FÓRUM PENAL welcomes renowned international lawyers in a pioneering event in Portugal
NEWS AND EVENTS 04 Jun 2025
Fórum Penal, with the support of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the Supreme Court of Justice and CRLisboa, is organising a week of intensive training in criminal law, culminating in a public session on 6 June in the Supreme Court of Justice's courtroom.
This initiative, a first in Portugal, brings together some of the most renowned American lawyers, prosecutors and academics in the field of criminal law, with the aim of providing practical training on interrogation techniques and closing arguments in court. The training is intended for criminal lawyers, magistrates and other legal professionals.
Cláudia Amorim, President of the Forum Penal and partner at SÉRVULO, emphasises that one of the association's core missions is precisely the continuous training of the legal community, promoting the technical development of professionals in the criminal field. In this context, the implementation of this practical training, focusing on techniques applicable in court, represents one of the Forum's objectives for this year.
Among the guest trainers are Nancy Hollander — a human rights lawyer recognised for her work on cases such as those of Guantánamo Bay detainees and Chelsea Manning —, Jefferson Gray, prosecutor at the US Department of Justice, Matthew Fishbein, professor of law at the University of Pennsylvania, Natasha Silas, executive director of the Georgia Public Defender Programme, and Scott Richardson, a defence lawyer in the US. The training will conclude with a session open to the public on 6 June in the iconic Courtroom of the Supreme Court of Justice. This session will be attended by Mr. Conselheiro Celso Manata and will include a simulation of trial proceedings, adapted to the Portuguese legal system, conducted by the guest trainers. The debate will also feature the participation of criminal lawyers Dirce Rente, vice-president of the Criminal Forum, and Vânia Costa Ramos, president of the European Criminal Bar Association.
More information on the link.