Greetings from the National Criminal Defense College!
We are cautiously excited to share news with everyone about the 2021 NCDC Trial Practice Institute. As everyone knows, we were unable to hold the NCDC Trial Practice Institute last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As signs of relief from the pandemic are now more encouraging, we reached out to our partner the Roger Williams University School of Law for discussions about this summer. We all believe that chances are very good that we will be able to hold the NCDC Trial Practice Institute this summer in person as long as we limit participation to fully vaccinated participants and faculty and as long as CDC guidelines permit.
The dates have been set as follows: July 11-24, 2021 (Session 1) and August 1-14, 2021 (Session 2).
Assuming we are able to conduct the NCDC Trial Practice Institute in person, we are committed to taking all appropriate measures to ensure the safety of all participants and faculty. That will require all attendees to provide proof of full vaccination and agreement to participate in on-site COVID testing and safety protocols consistent with the CDC guidelines at the time of the program. Also, it is possible that we might have to limit enrollment for one or both of the sessions.
We anticipate making a final determination about the NCDC Trial Practice Institute around the beginning of May. We also anticipate making scholarship decisions at that time.
We have granted priority consideration to outstanding applicants who applied during the 2020 NCDC Trial Practice Institute application season. Those candidates are receiving notification at this time. We will continue to consider other applicants as we determine how many spaces we will have to offer to others.
In the meantime, we are now opening the application for the 2021 NCDC Trial Practice Institute and welcome additional applications. If you applied last year, we have your application and will consider it.
2021 NCDC TRIAL PRACTICE INSTITUTE APPLICATION
Karen Smolar and Natasha Perdew Silas
Deans of the National Criminal Defense College