Webinar: Confidentiality, Privilege & Releasing of Information after a Survivor’s Death
Date: Sep 08, 2021
Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Price: Free for members; $35/Non-members
The fundamental premise of confidentiality is that a survivor of violence should get to decide when information about them is shared. But, if a survivor is deceased, victim services providers have to determine whether, when, and how they should disclose information about their work with that survivor, including responding to law enforcement and subpoenas.
This webinar will be presented by Alicia Aiken, Attorney and Director of Confidentiality Institute and Arati Vasan, Senior Managing Attorney at Family Violence Appellate Project.
We will discuss:
1. The law regarding disclosure of privileged and confidential
information after a person’s death;
2. Best practices for handling requests for the information of a
deceased survivor; and
3. Strategies for navigating relationships with law enforcement,
prosecutors, and family members who may demand the information.
Presenter(s):
Alicia Aiken
Alicia Aiken has dedicated 25 years to working within the public
and non-profit sectors to further social justice for people
living in poverty and surviving violence. Alicia brings a deep
understanding of the legal and social services non-profit sector,
having spent 15 years as a trial attorney and then a member of
the Executive Committee at Legal Aid Chicago, a 150-person legal
services program. Alicia is a Principal at the Danu Center for
Strategic Advocacy, and the Director of the Danu Center’s
Confidentiality Institute, a national policy and technical
assistance project that supports helping professionals to protect
privacy for crime victims. Alicia is also the Faculty Fellow for
Practising Law Institute’s Interactive Learning Center where she
designs innovative programs that teach lawyers to work well with
individual clients, and hosts the podcast Pursuing Justice: The
Pro Bono Files which tell stories about the work of non-profit
and pro bono attorneys nationwide. Alicia regularly strategizes
with direct service non-profits, local coalitions, government
entities, law firms, and professional organizations on a wide
range of issues, including service delivery models, client
confidentiality, organizational structure, internal procedures,
legal compliance, litigation strategy, policy advocacy,
professional development, and distance learning design. Alicia
attended the University of Michigan, where she received a Law
degree (’95) and a Bachelor of Arts in English/History (’92). In
2006-2007, Alicia was awarded the Chicago Foundation for Women
Founder’s Award, enabling her to study organizational change at
Northwestern University, and to undertake a national study of
model domestic violence courts. Most recently, she received the
American Bar Association’s 2018 Sharon L. Corbitt Award for
Exemplary Legal Service to Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual
Assault and Stalking. To get in touch with Alicia Aiken and Danu
Center’s Confidentiality Institute, contact us via
www.confidentialityinstitute.org or www.danucenter.org
Arati Vasan
Arati Vasan is a Senior Managing Attorney at Family Violence
Appellate Project (FVAP), where she manages the training,
technical assistance and law student programs, and represents
clients on appeal. She has been attorney for survivors of
domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking since 2009. Prior
to joining FVAP Arati led the Domestic Violence Family Law
Project at Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach (APILO). Her
work focused on trauma-specific client representation, cultural
responsiveness and language access services for survivors. Arati
co-chaired the San Francisco Domestic Violence Consortium for
three years. As a member of the SFPD Language Access Working
Group, Arati helped develop protocols and training to improve law
enforcement interactions with survivors and to improve
protections for survivors who were cross-reported to CPS. Arati
is a volunteer with Narika, a domestic violence agency for South
Asian survivors. She received her Domestic Violence Counselor
certification through Asian Women’s Shelter in 2009. Prior to
APILO, Arati had her own family law practice and volunteered at
Bay Area Legal Aid. Arati is a graduate of the University of
Minnesota School of Law.
Questions? Please contact Christine Smith, christine@cpedv.org