Gideon@60

Gideon@60
March 16, 2023, 3:30-7:00 p.m., National Press Club, Washington DC

On March 16, the National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA) hosted “Gideon@60,” a national convening of public defenders, civil legal aid providers, community advocates, and government and private sector representatives commemorating the 60th anniversary of the landmark decision Gideon v. Wainwright.    

Watch the Gideon@60 Event on Facebook or YouTube

The event featured remarks from U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland; Rachel Rossi, Director, Office for Access to Justice, U.S. Department of Justice, and a video message from U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.).  

We also heard from Stan Germán, Executive Director, New York County Defender Services and NLADA Board Chair; Lisa Monet Wayne, Executive Director, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers; and Keeda Haynes, Board of Directors, National Association for Public Defense.  

Gideon@60 presented two conversations between public defenders, community advocates, and government and private sector representatives.   

Panel 1: The Unmet Promise of the Right to Counsel  

• Regina Kelly, Client Services Coordinator, Lone Star Legal Aid  
• Stan Germán, Executive Director, New York County Defender Services  
• Heather Pinckney, Director, Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia   

Panel 2: Public Defenders, Partners, and Policy Change  

• Neera Chatterjee, Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, U.S. Bancorp  
• Ronald Simpson-Bey, Executive Vice President, JustLeadershipUSA  
• Bhavan K. Sodhi, Chief Program Officer, Innocence Project  
• Kelli Thompson, Wisconsin State Public Defender   

The convening was supported by Arnold Ventures, MacArthur Foundation, and Vital Projects. 

In addition, NLADA President & CEO April Frazier Camara, National Association of Public Defenders (NAPD) Executive Director Lori James-Townes and National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) Lisa Monet Wayne wrote a joint opinion piece in commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright which was published by USA Today: 'Right to an attorney' only goes so far. Our war on crime leaves injustice in its wake. (March 17, 2023)   

Other coverage as a result of Gideon@60 included: 

• USA Today: 'Invisible' crisis: Public defenders still underfunded, understaffed 60 years after key SCOTUS ruling (March 17, 2023)  
• NPR: In 1963, Gideon v. Wainwright assured criminal defendants the right to an attorney (March 17, 2023)  

Agenda:
Opening Remarks from April Frazier Camara, President & CEO, National Legal Aid & Defender Association; Lisa Monet Wayne, Executive Director, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and Criminal Defense Attorney; and Keeda Haynes, Board of Directors, National Association for Public Defense and Criminal Defense Attorney. 

Remarks from Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General of the United States

Panel 1: The Unmet Promise of the Right to Counsel 

• Regina Kelly, Client Services Coordinator, Lone Star Legal Aid 

• Stan Germán, Executive Director, New York County Defender Services 

• Heather Pinckney, Director, Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia 

Video message from U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici

Panel 2: Public Defenders, Partners, and Policy Change

• James Chosy, Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel, U.S. Bancorp 

• Ronald Simpson-Bey, Executive Vice President, JustLeadershipUSA 

• Bhavan K. Sodhi,  Chief Program Officer, Innocence Project 

• Kelli Thompson, Wisconsin State Public Defender  

The convening is supported by: