Thursday, September 26, 2024 (Location: ARC Ballroom at UC Davis)
8:45-9:25 a.m. — Breakfast and Registration
9:30-9:55 a.m. — Welcome
MC: Miguel Quezada, Co-Director, Mend Collaborative
Opening Remarks: Jessica Berg, Dean, UC Davis School of Law
Keynote: Ricardo Garcia, Chief Public Defender, Los Angeles County
10-11:15 a.m. — Public Defense and Community Safety
A conversation with county leaders on implementing public defense systems in small and rural counties and the role of institutional public defender offices in community trust and safety.
Speakers: Heather Rogers, Chief Public Defender, Santa Cruz County; Nicole Coburn, Assistant County Administrative Officer, Santa Cruz; Mindy Sotelo, Supervisor, Board of Supervisors, San Benito County; Eric Taylor, Sheriff, San Benito County
Facilitator: Ashanti Mitchell, Capacity Building Attorney, Office of State Public Defender
11:15-11:30 a.m. — Break
11:35 a.m.-12:40 p.m. — California’s Place in the National Landscape
A panel exploring the funding and design of public defense systems nationally and across California and how stakeholders can strengthen systems.
Speakers: Mica Doctoroff, Senior Staff Attorney, Criminal Justice Program, ACLU; Aditi Goel, Deputy Director, Sixth Amendment Center; Nikhil Ramnaney, Senior Counsel, Office for Access to Justice, DOJ
Facilitator: La Mer Kyle-Griffiths, Division Chief, Training Division, Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office
12:40-1:40 p.m. — On-Site Catered Lunch
1:45-2:50 p.m. — Exploring the Attorney Shortage
A discussion of the causes and possible solutions to the crisis, including attorney deserts in California and ongoing research on attorney retention in public defender offices.
Speakers: Scott Gross, Chief Public Defender, Tuolumne County; Irene Oritseweyinmi Joe, Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law; Swethaa Ballakrishnen, Professor of Law, UC Irvine School of Law
Facilitator: Tracie Olsen, Chief Public Defender, Yolo County
2:55-3:15 p.m. — Wrap-Up and Closing Remarks
MC: Miguel Quezada, Co-Director, Mend Collaborative
Galit Lipa, State Public Defender