Registered participants will receive Zoom access information and materials no earlier than 24 hours prior to the session start time.

Presenters

Gabriel Diaz

Senior Counsel

NAACP Legal Defense Fund

Morenike Fajana

Senior Counsel

NAACP Legal Defense Fund

Devin McCowan

Litigation Fellow

NAACP Legal Defense Fund

This session will equip attorneys to pursue a race-conscious approach to search and seizure litigation to seek exclusion of evidence obtained in violation of their client’s constitutional rights.

After completing this training, participants will be able to:

• Effectively raise the issue of race at suppression hearings when challenging searches and seizures under both the federal and New York State constitutions;
• Identify relevant case law and resources, including social science research and data, to address the relevance of race when litigating unlawful searches and seizures; and
• Make and preserve arguments to be as persuasive as possible for a potential appeal.

This program is intended for defense attorneys in criminal and family court practice and other members of the defense team, including investigators, paralegals, parent advocates, social workers, and mitigation specialists.

MCLE

NYSDA has been certified by the New York State Continuing Legal Education Board as an Accredited Provider of Continuing Legal Education in the State of New York (2025–2028) in traditional and nontraditional formats. This transitional/nontransitional program has been approved for 1.5 credit hours in accordance with the requirements of the Continuing Legal Education Board. No CLE credit may be earned for repeat attendance at any accredited CLE activity.