Training Agenda
See below for a detailed agenda. A draft agenda for download is also available here.
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Thursday, June 2
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Friday, June 3
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Saturday, June 4
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All times Eastern.
8:30am – 9:30am
Registration / Breakfast (Upper / Lower Lobby)
9:30am – 9:45am
Welcome / Training Overview (Moot Courtroom) – University of Baltimore Staff / Mary Roberts
9:45am – 10:45am
Keynote Address (Moot Courtroom) - Craig Haney, Ph.D.
Dr. Haney will discuss how dehumanization is built into many aspects of the legal system and empathy as a mechanism to challenge it.
10:50am – 12:15pm
Dismantling Dehumanization (Moot Courtroom) - Moderator Craig Haney, Ph.D.; Panelists Wayne Brewton and Katie Smith
As the theme of this training series, we will explore with panelists what it means to dismantle dehumanization, why it’s important both within and beyond mitigation work, and how we can increase intentionality around how to dismantle systemic practices and policies that currently uphold dehumanization within the legal system. Panelists include a local activist with experience in conflict resolution and a relative of a victim.
12:15pm - 1:15pm
Lunch On Your Own
1:15pm - 2:45pm
Breakout Session (Today's sessions repeated so attendees can experience more than one offering.)
At its core, mitigation is a methodology for understanding the individual experience in relation to the community and its structures. Mitigation has been a tool in criminal defense, but how do other institutions and even individuals see dehumanizing practices? What can we learn about the ways in which processes are structured to perpetuate marginalization and harm to communities? Knowing this information and forming relationships across disciplines and communities will inform client advocacy and make it possible to progress toward comprehensive solutions for common goals.
Registration / Breakfast (Upper / Lower Lobby)
9:30am – 9:45am
Welcome / Training Overview (Moot Courtroom) – University of Baltimore Staff / Mary Roberts
9:45am – 10:45am
Keynote Address (Moot Courtroom) - Craig Haney, Ph.D.
Dr. Haney will discuss how dehumanization is built into many aspects of the legal system and empathy as a mechanism to challenge it.
10:50am – 12:15pm
Dismantling Dehumanization (Moot Courtroom) - Moderator Craig Haney, Ph.D.; Panelists Wayne Brewton and Katie Smith
As the theme of this training series, we will explore with panelists what it means to dismantle dehumanization, why it’s important both within and beyond mitigation work, and how we can increase intentionality around how to dismantle systemic practices and policies that currently uphold dehumanization within the legal system. Panelists include a local activist with experience in conflict resolution and a relative of a victim.
12:15pm - 1:15pm
Lunch On Your Own
1:15pm - 2:45pm
Breakout Session (Today's sessions repeated so attendees can experience more than one offering.)
At its core, mitigation is a methodology for understanding the individual experience in relation to the community and its structures. Mitigation has been a tool in criminal defense, but how do other institutions and even individuals see dehumanizing practices? What can we learn about the ways in which processes are structured to perpetuate marginalization and harm to communities? Knowing this information and forming relationships across disciplines and communities will inform client advocacy and make it possible to progress toward comprehensive solutions for common goals.
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Breakout A: Immigration (Moot Courtroom) - Maureen Sweeny and Rebecca Bowman Rivas
Clients who are immigrants experience a unique set of obstacles when involved or potentially involved with the U.S. legal system. Who is allowed to enter the U.S.? What impacts do immigration practices have on individuals without U.S. citizenship? These practices will be the focus of this session, as well as how defenders address decision-makers to provide a higher standard of advocacy for their clients. Breakout B: Education (Room 021) - Dr. Jen Newton Much of a client’s early life is shaped by their experiences within the Education system. How does this system, its policies, and the individuals involved perpetuate harmful practices? This session will identify how general and special education work together, how students fall through the cracks and the effect that may have on an individual's life. Breakout C: Survivors and Victims: Navigating the Legal System (Room 018)- LaVarr McBride and Katie Smith It can be difficult for families and communities to navigate the legal system in the aftermath of a violent act. Hear the the personal experiences of a family member of a victim and defense victim outreach specialist who worked together. This session will focus on the ways in which survivors and victims' family members can interact with the legal system, the impact of educating survivors about clients, and what it looks like to work with survivors and families of victims in ways that are empowering for them. |
2:45pm - 3:00pm
Break
3:00pm - 4:30pm
Breakout Session (Today's sessions repeated so attendees can experience more than one offering.)
Break
3:00pm - 4:30pm
Breakout Session (Today's sessions repeated so attendees can experience more than one offering.)
