Strong Women, Bold Defense: A Journey Through the Legacy and Evolution of Women in Public Defense

Celebrate Women's History Month and Public Defense Day with our insightful webinar dedicated to exploring women's contributions to the rich history of public defense, a concept that extends far beyond the landmark Gideon decision. Join us as we delve into the role of women in public defense today, examining the obstacles they still face and envisioning the path ahead. This webinar promises a comprehensive exploration of the subject, shedding light on the vital contributions of women throughout history and sparking discussions about the challenges and progress in the field.

 

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Panelists

Alice Fontier, NACDL Board of Directors

Managing Director of Neighborhood Defender Service, Harlem

 Alice Fontier is the Managing Director of NDS Harlem, a holistic public defense office providing criminal, civil, and family defense. She has been a practicing criminal defense attorney for over twenty years after graduating from NYU School of Law. Prior to joining NDS Harlem, Alice was the Managing Director of the Criminal Defense Practice at the Bronx Defenders. She has previously worked as a Supervising Attorney at NDS Harlem, the Federal Defenders of San Diego, and as a private attorney in both the federal and state courts of New York. She has handled several high-profile national security cases and other media cases. Alice is the Past President of the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and Parliamentarian  of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. She is an Adjunct Professor at NYU School of Law where she teaches the Police Misconduct Externship, and a Lecturer in Law at Columbia University Law School where she teaches Trial Skills and the NDS Community Defense Externship. In addition, Alice regularly teaches CLE’s for NYSCADL, NACDL, at the Defenders Academy Trial Skills Training, and has taught trial skills at the Kentucky State Trials Skills Academy in Faubush.

Melanie Foote,NACDL Board of Directors,

 Education and Strategic Planning Branch Manager, Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy,

Melanie Foote is the Education & Strategic Planning Branch Manager for the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy, where she has the pleasure of planning and offering training for all staff members within the Kentucky statewide public defender system. Melanie also trains nationally and for a variety of organizations, including Gideon’s Promise, the National Criminal Defense College, the National Association of Public Defense, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and several other local, state, and national organizations. Melanie teaches on a wide range of topics related to litigation skills, management and leadership, and training. She is also serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Melanie joined the KY DPA in 2007 in the Post Conviction Branch. She joined the KY DPA Innocence Project in 2009, where she assisted individuals in proving their factual innocence. In 2011 she joined the Trial Division of the KY DPA, where she represented clients in cases ranging from misdemeanors to capital eligible offenses in the Elizabethtown and LaGrange trial offices. She joined the Education Branch in 2014.

Missy Owen, NACDL Co-Chair of Women in Criminal Defense Committee,

Founding Partner of Tin Fulton Walker & Owen

  C. Melissa Owen is a founding partner of Tin Fulton Walker & Owen, a mid-sized North Carolina law firm with offices in Charlotte, Chapel Hill, and Raleigh. Missy Owen’s personal practice areas include state and federal criminal defense, with a focus on white collar matters, financial crime, sex offense prosecutions, and Title IX representation. Missy has served NACDL in numerous capacities, including as a program co-chair in the CLE Institute and a member of the Women in Criminal Defense Committee, the White Collar Committee, the Title IX Committee, and the Bylaws Committee. She is also active on numerous bar associations and community groups, including service on the Board of Governors of North Carolina Attorneys for Justice and the Ethics Committee at the North Carolina State Bar, which publishes Advisory Ethics Opinions for North Carolina attorneys. Missy Owen earned her undergraduate degree from Miami University in Ohio and her law degree at Duquesne University School of Law in Pittsburgh.

Adeola Ogunkeyede, Chief Public Defender of Travis County, TX

 As the Chief Public Defender, Adeola Ogunkeyede directs all activities of the Public Defender’s Office. She inaugurated the role, building out the office’s holistic practice from the ground up. Ms. Ogunkeyede previously served as the inaugural director for the Civil Rights & Racial Justice Program (CRRJ) at the Legal Aid Justice Center in Virginia.
Under Ms. Ogunkeyede’s leadership, CRRJ worked to reform the criminal legal system’s over-reliance on incarceration and perpetuation of racial inequity through a strategic mix of community organizing, local and statewide policy advocacy, and impact litigation. Prior to her work in Virginia, Ms. Ogunkeyede was the director of staff development and litigation supervisor of the criminal practice at The Bronx Defenders, where she began her career as a staff attorney.

Heather Rogers, Public Defender Santa Cruz, CA

Heather Rogers has been a public defender for over 18 years in the state and federal courts. Heather has handled cases at every stage of litigation, from arraignment through trial and appeal. She has represented clients accused of offenses from delinquency to homicide, defended detainees incarcerated at Guantánamo Naval Base in Guantanamo, Cuba, and argued cases in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Heather is honored to serve as the first Public Defender of Santa Cruz County, her birthplace and home. Before her appointment, Heather served as a public defender at Biggam, Christensen & Minsloff, the defense firm that previously provided public defense services for Santa Cruz County. Heather is a faculty member of the National Criminal Defense College, lecturer in Legal Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and frequent trainer at regional and national trial skills programs. Heather has also taught at California Western School of Law and Monterey College of Law. Heather clerked for the Honorable M. Margaret McKeown on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals before starting her career in public defense at Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc. Heather also served as a public defender in Monterey County and at the Federal Public Defender for the Northern District of California before coming home to Santa Cruz. Heather has an A.B. in English Language & Literature from the University of Chicago and a J.D. from Stanford Law School. She lives in the Aptos mountains with her husband, children, and pets. In her free time, Heather enjoys traveling, hiking, and snowboarding.

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Did you know that the concept of a public defender was conceived by a woman?

Clara Shortridge Folz (1849-1934)

In 1911, recognizing the need for legal representation for those unable to afford it, Clara Shortridge Folz played a pivotal role in the establishment of the first public defender office in Los Angeles. Her vision was rooted in the belief that every individual, regardless of financial means, deserved competent legal representation. The public defender office aimed to provide a robust defense for indigent individuals accused of crimes, ensuring their rights were protected and that they had a fair trial.

Folz's tireless efforts to create the public defender office were driven by a profound sense of justice and a commitment to ensuring equal access to legal representation. The establishment of this office marked a groundbreaking moment in the history of the American legal system, setting a precedent for the provision of defense for those who could not afford it.

Join us in celebrating the accomplishments of Clara Shortridge Folz this Women's History Month by using our virtual backgrounds. 

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