Trauma-Informed Practice in Child Sex Abuse Cases

Trauma-Informed Practice in Child Sex Abuse Cases

Part of our CLE Series on Litigating Child Sex Abuse Civil Cases.

The increase in opportunities for child sex abuse (“CSA”) victims to sue their perpetrators and institutions due to statute of limitations reform across the United States means there are more cases and more opportunities for lawyers. This is an arena that requires special attention to the client and that can be both challenging and rewarding. This online CLE will educate attorneys about implementing trauma-informed practices in their legal careers, with a focus on understanding secondary trauma, re-traumatization, and trauma responses.

Speakers include:

Professor Marci Hamilton, Founder and CEO of CHILD USA. She is the leading expert on child sex abuse statutes of limitation, she has filed countless pro bono amicus briefs for the protection of children at the United States Supreme Court and the state supreme courts, and she is the author of Justice Denied: What America Must Do to Protect Its Children.

Carter Timon, MBDS, Social Science Director at CHILD USA. He has conducted research on athlete maltreatment, abuse of Scouts, and the effects of the bankruptcy process on survivors of child sexual abuse. He has also written about cognitive bias, influence in new religions, therapists’ use of evidence-based practices, and anthropological theory. Carter received his Master of Behavioral and Decision Sciences from the University of Pennsylvania and has trained in positive psychology.

Karim Sharif is currently finishing a dual masters in Social Work and Social Policy at the University of Pennsylvania, where he has studied education, trauma, and community empowerment while working in schools and with nonprofits. His focus at CHILD USA is the continuation of trauma-informed language and practices. While at Occidental College, he served as an editor for the only undergraduate journal on Critical Theory and Social Justice. He is currently developing a body of data & policy analysis, case studies, and policy development suggestions to present to the School District of Philadelphia regarding their annual budget decisions.

This program is approved by the Board on Continuing Legal Education of Pennsylvania for 1 hour of Ethics CLE credit.

This program is approved for 1 hour of Ethics/Professionalism CLE credit in New Jersey, including 60 minutes of Diversity, Inclusion and Elimination of Bias.

New York attorneys should note that Pennsylvania and New Jersey are listed as approved jurisdictions for New York CLE Credit. Attorneys seeking credit for another state should see that state’s CLE policy for reciprocity and out-of-state providers.