Course1

Ethical Issues When Representing the Elderly

$89.00

Many ethical issues arise when lawyers represent elderly clients.  Foremost among these issues is determining whether a client has the capacity to make valid decisions – and if not, then what? There are many conflict of interest issues, including whether direction is taken from the elderly person or another person (often an adult child) who is paying for the representation. There are also issues involving the exercise of undue influence by a caregiver or other person, including the validity of gifts to that person. Issues of preserving confidentiality and the attorney-client privilege when meetings are held in the presence of children or caregivers are also very important. This program will provide you with a practical guide to the most important ethical issues when lawyers represent elderly clients.   Determining whether your elderly client has capacity – and identifying your client Practical alternatives if you determine a client doesn’t have capacity Conflicts of interest between the elderly client and the person paying for the representation, including the validity of gifts Preserving confidentiality and the attorney-client privilege when a caregiver or third party is in client meetings Clients who lose capacity during a continuing representation Ethical issues involved with undue influence over the elderly – what should you do? Elder abuse issues – how to spot it and what to do if you discover it   Speakers: Thomas E. Spahn is of counsel in the Tysons Corners, Virginia office of McGuireWoods, where he advises firm clients on professional responsibility issues and properly creating and preserving the attorney-client privilege and work product protections.  He has served on the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility and is a Member of the American Law Institute and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.  He has written extensively on attorney-client privilege, ethics and other topics, and has spoken at over 2000 CLE programs throughout the U.S. and in several foreign countries.  Through links on his website biography, he has made available to the public his summaries of over 1,600 Virginia and ABA legal ethics opinions, organized by topic; a 300 page summary of his two-volume 1,500 page book on the attorney-client privilege and work product doctrine; over 900 weekly email alerts about privilege and work product cases; and materials for 40 ethics programs on numerous topics, totaling over 9,000 pages of analysis.  Mr. Spahn graduated magna cum laude from Yale University and received his J.D. from Yale Law School. Mr. Spahn will serve as the discussion leader of today’s program. Missia H. Vaselaney is a partner in the Cleveland office of Taft, Stettinius & Hollister, LLP, where her practice focuses on estate planning for individuals and businesses.  She also represents clients before federal and state taxing authorities.  Ms. Vaselaney is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and has been a member of the Steering Committee for AICPA’s National Advanced Estate Planning Conference since 2001.  Ms. Vaselaney received her B.A. from the University of Dayton and her J.D. from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 1/11/2025
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Course1

Capital Calls – Agreements to Contribute More Capital Over Time

$89.00

Many companies need additional capital to fund current operations and fuel growth.  When raising capital, these companies often look first to their existing investor base. The company may build into its operative documents – shareholder agreements, operating agreements, even its articles of incorporation or organization – a plan whereby the company can “call” on existing investors to contribute additional capital. There are various mechanisms for achieving these types of “capital calls” and adjusting the ownership interests and other rights of incumbent investors who do not contribute additional capital. This program will provide you a practical guide to planning capital calls in closely held businesses, including how to adjust the financial and governance rights of the company’s owners.   Advantages/disadvantages of requiring capital from existing investor base over time Forms of follow-on contributions – pro-rata and other structures Readjustment of stake in company when certain investors do not participate – dilution issues Voting, informational and related issues on the contribution of additional capital Obtaining additional capital from investors beyond the original Counseling clients about potential investor group disputes   Speaker: C. Ben Huber is a partner in the Denver office of Greenburg Traurig, LLP, where he has a broad transactional practice encompassing mergers and acquisitions, restructurings and reorganizations, corporate finance, capital markets, venture funds, commercial transactions and general corporate law.  He also has substantial experience as counsel to high tech, biotech and software companies in the development, protection and licensing of intellectual property.  His clients include start-up companies, family- and other closely-held businesses, middle market business, Fortune 500 companies, venture funds and institutional investors.  Mr. Huber earned his B.A. from the University of Colorado and his J.D. at the University of Colorado Law School.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 1/12/2025
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Drafting Liquidated Damages Clauses

$89.00

Liquidated damages clauses are a risk allocation tool used across business, commercial, real estate and sometimes employment agreements.  On the occurrence of certain carefully defined triggering events, the breaching party is liable for the liquidated damages amount.  Triggering events run the gamut from failure to deliver marketable products on a timely basis to early termination of an employment contract. Though these clauses are intended reduce the risk of post-closing litigation over damages, the scope of damages is not always knowable at closing and poorly drafted clauses may cause more litigation. This program will provide you a real world guide to the essential elements of enforceable liquidated damages clauses.   Law governing liquidated damages clauses Elements of clauses – damages difficult to quantify and liquidated amount reasonably related to actual damages Guidance on optionality, specificity, self-justification, and triggers Circumstances in which clauses are most effectively used – and those where they are ineffective Practical tips of enhancing enforceability and collecting damages   Speaker: Shannon M. Bell is a member with Kelly & Walker, LLC, where has litigates a wide variety of complex business disputes, construction disputes, fiduciary claims, employment issues, and landlord/tenant issues.  Her construction experience extends from contract negotiations to defense of construction claims of owners, HOAs, contractors and tradesmen.  She also represents clients in claims of shareholder and office liability, piercing the corporate veil, and derivate actions.  She writes and speaks on commercial litigation, employment, discovery and bankruptcy topics.  Ms. Bell earned her B.S. from the University of Iowa and her J.D. from the University of Denver.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 1/14/2025
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Trust and Estate Planning Issues in Divorce

