Learning Lab

Bearing the Weight: Vicarious Trauma and Resilience for Black Women in Criminal Defense

This session will explore the unique ways vicarious trauma shows up for Black women working in criminal defense and public defender offices. Together, we’ll examine how this trauma can manifest and offer practical tools and strategies for navigating its impact.

JoEllyn L. Jones

Founder

The Law Office of JoEllyn L. Jones LLC

JoEllyn L. Jones Esq.is a mother, daughter, sister, friend, and defense attorney. She is a graduate of Rowan University and Widener Law School. She recently received her Master’s in Restorative Justice from Vermont Law and Graduate School. She works for Seton Hall Center for Social Justice where she oversees the Reentry and Criminal Legal Education Project. In addition to running her law firm, The Law Office of JoEllyn L. Jones LLC in her spare time, she sits on a variety of boards, volunteers, vacations and spends time with her loved ones trying to spread love, light and positivity in the world. JoEllyn is a cancer survivor.

Leslie McNair Jackson, Esq.

Criminal Trial Attorney

New Jersey Office of the Public Defender

Leslie McNair Jackson is a wife, mother and daughter. Criminal trial attorney with 20 years of experience. Proactive litigator with a demonstrated ability to think outside the box and attack issues from angles unanticipated by adversaries. Adept at trial preparation. Develops themes for trial and then uses those themes to structure the story of each trial. Dedicated to aggressive pretrial litigation that results in dismissals or the least severe outcomes for clients. Managing attorney for almost 6 years. Has served as trainer and/or faculty at trial skills programs in many states. Uses lightsabers at trainings…sometimes. Leslie is a cancer survivor.

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