Skip to main content
Loading Events

« All Events

  • This event has passed.

Webinar: Issues Surrounding Law Enforcement’s Liability | Part 2

July 21, 2020 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 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.  Please join us for a program featuring a panel of defense attorneys with expertise in representing officers. The panelists will be Drew Findling, Immediate Past President of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers who also represents celebrities such as Gucci Mane and Cardi B, Sharonda Williams, a former City Attorney for the City of New Orleans, and Celeste Koeleveld, formerly a Criminal Division Chief at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and an Executive Assistant Corporation Counsel at the New York City Law Department.

This session follows the previous installment on July 9, 2020 covering insights on how law enforcement is trained, special considerations that arise during their prosecution, and solutions for the problems we face.  These programs will be moderated Katherine Yanes and Kiera Murphy, who are both members of the Federal Bar Association Diversity & Inclusion Committee. Tara Norgard, Chair of the Committee, also provided vital support in developing the programs.

Sponsored By:

Registration for this event has closed.


About the Presenters

Drew Findling, Attorney, The Findling Law Firm P.C.
Drew Findling’s practice, The Findling Law Firm, P.C., focuses exclusively on federal and state criminal defense and he tries cases ranging from matters involving complex white- collar crimes to serious violent felonies. Mr. Findling spent the first three years of his career as a Fulton County, GA public defender. For over more than 30 years, he has represented clients in state and federal courts across the country, as well as in international matters. In recent years, he has successfully represented a string of well-known clients including: Dennis Rodman, Shaquille O’Neal, Cardi B, Gucci Mane, and many more. Mr. Findling also represented GA Sheriff Victor Hill in the highly publicized public corruption jury trial of Clayton County, winning an acquittal of all charges in the 37-count indictment. For his effort on behalf of Sheriff Hill, Mr. Findling received the NAACP’s Civil and Human Rights Award and a commendation by the Legislative Black Caucus of Georgia. In his more than 30 years of practice, Mr. Findling has published numerous articles and become a highly sought-after speaker, speaking in more than 40 states across the country. He has spoken extensively on topics as race in the criminal justice system, combatting collateral consequences of convictions, defending battered woman syndrome cases, jury selection in high profile cases, forensic preparation for a criminal trial, effective opening statements and closing arguments, professionalism, and advanced cross-examination. Mr. Findling is a member of the American Board of Criminal Lawyers, the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the American Bar Association. Mr. Findling is the Immediate Past President and a Life Member of The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (“NACDL”).

Celeste Koeleveld, Partner, Clifford Chance
Celeste Koeleveld has over 25 years of experience in government enforcement, regulatory and civil litigation matters that span federal, state and local government in the United States. Over the course of her career, she has held senior positions in the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) and the New York City Law Department. Celeste represents clients, both corporates and individuals, with regulatory compliance, internal investigations, and all phases of civil, criminal and regulatory litigation, from inception through the appellate process. Her significant government experience imparts a particularly insightful perspective to her advice and counsel in matters involving enforcement and regulatory agencies. Prior to joining Clifford Chance, Celeste served on the executive committee of DFS, joining in 2016 as General Counsel, and ultimately serving as Deputy Superintendent and Special Counsel. In addition to her recent role at DFS, Celeste previously served for 16 years in the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, rising to serve as the Chief of the Criminal Division. She also served as the Chief Appellate Attorney of the SDNY for four years, overseeing the extensive appellate practice, and as the Chief of the General Crimes Unit. Prior to joining DFS, Celeste served for eight years as Executive Assistant Corporation Counsel at the New York City Law Department, where she oversaw federal civil rights litigation involving the police department and the department of correction.

Sharonda Williams, Special Counsel, Fishman Haygood, LLP
Sharonda Williams joined Fishman Haygood, LLP in New Orleans as Special Counsel in December 2015 following a distinguished career in public service and private practice.  Sharonda served as City Attorney for the City of New Orleans from May 2013-November 2015. As City Attorney, Sharonda was the lead attorney handling the most comprehensive police consent decree in the history of the United States.  At the same time, she represented the City in another consent decree aimed at reforming the Orleans Parish Jail, which was then-recognized as one of the worst prisons in America.   Both of those consent decrees required Sharonda to engage in negotiations with the United States Department of Justice on a near daily basis.  Sharonda also was the lead attorney representing the City in settling a more than 30-year dispute relating to back pay and pension issues for the New Orleans Firefighters. Sharonda had served as Chief Deputy City Attorney from October 2011 until May 2013.  Prior to joining the City of New Orleans, Sharonda was a partner in the general litigation section at Sher Garner, where she handled cases ranging from construction disputes, medical malpractice, insurance coverage disputes, entertainment law contract negotiations, intellectual property licensing issues, and bankruptcy adversary proceedings. She has served as the Chair of the Board of Commissioners of the Regional Transit Authority as well as being involved in numerous other professional and civic organizations.

Moderated By:

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.

Katherine Earle Yanes, Partner, Kynes Markman & Felman, P.A. 
Katherine Earle Yanes is a partner in the Tampa, Florida law firm Kynes Markman & Felman, P.A.  She concentrates her practice in the areas of criminal defense, appeals, and postconviction relief and has successfully represented defendants at the trial, appellate, and postconviction phases of criminal litigation in federal and state courts, as well as in government investigations.


Registration

Registration for this event has closed.

Cancellation Policy

No refunds will be made for notices of cancellation received after the close of business on July 14, 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:
July 21, 2020
Time:
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm