Newton, MA—Boston College Law School has been chosen to host a one-day, invitation-only roundtable event, co-sponsored by the American Bar Association's Criminal Justice Section. The event, one in a series of small-group discussions held at several schools around the country, will include academics and respected criminal practitioners and judges who will discuss whether pending revisions to the ABA Criminal Justice Standards adequately guide prosecutors and defense lawyers on a number of key ethical issues, including charging, discovery, plea bargaining, statements to the media, and relations with victims, opposing counsel and the court.

Over 30 leaders of the bar, including Hon. William Young from the United States District Court, Hon. Lynda Connolly, Chief Judge of the Massachusetts District Court, several elected Massachusetts District Attorneys, the Federal Public Defender, and prominent private defense counsel will participate.

The ABA Criminal Justice Standards (last revised in 1993) are presently under revision in anticipation of a 4th edition to be published in 2011. “While the discussion could touch on any one of sixteen different topics addressed in the Standards, for efficiency reasons the Boston Roundtable has been asked to focus on three specific topics: Waivers of Rights; Relations with Media; and Relations with Opposing Counsel,” said BC Law Professor Michael Cassidy, who organized the event. A number of law professors will prepare papers and give brief presentations, including Jane Moriarty from Akron Law School on waivers, Andrew Taslitz from Howard University Law School on relations with media) and Lissa Griffin from Pace Law School and Stacy Caplow from Brooklyn Law School on relations with opposing counsel. 

The BC Law session will take place on Friday, October 22, 2010. Cassidy will serve as host and moderator, and will report the comments of the participants to the ABA Criminal Justice Section.