Trial Skills for Child Welfare Attorneys – Pre-Conference 2026

9:00am – 4:30pm PT

Take your trial advocacy skills to the next level with Trial Skills for Child Welfare Attorneys – an exclusive pre-conference training designed to elevate trial practice for child welfare attorneys, including agency attorneys, prosecutors, parent attorneys, GAL attorneys, and children’s attorneys.

This intensive program distills key principles from Chapters 35 and 36 of Child Welfare Law & Practice, providing you with essential strategies to enhance your courtroom performance. Learn how to conduct effective examinations and navigate evidentiary issues with confidence. Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your advocacy and deliver better outcomes for children and families.

Prerequisite: Completion of Foundations of Child Welfare Law/Red Book Training Course or CWLS Certification

Presenters:

Shannon Felder, JD, CWLS, NACC Training Director

Josephine C. Vanderhorst, MFP, JD, CWLS, NACC Senior Staff Attorney

Amber Walden, JD, CWLS, Attorney Consultant

Topics Covered:

• Strategic Witness Preparation – Techniques to enhance witness credibility and confidence.
• Maximizing Pretrial Motions and Stipulations – Leveraging procedural tools to strengthen your case before trial.
• Mastering Direct and Cross-Examination of Fact Witnesses – Effective questioning strategies with emphasis on testimony by parents and agency social workers.
• Expert Witness Examination Techniques – Building and challenging expert testimony to support your case.
• Evidence Essentials: Admissibility and Objections – Navigating evidentiary rules to protect and present key evidence.
• Navigating Child Testimony – Handling the complexities of questioning child witnesses with care and sensitivity.

Price:

NACC Members: $550

Nonmembers: $645

CWLS: $495

Attendance is limited. Lunch included.