Legal Advocacy Training & Technical Assistance

Build Your Team's Capacity to Advocate for Children Prosecuted in Adult Court

Every child deserves an advocate who understands not only the law, but also how to help decision-makers see the full story of who they are.

For more than a decade, YSRP has partnered with defense attorneys, legal teams, law schools, and public agencies to strengthen legal advocacy for children prosecuted in adult court and adults seeking second chances. Drawing on our experience developing mitigation reports, conducting life-history investigations, and supporting client-partners from arrest through reentry, we provide customized training and technical assistance that helps professionals build stronger, more holistic advocacy.

Whether your team is looking to build foundational skills, strengthen an existing mitigation practice, or navigate a particularly challenging case, we tailor every engagement to your organization's goals.

Training Grounded in Practice

Our trainings go beyond explaining the law. We help legal professionals understand how adolescent development, mitigation, client relationships, and multidisciplinary advocacy work together to improve outcomes for children prosecuted in adult court.

Every training is grounded in YSRP's day-to-day practice and customized for the audience. Participants leave with practical tools they can immediately apply in their own cases.

Training topics may include:

  • Pennsylvania's direct file and decertification process

  • Adolescent brain development and child development

  • Building trust with children and families

  • Conducting life-history investigations

  • Developing compelling mitigation reports and narratives

  • Integrating reentry planning into legal advocacy

  • Emerging legal issues and second-chance litigation

Training Packages

  • Half-Day Training

    (4 hours)

    • Includes 8–10 hours of preparation and up to 2 scoping calls

    • Interactive sessions covering the fundamentals of mitigation for youth cases

    • Tools, case studies, and templates to apply immediately in practice

    Investment: $4,000
    *sliding scale options available

    Request Training

  • Full-Day Training

    (8 hours)

    • Includes 8–10 hours of preparation and up to 2 scoping calls

    • Deep-dive into mitigation, trauma-responsive legal support, and adolescent brain development

    • Breakout sessions, role-play exercises, and tailored curriculum for your team

    Investment: $7,000
    *sliding scale options available

    Request Training

Technical Assistance & Case Consultation

Sometimes organizations don't need a training—they need a trusted partner.

YSRP provides individualized consultation to defense teams, legal organizations, and public agencies facing complex issues involving children prosecuted in adult court and adults seeking second chances. Whether you're seeking guidance on a single issue or building long-term capacity within your office, our team provides responsive, practice-based support tailored to your needs.

Technical assistance may include:

  • Case-specific strategy and consultation

  • Review of mitigation plans and life-history investigations

  • Decertification strategy and litigation support

  • Guidance on mitigation reports and narrative development

  • Research on emerging legal issues

  • Drafting or reviewing motions, briefs, and legal materials

  • Collaboration on amicus briefs and systems-change initiatives

Our goal is simple: to strengthen your team's ability to advocate effectively for children and young adults.


Trainers and Consultants

  • Annie Ruhnke is YSRP's Director of Mitigation and has practiced mitigation since 2010. She previously served in the Federal Public Defender for the District of Delaware's Capital Habeas Unit, where she conducted life-history investigations for individuals facing capital punishment. Annie now leads YSRP's mitigation practice and provides training and technical assistance on trauma-responsive mitigation, narrative development, and client-partner centered advocacy.

  • Alicia Doorey, LSW is a Mitigation Specialist at YSRP with more than six years of experience in mitigation and legal defense. They work alongside young people facing adult prosecution, conducting life-history investigations and partnering with defense teams to build client-centered advocacy. Prior to joining YSRP, Alicia provided mitigation services for adults with serious mental illness at the Defender Association of Philadelphia. They hold a Master's in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania.