Pursuing Accountability: Legal Tactics to Challenge Jails, Prisons, and Detention

ABOUT THE EVENT

Cases on behalf of people incarcerated in jails, prisons, and detention centers present unique challenges that can stump even the most seasoned civil rights attorneys. NPAP’s Fall CLE Conference will feature presentations on how to effectively litigate jail and prison cases from the investigation through trial.  Whether your practice focuses on carceral defendants or you’ve never done one before, this CLE conference will be an invaluable resource for you. Panel topics will include:

• Prison Litigation 101 (includes PLRA, ethical, and evidence access and preservation considerations) 
• How to Sue Private Medical Contractors
• Preparing and Litigating a Jail Death Trial 
• Examining Successful Jail Closure Campaigns and Abolitionist Organizing
• Legal Strategies for Opposing ICE Arrests and Carceral Detentions 

Click here to view the agenda.

In person registration deadline: October 14, 2025

Virtual registration deadline: October 21, 2025

DATE, TIME, AND LOCATION

The event will be held in the Crossroads Ballroom of Crossroads Hotel Kansas City (2101 Central St. Kansas City, MO 64108).

Thursday, October 23 2025:

• 7am - 3pm PST
• 8am - 4pm MST
• 9am - 5pm CST
• 10am - 6pm EST

Friday, October 24, 2025:

• 6:30am - 8am PST
• 7:30am - 9am MST
• 8:30am - 10am CST
• 9:30am - 11am EST

Please note: any time listed in this registration page that does not include a time zone can be assumed to be Central Standard Time (CST).

ACCOMMODATIONS

The event will be held in the Crossroads Ballroom of Crossroads Hotel Kansas City (2101 Central St. Kansas City, MO 64108).

Breakfast and lunch will be served on Thursday, and breakfast will be served on Friday (programming will conclude by 10:00am).

SPEAKERS

Speakers include (this list will be updated as additional speakers are confirmed):

• Hugh Eastwood - Attorney at Law, Eastwood Law
• Blake Strode - Executive Director, ArchCity Defenders
• Devin Barrington-Ward - Director of Communications, National Police Accountability Project
• Grace Jun - Attorney at Law
• Danielle Peña - Partner, PHG Law Group
• Denisse Gastelum - Founder and Principal Trial Attorney, Gastélum Law, APC,
• R.J. Shannon - Attorney, Shannon & Lee LLP
• Devontae Torriente - Legal Fellow, National Police Accountability Project
• Karla Juarez - Executive Director, Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation
• Chelesea Reherman - Attorney, Iredale & Yoo, APC
• Michelle Dahl, National Police Accountability Project
• Joshua Vaughn - Host, Death County PA
• Bob Blakemore - Attorney, Smolen & Roytman Attorneys at Law
• Daniel Smolen - Founding Partner, Smolen & Roytman Attorneys at Law
• Sarah Moore, the Executive Director of the Arkansas Justice Reform Coalition
• Paul M. Hilkert, Partner - Nach, Rodgers, Hilkert & Santilli 

CONFIRMED MODERATORS
Alyssa Quijano - Attorney, Ives & Flores
Eliana Machefsky - Staff Attorney, National Police Accountability Project
Matt Manning - Partner, Webb, Cason, & Manning
Joe McMullen - Law Offices of Joe McMullen
Lauren Bonds - Executive Director, National Police Accountability Project 
 

ACCREDITATION 

This event has been accredited with the State Bar of CA and Pennsylvania. The total CLE credit hours, including subfield credits, will be announced once finalized. 

NPAP is a Multiple Activity Provider (MAP) with the State Bar of California, and as such this event is automatically accredited in CA.

Most attendees should be able to self-report CLE credit to their own state bars, and in instances where a state bar requires that the event sponsor report on behalf of attendees, NPAP is happy to assist.

If you have any questions about accreditation, please email KG at kg@nlg-npap.org.

RECORDING

The event will be recorded in its entirety and recordings of each panel will be available to attendees after the event. However, attendees will only be elligible for CLE credit for the portions of the event that they attended live, either in-person or virtually. Retroactive viewing of recordings will not be eligible for CLE credit, as NPAP does not have a means of validating attendee participation in this circumstance.

 FINANCIAL SUPPORT

NPAP never wants cost to be a barrier to attendance for our programming and we are happy to work with anyone interested in attending to find a means to make the program accessible. If you require financial support, please contact Re’Neisha at assistant.npap@nlg.org for assistance.

ACCESSIBILITY 

It is our priority to ensure accessibility for all attendees - please contact KG at kg@nlg-npap.org if you have specific inquiries regarding physical accessibility of the venue or virtual experience.