Tuesday, August 23, 2022: 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. (PST)

--- CLASS HELD VIA ZOOM. ZOOM INFORMATION WILL BE EMAILED TO REGISTRANTS PRIOR TO CLASS START TIME ---

Join the LA Law Library book discussion group via Zoom as we continue to explore income inequality in America by reading Heartland, A Memoir of Working Hard & Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth, by Sarah Smarsh. Smarsh, a writing professor and journalist, tells the story of her family’s cycle of poverty that constrained them for generations. She was born into a family of working class farmers in Kansas. Her mother was a teenage mother, and the women in her family were all young mothers hardened and aged early from the work it took to survive day-to-day. Smarsh writes with love and care about these women and the men who married them, but also lays bare their hardships and the shame of being poor. Part memoir, part social analysis, part cultural commentary, Heartland is an uncompromising look at class, identity and the perils of economic hardship in a wealthy nation.

About the book:

• Finalist for 2018 National Book Award
• Finalist for 2018 Kirkus Prize
• Named a Best Book for the Year by NPR, New York Post, BuzzFeed and Publishers Weekly

Presented by: Katie O’Laughlin, Managing Librarian, Reference & Research

Registration fee: FREE. This discussion will be hosted via Zoom. Zoom information and link will be emailed to registrants prior to discussion.

Wednesday, June 29, 2022: 12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

This training will offer practical guidance for law students and new attorneys in creating polished and effective legal documents, including points and authorities, legal memoranda, and demand letters. It will also provide participants with tips and best practices for effective legal writing and avoidance of common mistakes.

Presented by: Judge Bruce Iwasaki

Registration fees: FREE

No legal advice: LA Law Library does not provide legal advice.  LA Law Library provides legal resources and assistance with legal research as an educational service.  The information presented in this program is not legal advice and is provided solely as an educational service to our patrons.  For legal advice, you should consult an attorney.

Class recorded January 19, 2022

Long considered the gold standard in forensic science, exonerating the innocent and convicting the guilty, DNA technology has become so sensitive that labs are now testing much smaller samples, often just a few skin cells. The results from such tests are not always clear or conclusive. Criminal defense attorneys, prosecutors, and others with cases involving DNA evidence should take this class to stay abreast of the latest in a rapidly changing field.

Class covers:

• Basic concepts needed to understand DNA evidence
• Why the size of a DNA sample is important
• Possible defenses when a defendant’s DNA is found at a crime scene, including “DNA transfer” and “DNA persistence”
• How “probabilistic genotyping” works and how doubts can be raised when it is used

Earn 1.0 hour general California participatory MCLE credit: After registration, a staff member will email you the course materials, an evaluation form, and your Certificate of Attendance (usually the next business day). Register first, then watch the recording to the end and answer the questions provided in the popup to verify your attendance.

Presented by Bess Stiffelman:

Bess Stiffelman is a criminal defense attorney in Los Angeles. After a decade as a public defender in New York, Ms. Stiffelman started her own practice in 2020. She splits her time between trial and post-conviction work, and as a consultant for other attorneys confronting complex forensic evidence. Ms. Stiffelman has published articles on DNA evidence in both forensic science and legal journals, including Forensic Science International: Genetics and Berkeley Journal of Criminal Law.

Registration fee: $25
Non-refundable.

Class recorded January 12, 2022.

Statutes frequently contain ambiguous or unclear language. When this occurs, researching the Legislature’s intent in enacting a particular law often becomes necessary. In this class, learn how to research the history of a statute, including state and federal research, plus regulations.

Class covers:

• Legislative history research: what it can do, why you need it
• The process of researching legislative history
• Key terms, and the different types of documents that make up legislative history
• Determining the particular session law (“chapter”) or bill number to research
• Accessing legislative history during Covid-19

Earn 1.0 hour general California participatory MCLE credit: After registration, a staff member will email you the course materials, an evaluation form, and your Certificate of Attendance (usually the next business day). Register first, then watch the recording to the end and answer the questions provided in the popup to verify your attendance.

Presented by Jan Raymond and Betsy Raymond:

Jan Raymond is a 1979 Graduate of King Hall School of Law at UC Davis.  After practicing as a lawyer full time for several years he began doing legislative history work, which has been his primary occupation of over 30 years.

Betsy Raymond began work with Raymond Research in 2012, and became the Head of Client Research in 2018. Betsy has been the primary team member creating access points for legislative research during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Registration fee: $20, Non-refundable