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Breakout A: Immigration (Moot Courtroom) - Maureen Sweeny and Rebecca Bowman Rivas
Clients who are immigrants experience a unique set of obstacles when involved or potentially involved with the U.S. legal system. Who is allowed to enter the U.S.? What impacts do immigration practices have on individuals without U.S. citizenship? These practices will be the focus of this session, as well as how defenders address decision-makers to provide a higher standard of advocacy for their clients. Breakout B: Education (Room 021) - Dr. Jen Newton Much of a client’s early life is shaped by their experiences within the Education system. How does this system, its policies, and the individuals involved perpetuate harmful practices? This session will identify how general and special education work together, how students fall through the cracks and the effect that may have on an individual's life. Breakout C: Survivors and Victims: Navigating the Legal System (Room 018)- LaVarr McBride and Katie Smith It can be difficult for families and communities to navigate the legal system in the aftermath of a violent act. Hear the the personal experiences of a family member of a victim and defense victim outreach specialist who worked together. This session will focus on the ways in which survivors and victims' family members can interact with the legal system, the impact of educating survivors about clients, and what it looks like to work with survivors and families of victims in ways that are empowering for them. |
4:30pm - 4:40pm
Break
4:40pm - 4:50pm
Wrap-up (Moot Courtroom)
Until 5:30pm
Networking
Break
4:40pm - 4:50pm
Wrap-up (Moot Courtroom)
Until 5:30pm
Networking
All times Eastern.
8:30am – 9:10am
Registration / Breakfast
9:10am – 9:20am
Opening Remarks (Moot Courtroom)
9:20am – 10:20am
Language Matters (Moot Courtroom) - Dr. Robin Riner
A client's humanity can be conveyed or denied through language - in documentation, trials, interviews, and other instances. This presentation will cover linguistic and racialized bias and how they work to dehumanize the accused.
10:30am - 12:00pm
Breakout Sessions
Registration / Breakfast
9:10am – 9:20am
Opening Remarks (Moot Courtroom)
9:20am – 10:20am
Language Matters (Moot Courtroom) - Dr. Robin Riner
A client's humanity can be conveyed or denied through language - in documentation, trials, interviews, and other instances. This presentation will cover linguistic and racialized bias and how they work to dehumanize the accused.
10:30am - 12:00pm
Breakout Sessions
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Breakout A, Solo Mitigation (Moot Courtroom) - Lela Hubbard
What do you need to do to make sure you are ready to work in private practice? This session will discuss how to avoid common pitfalls and which resources and tools to acquire, particularly as a private practitioner. Breakout B, Defender Offices: Managing Caseloads Effectively (Room 802) - Kristina Leslie Defenders throughout the country are often overwhelmed by the sheer number of cases for which they are responsible each year. While fundamental change is ultimately what is needed, this workshop will explore resources to help alleviate the burden that often comes with handling a high volume of cases. |
12:00pm - 1:15pm
Lunch On Your Own
1:20pm - 2:20pm
Mental Health Effects of Oppression, Violence, Racism, and Discrimination (Moot Courtroom) - Dr. Alisha Ali
Systemic factors determine so much of how an individual experiences the world around them and undoubtedly impacts one’s mental well-being. This session will explore how various forms of oppression intersect and how they may impact a person's story.
2:35pm - 3:45pm
How Diagnoses and Misdiagnoses Shape the Legal System (Moot Courtroom) - Dr. Sarah Vinson
From initial observations to treatment, how an individual receives and understands a diagnosis can deeply impact an individual. This discussion will take a look at who receives diagnoses and how the process of diagnosing can unfold throughout the course of one's life.
3:45pm - 4:00pm
Break
4:00pm - 5:00pm
Interdisciplinary Records Practice – Creativity and Collaboration (Moot Courtroom) - Moderator Thea Posel, Panelists Katherine Atkins and Judith Mazdra
We know that interdisciplinary teams are crucial to high quality defense work and improving client outcomes, but effectively implementing this approach requires far more than Guidelines-compliant team composition. Diversity of experience within our teams and meaningful collaboration on fundamental casework leads to innovative strategies and outcome-changing results. This interdisciplinary panel discussion invites participants to engage with panelists in exploring one particular area that highlights the endless possibilities and potential utilizing the team based model of defense work honed through capital practice: records collection. Panelists will provide examples of learning and growth moments and records-based breakthroughs from individual cases, and offer an opportunity to share and learn from panelists and audience members alike.
5:10pm - 5:25pm
Wrap up (Moot Courtroom)
5:30pm -moot C 7:00pm
Networking
Lunch On Your Own
1:20pm - 2:20pm
Mental Health Effects of Oppression, Violence, Racism, and Discrimination (Moot Courtroom) - Dr. Alisha Ali
Systemic factors determine so much of how an individual experiences the world around them and undoubtedly impacts one’s mental well-being. This session will explore how various forms of oppression intersect and how they may impact a person's story.
2:35pm - 3:45pm
How Diagnoses and Misdiagnoses Shape the Legal System (Moot Courtroom) - Dr. Sarah Vinson
From initial observations to treatment, how an individual receives and understands a diagnosis can deeply impact an individual. This discussion will take a look at who receives diagnoses and how the process of diagnosing can unfold throughout the course of one's life.
3:45pm - 4:00pm
Break
4:00pm - 5:00pm
Interdisciplinary Records Practice – Creativity and Collaboration (Moot Courtroom) - Moderator Thea Posel, Panelists Katherine Atkins and Judith Mazdra
We know that interdisciplinary teams are crucial to high quality defense work and improving client outcomes, but effectively implementing this approach requires far more than Guidelines-compliant team composition. Diversity of experience within our teams and meaningful collaboration on fundamental casework leads to innovative strategies and outcome-changing results. This interdisciplinary panel discussion invites participants to engage with panelists in exploring one particular area that highlights the endless possibilities and potential utilizing the team based model of defense work honed through capital practice: records collection. Panelists will provide examples of learning and growth moments and records-based breakthroughs from individual cases, and offer an opportunity to share and learn from panelists and audience members alike.
5:10pm - 5:25pm
Wrap up (Moot Courtroom)
5:30pm -moot C 7:00pm
Networking
All times Eastern.
9:00am – 9:30am
Registration / Breakfast
9:30am – 11:00am
Mitigation: Past, Present, Future (Moot Courtroom)- Moderator Elizabeth Vartkessian, panelists Thea Posel, Lela Hubbard, and Anthony Ginez
This panel includes discussion about the ways COVID impacts our work and the communities in which we work. Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, we will take a look at what has changed since last year and what those changes mean for mitigation work overall. The discussion also includes building a more diverse field and one of which could be expanding mitigation outside of capital work. Panelists include mitigation specialists, each approaching the work from a unique vantage point.
11:00am - 11:10am
Break
11:10am - 12:40pm
The Dehumanizing Effects of Detainment and Incarceration (Moot Courtroom) - Moderator Tanya Greene, panelists Nadir Abdullah, Christian Gettis, Monique Coleman, and Felicia Jones
This panel, comprised of people who have served time as well as those whose loved ones have been imprisoned, will discuss ways in which incarceration impacts individuals, families, and communities as a critical component to understanding, developing, and presenting mitigation evidence.
12:40pm - 1:40pm
Working Lunch (lunch will be provided)
1:45pm - 2:45pm
Putting it All Together and Presenting a Whole Person (Moot Courtroom) - Anthony Ginez
This final session will discuss how different mitigating factors, narratives, and social systems, including topics discussed during this training series, all coalesce around the outcomes of our clients at the center. The presentation aims to provide a framework to the broad themes of mitigation while centering the humanity that connects us all.
2:45- 3:00pm
Closing Remarks
Registration / Breakfast
9:30am – 11:00am
Mitigation: Past, Present, Future (Moot Courtroom)- Moderator Elizabeth Vartkessian, panelists Thea Posel, Lela Hubbard, and Anthony Ginez
This panel includes discussion about the ways COVID impacts our work and the communities in which we work. Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, we will take a look at what has changed since last year and what those changes mean for mitigation work overall. The discussion also includes building a more diverse field and one of which could be expanding mitigation outside of capital work. Panelists include mitigation specialists, each approaching the work from a unique vantage point.
11:00am - 11:10am
Break
11:10am - 12:40pm
The Dehumanizing Effects of Detainment and Incarceration (Moot Courtroom) - Moderator Tanya Greene, panelists Nadir Abdullah, Christian Gettis, Monique Coleman, and Felicia Jones
This panel, comprised of people who have served time as well as those whose loved ones have been imprisoned, will discuss ways in which incarceration impacts individuals, families, and communities as a critical component to understanding, developing, and presenting mitigation evidence.
12:40pm - 1:40pm
Working Lunch (lunch will be provided)
1:45pm - 2:45pm
Putting it All Together and Presenting a Whole Person (Moot Courtroom) - Anthony Ginez
This final session will discuss how different mitigating factors, narratives, and social systems, including topics discussed during this training series, all coalesce around the outcomes of our clients at the center. The presentation aims to provide a framework to the broad themes of mitigation while centering the humanity that connects us all.
2:45- 3:00pm
Closing Remarks
At every stage in our planning for this training, we have taken the safety and security of training attendees and speakers into greater consideration. We are continuing to monitor Baltimore City’s COVID rates and adhere to local guidelines. Safety measures include a spacious venue with excellent ventilation and outdoor spaces, paperless options (surveys, schedules, etc.), symptom screening and available testing at entrance, contact tracing protocol, and masking requirements for designated areas. Advancing Real Change (ARC), Inc. reserves the right to request proof of a negative COVID test or vaccination. We will continue to communicate developments to training attendees and speakers regarding safety protocols.