2024 State Conference

Significant.  Sweeping.  Historic.  This describes the landlord-tenant laws enacted during the 2023 state legislative session, a huge victory for Minnesota tenants.  Some of the significant changes included required notice before filing a nonpayment of rent eviction, modernization of the eviction court process, and reforms to eviction expungement.  However, challenges have arisen making it difficult to implement the reforms on the ground.  In this session, you’ll hear perspectives from experts who practice in greater Minnesota and the metro area.  We take stock of what’s going well, the challenges, and what’s on the horizon for potential future legislative change.  We’ll also discuss stats, trends, and share best practices to help one another achieve justice for tenants.

CLE: 1.0 hour of Standard CLE credit

During this session, the presenters will discuss the current criminal expungement options and processes for Minnesota offenders. The presenters will also provide experience-based ideas for setting expungement applicants up for success.

CLE: 1.0 hour of Standard CLE credit

Our lives unfold based on decisions made collaboratively or individually with variable sensitivity to the benefits and risks of the things we choose to do (or not do). The way we understand and respond to risk and benefit is often referred to as "capacity," "capability," or "competency," but what principles or presumptions underlie those ideas? When do attorneys consider "testamentary capacity" or "contractual capacity?" How do definitions of decisional capacity in medicine challenge or enhance our understanding of these legal concepts? This session will explore what it means to "have capacity." We'll explore the basics of legal capacity, informed consent and decision-making in this introductory discussion.

Objectives:
1. Following this presentation, participants will recognize terminology associated with discussions around capacity/capability/competency and informed consent.
2. Participants will distinguish between the levels of capability required for certain legal actions.
3. Participants will explore strategies that promote person-centered approaches to discussions regarding capability to accomplish various objectives.

CLE: 1.0 hour of Ethics CLE credit

This session provides an overview of the historical context for Native American tribal relations with the United States government, with additional information about the 11 federally recognized Minnesota Tribes. Attendees will explore the evolution of the federal government's interactions with tribes, clarifying the basis of Native American rights. We will then focus particularly on the tribes in Minnesota, especially in relation to tribal jurisdiction vs. state jurisdiction and practice tips from our experiences appearing in tribal courts. This foundational knowledge is essential as we navigate the complexities of tribal law and state jurisdiction.

CLE: 1.0 hour of Standard CLE credit

A dialogue with Native American practitioners about their experiences working in the tribal setting. The panelists will provide a first-hand account of the dos and don'ts for practitioners who do not normally practice in the tribal setting. The conversation will include things like formality, interaction with clients and court personnel, barriers faced by clients that are unique to reservations, and much more! The panelists will also provide advice and information about how to appropriately and respectfully integrate into the tribal setting. The format of this conversation is structured questions and answers, but will include ample time for the audience to ask questions as well.

CLE: 1.0 hour of Elimination of Bias CLE credit

In this session, we’ll cover immigration relief basics for youth, with a specific focus on SIJS. SIJS provides a pathway to permanent residency for vulnerable children who have experienced abuse, neglect, or abandonment by a parent. We will learn how juvenile and family courts, child welfare programs, and referrals from advocates like you, all play a crucial role in SIJS matters. By understanding SIJS and other basic immigration relief, you can advocate for protection from deportation for the children you serve.

CLE: 1.0 hour of Standard CLE credit

This session will cover strategies and considerations when undertaking impact litigation cases on heavily politicized issues. Impact litigation starts long before you file a complaint in court. Attorneys often have to combat misinformation and disinformation campaigns, harmful messaging, and demonization of the communities and experts that you work with, that predates litigation. Using primarily LGBTQ+ and Reproductive Rights cases as case studies, we will discuss examples of proactive strategies that have been effective and others that have failed, proactive and defensive legislation and litigation efforts, and we will discuss the pitfalls and considerations of litigating when SCOTUS and changing state and federal administrations are constantly reshaping the playing field.

CLE: 1.0 hour of Standard CLE credit

Conflicts of Interest can be confusing to navigate, especially in the context of Support Staff or Intake Specialists. In this session, we will equip support staff with the knowledge and tools to identify, address, manage, and avoid conflicts of interest effectively. Attendees will gain an understanding of the ethical and legal implications of conflicts, learn practical strategies for conflict identification, and explore best practices for maintaining client confidentiality. Through real-world examples and interactive discussions, attendees will enhance their ability to contribute to the ethical and efficient functioning of their offices. Key topics include defining conflicts of interest, identifying common scenarios faced by Support Staff and Intake Specialists, ethical obligations, practical strategies, and why this issue is crucial to the integrity of any legal aid organization.


CLE: 1.0 hour of Ethics CLE credit

This session will highlight some recent legislative achievements championed by the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General, the Legal Services Advocacy Project, and other partners. Participants will receive an overview of new consumer protection laws regarding contracts for deed, property tax forfeitures, medical debt, garnishment, bankruptcy, junk fees, social media disclosures, tenants' rights, and more. Come with your questions!

CLE: 1.0 hour of Standard CLE credit

Fifteen to twenty percent of the US population is neurodivergent. It is estimated that over seventy-five percent of domestic abuse survivors have at least one traumatic brain injury. Thirty to forty percent of neurodivergent people are unemployed. The chances of you encountering a neurodivergent person in your practice is high. But what is neurodivergence, anyway? Why is the concept of neurodiversity suddenly everywhere? In this session you will learn about the neurodiversity movement, different types of neurodivergence, and best practices to create accommodations that will help you, your clients, and colleagues be less stressed out and more successful.

CLE: 1.0 hour of Elimination of Bias CLE credit

As homelessness becomes ever more deeply entrenched, legal aid organizations have taken varying approaches to issues ranging from shelter evictions to encampments.  This session will survey potential constitutional claims affecting publicly operated or funded homeless shelters; application of landlord-tenant law to shelters; procedural and substantive defenses to shelter evictions under the federal Emergency Solutions Grant, the MFIP Consolidated Fund, and the Housing Support program; disability accommodation claims in the shelter context; and legal claims in the wake of the Johnson v. Grants Pass decision on behalf of residents of homeless encampments and others who have no choice except to sleep outside.  

CLE: 1.0 hour of Standard CLE credit

This session will dig into the complexities of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act (MIFPA) from both a practical and legal perspective. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the historical context and foundational principles of ICWA and MIFPA, exploring their impact on preserving Native American families and cultural connections. The session will cover recent legal developments, significant court cases, and ongoing challenges in honoring the connections for Native American families.

CLE: 1.0 hour of Standard CLE credit