Defender Track – The Leadership Challenge of Change and Reform

In today’s weakened economy, shrinking state and local budgets complicate the perennial challenge of securing resources and public support for indigent defense. The increasing numbers of retiring senior defender leaders underscore the imperative of leadership development within our community. At the same time, issues of re-entry, racial justice, and juvenile justice reform present new opportunities to broaden and deepen public defense assistance to clients. At this point in time, we must meet the challenge of attracting, selecting and developing indigent defense leaders with a passion for providing the highest quality advocacy to our clients.

This year’s defender track focuses on the cutting edge issues facing public defense systems, the challenges they pose, and the leadership skills needed to meet those challenges.

The Public Defender Service for DC and NLADA are co-sponsoring a mini-conference, the Criminal Practice Institute, in conjunction with this year's Annual Conference.

Download a detailed schedule for the Criminal Practice Institute Sessions as of 10/24/2008.