Upcoming Events
The following events may be of interest to panel attorneys and generally provide MCLE credit.
The Board of Directors of Appellate Defenders, Inc.
The Board of Directors of Federal Defenders, Inc. present
With Appreciation to Our Event Sponsors
McKenzie Scott; Rosing, Pott, & Strohbehn;
Singleton Schreiber; Boyce & Schaefer; Domenic Lombardo;
Ezekiel Cortez; Fox Law
Present
2026
DEFENDER RECEPTION
Honoring Excellence in Indigent Defense
Please join us for our annual event to bring together the entire
San Diego criminal defense community.
This year’s reception will be held on the Westin 4th Floor Patio, with drinks and heavy hors d’oeuvres served throughout the evening in a relaxed mix-and-mingle setting celebrating this year’s award recipients and the indigent defense community.
Friday, October 2, 2026, 5:30 p.m.
Westin San Diego Gaslamp Quarter
910 Broadway Circle, 4th Floor Patio
Presentation
Conant-Cleary Award for exceptional and unselfish devotion to protecting the rights of the indigent accused, honoring:
Michelle Betancourt
Paul Bell Award for significant appellate achievement, honoring:
Carl Fabian
Special Award Presentation
Federal Defenders 2241 Habeas Team
TICKET PRICE $45 and includes one drink.
Purchase ticket via QR Code (on the flyer) or Send Check to: Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc., 225 Broadway, Suite 900, San Diego, CA 92101
Please RSVP by Friday, September 11, 2026.
MCLE Programs Offered by Appellate Projects
The Practical and Ethical Use of AI in Appellate Practice
October 5th from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. | Remote
Presenter: USF School of Law legal writing professors Nicole Phillips and Megan Hutchinson
Host: ADI
Presented by USF School of Law legal writing professors Nicole Phillips and Megan Hutchinson, this program provides attorneys with a practical introduction to the responsible use of generative AI in legal practice. The program examines lawyers’ ethical and professional competency obligations, explains key AI concepts, and discusses the integration of AI into legal education and legal practice. The program also addresses AI-assisted research, drafting, case preparation, and productivity tools while learning best practices for supervising and verifying AI-generated work.
1.0 hour of Technology MCLE credit.
FDAP’s Annual Seminar
October 23rd from 9:00 to 3:15 p.m. | In-person
Location: Oakland Endowment Center
Host: FDAP
Join FDAP on October 23rd to earn MCLE credit, meet with your colleagues in person, hear from some great speakers, and connect with the appellate indigent representation community.
This year’s seminar will have criminal and dependency breakout sessions and two joint sessions:
Criminal Breakout Sessions
- Recent Legal Developments in Criminal, Juvenile, and Civil Commitment Law
- Keeping Up With the Confrontation Clause
- Miranda at 60: A Fresh Look at Challenging Confessions
Dependency Breakout Sessions
- How to Mine Case Law to Bolster Your Dependency Practice
- Addressing Implicit Bias in Juvenile Dependency Cases
- The Foundation Crumbles: Challenging Jurisdiction on Appeal Joint Sessions
- Brief Writing Tips: Exposition, Clarity, and Persuasion
- Being Understood: The Ethics of Client Communication in Appellate Practice
Approximately 5.50 hours of MCLE credit, including appellate and criminal specialization, will be provided. If you have any questions, contact mcle@fdap.org. Please note the training will not be recorded or live streamed.
Coffee, tea, and muffins will be provided in the morning and a boxed lunch (with vegan and vegetarian options) will be provided in the afternoon.
Training Opportunities Offered by Other Defense Organizations
Mental Health Diversion in Transition – Case Law, AB46, and Strategies for 2027
September 18th from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. | Live Virtual Webinar
Presenter: Maria Martino, Deputy Public Defender, Santa Barbara County Public Defender’s Office
Host: CACJ
Mental health diversion in California continues to evolve, with new case law, changing local practices, and significant statutory changes on the horizon.
Join CACJ for an interactive discussion with Maria Martino, Deputy Public Defender with the Santa Barbara County Public Defender’s Office, as we examine where mental health diversion stands today and where it is headed.
Presented in an interview format, this practical and conversational program will explore:
- How mental health diversion is being implemented across California counties
- Recent case law developments
- The impact of AB 46
- Strategies for preparing cases as the new law takes effect in 2027
Attendees will also have the opportunity to submit questions throughout the program, helping shape the discussion around the real-world challenges facing criminal defense practitioners.
On-Demand Courses
New Racial Justice Act Online On-Demand Course
OSPD is excited to open a new on-demand course on the Racial Justice Act. You will learn all the basics,
refresh your knowledge, and stay up to date on RJA developments! These videos and written materials have
been collected from around the state and are meant to help practitioners regardless of their experience in
litigating the RJA.
Participants are able to receive MCLE Self Study and Specialty Credit for their hours working on the course (up to 10-hours).
SVP Course
This course is intended for anyone in Indigent defense looking to learn more about Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) petitions and defending against these civil commitments. Those taking this course from start to finish can expect to spend approximately 9 hours to complete. However, registrants should also feel free to take this course at their own pace. Completion of this course earns 8.25 hours of general MCLE credits.