issues and goals for the week.

Monday August 12, 2024 1:45pm - 3:00pm EDT
Small Group Rooms

Social Worker and Sentencing Advocates Small Group

Area CE Eligible

3:15pm EDT

Cell Phone Location Evidence for Legal Professionals

With billions of cell phones in the world and millions of phone applications, the amount of evidence created by cell phones can be daunting. This program will explain the common types of evidence that can be recovered from cell phones, including deleted data. Some evidence types that will be discussed include location information, text messages, multimedia, voice mails, cloud backups, and more. Real-life case examples will be used to illustrate how evidence recovered from cell phones can be used in cases and investigations. The proper methods to forensically acquire cell phone evidence will be covered, and how evidence can be challenged in court.

Monday August 12, 2024 3:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Rio Grande

3:15pm EDT

OSINT tools revealed

The defense team's access to open-source intelligence. This presentation will feature OSINT-related websites, that can impact your cases by saving you time as well. These websites provide access to additional useful data that you can expose information that isn't accessible through standard searching. Let's explore some of these tools togther!

Speakers

Jon Lyon

Investigator Resource Coordinator, National Association for Public Defense

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 125 meetups for investigators both nationally and internationally... Read More →

Monday August 12, 2024 3:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Texas /Colorado

Profession Investigators, Core Staff, Paralegals

3:15pm EDT

Paralegal meeting

Speakers

J Friley

Public Defender Corporation (PDC) Administrator, Public Defender Services (Charleston, WV)

Corey Smith

Trainer, Maricopa County Public Defender

Corey Dewayne Smith is a United States Army JAG Corps veteran known for his dynamic leadership and comprehensive expertise. Having transitioned from a distinguished career as a paralegal, he has seamlessly integrated his military leadership experience into criminal defense social... Read More →

Monday August 12, 2024 3:15pm - 4:30pm EDT
Arizona

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals

3:15pm EDT

The Busy Paralegal and Investigator’s Framework for Dealing with Evidence Problems

Speakers

Rene Valladares

Federal Public Defender for the District of Nevada

Monday August 12, 2024 3:15pm - 4:30pm EDT

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals

3:15pm EDT

The Client Meeting (Interviewing)

Speakers

Stephanne Thornton

Clinical Director/Owner, West Virginia Judicial and Lawyer Assistance Program/Transform Legal

Stephanne Cline Thornton is the Clinical Director for the West Virginia Judicial and Lawyer Assistance Program and owner of Transform Legal, focusing on mitigation and training. Stephanne is also the Social Work Training and Resource Coordinator for NAPD. She is a Licensed Independent... Read More →

Monday August 12, 2024 3:15pm - 5:00pm EDT

Social Worker and Sentencing Advocates Plenary

Profession Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates

5:15pm EDT

SW/Sentencing Faculty Meeting

Monday August 12, 2024 5:15pm - 6:00pm EDT
Executive Viewing Lounge 12th Floor

Faculty meeting

9:00am EDT

The Story Never Told

Telling a good story isn’t easy. But to ensure a proper understanding and appreciation, of our clients’ lives, there are core competencies: understanding mitigation, report writing, interviewing, understanding the importance of collateral information, testimony, and working as an agent and team member of defense counsel. Reports are core tools need to help the rest of the world understand the lives of our clients in a way that was never told before. The session will cover:

Ways to develop a powerful story
How to connect the dots for the reader
Review material needed for powerful reports
The importance of explaining the process, while humanizing your client through words

Speakers

Lori James-Townes

Executive Director, NAPD

Tuesday August 13, 2024 9:00am - 10:15am EDT

Plenary

Area CE Eligible

10:15am EDT

Break

Tuesday August 13, 2024 10:15am - 10:30am EDT

Break

10:30am EDT

Cellebrite Cell Phone Examination

Cellebrite is the most utilized mobile device forensic tool in the world. In this class, attendees will be guided through the extracted data from mobile devices from within Cellebrite forensic software live. During this lesson, participants will be educated on the forensic artifacts that can be recovered from a mobile phone and how that data is relevant to cases. Attendees will also see and learn firsthand the examination process, from acquisition (data collection), preservation (data protection), data analysis, and reporting using Cellebrite.