$89.00

  Martial separation and divorce are times fraught with emotion, but also fraught with financial decisions that have a major estate, trust and tax implications.  Transfers pursuant to divorce are generally tax-deferred.  But there are many complications, including the transfer of property over time or where the value may not be known, the assumption of debts, the treatment of income held in trust, and also complex issues of beneficiary designations in retirement plans and insurance contracts. If not properly planned, these transfers can have substantially adverse and often unanticipated consequences.  Thus program will cover major issues in trust and estate planning for divorce.   Treatment of income from and property held in trust on divorce Traps surrounding beneficiary designations on retirement benefits and insurance contracts Opportunities for post-nuptial agreements to resolve lingering disputes Issues related to the sale or transfer of personal residences Income tax issues when property and debt are separated in divorce Health care issues for children, including insurance for the divorcing spouse Educational expenses for children over time   Speakers: Missia H. Vaselaney is a partner in the Cleveland office of Taft, Stettinius & Hollister, LLP, where her practice focuses on estate planning for individuals and businesses.  She also represents clients before federal and state taxing authorities.  Ms. Vaselaney is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and has been a member of the Steering Committee for AICPA’s National Advanced Estate Planning Conference since 2001.  Ms. Vaselaney received her B.A. from the University of Dayton and her J.D. from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Michael Sneeringer is a Partner in the Naples, Florida office of Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP, where his practice focuses on trust and estate planning, probate administration, asset protection planning, and tax law. He is an Executive Council member of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar and the Articles editor, Trust and Estate, for Probate & Property Magazine.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 1/18/2025
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Course1

1031 Like-Kind Exchanges in Trust and Estate Planning

$89.00

For clients with significant real estate portfolios in their estates, Section 1031 like-kind exchanges can be a very effective tool for deferring gain. Recent tax legislation has scrambled familiar tax, economic, and practical considerations for making a like-kind exchange, in some circumstances making these techniques more attractive than before, but in others (incoming producing property) less attractive.  There are also substantial real estate law traps in like-kind exchanges.  This program will provide you with a practitioner’s guide to using new like-kind exchange rules in trust and estate planning.    Trust and estate planning opportunities using Section 1031 like-kind exchanges How the 2017 tax law changed conventional considerations of using like-kind exchanges Review of major non-estate tax issues for estate planners when using like-kind exchanges Circumstances when it no long makes sense to use like-kind exchanges for income-producing party Real estate traps when using like-kind exchanges in trust planning   Speakers: Anthony Licata is a partner in the Chicago office of Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, where he formerly chaired the firm’s real estate practice.  He has an extensive practice focusing on major commercial real estate transactions, including finance, development, leasing, and land use.  He formerly served as an adjunct professor at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and at the Illinois Institute of Technology.  Mr. Licata received his B.S., summa cum laude, from MacMurray College and his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School. Susan Wheatley is a partner in the Cincinnati office of Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP and chair of its trust and estate planning practice. Her practice focuses on advising clients on their estate and business succession planning.  She also advises clients about sophisticated charitable and gifting giving strategies. She is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and an adjunct professor of law at the University of Cincinnati College of Law.  Ms.Wheatley earned her B.A. at Yale University and her J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 1/20/2025
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Course1

Lawyer Ethics When Working with Paralegals

$89.00

  Paralegals are often essential for lawyers to successfully practice law.  Paralegals conduct basic legal research, help review and prepare documents, and sometimes screen clients.  Still, they are not lawyers and not directly subject to the ethics rules applicable to lawyers. But the lawyers who supervise their work are responsible for their actions and liable for any improper conduct.  Lawyers are responsible for ensuring that their paralegals’ work conforms to ethics rules. If a paralegal’s actions breach client confidentiality, compromise the attorney-client privilege, or are otherwise improper, the supervising lawyer is ethically responsible for that misconduct.  This program will provide you with a practical guide to how ethics rules make supervising lawyers responsible for the actions of their paralegals.    Conflicts of interest and the attribution of paralegal knowledge about client matters Determining when paralegal research and document preparation becomes the unauthorized practice of law How paralegals must be instructed about client confidentiality – and lawyer consequences on breach Attorney-client privilege implications when clients communicate with paralegals – and risk of inadvertent disclosure Issues when paralegals participate in discovery Fee sharing with paralegals   Speaker: Thomas E. Spahn is of counsel in the Tysons Corners, Virginia office of McGuireWoods, where he advises firm clients on professional responsibility issues and properly creating and preserving the attorney-client privilege and work product protections.  He has served on the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility and is a Member of the American Law Institute and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.  He has written extensively on attorney-client privilege, ethics and other topics, and has spoken at over 2000 CLE programs throughout the U.S. and in several foreign countries.  Through links on his website biography, he has made available to the public his summaries of over 1,600 Virginia and ABA legal ethics opinions, organized by topic; a 300 page summary of his two-volume 1,500 page book on the attorney-client privilege and work product doctrine; over 900 weekly email alerts about privilege and work product cases; and materials for 40 ethics programs on numerous topics, totaling over 9,000 pages of analysis.  Mr. Spahn graduated magna cum laude from Yale University and received his J.D. from Yale Law School. Mr. Spahn will serve as the discussion leader of today’s program.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 1/21/2025
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Course1

Risky Tenants: Drafting Issues for Landlords

$89.00

Landlords (and their lenders) want nothing more than certainty in the stream of rental payments from tenants. When risks are involved – because of the profile of the tenant or the nature of its operations – landlords seek to offset the risk through higher rents and protective provisions in leases. Those provisions may include restrictions on usage, insurance requirements, more thoroughgoing inspections or other restrictions.  This program will provide you with a guide to drafting and negotiating leases when a landlord has a risky tenant, with an emphasis on offsetting or compensation for that additional risk.    Drafting protections for landlords when tenants pose legal or operational risks – including cannabis businesses Identifying points of potential liability – financial and otherwise – for landlords Drafting scope of tenant use to permit activity but limit landlord risk Economic issues – rent, guarantees, insurance, supplemental payments, escrow Termination provisions – when can the landlord pull the plug?   Speaker: Anthony Licata is a partner in the Chicago office of Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, where he formerly chaired the firm’s real estate practice.  He has an extensive practice focusing on major commercial real estate transactions, including finance, development, leasing, and land use.  He formerly served as an adjunct professor at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and at the Illinois Institute of Technology.  Mr. Licata received his B.S., summa cum laude, from MacMurray College and his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 1/27/2025
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Course1

Ethics and Client Money: Trust Funds, Expenses, Setoffs & More

$89.00

Whenever an attorney takes money from a client – for fees billed, to cover expenses, as a retainer, or held in trust – there are substantial ethical issues involved.  Many ethical complaints arise from accusations that an attorney mishandled funds. In billing and collecting fees and expenses, there are issues about whether the fees and expenses were explained in advance and are proper in relation to services provided.  If an attorney accepts credit cards from clients, there are significant issues related to disclosure, Truth-in-Lending laws, chargebacks, pass-through of merchant processing fees, and confidentiality.  In trust funds, there are issues of segregation of funds, accounting, and more. This program will provide you with a practical guide to the many ethical issues that arise when attorneys, clients, and money mix.   Traps in trust fund accounting and the risks of “set-offs” of disputed amounts Disclosure and documentation of trust accounting of client money Retainers – use, accounting, and regular communications Accepting credit card payments from clients –  pass-through processing fees, Truth-in-Lending, disclosure and confidentiality Confidentiality when a client has a dispute with his credit card company – ethical tension of client duties and contractual obligations Use of credit cards to fund a retainer and related trust fund accounting issues – trust funds v. operating funds   Speaker: Thomas E. Spahn is of counsel in the Tysons Corners, Virginia office of McGuireWoods, where he advises firm clients on professional responsibility issues and properly creating and preserving the attorney-client privilege and work product protections.  He has served on the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility and is a Member of the American Law Institute and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.  He has written extensively on attorney-client privilege, ethics and other topics, and has spoken at over 2000 CLE programs throughout the U.S. and in several foreign countries.  Through links on his website biography, he has made available to the public his summaries of over 1,600 Virginia and ABA legal ethics opinions, organized by topic; a 300 page summary of his two-volume 1,500 page book on the attorney-client privilege and work product doctrine; over 900 weekly email alerts about privilege and work product cases; and materials for 40 ethics programs on numerous topics, totaling over 9,000 pages of analysis.  Mr. Spahn graduated magna cum laude from Yale University and received his J.D. from Yale Law School. Mr. Spahn will serve as the discussion leader of today’s program.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 1/31/2025
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Course1

Exit Strategies: Selling Companies to Employees, Part 1

$89.00

Many closely held companies have only two potential sets of buyers – family members of the founding generation or managers and other employees of the enterprise. The market of third-party buyers for closely held companies can be very thin, so that when family members are not suitable buyers of a company, often the best solution is to sell to employees. But sales to employees are unlike sales to third-parties or family members, involving complex issues of how to finance the sale, transition management and control of the enterprise, retain key employees, and tax treatment. This program will provide you with a detailed discussion of the major issues of selling to employees, including valuation, how the sale price is financed, transition periods, retaining employees not in the buyout group, and tax treatment. Day 1: Long-range planning of sales to employees – and benefits over selling to third parties or family members Negotiating with employees over sales price and valuation issues Transitions of management control, including retaining seller/founder for a period of time Practical governance issues when employees are identified as potential buyers Day 2: Overview of alternative structures and the tradeoffs of each ESOPs – structural, practical and tax issues, including leveraged buyout options Use of company redemptions of founders to accomplish a transfer Crucial issues in drafting “earnouts” on sales to employees Seller financing options, including long-term notes and security interest in assets Speakers: Paul Kaplun is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Venable, LLP where he has an extensive corporate and business planning practice, and provides advisory services to emerging growth companies and entrepreneurs in a variety of industries. He formerly served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center, where he taught business planning.  Before entering law practice of law, he was a Certified Public Accountant with a national accounting firm, specializing in corporate and individual income tax planning and compliance.  Mr. Kaplun received his B.S.B.A., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University and J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 2/2/2025
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Exit Strategies: Selling Companies to Employees, Part 2

$89.00

Many closely held companies have only two potential sets of buyers – family members of the founding generation or managers and other employees of the enterprise. The market of third-party buyers for closely held companies can be very thin, so that when family members are not suitable buyers of a company, often the best solution is to sell to employees. But sales to employees are unlike sales to third-parties or family members, involving complex issues of how to finance the sale, transition management and control of the enterprise, retain key employees, and tax treatment. This program will provide you with a detailed discussion of the major issues of selling to employees, including valuation, how the sale price is financed, transition periods, retaining employees not in the buyout group, and tax treatment. Day 1: Long-range planning of sales to employees – and benefits over selling to third parties or family members Negotiating with employees over sales price and valuation issues Transitions of management control, including retaining seller/founder for a period of time Practical governance issues when employees are identified as potential buyers Day 2: Overview of alternative structures and the tradeoffs of each ESOPs – structural, practical and tax issues, including leveraged buyout options Use of company redemptions of founders to accomplish a transfer Crucial issues in drafting “earnouts” on sales to employees Seller financing options, including long-term notes and security interest in assets Speakers: Paul Kaplun is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Venable, LLP where he has an extensive corporate and business planning practice, and provides advisory services to emerging growth companies and entrepreneurs in a variety of industries. He formerly served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center, where he taught business planning.  Before entering law practice of law, he was a Certified Public Accountant with a national accounting firm, specializing in corporate and individual income tax planning and compliance.  Mr. Kaplun received his B.S.B.A., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University and J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 2/3/2025
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Drafting Employment Agreements for Commission-based Employees

