<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Verdana;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
p.msonormal0, li.msonormal0, div.msonormal0
{mso-style-name:msonormal;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
span.EmailStyle19
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple">
<div class="WordSection1">
<div>
<p><span style="color:#1F497D">G</span>ood Morning,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>The <b>BJA Drug Court Technical Assistance Project at American University</b> is presenting a three-part interactive webinar series that addresses the critical role of defense counsel in drug court programs as well as in representing drug-involved offenders
both within and outside of the drug court context. The series is entitled: <b><i>The Role of Defense Counsel in Drug Courts and in Dealing with Drug-Involved Defendants.<o:p></o:p></i></b></p>
<p>The sessions will deal with a wide range of issues and functions that defense counsel must address on an on-going basis. These include their legal and ethical responsibilities, the protection of constitutional rights, and the need to apply evidence-based
and best practices. These obligations continue from arrest, through initial appearance, program entry, and the time of screening for substance use, and they persist further through the stages of treatment and supervision until the ultimate case disposition.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>The <b>first webinar session, </b>entitled<b> Methods to Improve the Skill Level of Defense Counsel Representing Clients Impacted by Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Issues,
</b>will be<b> </b>presented by <b>Yvonne Smith Segars, Esq., and Michael L. Perlin, Esq.
</b>on <b>Tuesday March 8, 2016 from 2:00 – 3:00 PM EST</b>. This session will focus on challenges defense counsel may encounter in representing defendants with mental and cognitive impairments associated with their drug use, particularly those who may not
have a clinical diagnosis but have an impairment that may impact their acceptance into the drug court -- or their being overlooked for potential program eligibility -- as well as their ability to comply with program requirements at least initially. In this
sense, defense counsel may be serving in the role as “first responder” to these impairments as well as legal counsel.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p><b>Session 1: Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at 11 AM PST// 2 PM EST </b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Please see the attached announcement for more information on the series and the first session.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Please follow the instructions below to register for the upcoming first session of the webinar series.
<br>
------------------------------------------------------- <b><br>
To register for the event:</b><br>
------------------------------------------------------- <br>
1. Go to: <span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif"><a href="https://bja-au.webex.com/bja-au/onstage/g.php?PRID=49632352dfd6922e03019ce70d2f395c"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">https://bja-au.webex.com/bja-au/onstage/g.php?PRID=49632352dfd6922e03019ce70d2f395c</span></a></span>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>2. Choose the webinar event you would like to register for and click Register.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>3. On the registration form, enter your information and then click Submit. <br>
-------------------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Please contact Monica Fuhrmann (<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:fuhrmann@american.edu"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">fuhrmann@american.edu</span></a></span>) or myself (<span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:ccooper@american.edu"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">ccooper@american.edu</span></a></span>)
if you have any questions on the webinar or the registration process. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p>We look forward to your participation. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Caroline Cooper<o:p></o:p></p>
<p><br>
Caroline S. Cooper, BJA Drug Court Technical Assistance Project<br>
Research Professor and Director<br>
Justice Programs Office, School of Public Affairs<br>
American University<br>
4400 Massachusetts Avenue N.W., Brandywine Suite 100<br>
Washington D.C. 20016-8159<br>
Telephone: 202/885-2875 Fax: 202/885-2885<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif"><br>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>