Tuesday August 13, 2024 10:30am - 11:45am EDT
Rio Grande

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals

10:30am EDT

Representing Muslim Clients

Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, currently there are about 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide, making up over 24% of the world population. By 2025, Islam is expected to grow by 50%.
By some counts, there are between 6-8 million Muslims in the United States and about 50% of them are Africans born in America. So, these statistics indicate that at some point our clients will be Muslim. And occasionally lawyers and investigators that are incompetent, underfunded and openly bigoted represent them. A lack of cultural sensitivity to other ethnic groups and or religions may affect their ability to adequately prepare for a case.
This session will provide information helpful in dealing with Muslim clients that were arrested as Muslims, as well as those that converted to Islam in jail after their arrest.
Topic material will cover:

Muslims in the U. S.
Most likely defendants
Islamic basic beliefs
Five pillars of Islam
Taking the case of a Muslim
If you are Muslim
If you are non-Muslim
Where to get assistance
Jail and court practices
Witnesses in the Muslim community
Expert witnesses on Islam

Session Objectives

Demonstrate the need to be objective, and open to represent individuals outside of so-called mainstream (Christianity) religions in the U.S., such as Islam, the Moorish Science Temple, Nation of Islam, Rastafarian, Vodun (Voodoo), Santeria, Five Per Centers, Sikhs, etc.
Provide the participants with information and resources to work cases of Muslim and other non-mainstream religious clients.

Speakers

Watani Tyehimba

Investigator, (TSI) Tyehimba Services, Inc. Investigative & Protective Services

Tuesday August 13, 2024 10:30am - 11:45am EDT
Texas /Colorado

Profession Investigators, Core Staff, Paralegals

10:30am EDT

TBA

Ever wonder why some investigators always get the interview or how they get people to say the things they do? This class will enhance your ability to deal with difficult people and situations as well as improve your odds of obtaining valuable information and insight. You’ll learn how to increase your relatability, heighten your empathy, and drill deeper into interviews producing effective results for your client and your case.

Tuesday August 13, 2024 10:30am - 11:45am EDT

Profession Investigators, Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates, Paralegals

10:30am EDT

Title: CONFIDENTIAL "For Your Eyes Only!"

Their Secrets are My Business!
This dynamic powerpoint presentation has never been revealed until now! Hear this 30 year veteran investigator show you the hidden information he has been able to uncover through creative uses of FOIA,'S, Open Sources and Subpoenas Duces Tecum.
You will be shown the results of information that has been uncovered that you never knew existed. Did you know there is Dash Cam / Body Cam software that is being used that records everything rather it is turned on or not? See the results of what was uncovered and the response from the law enforcement agency. Can you say BRADY!!!. Did you know about the hidden audit trails that track all of the officers who worked on your case? Have you ever heard of AVL data? You should have most departments have it, you just didn't know it existed. Now you will. Some of the material that was uncovered is very confidential and can only be revealed at the conference. You will not believe what officials post on the internet! You will take away a whole new set of investigative tools that you can immediately put to use in your practice!.

Speakers

Kevin McClain

Investigator, Kevin W McClain Investigations Ltd

Kevin W. McClain is a licensed private investigator in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Missouri. 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... Read More →

Tuesday August 13, 2024 10:30am - 11:45am EDT

Profession Investigators, Paralegals

10:30am EDT

Interviewing and Report Writing Small Groups

This small group focuses on the importance of using best practices to ask critical questions about an individual's social history, life history, experiences, strengths, challenges, and goals during an interview to determine the best ways to understand - then translate - that individual's circumstances into a compelling and empathic report. We will draw on best practices for interviewing that include listening for the interviewee’s perspective on and experience of race, culture, class, environment, identity, role, and structure in society to develop a more complete assessment of their biopsychosocial history. We will discuss ways in which this information can be used to create a thematic and compelling report about the individual client’s experiences, past, present, and future. Role playing and practice writing will be part of small group work.

