Emancipate NC will host The Emancipated CLE 2026 on February 27, 2026, at the People’s Solidarity Hub in Durham. This full-day program offers 5 CLE credits, including 1 hour of ethics and 1 hour of professional well-being, and centers on the real-world challenges of justice-focused lawyering.
The day begins with Lawyering at the Border of Power: Advocacy in the Face of ICE, featuring Elizabeth Simpson and Andreina Malki, who will explore ethical, effective advocacy for clients impacted by immigration enforcement, with practical tools for navigating ICE encounters and protecting constitutional rights.
Participants will then earn ethics credit in Ethical Duties When Representing People Who Are Incarcerated or Detained, a session focused on applying the North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct in custodial settings, including confidentiality, client autonomy, mental health considerations, and institutional interference.
The program also includes a professional well-being session, Sustaining the Advocate: Addressing Lawyer Burnout Through Mental Health, Creativity, and Care, presented by Dawn Blagrove. This course addresses burnout and secondary trauma while introducing creative and art-informed tools to support resilience and long-term sustainability.
Housing justice takes the spotlight in Housing Is a Human Right: Justice-Centered Advocacy in Landlord–Tenant Habitability Law, with Jaelyn Miller, Peter Gilbert, and Sarah D’Amato offering practical guidance on habitability standards, tenant remedies, unfair and deceptive practices, and advocacy strategies.
The day concludes with Client at the Center: Building and Sustaining a People-First Criminal Defense Practice, featuring Dillon Sharpe and Raushanah Rogers, who will share concrete approaches to client-centered, trauma-informed criminal defense.
An optional post-CLE social will follow, providing space for connection and community.