The New Mexico Office of the Courts cordially invites you to attend a free virtual training with Bruce Adelson, Esq., titled, "ADA Effective Communication in State Courts: Best Practices for Working with Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing People." The training will take place on June 13 from noon to 1 p.m. (MT) via Zoom.

Please see below for additional information and the Zoom registration link: 

About the Presentation: "ADA Effective Communication in State Courts: Best Practices for Working with Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing People"

This webinar explores how best to work with litigants, witnesses, and families who are deaf, hard of hearing, or cognitively impaired. The training will feature an ADA effective communication refresh, discuss new case developments, including National Association of the Deaf v. Donald Trump, and detail recommendations for documenting and resolving ADA accommodation requests in the courtroom.

the nature of ASL court and legal interpreting for legal practitioners. Many attorneys may be familiar with spoken language interpreters and wonder if ASL interpreters function similarly. The two types of interpreting are identical, but they differ in meaningful ways. This session aims to explain the different types of interpreting based on the different communication preferences of deaf people while highlighting the similarities and differences with spoken language interpreting. The differences mainly stem from ASL being a visual language, whereas Spanish, for example, is auditory. Visual language interpreting significantly affects the logistics to be considered in any legal interaction. Tips will be provided and examples of actual interpreting will be given using different methods. Common misunderstandings will be addressed. Finally, attorneys need to know how working in visual languages can compromise privacy and the steps they can take to protect the confidential nature of their communications.

About the Presenter: Bruce L. Adelson, Esq., is CEO of Federal Compliance Consulting LLC. He is a former U.S Department of Justice (DOJ) Senior Trial Attorney. During Bruce’s federal career, he was responsible for enforcing federal compliance by state courts with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

In private practice, Bruce has assisted and consulted with local and state governments, non-profits, courts, law enforcement agencies, and many of the largest health care systems in the United States. He has assisted government clients negotiate Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title VI resolution and compliance agreements with the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Federal Aviation Administration, and Federal Transit Administration.

Professor Adelson is an Instructor of Family Medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine and Adjunct Professor of Law at University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where he teaches implicit bias in health care, civil rights, cultural awareness, and organizational culture. He has been a guest lecturer at Harvard, Cornell, and Auburn Universities, The Johns Hopkins University, University of Baltimore School of Law, and University of Michigan School of Law. He is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Consultant to the Idaho Supreme Court and the New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts.

Bruce holds a BA in International Studies from The Johns Hopkins University and a JD from The University of Pittsburgh School of Law. He is licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Michigan, and Virginia (inactive). He is licensed to practice before the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Fourth and District of Columbia Circuits, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

He is the author of 13 books, including the award-winning Brushing Back Jim Crow – The Integration of Minor League Baseball in the American South (University of Virginia Press).

Zoom Registration Link (You will receive the link to the presentation after registering): 

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/z3vU7j6vTBaVFbRQMrIZ6w#/registration

If you need an ADA accommodation to attend this presentation, please email ADA@nmcourts.gov.

Please note: CLEs will not be offered for this webinar.