Monthly Attorney Orientation
For Lawyers who are New to Indigent Defense
Beginning August 1, IDS staff will provide orientation for new attorneys on the first Friday of each month from 1-2 p.m.
Topics will include a guided tour of the IDS website, information on training and CLE opportunities, access to wellness resources and more. You will also be able to connect with other defense attorneys for future collaboration!
2026 IDS Forensic Science Education Series
IDS and the Mecklenburg Public Defender’s Office provide regular continuing education to dozens of NC criminal defense and parent attorneys, investigators, and mitigation specialists who attend the IDS Forensic Science Education Series.
In 2026, we will offer monthly 90-minute webinars on various aspects of forensic evidence. These webinars will take place typically at 12:30 pm on the first Thursday of each month. Click here to view the 2026 Schedule.
The first six sessions of 2026 will focus on understanding and advocating for neurodivergent clients.
- This event has passed.
Stress Management for Attorneys and Law: The Rest of The Year and Beyond
2025 Mental Health and Education Series: Session 5
Stress Management for Attorneys and Law:
The Rest of The Year and Beyond
Presented by Carla Huff, LCSW
This session will be submitted for 60 minutes of PWB CLE Credit, and no partial credit will be given.
Schedule: The webinar will be held on Thursday, October 16th from 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Please plan to sign on 15 minutes before the start of the webinar to test your connection. The webinar includes a visual presentation, live audio, and interactive Q & A.
Course Sign Up: here
Fee: There is no registration fee for participants.
Description: This 1-hour training explores how everyday habits shape our response to stress and overall well-being. Participants will examine how past experiences influence present reactions, the emotional toll of isolation, and how consistent daily wellness practices can strengthen resilience. The session emphasizes the power of choice and recognizes decision fatigue as a modern source of stress. By the end of this training, attendees will understand how intentional choices and gratitude can positively shift both mindset and physiological stress levels.
Participants: This webinar is open to public defenders, private attorneys who do indigent criminal defense work, and staff.
Presenter: Carla Huff, MEd, MSW, LCSW: Carla began her career in the United States Army and has also worked as a Juvenile Court Counselor and Special Education Teacher providing support for children and adolescents diagnosed with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI). She later transitioned to working at Alliance Health, a local managed care organization. Here, she covered multiple counties and led two pilot programs—one providing support to caregivers of children with complex health needs, the other supporting community inclusion for individuals transitioning out of long-term care, housing, and incarceration.
Carla currently works at Indigent Defense Services, employed through an NC IOLTA Grant. In this role, she is responsible for attorney recruitment and providing trauma-informed training to staff and contractors. Carla is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has an interest in the impact of trauma, post-traumatic stress injury in civilians and military personnel, and social determinants/drivers of health. When Carla is not working, she tries to be intentional about spending time on her own wellness which includes hiking, bicycling and kayaking.
For more information or if you have differing abilities and need an accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Carla Huff, [email protected], 919-354-7207 or 919-888-0984.
