About the Workshop: This skills-based workshop provides a focused and practice-oriented exploration of representing individuals with mental disabilities in the criminal justice system. Drawing on extensive litigation experience and interdisciplinary engagement in the United States and beyond, the workshop outlines core principles of client-centered advocacy that account for the cognitive, psychological, and communicative dimensions of mental disability. It examines how defense counsel can identify and respond to mental health issues at every stage of a case, from initial client interaction through competency determinations, trial strategy, and sentencing. Emphasis is placed on adapting communication techniques, working effectively with experts, and navigating ethical complexities where client autonomy may be impaired or fluctuating. Through applied examples and targeted strategies, participants develop tools for constructing persuasive mitigation narratives and for advocating more effectively within structurally constrained systems. Particular attention is given to distinct populations, including individuals on the autism spectrum and those with dementia, highlighting the need for tailored and informed defense approaches.