Get Schooled with EdLaw training series
2025-10-06 15:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York)
Get Schooled with EdLaw training series is this Monday, October 6, 2025, from 3-4:30pm. The session, “IEPs Explained: The Law, the Rights, and the Details” will be held virtually from 3pm – 4:30pm. To register, please follow this link. These training sessions will continue on the first Monday of the month through June! You can use the same link to sign up for future sessions.
Please fill out this quick survey to help us choose topics for upcoming training sessions!

NLT/Zealous Advocacy
2025-10-07 09:30 - 16:30, 2025-10-09 09:30 - 16:30, 2025-10-14 09:30 - 16:30, 2025-10-16 09:30 - 17:30
Certification Training for Bar Advocates and New CPCS PDD and YAD Staff Attorneys
By Application Only
CPCS Bar Advocate Training Application updated 9.2023
The Zealous Advocacy Training Program involves two in-person training days per week (9:30 am to 4:30 pm) for a total of 8 in-person training days over 4-5 weeks.
In addition to the in-person sessions, each week you will complete work using our online learning platform, to prepare for the upcoming weeks’ live session skills exercises. The self-directed learning on Talent LMS will include watching recorded lectures and other videos, reading articles and cases, and completing written assignments. Some of this work must be completed before the training begins; the rest must be done between the live sessions. You should expect 8-10 hours of this self-directed work per week, in addition to the live sessions. The live sessions include discussions and small group skills exercises that you prepare for in advance. The prep time for the skills based exercises is 2-3 hours per week.

Civil Appeals Virtual Bench-Bar Series
2025-10-08 13:00 - 14:00
Please tune in to hear from Appeals Court Justice Robert Brennan, the current “child welfare” single justice. He’ll discuss (and/or take questions on) motions, briefs, oral argument, requests for enlargement, requests for stay, and other topics of interest to child welfare appellate lawyers and other civil appellate practitioners.
Please register in advance: Meeting Registration – Zoom
For questions please contact CAFL Appellate Panel Support Unit Supervising Staff Attorneys Dawn Messer at dmesser@publiccounsel.net or Abby Salois at asalois@publiccounsel.net

MHLD - Civil Commitment Certification - Mock Trials
2025-10-14 09:00 - 17:00
MHLD – Civil Commitment Certification – Mock Trials
Location: Worcester
Date: 10/14/2025
All-Day

MHLD - Civil Commitment Certification - Mock Trials
2025-10-15 09:00 - 17:00
MHLD – Civil Commitment Certification – Mock Trials
Location: Boston
Date: 10/15/2025
All-Day

MHLD - Civil Commitment Certification - Mock Trials
2025-10-16 09:00 - 17:00
MHLD – Civil Commitment Certification – Mock Trials
Location: Worcester
Date: 10/16/2025
All-Day

MHLD - Civil Commitment Certification - Mock Trials
2025-10-17 09:00 - 17:00
MHLD – Civil Commitment Certification – Mock Trials
Location: Boston
Date: 10/17/2025
All-Day

2025-10-19 16:00 - 18:00, 2025-11-06 16:00 - 18:00
Full Event Info Here
Day 1 Registration Here
Day 2 Registration Here

Join Dr. Jeff Fortgang from Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers for a 2-Part series:
2025-10-20 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Title: The Lawyer Well-Being Series The Legal Profession & Substance Use Disorders
Date: Part 1: September 15th, 12:00-1:00pm | Part 2: October 20th, 12:00-1:00pm
Platform: Remote – Link to be provided
Part 1: Monday, September 15th from 12 pm to 1 pm
Understanding the Legal Landscape
The first session will explore the scope and impact of substance use disorders within the legal profession. Current research, trends, and contributing factors unique to legal culture will be discussed. An Attorney with lived experience will offer a powerful story of struggle and recovery.
Part 2: Monday, October 20th from 12- 1pm
Treatment, Healing, and Renewal
The second session will focus on treatment, recovery, and the process of returning to personal and professional well-being. Dr. Fortgang will outline treatment options and the challenges of addressing stigma and other obstacles to getting help. An Attorney with lived experience will offer a powerful story of the road to wellness.
Free Program. Online only
Link to be provided once available.
Faculty:
Jeffrey Fortgang, Ph.D. is a Clinical Psychologist and long-time staff member of Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers

“Litigating the School CRA Case” – a virtual presentation by Marianne Brown, Michael Kilkelly and Tim Sindelar
2025-10-21 13:00 - 14:00
Learn how to effectively advocate for student clients in school filed CRA actions.
This Presentation will cover Truancy and School Offenders CRAs and provide strategies for challenging such cases. Learn:

The statutory framework;
Using school records to defeat these claims;
Using legal protections including IDEA, MA special education law, ESSA, Mc-Kinney-Vento and school discipline protections
Strategies and best practices.

Approved for 1 CAFL CLE
Watch for a further announcement with registration information and more detail.