$89.00

Every organization depends on generating sales, often sales made by sales agents.  Drafting agreements for sales people is complex and unlike other employment agreements. The primary task is defining a workable sales commission and incentive structure that is durable while the sales agent works for your client and that limits legal liability and practical damage after the sales agent separates from employment.  There are also complex issues of post-employment payments, internal reporting and support, and preserving the confidentiality of proprietary employer information such as client/customer lists, pricing schedules, vendor information and more after the sales agent has departed – perhaps to a competitor. This program will provide you with a practical guide to drafting sales agents’ agreements for business clients.   Commission and incentive structures – and common traps after an agent departs Differences between employee v. independent contractor sales staff Common traps employers make in including unlawful terms Wage and hour issues in commission and incentive compensation agreements Protecting client and price lists, vendor information & other sensitive information when a sales agent leaves Scope of protectable interests and practical steps required to enforce confidentiality   Speaker: Jennifer S. Baldocchi is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Paul Hastings, LLP, and co-chair of the firm’s employment department. She has a broad-based employment practice, with a focus on intellectual property, including employee mobility, trade secrets, covenants not to compete, unfair competition, and related business tort claims. Her practice also involves advising and defending employers in complex employment claims such as wrongful discharge, discrimination, retaliation, and harassment. She also counsels clients in wage and hour issues and investigations.  Ms. Baldocchi earned her B.A., with honors, from the University of California, Berkeley, and her J.D. from Loyola Law School.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 2/4/2025
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Course1

2023 Ethics Update, Part 1

$89.00

This annual ethics program will provide you with a round-table discussion of practical ethical issues important to your practice. The program will provide you with an engaging discussion of ethics developments involving technology and law practice, conflicts of interest, and attoarney-client communications in a digital world where no one is truly unplugged. The panel will also discuss the ethics of withdrawing from a matter and firing a client and the ethics of developing new business.  This program will provide you with a wide-ranging discussion of practical ethics developments important to your practice.   Day 1: Ethics and technology: A Potpourri Ethics, competence, and AI: What are competence and the unauthorized practice of law in a specialized world? Emerging issues in conflicts of interest, part 1   Day 2: Ethics of firing a client Ethics and client development Emerging issues in conflicts of interest, part 2   Speakers: Lucian T. Pera is a partner in the Memphis office of Adams & Reese, LLP.  His practice includes professional malpractice litigation as well as counseling lawyers and law firms in the area of ethics and professional responsibility.  He was a member of the ABA’s Ethics 2000 Commission and is co-author of "Ethics and Lawyering Today," a national e-mail newsletter on lawyer ethics, which is accessible at: www.ethicsandlawyering.com.  Before entering private practice, he served as a judicial clerk to Judge Harry W. Wellford of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.   William Freivogel is the principal of Freivogel Ethics Consulting and is an independent consultant to law firms on ethics and risk management.  He was a trial lawyer for 22 years and has practiced in the areas of legal ethics and lawyer malpractice for 20 years.  He is chair of the Editorial Board of the ABA/BNA Lawyers’ Manual on Professional Conduct. and past chair of the ABA Business Law Section Committee on Professional Responsibility.  He maintains the Web site “Freivogel on Conflicts” at www.freivogelonconflicts.com.   Thomas E. Spahn is of counsel in the Tysons Corners, Virginia office of McGuireWoods, where he advises firm clients on professional responsibility issues and properly creating and preserving the attorney-client privilege and work product protections.  He has served on the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility and is a Member of the American Law Institute and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.  He has written extensively on attorney-client privilege, ethics and other topics, and has spoken at over 2,000 CLE programs throughout the U.S. and in several foreign countries.  Through links on his website biography, he has made available to the public his summaries of over 1,600 Virginia and ABA legal ethics opinions, organized by topic; a 300 page summary of his two-volume 1,500 page book on the attorney-client privilege and work product doctrine; over 900 weekly email alerts about privilege and work product cases; and materials for 40 ethics programs on numerous topics, totaling over 9,000 pages of analysis.  

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    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 2/9/2025
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Course1

