Notes from the National College
the Education Division of NDAA

By Patti Sudendorf, Assistant Director of Programs

Experienced Prosecutor’s Course

Successful prosecutors are oftentimes recognized with promotions into supervisory positions—a role many are unfamiliar with. While this acknowledgement can be rewarding and career affirming, it can also be daunting and unsettling, presenting the seasoned prosecutor with unfamiliar and sensitive issues inherent in this leadership role.

While the litigation of difficult cases prepares and develops attorneys’ trial skills, it does little to prepare them for management. All too often, prosecutors are placed in supervisory positions with little or no management training, and coupled with the maintenance of on-going trial dockets, the resulting workload can be overwhelming.

Years ago, the Experienced Prosecutor’s Course was developed to target those very prosecutors, who were asked but unprepared to serve as managers. The National College is now preparing for this year’s installment of the course, which draws upon lectures and workshops to hash out the critical issues and responsibilities a new supervisor may confront in day-to-day operations. The upcoming course will use curriculum and student experience from past trainings to increase the benefits to prosecutors.

Lectures will include presentations on employment law; coaching skills; ethics and supervision; dealing with the media; preventing wrongful convictions; and managing caseloads and dockets. These presentations will be followed by progressive workshops that illustrate the many and varied issues a supervisor may face with attorneys, support personnel and outside agencies.

The workshops will be premised on a scenario of prosecutors inheriting an office that employs a number of attorneys. A profile of each of these employees will be offered as background with additional events occurring with these individuals during the course of the week. The student will be asked to troubleshoot, solve problems, and make decisions with respect to the issues that arise from these scenarios. At the conclusion of the course, with the help of lectures and break-out sessions, each workshop group will offer up “best practices” in dealing with their employees reactively, but more importantly, what they may be able to implement proactively to avoid problems and enhance office morale and productivity.

This year, the course will be offered at the beautiful San Marcos Resort and Conference Center, located in Chandler, Arizona. Located just outside of Phoenix, this hotel offers all the amenities Arizona has to offer including golf, lovely scenery, horseback riding, historic sites, fine food and entertainment.