“Litigating the School CRA Case” – a virtual presentation by Marianne Brown, Michael Kilkelly and Tim Sindelar
2025-10-21 13:00 - 14:00
Learn how to effectively advocate for student clients in school filed CRA actions.
This Presentation will cover Truancy and School Offenders CRAs and provide strategies for challenging such cases. Learn:

The statutory framework;
Using school records to defeat these claims;
Using legal protections including IDEA, MA special education law, ESSA, Mc-Kinney-Vento and school discipline protections
Strategies and best practices.

Watch for a further announcement with registration information and more detail.

MACDL: 2025 Annual Day-long Training
2025-10-23 09:00 - 17:00
Registration and more info on MACDL

Following CLEs Approved: 6.5 YAD Appeals & Criminal Appeals, 3 SDP/SORB

Springfield Regional Wellness Chat
2025-10-23 15:00 - 16:00
Springfield Regional Wellness Chat
CPCS Staff & Private Panel colleagues: We invite you to join the CPCS Wellness Committee for a cross-divisional conversation to talk about how to promote wellness. Together we can explore strategies and resources to sustain ourselves in indigent defense.
1 CLE approval: CAFL Trials & Appeals, YAD Appeals,
Criminal Trials & Appeals, MH Trials & Appeals, SDP/SORB

When: October 23rd 3pm-4pm
Where: Springfield District Court, Commissioner’s room
50 State Street, Springfield

Snacks will be provided!
Space is limited!

Register by emailing Wellness Committee c0-chairs:
Maeve Edwards at medwards@publiccounsel.net or
Beau Kealy at bkealy@publiccounsel.net

October MHLD RED (Race, Equity and Diversity) Talk
2025-10-31 12:00 - 13:00
October MHLD RED (Race, Equity and Diversity) Talk
October 31, 2025 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Drop-in Lunch & Learn to build on other recent race trainings and support you in your MHLD practice!
THIS PROGRAM QUALIFIES FOR 1 CLE ON THE MHLD TRIAL & APPEALS PANEL

Bring your lunch and come join your colleagues on MHLD staff and panel to talk informally and brainstorm about raising race in our cases. Do you believe that your client’s mental health treatment, admission to a facility or petition for commitment/guardianship is being impacted by racial bias?
This is also a chance to case crunch your cases with your colleagues over lunch!
Come join us!
Please register in advance.

The A to Z of Com. v. A. Z.: Unlawful Detention/Hospitalization in the Context of Competency Evaluations
2025-11-04 13:00 - 14:30
The A to Z of Com. v. A. Z.: Unlawful Detention/Hospitalization in the Context of Competency Evaluations
November 4th 1pm-2:30pm on Zoom
1.5 CLE Approved: YAD Appeals, Criminal Trials & Appeals,
MH Trials & Appeals, SDP/SORB
Faculty will include Beau Kealy, MHLD Training Director; Jennifer Magaw, PDD-Fall River; Benjamin Selman, Forensic Services Director; and Michaela Martin Strout, Strategic Litigation Unit
After you attend the training, you will be able to:

Identify when and how competency evaluations and bail are being used to unlawfully detain and hospitalize clients, and the impact of these unlawful detentions/hospitalizations;
Explore the legal landscape—including recent and ongoing litigation—governing bail determinations and inpatient competency evaluations;
Effectively challenge detention without bail and inpatient competency evaluations in the trial court with available resources and strategies; and
Describe possible avenues of additional appellate relief.

Register in advance for this meeting here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
AZ Webinar Flyer 11 4 25

DNA Then & Now: a CPCS Training
2025-11-05 08:30 - 16:45
November 5th, 8:30am-4:45pm
Platform: In-Person
This upcoming legal training offers a dynamic exploration of how forensic and legal practices have evolved by walking through a decades-old case file and contrasting it with current approaches. Attendees will examine critical developments in evidence reporting—such as the transition from Random Match Probability (RMP) to Likelihood Ratio (LR)—and advances in DNA mixture interpretation using probabilistic genotyping. The session will also cover practical litigation strategies, including selecting and working effectively with the right expert, choosing appropriate types of testing, and responding to challenges such as attacks on chain of custody. Designed to benefit both trial and post-conviction litigators, this session will provide valuable insights into navigating complex forensic issues in today’s legal landscape.
This will be an in-person program featuring plenary lectures and small-group breakout sessions. Further details, faculty list, and registration link will be forthcoming.

Navigating Holidays: Mindfulness, Compassion and Gratitude
2025-11-05 13:00 - 14:00
Navigating Holidays: Mindfulness, Compassion and Gratitude
Wednesday, November 5, 2025, 1 – 2 pm.
Register in advance: Link

Mindfulness and Self Compassion
Wednesday, December 3, 2025, 1 to 2 pm.
Register in advance: Link
Presented by: Filippa Marullo Anzalone, Esq.
*NOTE: 1 CLE credit for each webinar for:
Criminal Trial, Post Conviction, YAD Trial, YAD Appeals, MH Trials, MH Appeals, CAFL Trial, Parole/Medical Parole, SORB and SDP Panels.

* Filippa Marullo Anzalone, Esq., is a Professor of Law and the Associate Dean for Library and Technology Services at Boston College Law School. For the past few years, Professor Anzalone has been teaching a course entitled Mindfulness and Contemplative Practices for Lawyers for upper-level law students. She is a certified Koru and MBSR meditation instructor as well as an Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) qualified administrator.

Representing Transgender Clients - Various Dates and Locations
2025-11-05 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-11-06 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-11-07 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-11-12 14:00 - 16:00, 2025-11-13 13:00 - 15:00
This November the Criminal Defense Trainers of CPCS are hosting a series of trainings on representing transgender clients. There are 9 different dates and locations (listed below) across Massachusetts and you can register using this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/representing-transgender-clients-november-2025-tickets-1419474298839. You will select your ticket by preferred date. This is an in-person event.
This Program qualifies for 2 CLE on the following CPCS panels: Criminal Defense Trials; Adult Post Conviction; MH Trials; MH Appeals; SORB/SDP; YAD Appeals; more TBD
November 5, 2025; (1p-3p)-CPCS Hyannis, 973 Iyannough Drive, Hyannis, MA
November 6, 2025; (1p-3p)-CPCS Lowell, 40-44 Church St, Lowell MA
November 7, 2025; (1p-3p)-CPCS Salem, 35 Congress St, Ste 351, Salem, MA
November 12, 2025; (2p-4p)-CPCS Pittsfield, 184 North St, Pittsfield, MA
November 13, 2025; (1p-3p)-CPCS Malden, 6 Pleasant St, Malden, MA
November 17, 2025; (2p-4p)-CPCS Lawrence, Everett Mills, 15 Union St, Ste 130, Lawrence, MA
November 18, 2025; (2p-4p)-CPCS Worcester Training Center, 120 Front St, Ste 300, Worcester, MA
November 20, 2025; (1p-3p)-CPCS New Bedford, 700 Pleasant St, New Bedford, MA
November 24, 2025; (1p-3p) – CPCS Brockton, 144 Main St, Brockton MA
for questions, please reach out to kmunichiello@publiccounsel.net or sqvistgaard@publiccounsel.net

Social Law Library: 2025 Search & Seizure Series
2025-11-05 16:00 - 18:00
Full Event Information
Register for Day 1 Here
Register for Day 2 Here
Register for Both Days Here

Representing Non Citizen Transition Age Youth, November 6, 2025 on ZOOM, 1:30 – 4:00 p.m.
2025-11-06 13:30 - 16:00
In this remote training we will focus on the unique barriers Non Citizen Youth face and how to navigate them. We will hear from attorneys who represent transition age youth and from experts in the field. Dr. Margo Townley, Psy.D, will describe the trauma Non Citizen Youth face with living in fear of deportation and having to navigate independence in a new country. Delmaliz Montes De Oca, MSW, LCSW, will discuss her success and obstacles with her transitioning youth client and how trauma informed interviewing was key to developing a strong client relationship. CAFL practitioners and IIU staff will review litigation strategies practices to best support Non Citizen Transition Age Youth.
This program is approved for 2.5 CAFL CLEs
Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/fmANt6P9RHa8n1u7BhzSVA

"Beyond the Report" Exploring the Intersection of Bias, Adolescent Science and Youth Defense
2025-11-12 13:00 - 15:00
“Beyond the Report” Exploring the Intersection of Bias, Adolescent Science and Youth Defense
With Guest Presenter Dr. Chidi Wamuo
Date: November 12, 2025 1 PM – 3 PM
75 Federal Street, 5th Floor, Suites A&B, Boston MA 02155
Hybrid Event – Both In-Person and Simultaneously Hosted Online through Zoom.
Register to Attend Here

Medical & Mental Health Treatment Decisions for Children Involved in State Intervention Cases (“Rogers”) Training
2025-11-12 13:30 - 16:30
Each year we host a two-part webinar on medical and mental health treatment decisions for children involved in state intervention cases (aka “Rogers” training). New CAFL attorneys are required to attend both days within their first two years of practice. This program is also open to any CAFL practitioner who would like a refresher. Those participating as a refresher may attend just one or both days.
Part 1: November 12, 2025, 1:30-4:30pm (3 CAFL CLEs). In the first session, clinicians will review mental health and substance use disorder treatment, as well as gender affirming medical care, for children.
Part 2: November 19, 2025, 1:30-4:30pm (3 CAFL CLEs). In the second session, we will review the legal framework for consent to medical and mental health treatment and discuss practical strategies to advocate effectively for parents and children regarding that treatment.
Meeting Registration – Zoom