2023 Ethics Update, Part 2

$89.00

This annual ethics program will provide you with a round-table discussion of practical ethical issues important to your practice. The program will provide you with an engaging discussion of ethics developments involving technology and law practice, conflicts of interest, and attoarney-client communications in a digital world where no one is truly unplugged. The panel will also discuss the ethics of withdrawing from a matter and firing a client and the ethics of developing new business.  This program will provide you with a wide-ranging discussion of practical ethics developments important to your practice.   Day 1: Ethics and technology: A Potpourri Ethics, competence, and AI: What are competence and the unauthorized practice of law in a specialized world? Emerging issues in conflicts of interest, part 1   Day 2: Ethics of firing a client Ethics and client development Emerging issues in conflicts of interest, part 2   Speakers: Lucian T. Pera is a partner in the Memphis office of Adams & Reese, LLP.  His practice includes professional malpractice litigation as well as counseling lawyers and law firms in the area of ethics and professional responsibility.  He was a member of the ABA’s Ethics 2000 Commission and is co-author of "Ethics and Lawyering Today," a national e-mail newsletter on lawyer ethics, which is accessible at: www.ethicsandlawyering.com.  Before entering private practice, he served as a judicial clerk to Judge Harry W. Wellford of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.   William Freivogel is the principal of Freivogel Ethics Consulting and is an independent consultant to law firms on ethics and risk management.  He was a trial lawyer for 22 years and has practiced in the areas of legal ethics and lawyer malpractice for 20 years.  He is chair of the Editorial Board of the ABA/BNA Lawyers’ Manual on Professional Conduct. and past chair of the ABA Business Law Section Committee on Professional Responsibility.  He maintains the Web site “Freivogel on Conflicts” at www.freivogelonconflicts.com.   Thomas E. Spahn is of counsel in the Tysons Corners, Virginia office of McGuireWoods, where he advises firm clients on professional responsibility issues and properly creating and preserving the attorney-client privilege and work product protections.  He has served on the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility and is a Member of the American Law Institute and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.  He has written extensively on attorney-client privilege, ethics and other topics, and has spoken at over 2000 CLE programs throughout the U.S. and in several foreign countries.  Through links on his website biography, he has made available to the public his summaries of over 1,600 Virginia and ABA legal ethics opinions, organized by topic; a 300 page summary of his two-volume 1,500 page book on the attorney-client privilege and work product doctrine; over 900 weekly email alerts about privilege and work product cases; and materials for 40 ethics programs on numerous topics, totaling over 9,000 pages of analysis.  

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 2/10/2025
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Trust in Estate Planning in 2023: A Year of Change & Challenge

$89.00

Trust and estate planning in 2023 will require navigating many rocky patches. There are new assets classes. Inflation is rising. We are still dealing with the ongoing effects of the pandemic. There is legislation pending to substantially alter the taxability of estates. Familiar planning platforms and techniques may no longer be efficacious as change unfolds.  Planning requires not only looking at the law as it is today but as it may change – perhaps dramatically – during the year. This program will provide you with a practical guide to planning in the uncertainty of 2022.   Tax legislation that will or has changed the taxability of estates Planning with rising inflation – and higher interest rates? Trends in valuation of estates with higher rates Considering how to handle new asset classes Planning for the ongoing effects of the pandemic   Speakers: Michael Sneeringer is a Partner in the Naples, Florida office of Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP, where his practice focuses on trust and estate planning, probate administration, asset protection planning, and tax law. He is an Executive Council member of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar and the Articles editor, Trust and Estate, for Probate & Property Magazine. Missia H. Vaselaney is a partner in the Cleveland office of Taft, Stettinius & Hollister, LLP, where her practice focuses on estate planning for individuals and businesses.  She also represents clients before federal and state taxing authorities.  Ms. Vaselaney is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and has been a member of the Steering Committee for AICPA’s National Advanced Estate Planning Conference since 2001.  

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 2/11/2025
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2025 Ethics Update: Navigating New Challenges, Part 2

$89.00

This annual ethics program will provide you with a round-table discussion of practical ethical issues important to your practice. The program will provide you with an engaging discussion of ethics developments involving technology and law practice, conflicts of interest, and attoarney-client communications in a digital world where no one is truly unplugged. The panel will also discuss the ethics of withdrawing from a matter and firing a client and the ethics of developing new business.  This program will provide you with a wide-ranging discussion of practical ethics developments important to your practice.   Day 1: Ethics and artificial intelligence Ethics and withness prep Emerging issues in conflicts of interest, part 1   Day 2: Office sharing and imputed dq issues Protection for data Emerging issues in conflicts of interest, part 2   Speakers: Thomas E. Spahn is a partner in the McLean, Virginia office of McGuireWoods, LLP, where he has a broad complex commercial, business and securities litigation practice. He also has a substantial practice advising businesses on properly creating and preserving the attorney-client privilege and work product protections.  For more than 20 years he has lectured extensively on legal ethics and professionalism and has written “The Attorney-Client Privilege and the Work Product Doctrine: A Practitioner’s Guide,” a 750 page treatise published by the Virginia Law Foundation.  Mr. Spahn has served as member of the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility and as a member of the Virginia State Bar's Legal Ethics Committee.  He received his B.A., magna cum laude, from Yale University and his J.D. from Yale Law School.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 2/12/2025
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Policies for Newly Distributed Workforces: How to Make the "New Office" Work

$89.00

In the aftermath of the pandemic, the nature of work has changed.  Employees expect more flexibility. Working from home is no longer a special accommodation.  Employees expect to work remotely, either all of the time or some of the time. Even employers that prefer or require in-person work are having to adapt workplace policies to reflect working-from-home.  This program will review the changing landscape of employment law as more employees work from home.   Revising employee handbooks to reflect flexible working schedules and remote work Online harassment and discrimination when working from home Security of work email, sensitive information, and files Tracking time worked and measuring productivity – does this work? “Hoteling” issues – when employees share office space on a rotating basis   Speaker:   William J. Kelly, III is a founding member of Kelly Law Partners LLC and has nearly 30 years’ experience in the areas of employment and commercial litigation. In the area of employment law, he litigates trade secret, non-compete, infringement and discrimination claims in federal and state courts nationwide and has advised Fortune 50 companies on workplace policies and practices.  In the area of commercial litigation, his experience includes class action litigation, breach of contract and indemnity, mass-claim complex insurance litigation, construction litigation and trade secrets.  Earlier in career, he founded 15 Minutes Music, an independent music production company.  Mr. Kelly earned his B.A. from Tulane University and his J.D. from St. Louis University.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 2/15/2025
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Due Diligence in Real Estate: How to Conduct and Use

$89.00

  This program will provide you with a real world guide to due diligence in real estate transactions – what information you need, where to get it, and the timeframes involved – depending on the type of transaction involved.  The relationship between the duration and depth of due diligence and the state of the market – how “hot” markets involve more risk because sellers or othersare reluctant to give lengthy diligence periods – will be discussed.  The program will also discuss using information obtained in diligence to draft specific reps and warranties. This program will provide you with a real-world guide to planning due diligence in real estate transaction – essential information to obtain depending on the transaction involved and how to tie that information the transaction’s reps and warranties.   Relationship between diligence and market conditions – willingness of sellers to cooperate or not Using diligence to draft specific reps and warranties Service contracts, condominium HOAs, and other contracts Review of leases, rent rolls, and financial statements Title work – liens and other encumbrances Zoning, regulatory and tax issues Notices of new or special tax assessments   Speaker: Richard R. Goldberg is a retired partner, resident in the Philadelphia office of Ballard Spahr, LLP, where he established an extensive real estate practice, including development, financing, leasing, and acquisition.  Earlier in his career, he served as vice president and associate general counsel of The Rouse Company for 23 years.  He is past president of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, past chair of the Anglo-American Real Property Institute, and past chair of the International Council of Shopping Centers Law Conference.  Mr. Goldberg is currently a Fellow of the American College of Mortgage Attorneys and is a member of the American Law Institute.  Mr. Goldberg received his B.A. from Pennsylvania State University and his LL.B. from the University of Maryland School of Law.    

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  • 60
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  • 2/15/2025
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Estate Planning for Digital Assets

$89.00

Some of the most valuable assets a client has are the most difficult to define, value, and transfer on death.  “Digital assets” – everything from digital music and pictures stored online, to bank and credit card reward programs, Facebook pages and online TurboTax files, bank and retirement account credentials – are a class of asset that every client has, yet planning for them is new.  These assets are not governed by a conventional set of federal or state laws, rather by a complex set of rules set by a variety of organizations, none of which are standardized but which planners need to understand nonetheless to satisfy client expectations.  This program will provide you guide to the nature of digital assets, how they are controlled, and how to plan for them.   Digital assets in estate planning – defining and transferring them on death How failure to plan for these assets can scuttle estate plans and disappoint client expectations Fiduciary access to digital assets under current law Practical planning for digital assets – what works, what doesn’t, and what’s not at all clear How user polices impact the planning process – what you need to know about how these assets are titled and controlled How federal law impacts the planning process and unconventional planning issues   Speakers: Michael Sneeringer is a Partner in the Naples, Florida office of Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP, where his practice focuses on trust and estate planning, probate administration, asset protection planning, and tax law. He is an Executive Council member of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar and the Articles editor, Trust and Estate, for Probate & Property Magazine. Missia H. Vaselaney is a partner in the Cleveland office of Taft, Stettinius & Hollister, LLP, where her practice focuses on estate planning for individuals and businesses.  She also represents clients before federal and state taxing authorities.  Ms. Vaselaney is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and has been a member of the Steering Committee for AICPA’s National Advanced Estate Planning Conference since 2001. 

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 2/17/2025
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The Ethics of Supervising Other Lawyers

$89.00

Lawyers are not only responsible for their own ethical conduct and decision making but also for the ethical practice of lawyers they supervise.  Whether it’s a partner supervising the work of an associate or the lead lawyer on a case supervising a group of partners and associates, the supervising lawyer has responsibilities to ensure that the lawyers he or she is supervising are ethically compliant. When subordinate lawyers violate ethics rules, supervising lawyers are potentially liable for that misconduct. This program will provide you with a guide to ethical issues when lawyers supervise other lawyers and non-lawyer support staff.   Standards for ensuring compliance by subordinate attorneys and potential liability when they act improperly Lawyer supervision of paralegals and other non-lawyer staff Responsibilities of subordinate lawyers who rely on judgment of supervising lawyers Special issues involved in billing the work of subordinate and co-counsel attorneys, and paralegals In-house counsel of outside counsel   Speaker: Matthew Corbin is Senior Vice President and Executive Director in the Professional Services Group of AON Risk Services, where he consults with the company’s law firm clients on professional responsibility and liability issues.  Before joining AON, he was a partner with Lathrop & Gage, LLP, where he was a trial and appellate lawyer handling professional liability, commercial, business tort, employment, construction, insurance, and regulatory matters. Before entering private practice, he served as a judicial clerk to Judge Mary Briscoe of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.  Mr. Corbin earned his B.A. from the University of Kansas and his J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law. Mark A. Webster is a Senior Vice President with the Professional Services Practice at Aon. As a member of the group’s loss prevention team, Mark consults with Aon’s 275+ law firm clients on a wide range of professional responsibility and liability issues.

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  • 60
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  • 2/18/2025
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Drafting Settlement Agreements in Civil Litigation

$89.00

A settlement in litigation is only as good as the settlement agreement.  The case may have stopped short of trial or stopped in the middle of trial as the parties realized that settlement was the best course of action, but preserving the informal agreement to settle places immense pressure on getting the underlying agreement right – not only settling the present dispute but preserving the settlement as things change over time. Understanding the law governing these agreements and carefully drafting their essential provisions – mutual releases, scope, financial terms, non-disclosure, non-disparagement– are essential to preserving the value of the settlement. This program will provide you with a practical guide to the essential provisions, traps and opportunities of litigation settlement agreements.   Framework of law governing settlement agreements Essential provisions of settlement agreements, including traps for the unwary Defining scope of settlement and mutual releases – either to prevent resumption of litigation or leave related litigation untouched Role of non-disclosure and non-disparagement provisions, violations and remedies. Enhancing the enforceability and decreasing the costs of settlement agreements   Speaker: Steven B. Malech is partner in the New York City office of Wiggin and Dana, LLP, where he is chair of the firm’s probate litigation practice group.  He is represents beneficiaries, fiduciaries and creditors in disputes involving alleged violations of the Prudent Investor Act and its predecessors, alleged breaches of fiduciary duty, disputed accountings, and will contests. He represents clients in cutting edge probate litigation matters involving trusts and estates with assets in the hundreds of millions of dollars. 

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 2/22/2025
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Lawyer Ethics and Texting

$89.00

Text messaging has become a mainstream form of communication.  Clients now routinely text their lawyers about pending matters.  They may ask about the status of a case, provide facts about a case, communicate decisions to a lawyer, or message other sensitive information.  These messages are often to a lawyer’s mobile phone that is used extensively for personal purposes, unsecured in their transmissions, and easily accessible by third parties. This new wave of lawyer-client communication raises many difficult ethical questions, including preservation of the attorney-client privilege.   This program will provide you with a guide to the major ethics issues when lawyers and their clients text message about pending matters.   Confidentiality issues involving unsecured transmission of texts involving sensitive case issues How to handle mobile phones used for both personal purposes and law practice Potential loss of the attorney-client privilege when text messages are accessible by third parties Tension among the duties of competence, prudence and to communicate with clients Understanding the ethical risks and counseling clients about the risks to their case when texting   Speaker: Thomas E. Spahn is of counsel in the Tysons Corners, Virginia office of McGuireWoods, where he advises firm clients on professional responsibility issues and properly creating and preserving the attorney-client privilege and work product protections.  He has served on the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility and is a Member of the American Law Institute and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.  He has written extensively on attorney-client privilege, ethics and other topics, and has spoken at over 2000 CLE programs throughout the U.S. and in several foreign countries.  Through links on his website biography, he has made available to the public his summaries of over 1,600 Virginia and ABA legal ethics opinions, organized by topic; a 300 page summary of his two-volume 1,500 page book on the attorney-client privilege and work product doctrine; over 900 weekly email alerts about privilege and work product cases; and materials for 40 ethics programs on numerous topics, totaling over 9,000 pages of analysis.  Mr. Spahn graduated magna cum laude from Yale University and received his J.D. from Yale Law School. Mr. Spahn will serve as the discussion leader of today’s program.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 2/23/2025
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How to Fix a Broken Trust: Decanting, Reformation & Other Tools

$89.00

Not every irrevocable trust ends up serving its intended purpose or is financially viable.  Many unforeseen events can and do occur – tax laws change, family circumstance change – sometimes dramatically, or there can be d a deep downturn in a family business.  In these and many other circumstances trusts are broken and need to be “fixed” – fiduciary powers adjusted, distributions policies modified, trusts divided or merged, or even terminated.  The process of accomplishing these fixes are necessarily limited and come with risks, including tax liability and potentially liability to future beneficiaries. This program will provide you with a practical guide to techniques for fixing broken irrevocable trusts.   Trust reformation by agreement of all stakeholder or by court order Principal and income adjustment powers under the UPIA Techniques for converting a trust from one type to another Use of “decanting” to terminate trusts and distribute assets when the trust is not viable Framework of tax considerations when trusts are restructured or terminated   Speaker: Benjamin S. Candland is a partner in the Richmond, Virginia office of McGuireWoods, LLP, where his practice focuses on estate planning, administration, estate and gift taxation, and litigation. He provides individual clients with advice on various estate planning matters involving estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes. He is a member of the ABA Real Property and Probate Section and the Virginia Bar Association Trusts and Estate Section. Mr. Candland received his B.A. from Brigham Young University and his J.D. from the College of William and Mary School of Law.

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  • 60
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  • 3/1/2025
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Ethical Issues for Small Law Firms: Technology, Paralegals, Remote Practice & More

$89.00

Solo and small firm practitioners wear many hats. They practice law but also run the office and manage all of its information technology – file storage, email, and Web sites.  They may supervise paralegals or contract attorneys. They also need to be attentive to developing new clients. Each of these and other roles comes with ethical issues and traps.  Email, file storage, and law firm web sites implicate issues of competence, confidentiality, and potentially the attorney-client privilege.  Supervising paralegals or junior attorneys implicates supervisory ethics and conflicts of interest.  Client development also implicates a range of ethics issues.  It’s a lot to manage for a firm of any size, but particularly for smaller firms.This program will provide you with a practical guide to major ethics issues for solo and small firm practitioners.   Ethical issues for small law firms and solo practitioners Technology – storing client files in “the Cloud,” email traps, and remote networks Pooled Resources – shared office/meeting space, shared support staff, shared technology Client Development – web sites and lawyer biographies, email/newsletters, social media, advertising and more Paralegals – training and billing, confidentiality and the attorney-client privilege Co-Counsel – ethical responsibilities when practicing with other lawyers   Speakers: Thomas E. Spahn is of counsel in the Tysons Corners, Virginia office of McGuireWoods, where he advises firm clients on professional responsibility issues and properly creating and preserving the attorney-client privilege and work product protections.  He has served on the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility and is a Member of the American Law Institute and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.  He has written extensively on attorney-client privilege, ethics and other topics, and has spoken at over 2000 CLE programs throughout the U.S. and in several foreign countries.  Through links on his website biography, he has made available to the public his summaries of over 1,600 Virginia and ABA legal ethics opinions, organized by topic; a 300 page summary of his two-volume 1,500 page book on the attorney-client privilege and work product doctrine; over 900 weekly email alerts about privilege and work product cases; and materials for 40 ethics programs on numerous topics, totaling over 9,000 pages of analysis.  Mr. Spahn graduated magna cum laude from Yale University and received his J.D. from Yale Law School. Mr. Spahn will serve as the discussion leader of today’s program. H. Michael Drumm is the founder and member of Drumm Law, LLC in Denver, Colorado, where he has an extensive franchise, trademark and business transactional practice.  He works with franchisors across industries nationwide helping them draft, file and renew their franchise Disclosure Documents and franchise agreements.  He has a specialty representing craft breweries to help them trademark their brands and protect their intellectual property. He has been repeatedly honored by Franchise Times magazine as a “Legal Eagle” and has been designated by the International Franchise Association as a “Certified Franchise Executive.”  Mr. Drumm received his BSBA from the University of Missouri-Columbia and his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law.