Tuesday August 13, 2024 10:30am - 11:45am EDT
Small Group Rooms

Social Worker and Sentencing Advocates Small Group

Profession Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates
Area CE Eligible

11:45am EDT

Lunch (on your own

Tuesday August 13, 2024 11:45am - 1:00pm EDT

Lunch

1:00pm EDT

Core staff meet up

From Today's Discussion: (more resources)

Be Well Wednesdays: Please send a blank email to BeWellWednesdays+subscribe@NAPD.groups.io to receive zoom link updates, schedule updates, announcements, and shared materials. The list will not send abundant emails, just a weekly link/reminder and occasionally session materials.

Speakers

Jeni Benavides

Training Coordinator, National Association for Public Defense

Jeni Benavides is thrilled to work with the NAPD as their Training Coordinator, and to be embarking on a new career journey utilizing her background in theatre, education, and activism. Most recently, Jeni served as the Education Director at Woodford Theatre in Versailles, Kentucky... Read More →

J Friley

Public Defender Corporation (PDC) Administrator, Public Defender Services (Charleston, WV)

Corey Smith

Trainer, Maricopa County Public Defender

Tuesday August 13, 2024 1:00pm - 2:15pm EDT
Rio Grande

Profession Core Staff

1:00pm EDT

Identifying a bad officer and what to do about it.

How to identify
Building your case- media involvement; feds; tracking cases
Decertification
How to assist the attorney
Examples

Speakers

Shaun Hubbard

Joanne Pena

Investigator II, VA Defenders

Tuesday August 13, 2024 1:00pm - 2:15pm EDT

Profession Investigators, Paralegals, Core Staff

1:00pm EDT

Race and Our Practice

We will discuss race as a social construct; why and how race is often used in society and the criminal justice system.

This session will explore why race is a significant factor in our cases and the attorney’s and investigator’s need to be cognizant and sensitive to this. We will also look at the statistical reality that a defendant will more than likely be an African born in America or some other minority and explore ways to best serve them.

Topic material will cover:

Origin of race in the U. S.
How race is used
Most likely defendants
Barriers to effective communication
Preconceptions and Stereotypes
Tools to address the issues of race in our practice

Speakers

Watani Tyehimba

Investigator, (TSI) Tyehimba Services, Inc. Investigative & Protective Services

Tuesday August 13, 2024 1:00pm - 2:15pm EDT
Nevada

Profession Investigators, Paralegals, Core Staff

1:00pm EDT

What's Left Behind When You Surf the Web?

Be scared, be very scared of the kinds of data that is left on your computer. In this unique presentation you’ll see the data that can easily be found if one knows where to look. If your case involves a computer this is a must see!

Speakers

Jon Lyon

Investigator Resource Coordinator, National Association for Public Defense

Tuesday August 13, 2024 1:00pm - 2:15pm EDT
Texas /Colorado

Profession Investigators, Paralegals, Core Staff

1:00pm EDT

Ethical Dilemmas: Social Work in Criminal Defense

This session will 1) provide an understanding of forensic social work in the criminal defense setting, 2) provide conceptual understanding of potential ethical dilemmas that may arise in a criminal defense setting, and 3) propose strategies for addressing ethical dilemmas through discussion of the current literature, legal opinions, and practice situations.

Tuesday August 13, 2024 1:00pm - 2:15pm EDT
NM Ballroom

Social Worker and Sentencing Advocates Plenary

Profession Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates
Area CE Eligible

2:15pm EDT

Break

Tuesday August 13, 2024 2:15pm - 2:30pm EDT

Break

2:30pm EDT

Introduction to Digital Forensics

This class will explain the evolution of computer forensics into what is now known as digital forensics. As a part of this class, attorneys will learn about the foundations of digital forensics, including how digital evidence should be collected, forensically acquired (copied), preserved, examined, and analyzed. The class then uses numerous case examples to explain different forensic artifacts and how they can be used in cases. Evidence types include metadata, internet history, communication artifacts, searches, multimedia, location evidence, and much more. Actual case examples are utilized to illustrate the usefulness of these forensic artifacts in litigation. Attorneys will also learn the difference between an information technology expert and a digital forensics expert, with case examples illustrating the problematic outcomes of having information technology experts attempting to testify about digital forensics.

