*This session is eligible for NASW CEU Credit
Interdisciplinary collaboration can be complex, especially when diverse training and degrees produce distinct skill sets. Navigating how these skills complement one another is not always straightforward. This session will explore how social workers and mitigation specialists, through discipline-specific expertise, can enhance and support the work of attorneys and investigators on defense teams. With a long history of bridging gaps across disciplines, social workers and mitigation specialists bring unique perspectives that strengthen collaboration. Attendees will gain practical strategies to showcase their specialized skills, articulate their roles, and demonstrate how these contributions build team capacity and support clients more effectively.
This session equips social workers and mitigation specialists with strategies to integrate seamlessly into defense teams while highlighting their unique expertise. Participants will learn:
- The work culture expectations of a defense office and how to align with them.
- How to communicate their role and value to attorneys and investigators.
- Ways to clarify swim lanes when responsibilities overlap (e.g., records collection, client meetings).
- How to leverage strengths beyond the job description to shine in their role.
- The dual benefits of mitigation work: client-centered outcomes and team process improvements.
- How to lead from any chair by modeling collaboration, initiative, and education.
- Practical strategies for educating new team members about mitigation skills.
- A roadmap for not just “doing the job” but elevating the job into a respected, indispensable function.
