The Criminal Defense Clinic launched the Stanford Trial Advocacy & New Defender Uplift Program (STANDUP) in August, which brought public defenders from six California counties to campus for the opportunity to hone their trial skills, share best practices, and make connections with their fellow PDs from across Northern California. The three-day program also provided an opportunity for the approximately 50 participants to learn how to better confront the inherent stresses of an often-challenging career. STANDUP is intended to be an annual Continuing Legal Education (CLE) program at SLS. Clinical supervising attorney Carlie Ware Horne and clinic director Ronald Tyler conceived and organized STANDUP to provide public defenders a rare opportunity to put aside their heavy caseloads for a few days and immerse themselves in a mini clinic-like experience.

“There are some excellent training opportunities out there for public defenders, but since 2020 there has been a backlog, especially with regard to public defenders who have recently started their careers,” said Horne, who joined SLS in 2023 after 14 years as a public defender in Santa Clara County. According to Tyler, “STANDUP is the manifestation of a long dream we have had at the Clinic to collaborate on a deeper level with our fantastic network of public defenders, and to provide these hard-working lawyers with the opportunity to hone their skills.” SL