Federal Bar Council presents
Trauma-Informed Advocacy and Lawyering
April 23, 2026
6:00pm – 7:30pm
Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse
40 Foley Square, New York, NY
Credit Info: 0.5 Non-transitional CLE credits in Diversity, Inclusion and Elimination of Bias, and 1.0 Transitional/ non-transitional CLE credits in Areas of Professional Practice
Lawyers representing clients whose claims arise from traumatic events can encounter a legal system that is not always equipped to recognize or account for the effects of trauma. This panel will explore how attorneys can bridge that gap in their advocacy. Moderated by Judge Robert Levy, and featuring a mix of voices from a practitioner, an academic, a psychiatric expert, and an individual with lived experience with the legal system, the panel will discuss strategies for presenting trauma-related evidence, addressing misconceptions about prior trauma and damages, and implementing protective measures while strengthening the credibility and impact of clients’ claims.
Moderator
The Honorable Robert Levy
United States Magistrate Judge, EDNY
Panelists
Professor Amber Baylor
Columbia Law School
Dr. Elizabeth Ford
Columbia University Department of Psychiatry
Margaret Gandy, Esq.
Corva Law LLPand
former AUSA, EDNY
Dr. Derrick Stroud, DSW, LCSW, CASAC
Interborough Developmental & Consultation Center
Coordinators
Eleanor Davis, Esq.
David B. Shanies Law Office
Deborah Francois, Esq.
David B. Shanies Law Office
Civil Rights Committee Co-Chairs
David Shanies, Esq.
David B. Shanies Law Office
Deborah I. Francois, Esq
David B. Shanies Law Office
Federal Bar Council Program Committee Co-Chairs
Celeste Koeleveld, Esq.
Clifford Chance US LLP
Julian S. Brod, Esq.
Shapiro Arato Bach LLP
In order to register, you must sign in to your Federal Bar Council account. If you do not have an account, you can create one using this link.
This program is free for Federal Bar Council Members and $75.00 for Non-Members. For more information about the benefits of membership in the Federal Bar Council, click here.
Financial Hardship Policy
The Federal Bar Council is pleased to offer a 50% discount on the cost of its CLE Programs to attorneys who are unemployed, who are employed in the public sector or who work for a not-for-profit entity and are able to establish financial hardship. The original application for this discount must be submitted to the Federal Bar Council at least two weeks prior to the CLE Program for which it applies. Please contact the Council for an application form. If you have any questions, please contact CLE@federalbarcouncil.com.