Tuesday August 13, 2024 2:30pm - 3:45pm EDT
Rio Grande

Profession Investigators, Paralegals

2:30pm EDT

Recognition Technology for Defense Investigations

Speakers

Herbert Duzant

Capital Habeas Investigator, Federal Public Defender Office, District of Nevada

Herbert Duzant is a native New Yorker and veteran criminal defense investigator with over twenty-five years of experience. Mr. Duzant is currently the senior investigator at the District of Nevada’s Federal Public Defender (FPD), where he handles both fact and mitigation investigations... Read More →

Tuesday August 13, 2024 2:30pm - 3:45pm EDT

Profession Investigators, Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates, Paralegals

2:30pm EDT

TBA

Tuesday August 13, 2024 2:30pm - 3:45pm EDT

Profession Core Staff

2:30pm EDT

Victimology

A new perspective on criminal defense cases as they are shown methodology to acquire information on the alleged victim and how to develop a timeline along with information sources to assist with the last 24 hours of the victim’s activities.

Speakers

Kevin McClain

Investigator, Kevin W McClain Investigations Ltd

Tuesday August 13, 2024 2:30pm - 3:45pm EDT

2:30pm EDT

Social Work and Sentencing Advocates Small Group: Ethics

Following the session on “Ethical Dilemmas: Social Work in Criminal Defense”, we will discuss several ethical dilemmas that may arise in the criminal defense setting. In our small groups, we will evaluate these ethical scenarios based on models of advocacy and ethics for social workers engaged by criminal defense practitioners. We will also distinguish ethical decision making based on the Pure Advocacy versus Best Interest practice.

Tuesday August 13, 2024 2:30pm - 3:45pm EDT
NM Ballroom

Social Worker and Sentencing Advocates Small Group

Profession Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates
Area CE Eligible

3:45pm EDT

Break

Tuesday August 13, 2024 3:45pm - 4:00pm EDT

Break

4:00pm EDT

Racial Injustice and Our Role

If the defense community is to come to terms with racial injustice, we must also come to terms with the ways in which our work contributes to racial injustice.

Subtle harm is done in the standard practices of our day-to-day work. When we show up unannounced at the home of a Native witness, we deny that witness the common courtesies---requesting consent for a meeting and making an appointment----that we afford our friends and colleagues. When a white investigator arrives at the home of a Latinx family and asks to be let in, that investigator is wielding their whiteness to exercise power over the Latinx family, and undermining their sense of safety in their home. This may be unavoidable in some instances---for instance when dropping in on a government witness---but avoidable in others---perhaps when interviewing a friendly mitigation witness. In any case, teams should be including an analysis of their racial impact when deciding what tactics to employ.

Racism arises in our defense themes as well. When a mitigation narrative describes a Black defendant who was raised in a Black community, as living in a “gang ridden” neighborhood, “rife with violence and crime,” we pathologize the Black community while ignoring the deep historical racist structures that created those conditions. The racial disparities in the criminal-law system exacerbates the harm. When defenders pressure our client’s mother, who is likely to be Black or Brown, to testify at sentencing about her failings as a parent in front of an audience that is likely to be disproportionately white, we reinforce the belief that white people are entitled to sit in judgment of people of color. We may chose to employ these tactics, but might also lessen the racist impact by including in our narratives a discussion of the impact of historical and institutional racism.
There may or may not be valid reasons for the defense community to continue to engage in these tactics, despite the harm at they cause. But if we aspire to combat racism, and if we claim to fight for justice, we must examine our practices and consider whether they are worth the cost.

Speakers

Lori James-Townes

Executive Director, NAPD

Tuesday August 13, 2024 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
NM Ballroom

Plenary

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals, Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates
Area CE Eligible

5:45pm EDT

SW/Sentencing Faculty Meeting

Tuesday August 13, 2024 5:45pm - 6:30pm EDT
Executive Viewing Lounge 12th Floor

Faculty meeting

9:00am EDT

Find it Online

Using the web to find information can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be! During this session, you will be taught the tricks that seasoned investigators use to find the information that’s needed and what search engines should be used for the task. We know of well-known search engines and their basics, by the end of this session you will get the most out of each search and will take your search to the next level. If you are looking for a person, a business, or even an AI tool you will be on your way to finding it within a click. Let us find what you need in a fun setting!

