ABA Southeastern White Collar Crime Institute scheduled for Sept. 6-8
The American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section will host the 9th Annual Southeastern White Collar Crime Institute September 6-8, in Braselton, Ga. The two-day program will feature practitioners from around the nation discussing environmental crimes, health care fraud, cross-border export and sanctions and domestic and international white collar crime discipline, among other topics.
In addition, on September 7 at 10:30 a.m., four federal judges will share what they expect from counsel who appear before them and from the federal system in general, and on September 8 at 9 a.m., four U.S. attorneys will address white collar enforcement priorities in their districts and the latest trends and initiatives the Department of Justice is pursuing.
Program highlights include:
• “The Domestic v. International White Collar Crime Discipline” — Legal experts will explore the important differences between domestic and international white collar disciplines including the types of crimes prosecuted, enforcement procedures utilized and internal investigation methods employed. Specific areas of focus will include the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Cloud Act and privilege and data privacy considerations.
• “A View from the Bench: Expectations of Judges” — Four federal judges will share what they expect from counsel who appear before them and from the federal system in general. Panelists include Judge Michael L. Brown, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia; Judge Leigh Martin May, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia; Judge Lisa Godbey Wood, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia; and Judge W. Louis Sands, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia.
• “Cross Border – Export and Sanctions Roundtable” — Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo says that export controls are at the “red-hot center” of how we protect democracies. Key representatives from Treasury, Commerce, Justice and Homeland Security, together with private practitioners, will address Biden administration initiatives developed to meet this increasingly important national security and corporate enforcement priority – the prevention of improper financial transactions and the unapproved export of sensitive U.S. technology and goods.
• “Health Care Fraud and Abuse Enforcement in a Granston World” — Michael Granston, Department of Justice deputy attorney general, will discuss current trends and theories of criminal and civil liability in federal health care fraud investigations.
• “A Roundtable Discussion with U.S. Attorneys” — All three Georgia U.S. attorneys and the U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee will address white collar enforcement priorities in their districts and the latest trends and initiatives the Department of Justice is pursuing in cybersecurity, corporate fraud, health care fraud, public corruption and other white collar criminal enforcement areas. Panelists include Ryan K. Buchanan, Northern District of Georgia; Peter D. Leary, Middle District of Georgia; Jill E. Steinberg, Southern District of Georgia; and Henry C. Leventis, Middle District of Tennessee.
• “Environmental Crimes” — Experts will provide an overview of environmental criminal provisions; explain what distinguishes these prosecutions from many other crimes; describe the fine line between civil and criminal violations of environmental laws; discuss defense and sentencing strategies, including voir dire, sentencing guidelines, use of parallel proceedings to help defense; and offer viewpoints from prosecutors, defense attorneys and criminal investigators on environmental crimes cases.
For additional information on the institute, visit www.americanbar.org/groups/criminal_ justice.
ABA Death Penalty Representation Project, Sister Helen Prejean to honor volunteer attorneys
The American Bar Association Death Penalty Representation Project will honor the work of pro bono attorneys at its annual Volunteer Recognition & Awards Program on September 14 in Washington, D.C. (livestream available). The event features keynote speaker Sister Helen Prejean, best-selling author of “Dead Man Walking,” who shares her personal experiences working with death row prisoners and why representation matters.
In a speech titled, “Dead Man Walking: Why Representation Matters,” Prejean will describe her experiences working in death row ministry for the past 40 years and how she became a leading voice on issues facing prisoners, their families and the victims of violent crime.
She authored The New York Times best seller “Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States” in 1994, which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. She based the novel on her experience ministering to two condemned men, Patrick Sonnier and Robert Willie, both of whom she accompanied to the death chamber. The book was later adapted into a film starring Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn and directed by Tim Robbins.
“The death penalty is the ultimate punishment and if used, must be administered fairly,” said ABA President Mary Smith. “We are honored to celebrate the law firms and attorneys who volunteer their time to take on these death penalty cases against all odds and work to make sure that justice and impartiality is achieved. We are pleased to have Sister Helen Prejean share her experiences and perspective on the death penalty and its process.”
At the event, Venable LLP will receive the Exceptional Service Award for the firm’s outstanding work for death row prisoners. And capital defense attorney and Florida State University College of Law professor Mark E. Olive will be awarded the Stevens Guiding Hand of Counsel Award, which was first presented to Justice John Paul Stevens in 2011, for his lifetime commitment to improving the quality of representation for death-sentenced prisoners.
“There is a shrinking world of rights for death penalty litigants in the wake of devastating U.S. Supreme Court rulings,” said Emily Olson-Gault, director and chief counsel of ABA Death Penalty Representation Project. “These are incredibly hard-fought, complex cases, and yet volunteer attorneys persevere to make an impact on the prisoners, the justice system, and our communities.”
The ABA Death Penalty Representation Project works to ensure that everyone facing a death sentence has qualified counsel by locating and supporting law firms that take on pro bono cases and advocating for due process. The event also marks the installation of new DPRP Steering Committee members: Crowell & Moring partner Keith Harrison and O’Melveny & Myers partner Meaghan VerGow, who will join existing members Ted Howard (Wiley), Caroline Heller (Greenberg Traurig), Eric Freedman (Hofstra Law School), Jason Smith (Lincoln Memorial University), Kelley Henry (Federal Public Defender), Melanie Kalmanson (Quarles & Brady), Moe Keshavarzi (Sheppard Mullin), Rebecca Gordon (Arnold & Porter), Tim O’Toole (Miller & Chevalier) and Ronald J. Tabak (Skadden).
“Many often think that someone convicted of a capital crime can easily secure a new trial if new evidence comes forward or their original trial was unjust. But the procedural barriers to secure a new trial are now so high that few cases have the hope of being overturned, regardless of actual innocence,” Olson-Gault said. “We need volunteer lawyers to take on these hard-fought cases, and we are grateful to our donors from across the country who give us the resources to continue the project’s work.”
To view the livestreeam of the September 14 program, visit www.americanbar.org/groups/committees/death_penalty_representation/events_cle/2023-volunteer-awards-event.
To donate to the project, visit www.americanbar.org/groups/departments_offices/FJE/donate/dprp.
