Moral Injury and the Military Law Practitioner

A continuing legal education (CLE) seminar

Live via zoom at Tuesday, June 20, 2023 at 10 am Pacific/1 pm Eastern.
On-demand (recorded) format starting on June 23, 2023.

Program Description: Moral injury has been defined as: the strong cognitive and emotional response that can occur following events that violate a person’s moral or ethical code, or after being forced to experience others’ immoral actions, or after witnessing or participating in workplace behaviors that contradict one’s moral beliefs in high stakes situations and that have the potential of harming others physically, psychologically, socially or economically.

The speakers will examine the effects of moral injuries on servicemembers and discuss best practices for working with and representing military clients who are experiencing the symptoms of moral injury, symptoms that can easily lead to disciplinary or performance problems and resultant non-judicial punishment, courts-martial, or involuntary discharge.

This CLE is part of a series designed to get inexperienced lawyers equipped with the basic skills to do their first military law cases, but also to serve as a refresher course for experienced military defense lawyers, law students, gi rights counselors and other legal workers may find also find this series appropriate.

Our presenters: Chris McGhee (attorney, retired Air Force Master Sergeant), Shiloh Morrison (Marine Corps Veteran, organizer with About Face Veterans Against the War)

Our moderator: James M. Branum (attorney, editor of Humanistic Judaism magazine)

How to attend: The cost to register is $50 for attorneys seeking CLE credit scholarships are available for MLTF members willing to take at least one pro bono referral case from the MLTF in the coming year. Donations of any amount are encouraged from non-lawyer attendees.

CLE Credit:

  • California: This CLE is co-sponsored by the SF Bay area chapter of the National Lawyers Guild and is approved for one hour of CLE credit.
  • Oklahoma: Accreditation is pending for one hour of CLE credit.
  • Other jurisdictions: Attorneys in other states will be given a “uniform application for accreditation of CLE credit” which can be submitted to one’s state bar. We cannot guarantee that a state bar will approve the CLE credit but most states will likely do so. Your state may also require you to pay a nominal fee for submitting this form, which would be your responsibility.

Materials:

  • Coming soon

Sponsors: This program was made possible for the funding of the NLG foundation and our co-sponsors including the SF Bay Area Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, Courage to Resist, the Center on Conscience and War, and the Oklahoma Objector Community

COST: For Attorneys seeking CLE Credit: $50, for all others no charge but donations are appreciated.

Registration required to participate in the live training. Please click here. After registering, you will receive a zoom/recording link as well as information on how to pay the registration fee.