Speakers

Jon Lyon

Investigator Resource Coordinator, National Association for Public Defense

Wednesday August 14, 2024 9:00am - 10:15am EDT
Texas /Colorado

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals, Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates

9:00am EDT

Integrating your defense team

Working together not in a silo
attorney/non-attorney relationship
- Conflict resolution within the team
communication
Avoid burnout
Putting your team together; who does what?
Focus: client centered

Speakers

Joanne Pena

Investigator II, VA Defenders

Shaun Hubbard

Wednesday August 14, 2024 9:00am - 10:15am EDT

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals, Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates

9:00am EDT

Interview Techniques for Investigators

The methodology and the psychology of interviewing the friendly, neutral, and hostile witnesses utilizing the latest interview techniques including the cognitive interview process.

Speakers

Kevin McClain

Investigator, Kevin W McClain Investigations Ltd

Wednesday August 14, 2024 9:00am - 10:15am EDT

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals, Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates
Area CE Eligible

9:00am EDT

Safety In the Field: De-escalating Intense Situations

Speakers

Herbert Duzant

Capital Habeas Investigator, Federal Public Defender Office, District of Nevada

Wednesday August 14, 2024 9:00am - 10:15am EDT

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals, Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates

10:15am EDT

Break

Wednesday August 14, 2024 10:15am - 10:30am EDT

Break

10:15am EDT

Voluntary Brain Disease? Substance Use Disorder, Neurobiological Effects, and Mitigating Factors

In many legal jurisdictions substance use is a voluntary act that may result in mental impairment that does not mitigate legal consequences for the substance using individual. This session will introduce the ways in which substance use disorder is a brain disease, providing information about the physical and neurobiological effects of different substances on the brain and how these may result in individual impairment. The various ways in which substances can impact an individual and how this information can be used to develop mitigation will be brainstormed during the session. Recent legal cases related to substance use and the role of the individual will be discussed.

Speakers

Stephanne Thornton

Clinical Director/Owner, West Virginia Judicial and Lawyer Assistance Program/Transform Legal

Wednesday August 14, 2024 10:15am - 11:45am EDT

Profession Paralegals, Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates

10:30am EDT

Frame by Frame Analysis

Speakers

Kevin McClain

Investigator, Kevin W McClain Investigations Ltd

Wednesday August 14, 2024 10:30am - 11:45am EDT
NM Ballroom

Profession Investigators, Paralegals, Core Staff

10:30am EDT

Mastering record collection

Speakers

Julianne Cuneo

Wednesday August 14, 2024 10:30am - 11:45am EDT

10:30am EDT

Safety in the Field and the Office

What to do in preparation for the outing

How to travel to and from the location
How to handle concerns on the street and at the location
How to stay safe in your office

Session Objectives
1. Participants will be able to identify safety concerns that could be improved upon.
2. Participants will have better understanding of safety awareness and protocols.
3. Participants will leave this session feeling more empowered and confident when working in the field.

Speakers

Watani Tyehimba

Investigator, (TSI) Tyehimba Services, Inc. Investigative & Protective Services

Wednesday August 14, 2024 10:30am - 11:45am EDT
Arizona

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals, Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates

10:30am EDT

YouTube hacks and shortcuts for the investigator.

With over 300 hours of video uploaded every minute to YouTube, we need to be vigilant looking for videos that can help our cases. I will show hacks on everything from on how to search better, find the right type of video, and locate videos based on time and location. There are also a number of keyboard shortcuts that can save you time that will be included. Nothing is ever really gone from the internet, so we might even see how to find videos that have been deleted. Come join us!

Speakers

Jon Lyon

Investigator Resource Coordinator, National Association for Public Defense

Wednesday August 14, 2024 10:30am - 11:45am EDT
Texas /Colorado

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals, Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates

11:45am EDT

Lunch (on your own

Wednesday August 14, 2024 11:45am - 1:00pm EDT

Lunch

1:00pm EDT

Culture in Public Defender Offices

Speakers

Chantá Parker

Chantá is a strategist, advocate, and storyteller who is passionate about Black liberation and women’s leadership. Before joining the Management Center, Chantá served as the founding Managing Director of the Neighborhood Defender Service of Detroit, where she stood up an entire... Read More →

Wednesday August 14, 2024 1:00pm - 2:15pm EDT

Plenary

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals, Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates
Area CE Eligible

2:15pm EDT

Break

Wednesday August 14, 2024 2:15pm - 2:30pm EDT

Break

2:30pm EDT

A-Z Internet Searching

This session will cover web sites and software you probably never knew existed or could access, that can provide necessary information needed for your investigation, right at your fingertips. Each letter of the alphabet has a web site, and, as a bonus, you’ll see a piece of software and an app as well. All this will happen in a fast-paced, fun, and useful presentation that can impact your cases today!

