November 7-8, 2024

**Virtual Conference**

The Color of Mitigation is the first conference of its kind aimed at practitioners of color that work as, or are interested in, becoming mitigation specialists. 

What is a mitigation specialist? Mitigation specialists are vital members of criminal defense teams, representing clients that are facing the death penalty in 24 out of 50 states in addition to those charged at a federal level. They are skilled members of the death penalty or capital teams who conduct life history investigations to humanize clients to the courts, juries, and other decision-makers.

Mitigation investigation, when done well, is a major factor in saving the lives of clients. Mitigation investigation is complex; it involves continuous meetings with clients, document collection and analysis, research and report-writing, on-the-ground interviews with client family members, friends, teachers/professors, employers, and spiritual leaders in different states, and sometimes in different countries.

In a racially biased justice system, there simply are not enough people doing this vital work who are part of affected communities and who understand community culture and all its complexities. The need to orient and support people of color in capital mitigation is an urgent one.

The Color of Mitigation welcomes those interested in this area of defense work and provide critical training for those in the field. Accomplished members of the capital defense community will lead conference sessions and help build a strong professional network. We will also help attendees build their professional / company profiles and assist them in gaining access to the field, one that serves many people of color as defendants but does not have an open door for practitioners of color.