In this presentation, Assistant Disciplinary Counsel for the Oregon State Bar, Alison Wilkinson, will discuss ethical obligations that are likely to arise when working with victims of crime. Through case examples and hypotheticals, you will leave this presentation with a better understanding of how to satisfy your professional responsibilities while best advocating for victims.

Civilian advocates and attorneys can provide valuable victims’ rights support and advocacy for victims in military justice proceedings – yet few non-military members are sufficiently familiar with the military justice system and how civilian-provided advocacy can support victims’ rights in military justice. Join members of the NCVLI legal team in a facilitated discussion with a seasoned military advocate and an experienced military attorney for victims that is designed to familiarize civilian victim service providers with military processes, rights and options for survivors. Participants will gain a better understanding of the military-connected programs available to victims and how civilian advocates and attorneys can provide victims’ rights support to military-connected survivors.

State rules of professional conduct limit when attorneys and certain non-attorneys with whom they work can communicate directly with crime victims who are represented by counsel. This training explores these limitations in the context of victims’ rights law and practice. NCVLI will provide a brief overview of the scope and application of no-contact rules to communications with represented victims. Two experienced victims’ rights attorneys – Jamie Balson from Legal Services for Crime Victims in Arizona and Mariam El-menshawi from California Victims Legal Resource Center – will then share their experiences with, and practice tips for, navigating no-contact rules while also facilitating victims' access to their rights.

Trauma-Informed awareness is a critically important factor in successful lawyering. This presentation will give participants an overview of how trauma affects both clients and attorneys. It will also provide practical skills for attorneys in their advocacy work for children and adults who have been the victims of violence. In addition, it will address steps attorneys can take in their own self-care while dealing with trauma in their clients.

Participants will receive an overview of the options that a victim of crime may have after, during or as an alternative to criminal prosecution. The program will identify common civil claims arising out of criminal acts, and will explain the mental and financial benefits of those claims for the victim. Additionally, the CLE will highlight legal traps which occasionally diminish the value of the claims or prevent victims from pursuing such claims altogether.