NINTH NATIONAL SEMINAR ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND INTEGRATION OF MITIGATION EVIDENCE IN CAPITAL CASES Atlanta, GA
4/26/2012 to 4/29/2012

2012 National CHU Conference ** May 9-11, 2012

The conference is open to Federal Defenders, Assistant Federal Defenders, Research & Writing Specialists, Paralegals and Investigators employed in CHUs.
5/9/2012 to 5/11/2012

Annual Training for Supervisory Computer Systems Administrators, Computer Systems Administrators and Assistant Computer System Administrators.
5/15/2012 to 5/18/2012

Supreme Court Advocacy Institute**June 8-10, 2012

The goal of this training initiative is to improve the quality of strategic planning and advocacy on behalf of death-sentenced inmates in the Supreme Court of the United States and in the process of obtaining or avoiding Supreme Court review. While all facets of Supreme Court practice will be addressed, the emphasis of the program will be on the pre-merits stages of Supreme Court litigation, including tactics and techniques for writing persuasive petitions for certiorari, opposing certiorari when the client won below, handling amici curiae, etc. The program will combine lectures with small-group case-planning sessions. Preference will be given to federal defenders in Federal Defender Organizations with Capital Habeas Units (CHUs), and assistant federal defenders and research and writing specialists working in those CHUs. This program is limited to 48 participants.
6/8/2012 to 6/10/2012

Paralegal & Investigator Skills Workshop

June 28-30 2012**San Francisco, CA

The Paralegal and Investigator Skills Workshop is a hands-on program providing intensive training in several skills (e.g., interviewing, writing, case management/organization, locating records and witnesses, analyzing documents) that are essential to the daily work of paralegals and investigators in federal defender offices or assigned to CJA panel cases. The program is designed to give participants the opportunity to learn by doing, using a combination of plenary sessions and interactive small group breakouts. In the small groups, participants practice the skills introduced in the plenary sessions, using the facts of a model case. A small number of participants will also use electronic case management techniques (through CaseMap and Adobe) in working on the model case. Because the workshop emphasizes essential skills, it is particularly valuable to new investigators and paralegals. Those with more experience will find it to be a useful refresher and an opportunity to share their knowledge with others. Please note that, due to the workshop format of this program, participants will be required to attend all sessions. Registration will be limited to 70 participants. Approximately 6 of the 70 will be selected in advance of the program to participate in a small group that will integrate techniques in electronic case management into their small group skills exercises. This workshop has the following eligibility requirements: (1) Participants must be employees with paralegal and/or investigator duties in a federal defender office, or regularly perform such duties in conjunction with federal CJA panel attorney appointments; and (2) Participation will be limited to those who have NOT attended this workshop in the past.


6/28/2012 to 6/30/2012

Law and Technology Workshop Series: Electronic Courtroom Presentation

July 19-21, 2012**Minneapolis, MN

In order to participate in this program, participants are required to provide their own laptop computers.
General presentations and demonstrations are supplemented by concentrated small group workshops. In the smaller breakout groups, attendees receive hands-on guidance to apply the information presented in the plenary sessions using facts from a mock case file. Each participant will practice direct and cross-examination, and opening/closing arguments, using Trial Director and PowerPoint software.

In order to take full advantage of the hands-on learning opportunities provided at this program, we strongly recommend that you bring a Windows laptop (not a Macintosh). NOTE: If you solely use a Macintosh, you must have a "virtual Windows" program installed and ready for use (virtual Windows programs can run a copy of MS Windows on a Macintosh).


7/19/2012 to 7/21/2012

Authorized Federal Capital Trial Consultation
July 20-21, 2012, Cincinnati, OH

On-line registration for this conference is only open to individuals pre-approved by the Authorized Federal Capital Trial Consultation (Invitation Only). Please contact Rachelle Chattin at chattin@dcr.net.
7/20/2012 to 7/21/2012

National Habeas Seminar
August 16-19, 2012 Washington, D.C.

This nationally-recognized program, the only one of its kind, focuses on representation in capital habeas cases in toto. Habeas experts discuss issue identification, investigation, factual and legal development and presentation of claims, the use of mitigation and mental health experts, and substantive and procedural habeas corpus jurisprudence. The program will also have sessions addressing the impact of recent and currently pending Supreme Court decisions on capital post-conviction practice as well as sessions addressing new developments in the other courts and new legislative initiatives.
8/16/2012 to 8/19/2012