The Commission provides training to its attorneys in a number of ways. Once a year, the Commission convenes a Public Defender Conference that provides six hours of training, including one hour of legal ethics. The Conference is held in Virginia and is staffed by high quality speakers and trainers who donate their time and expertise to improving the quality of Virginia’s indigent defense.
In order to assure the high quality of its non-attorney professional staff, the VIDC also sponsors training conferences for its office managers, investigators and sentencing advocates. Finally, the Commission provides funding each year for attorneys, investigators, and sentencing advocates to attend specialized training sponsored by agencies or organizations outside of the VIDC.
As a service to Virginia’s criminal defense bar, the VIDC also provides training opportunities for members of the private bar. The Commission co-sponsors with the University of Richmond’s T.C. Williams School of Law an annual Juvenile Law and Education Conference. Commission staff also assist the Criminal Law Section of the Virginia Bar Association with the planning of Virginia’s annual Capital Defense Workshop. The Chief Justice of the Supreme court of Virginia also offers at no cost advanced trial skills training for Virginia’s court appointed counsel. Finally, individual public defender offices sponsor training programs for office staff and members of local bar associations.
Registration Form (VIDC-Sponsored Trainings)
Please download and complete the registration form below for any of the VIDC-sponsored courses.
VIDC Certification Trainings
The certification training programs for 2009 are provided below.
2009 Certification Training Schedule
The certification training programs for 2010 are provided below.
2010 Certification Training Schedule
For an outline of certification requirements, please click on link below.
List of MCLE Approved Continuing Legal Education Programs certified by the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission for Maintaining Indigent Defense Certification, per Virginia Code §19.2163.03 (D) is available for downloading as an Adobe file.
To request consideration for approval of a Criminal Law CLE from the VIDC for maintaining indigent defense certification, download the attached Adobe file, print, and complete as appropriate.
Renewal Certification Application
Late Day Lecture Series
The VIDC recognizes that for a great number of Virginia attorneys time is crucial. However, that need has to balance with the need to stay current on legal issues and topics. We developed the Late Day Lecture Series, formerly known as the Lunchtime Lecture Series, as a tool for public defenders and court appointed attorneys. The topics are pre-selected and judges, attorneys and other professionals are solicited to come in and provide a one hour lecture. The series is held monthly at our office and attorneys are welcome to come and bring their lunch.
2010 Late Day Lectures Schedule
Virginia Trial Advocacy Workshop Series
The VIDC has developed a workshop series whereby Virginia attorneys can exercise their trial skills and have other attorneys and judges offer feedback. The series was develped to bridge the gap between lectures and in-court experience. The workshops are held quarterly and typically offer three to six hours of CLE credit and certification hours.
Other Trainings and Programs
VIDC-Sponsored Training DVDs
All of the VIDC-sponsored trainings are recorded and available upon request. All DVDs may be requested by the president of your local bar association. All sessions must be proctored by the local bar association who requested the DVDs. DVDs are not provided to individual attorneys. In order to receive CLE credit, you must have two or more attorneys viewing the proctored DVD and must have the materials that go with the session. Please complete the DVD request form on our website www.indigentdefense.virginia.gov and fax it to Lori Hoover at (804) 662-7452.
All completed forms may be mailed or faxed to:
Attorney Certification
Virginia Indigent Defense Commission
1604 Santa Rosa Road, Suite 109
Richmond, VA 23229
Fax (804) 662-7452
For further information, please contact:
Training Administrator: Lori Hoover
Attorney Certification Verification: Alicia Malone
Standards of Practice Enforcement: Danielle Ferguson