In 1998 my brother was killed by gun violence. Ryan Young plead guilty in brother's murder. Ryan and I now work together to address issues of gun violence, forgiveness and restorative justice.

A thoughtful panel discussion with defenders as they reflect on the impact of George Floyd's tragic murder over the past four years. Panelists will discuss the defender community's focus on anti-Black racism in the months immediately following his death, whether defenders have upheld their commitment to antiracist advocacy since then, and what the future holds.

For nearly 40 years Georgia Justice Project (GJP) has pioneered holistic defense interventions. Our client center approach encompasses 5 different dimensions of engagement: 1) Direct Representation from arrest through reentry, (2) sustaining long term relationships which includes prison visitation, parole advocacy, and reentry support, (3) Social services (4) collateral consequences expertise and consultation, (5) statewide policy advocacy emanating from our direct representation to address systematic change. GJP's work is community driven - clients, their families, and non-profit partners request our services - all of which are free and not tethered to the court system. GJP's work starts and ends with the needs of our clients and obviates the inefficiencies and inequities of a siloed system and approach.

• describe holistic defense's second dimension - extending client engagement beyond the case. GJP's client-centered approach, anchored by social service experts, identifies clients' needs and goals with tailored advocacy and intervention.
• Describe the 3rd dimension of holistic defense - Reentry Advocacy. Reentry Advocacy extends the attorney-client relationship by offering prison support, parole & probation advocacy, family engagement, and social service support.
• describe collateral consequences as the 4th dimension. Addressing collateral consequences and long-lasting effects of criminal justice involvement is essential. E.g. criminal records, probation, driver's license, and detainers.
• describe policy reform as the 5th dimension. GJP exports lessons from client engagement and identifies policy gaps created by a siloed system. E.g. probation termination, expungement, and driver's license reinstatement.

Join us for an interactive workshop designed to empower public defender leaders navigating Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Acceptance/Belonging (DEIA/B) strategies despite recent federal appellate decisions and state initiatives designed to chill. We will discuss successes and challenges to creating more inclusive offices. Together, let's fortify our commitment to justice and diversity within public defense.

In this training, we will discuss bias in the defender community, focusing specifically on a study in 2011 of criminal defense attorneys. We will use videos to further our discission of explicit and implicit bias. This training will cover interrupting bias exhibited by our colleagues.

• Differentiate between explicit and implicit biases through video analysis. Attendees will learn to distinguish between explicit biases and implicit biases as they manifest in legal defense practice.
• Develop practical strategies for addressing biased attitudes and behaviors exhibited by colleagues within the defender community, fostering a more inclusive and equitable work environment.
• Reflect on personal biases and commit to ongoing self-awareness and growth. Attendees will commit to continuous learning and development to mitigate the impact of bias on their professional practice.

In this presentation, we dive into the history of Hip-Hop, its origins, storytelling, and ways to infuse it into our practice as a tool of proximity, that enhances, amplifies and bolsters our advocacy.

"In this session, we will define competency to stand trial, discuss when to raise competency, and discuss the roll of forensic professionals in competency to stand trial evaluations. By the end of the session, attendees will be able to: o define competency to stand trial, o summarize when to raise competency, and o summarize the roll of forensic professionals in competency evaluations."

• Upon completion, participant will be able to use an expressive art practice to engage with their clients.
• Upon completion, participant will be able to identify ways to assist clients in accessing emotions.
• Upon completion, participant will be able to experience an expressive art activity.

This interactive small group session focuses on equipping mitigation specialists with essential financial wellness knowledge and practical tools for developing their private mitigation practice. Participants will also explore how financial wellness can be used as a tool for social justice.

• Upon completion, participants will be able to identify tools and resources for financial literacy within a mitigation practice, including tools for timekeeping, bookkeeping, and retirement planning.
• Upon completion, participants will be able to explore the various revenue streams available to mitigation specialists in private practice and apply strategies for maintaining a healthy work-life balance while managing a business.
• Upon completion, participants will be able to consider financial wellness as a social justice issue for both clients and within the profession.

Data is often weaponized against our clients to promote dangerous stereotypes and fear mongering, resulting in harmful outcomes for the communities we serve. In this presentation, representatives from New York County Defender Services' Racial Justice Working Group will present ways in which PD offices can use internal and external data to reshape narratives around individuals accused of crimes and strengthen advocacy in litigation, mitigation, legislation, and public education in a race conscious way.