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Webinar: Issues Surrounding Law Enforcement’s Liability | Part 3

September 14, 2020 @ 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm

In the wake of the police accountability problems that are confronting America, it is even more vital that we are educated on issues surrounding law enforcement’s liability.  The third installment of this program will shed light on police and municipal liability arising from encounters with people who have a disability.  The panelists will discuss how Section 1983 has been applied in these encounters and law enforcement compliance with and best practices under the Americans With Disabilities Act.

The panelists will be Bill Goren, the first president of the National Association of Attorneys With Disabilities and a national expert on Americans With Disabilities Act compliance, Julie Chovanes, a transgender woman who owns her own firm focusing on civil rights impact litigation, Sergeant Cheryl Dorsey, who became a social justice advocacy consultant after serving in the Los Angeles Police Department for more than 20 years, and Jeff Rothman, a New York City attorney specializing in representing plaintiffs in police and law enforcement misconduct cases, including cases arising from arrests during Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter protests.

Previous installments of this webinar series addressed both the prosecution and defense points of view. Part One shared insights on how law enforcement is trained, special considerations that arise during their prosecution, and solutions for the problems we face. Part Two featured a panel of defense attorneys with expertise in representing officers.

The programs will be moderated by Kiera Murphy and Ann Motl, who are both attorneys involved with Federal Bar Association diversity and inclusion efforts. Tara Norgard, Chair of the National Diversity & Inclusion Committee, also provided vital support in developing the programs.

Presented by the Diversity & Inclusion Standing Committee

Endorsed by:


About the Presenters

Julie Chovanes, Attorney, Chovanes Law
Julie Chovanes graduated from Villanova University, Villanova, PA with four degrees including law.  She founded Chovanes Law after she left her partnership in the largest law firm in the world, DLA Piper, in order to better serve her clients.  Julie practices civil rights law and advocacy and has practiced in commercial areas, ranging from business law and litigation to patent law.  She has changed the law to force recognition of the rights of trans people, including practicing at the intersection of trans rights and the Americans With Disabilities Act.  Julie is also one of the few trans women to have her own firm and engage in impact litigation matters for trans and other people.  

Sgt. Cheryl Dorsey, Los Angeles Police Department (ret.)
Cheryl Dorsey is a Los Angeles native and joined the LAPD in 1980. During her career, she worked exclusively in patrol and specialized units in all four Bureaus within the City of Los Angeles; South, Central, West and Valley. In addition to various patrol division assignments, Sgt. Dorsey was assigned to the infamous gang unit in Operations South Bureau; known as Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums (C.R.A.S.H.) under the command of Police Chief Daryl F. Gates. Sgt Dorsey also chronicled her LAPD career and social justice advocacy in an autobiography; “Black and Blue, Creation of A Social Advocate”.

William D. Goren, Attorney, William D. Goren JD LLM LLC
William D. Goren has 30 years of experience dealing with the ADA as an Attorney. His law practice and consulting practice as well as his blog, Understanding the ADA (an ABA 100 blog from 2014-2018). There was no ABA 2019), focus on understanding the ADA so that the client understands what it means to comply with that law. In particular, he provides consulting (which includes but is not limited to: training and serving as an ADA compliance expert witness; consulting expert; or consultant on ADA and related laws on matters in litigation), representation (providing counseling or co-counseling services), those involving compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and related laws. He is also a trained mediator, a FINRA arbitrator, and an arbitrator on the CPR employment law panel. Finally, he is the author of Understanding the ADA, now in its 4th edition (ABA 2013), and numerous other articles on the rights of persons with disabilities. Mr. Goren has an A.B. in Political Science from Vassar College, a J.D. from University of San Diego School of Law, and an LL.M. in Health Law from DePaul University College of Law. Interesting fact: he trained his miniature poodle to be a hearing dog for when he is in his virtual office. 

Jeffrey A. Rothman, Attorney at Law, Solo Practitioner
Jeffrey A. Rothman is a solo practitioner in New York City, concentrating in the area of civil rights litigation, mostly involving police and other law enforcement misconduct.  He is a 2001 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Mr. Rothman was one of the attorneys who represented arrestees in the civil rights litigation stemming from the mass arrests during the 2004 Republican National Convention demonstrations in New York City.  He has also represented a number of arrestees from other political demonstrations, including those associated with the Occupy Wall Street movement and the Black Lives Matter movement, other political activists, and numerous others whose rights have been violated by law enforcement or other branches of the government, or by private entities acting in conjunction with the government, in myriad circumstances.  Mr. Rothman has also litigated extensively on behalf of prisoners and detainees, concerning abuses they suffered while incarcerated and concerning their wrongful imprisonment in jail, prison, or in immigration detention.

Moderated By:

Ann Motl, Associate, Maslon LLP
Ann Motl is a registered patent attorney with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and represents clients in complex intellectual property litigation. Her substantial experience includes all phases of pre-trial civil litigation and motion practice in the federal courts. Committed to advancing the profession through leadership and pro bono service, Ann is actively involved in the Minnesota Chapter of the Federal Bar Association where she currently serves as co-chair of the Digital Communications Committee. She has represented a pro bono client in a Social Security disability appeal while working with the Minnesota Chapter’s Pro Se Project, and has also represented pro bono clients in housing and habeas matters while working with Volunteer Lawyers Network and Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid.

Kiera K. Murphy, Associate, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
Kiera Murphy is a newly minted attorney practicing in business and white collar litigation at Faegre, Drinker, Biddle & Reath LLP.  On the same date that she was sworn in as an attorney, Kiera won an evidentiary hearing on behalf of an order for protection petitioner.  Kiera has also managed a document review and production in response to a federal grand jury subpoena that requested a decade of records.  Prior to joining the firm, Kiera externed with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota, where she successfully briefed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit against a federal agency.

 


Registration

Registration for this webinar is now closed.

Cancellation Policy

No refunds will be made for notices of cancellation received after the close of business on September 7, 2020. No-shows will be billed. Substitutions may be made up to one business day prior to the event except as the Association otherwise agrees in writing. Please contact Ariel White at awhite@fedbar.org with cancellation and/or substitution requests.


CLE

Attendees may apply for approval and self-report CLE credit to their state following the webinar. The FBA is not processing CLE requests for this program.

Please check with your respective state(s) if they allow self-reporting and what materials are required for application. In addition to the the above agenda information, materials provided by presenters will be circulated via email one day in advance of the webinar date. Each state has its own rules and regulations indicating what qualifies for CLE credit.


Email Communication Policy

By registering for this event, you agree to receive email communications from the Federal Bar Association and affiliated sponsors of the program concerning event details, Continuing Legal Education certification, programming changes, upcoming events, surveys, and post-event communications.

Recording Disclaimer

By registering for an FBA webinar, you agree to the recording of audio and visual content presented during the live event and consent to subsequent use of the recording by the FBA. You agree that the recording is the sole property of the FBA and that the recording may be used by the FBA in any manner in its sole and absolute discretion. This recording may include questions and poll responses provided by you during the live event. If you do not consent to the recording and the FBA’s use of the same, do not register for the event.

If you have any questions regarding this program, please contact Caitlin Rider, Conference Manager.

Details

Date:
September 14, 2020
Time:
2:00 pm - 3:15 pm
Event Categories:
,

Venue

Online
US