Preparing for Field Investigations

Effective mitigation begins long before the first witness interview. It starts with a well-organized, informed, and community-centered investigation plan. This webinar will guide defense practitioners through the essential steps of developing a strong investigative foundation that brings a client’s life story into full context and informs strategic case decisions.

Presented by Kristen Samuels, and ARC’s Amy Vosburg-Casey and Katherine Ashton, this webinar will explore practical strategies for preparing for field work in your mitigation investigation, including gathering and analyzing case information, researching potential witnesses, and choosing how to incorporate your case materials into your time in the field. Emphasis will be placed on collaboration and communication within defense teams to ensure that investigative work is cohesive, strategic, and aligned with client-centered advocacy. 

Designed for criminal defense attorneys, mitigation specialists, investigators, social workers, and others involved in conducting a life-history investigation, this session will provide practical insights that support both the development of core practices and the expansion of existing investigative approaches. Click here to register.

This webinar will be recorded. CLE credits are not available for this webinar; however a letter of attendance will be provided upon request to Mary at [email protected].

Presenter Bios

Amy Vosburg-Casey

 For over twenty years, Amy has fought for clients in criminal and capital cases as an attorney, mitigation specialist, and investigator. She has worked at the trial, habeas, and appellate stages. She started her career as an attorney with the Georgia Justice Project in Atlanta, Georgia, providing highly effective, holistic representation to clients through the attorney-social worker team model. She was a member of the founding staff of the Georgia Capital Defender in 2005, and worked at the Georgia Appellate Practice and Educational Resource Center.

Amy has trained in restorative justice practices, including Defense-Initiated Victim Outreach (DIVO), and has participated in victim-offender mediations. Amy worked with the Capital Appellate Project in San Francisco and taught both law school and high school students in the Bay Area. She consults with capital trial teams around the country on mitigation investigation and development, and has worked as a mitigation specialist on non-capital cases. Amy earned her JD and MSW at Boston College. She is a member of the Georgia Bar.

Katherine Ashton

Katherine Ashton provides direct supervision to staff in addition to working on behalf of ARC’s capital and juvenile clients. Katherine has worked on capital cases in both federal and state courts, juvenile resentencing cases, and sentencing modifications for those convicted of crimes as children. Katherine joined ARC, Inc. with a background in community-based advocacy and direct service to individuals experiencing homelessness, and became involved with mitigation work during an internship with the University of Texas School of Law’s Capital Punishment Clinic. She joined ARC, Inc. after receiving her Master of Science in Social Work degree (MSSW) from the University of Texas at Austin and her Master of Divinity degree (MDiv) from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Katherine is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW).

Kristen Samuels

Kristen Samuels joined the Southern Center for Human Rights as an Investigator in August 2014. She investigates death penalty cases and other excessive, cruel, and long-term sentences in Alabama and Georgia at all stages of litigation, including pre-trial and post-conviction. In 2021, Kristen established and implemented SCHR’s Training Program to foster and advance equity in training opportunities and staff development.

Kristen was awarded the 2023 Emerging Leader Award from Advancing Real Change Inc. (ARC) for her ability to connect with clients and commitment to best practices in the mitigation field. Kristen has been a member of the National Alliance for Sentencing Advocates and Mitigation Specialists (NASAMS) since 2017. She has completed training and conference programs including: the 2015 Defender Services Capital Mitigation Skills Workshop in Kansas City, Missouri; the 2016 Bryan R. Shechmeister Death Penalty College in Santa Clara, California; and the 2017 and 2023 Legal Defense Fund Capital Punishment Conference (Airlie) in Virginia.
Prior to the Southern Center, Kristen studied Sociology and Criminology at Spelman College in Atlanta, GA.