Last month, Emancipate NC hosted The Emancipated CLE 2026 at the People’s Solidarity Hub, bringing together attorneys, advocates, and movement partners for a full day of continuing legal education rooted in justice-centered lawyering.
The program opened with Lawyering at the Border of Power: Advocacy in the Face of ICE, which explored ethical and effective strategies for representing clients impacted by immigration enforcement and protecting constitutional rights during encounters with immigration authorities.
Participants also earned ethics credit in Ethical Duties When Representing People Who Are Incarcerated or Detained, where speakers Kerwin Pittman, Dedan Waciuri, and Clarence Roberts shared insights on confidentiality, client autonomy, mental health considerations, and the challenges that arise when institutions interfere with attorney–client relationships.
Other sessions addressed housing justice, trauma-informed criminal defense, and lawyer well-being. In Sustaining the Advocate: Addressing Lawyer Burnout Through Mental Health, Creativity, and Care, executive director Dawn Blagrove led a candid discussion on burnout and secondary trauma in civil rights work, introducing creative and art-informed practices that support long-term resilience.
The Emancipated CLE reflects Emancipate NC’s commitment to supporting lawyers who use their skills to advance justice and protect vulnerable communities. By combining practical legal training with conversations about ethics, wellness, and movement lawyering, the event created a space for advocates to learn from one another and strengthen their collective work.