In this 50th anniversary year of the decision in Gideon v. Wainwright which led to the creation of public defender systems across America, an assemblage of prominent scholars and practitioners from coast to coast will gather to discuss the evolution of public defense, the increasing demands on the criminal defense practitioner, the prospects for “civil” Gideon, and the challenges in adequately funding the Gideon promise.

WilmerHale Partner Danielle Spinelli was a featured speaker at this event, and gave a panel presentation on the topic "Meeting the Demands of an Expanded Role of Counsel. She also participated as a featured speaker in the invocation, entitled "Attachment & Waiver of the Right to Counsel."