Speakers

Jon Lyon

Investigator Resource Coordinator, National Association for Public Defense

Wednesday August 14, 2024 2:30pm - 3:45pm EDT
NM Ballroom

Profession Investigators, Core Staff, Paralegals

2:30pm EDT

Quest for Justice

A 12 YEAR INVESTIGATION OF A WRONGFULLY CONVICTED MANA case study of a 12-year post conviction investigation that walks the audience through the methodology and techniques of post conviction investigations that helped uncover hidden evidence and new information that had been missed for over 17 years.

Speakers

Kevin McClain

Investigator, Kevin W McClain Investigations Ltd

Wednesday August 14, 2024 2:30pm - 3:45pm EDT

Profession Investigators, Paralegals

2:30pm EDT

TBA

Wednesday August 14, 2024 2:30pm - 3:45pm EDT

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals, Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates

2:30pm EDT

TBA

Wednesday August 14, 2024 2:30pm - 3:45pm EDT

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals

2:30pm EDT

This is Gonna Get Weird: The Deliberate Discomfort that Comes with Team Building

This presentation addresses that team building is a process and any one can initiate that process, but it will take stepping outside of the comfort zone to make it happen. This doesn’t necessarily have to be the “team leader”. This presentation outline tips to make it easier, but it’s still gonna be weird.

Speakers

Corey Smith

Trainer, Maricopa County Public Defender

Wednesday August 14, 2024 2:30pm - 3:45pm EDT
Rio Grande

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals

2:30pm EDT

Social Worker and Sentencing Advocates Communication Tools Small Group

Following the session on “Non-Violent Communication/Communicating for Advocacy”, participants will bring a real scenario into group involving a co-worker or client where communication has broken down (case examples will also be provided). We will practice communicating through role play using observations, feelings, needs and requests to improve and enhance communication while reducing judgment and frustration with co-workers or clients. Using the tools of NVC and self-awareness, we will have an opportunity to practice our communication skills by being clear, direct, kind, and honest while making it safe to share. We will also become aware of and manage their emotions, needs, and selves to perform effectively through communication to have productive and successful conversations with team members and clients.

Wednesday August 14, 2024 2:30pm - 3:45pm EDT
Small Group Rooms

Social Worker and Sentencing Advocates Small Group

Profession Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates

3:45pm EDT

Break

Wednesday August 14, 2024 3:45pm - 4:00pm EDT

Break

4:00pm EDT

Life after being sentence to Life Without Possibility of Parole

Speakers

Lori James-Townes

Executive Director, NAPD

Wednesday August 14, 2024 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

Plenary

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals, Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates

9:00am EDT

Holistic Defense

Speakers

Athena Kheibari

Daniel Ellman

Thursday August 15, 2024 9:00am - 10:00am EDT

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals, Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates

9:00am EDT

How to Articulate Institutional Failures in Your Report

So often in mitigation development it is clear that a system or systems have failed our client but these system failures are larger than just highlighting a single institution that missed an opportunity. In our reports we must outline, describe, and articulate the multiple ways in which system failures not only failed our client, but how these failures should be held accountable for our client’s intersection in and involvement with the criminal legal system.

Thursday August 15, 2024 9:00am - 10:00am EDT
Garden Room

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals, Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates

9:00am EDT

Safety in the Field and in the Office

We will discuss basic safety protocols and tips for Sentencing Advocates, Mitigation Specialists and Investigators while working in the field. Topic material will cover:

What to do in preparation for the outing
How to travel to and from the location How to handle concerns on the street and at the location

Speakers

Herbert Duzant

Capital Habeas Investigator, Federal Public Defender Office, District of Nevada

Watani Tyehimba

Investigator, (TSI) Tyehimba Services, Inc. Investigative & Protective Services

Thursday August 15, 2024 9:00am - 10:00am EDT

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals, Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates

9:00am EDT

Strategies to Impact Vicarious Trauma Part 1

Goals: • To understand how Vicarious Trauma impacts us • Understand why it is so prevalent in our industry and how to treat it • Identify why is it so difficult to protect our emotional stability • How to stay healthy (emotionally, physically and intellectually) and client centered Objectives: • Overview: Need for this conversation • What is Vicarious Trauma: In general, and specifically • How do we recognize it? • How does it manifest in our lives Define Vicarious Trauma vs. Burn-Out? • Understand why it’s unethical not to address vicarious trauma and self-care? • What can we do now that we know?

Speakers

Megan Leschak

Investigator, Capital Habeas Unit at the Federal Public Defender in Los Angeles

Megan is an investigator in the Capital Habeas Unit at the Federal Public Defender in Los Angeles. She began her forensic social work and mitigation career at the Maryland Office of the Public Defender in Baltimore City where she was awarded a Soros Open Society Institute Fellowship... Read More →

Denise Smith

Mitigation Specialist, Smith Consulting Group, LLC

Denise established Smith Consulting Group, LLC in 2011, offering a distinctive approachto Forensic Social Work and Mitigation services. Her focus on defense-based advocacynot only gives a voice to truth but also restores dignity to the accused. Embracing theconcept of second chances... Read More →

Thursday August 15, 2024 9:00am - 10:00am EDT
Arizona

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals, Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates

9:00am EDT

Working with Latino clients

Speakers

Joanne Pena

Investigator II, VA Defenders

Shaun Hubbard

Thursday August 15, 2024 9:00am - 10:00am EDT

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals, Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates

10:00am EDT

Break

Thursday August 15, 2024 10:00am - 10:15am EDT

Break

10:15am EDT

Communication Challenges Workshop: Connecting through Conflict

Communicating in relationships can be hard. We've all been in the situation when a call, email, or in-person conversation gets contentious and has the potential to blow up into a confrontation or develop into an ongoing issue. Many of us are hesitant or uncertain when it comes to addressing conflict in relationships. In this workshop, we will work together through a series of scenarios to discuss ways to more effectively hear one another and acknowledge our feelings and needs in any given situation. Rather than just getting what we want, the goal is to create a connection that leads to compassionate understanding. It is from this place that creative resolution can take place.

Speakers

Jeni Benavides

Training Coordinator, National Association for Public Defense

J Friley

Public Defender Corporation (PDC) Administrator, Public Defender Services (Charleston, WV)

Corey Smith

Trainer, Maricopa County Public Defender

Thursday August 15, 2024 10:15am - 11:15am EDT
Texas /Colorado

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals, Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates

10:15am EDT

Data Collection in Social Work

Thursday August 15, 2024 10:15am - 11:15am EDT

Profession Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates, Paralegals, Investigators
Area CE Eligible

10:15am EDT

Strategies to Impact Vicarious Trauma Part 2

Speakers

Megan Leschak

Investigator, Capital Habeas Unit at the Federal Public Defender in Los Angeles

Denise Smith

Mitigation Specialist, Smith Consulting Group, LLC

Thursday August 15, 2024 10:15am - 11:15am EDT
Arizona

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals, Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates

10:15am EDT

TBA

Thursday August 15, 2024 10:15am - 11:15am EDT

Profession Investigators, Core Staff, Paralegals, Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates

11:30am EDT

Closing Remarks

We wrap up the week by sharing what the "keepers" are from the conference.

Thursday August 15, 2024 11:30am - 12:15pm EDT
NM Ballroom

Plenary

Profession Core Staff, Investigators, Paralegals, Social Workers/Sentencing Advocates

6:00pm EDT

Form for Social Workers seeking CE Credits

Following the conference, please Click here to request your CE Certficate

Please complete this form with preferred spelling and title abbreviations you would like included on your certificate.

Certificates will be awarded pursuant to the attendance notes we have from the event. The certificates will not be automatically generated and will take 4-6 weeks for processing.

Your certificate will be emailed to the email address provided on this form.

Thursday August 15, 2024 6:00pm - 6:15pm EDT

Area CE Eligible