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  • 60
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  • 3/2/2025
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Trust & Estate Planning for Religious and Philosophical Beliefs

$89.00

Every trust and estate plan reflects the values of the client.  These values are often rooted, consciously or not, in religious, philosophical or ethical belief systems.  Some clients choose to make these values explicit in their plans and documents.  This can be sensitive terrain for lawyers, not always familiar with integrating explicit religious, philosophical, and ethical statements into legal documents. Understanding the purposes of clients, advising clients about the real limits of what the law can accomplish or will allow, and drafting documents for these clients can be a major challenge.  This program will discuss advising clients about integrating religious, philosophical and ethical beliefs into their trust and estate plans.   Understanding and documenting client beliefs and the purposes they seek to achieve in trust and estate plans Counseling clients about what can be practically achieved and the limitations of law Anticipating possible post-mortem challenges and steps to enhance enforceability and mitigate litigation Practical guidance on drafting underlying legal or supplementary documents – and common traps   Speaker: Daniel L. Daniels is a partner in the Greenwich, Connecticut office of Wiggin and Dana, LLP, where his practice focuses on representing business owners, corporate executives and other wealthy individuals and their families.  A Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, he is listed in “The Best Lawyers in America,” and has been named by “Worth” magazine as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in the United States representing affluent individuals. Mr. Daniels is co-author of a monthly column in “Trusts and Estates” magazine.  Mr. Daniels received his A.B., summa cum laude, from Dartmouth College and received his J.D., with honors, from Harvard Law School.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 3/3/2025
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Ethical Issues in Contract Drafting

$89.00

Negotiating, drafting and reviewing contracts are processes fraught with ethical issues.  Negotiations sometimes require zealous advocacy, taking maximal positions; other times, they require delicacy and balance. Reviewing and drafting complex contracts is a similar ethical minefield. If you discover that the draft of a contract contains materially incorrect assumptions about the law but which will benefit your client, do you have the duty to disclose or correct the error?  In the same way, if the contract contains faulty assumptions about material facts, must you disclose those faulty assumptions?  And how do these rules apply when drafting a contract?  This program will provide you with a real world guide to the ethics of negotiating, drafting and reviewing contracts.   The law – when you know a counterparty has made faulty assumptions benefiting your client, must you say? The facts – when a counterparty makes faulty factual assumptions, must you correct? Ethics and rescission – are you ever ethically obligated to rescind or restate a contract? Ethics in negotiations – what’s the line between zealous representation and deception?    Speaker: Thomas E. Spahn is of counsel in the Tysons Corners, Virginia office of McGuireWoods, where he advises firm clients on professional responsibility issues and properly creating and preserving the attorney-client privilege and work product protections.  He has served on the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility and is a Member of the American Law Institute and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.  He has written extensively on attorney-client privilege, ethics and other topics, and has spoken at over 2000 CLE programs throughout the U.S. and in several foreign countries.  Through links on his website biography, he has made available to the public his summaries of over 1,600 Virginia and ABA legal ethics opinions, organized by topic; a 300 page summary of his two-volume 1,500 page book on the attorney-client privilege and work product doctrine; over 900 weekly email alerts about privilege and work product cases; and materials for 40 ethics programs on numerous topics, totaling over 9,000 pages of analysis.  Mr. Spahn graduated magna cum laude from Yale University and received his J.D. from Yale Law School. Mr. Spahn will serve as the discussion leader of today’s program.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 3/8/2025
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Drafting Sales Agreements: UCC Issues and More

$89.00

The sale of goods is one of the most common forms of commercial transactions.  The sales contracts governing these transactions can be quite complex and they must all comply with the Uniform Commercial Code Article 2.  The UCC governs contract formation, express and implied warranties, and outlines forms of breach of contract and types of remedies.  Compliance with the code enhances enforceability of the contract and expedites remedies upon breach.  However, when its many requirements are overlooked, contracts for sale of goods may be invalid and the underlying transaction void. This program will provide you with a practical guide to drafting and reviewing contracts for the sale of goods under UCC Article 2.   “Battle of forms,” methods of acceptance or rejection, and electronic contracting Delivery, acceptance or rejection of goods by buyer Breaches for failure to deliver, non-conforming product, repudiation, failure to pay Types and measure of damages for breach of contract by seller or buyer Express and implied warranties – fitness for purpose, merchantability, title infringement Disclaimer of warranties and other techniques to limit scope of liability   Speaker: Christopher Tompkins is a partner in the Chicago office of Jenner & Block, LLP, where he counsels clients in such areas as breach of contract, the Uniform Commercial Code, equipment leasing, business torts, and intellectual property.  He has handled all phases of litigation in state and federal court and before arbitration tribunals, including pre-litigation investigation, motion practice, discovery, working with expert witnesses, trial and appeal.Previously, he served as a legislative intern for the National Council of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws where he worked on legislation related to commercial law.  Mr. Tompkins received his B.A., cum laude, from The Catholic University of America and his J.D., magna cum laude, from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 3/10/2025
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Franchise Agreements: What You Need to Know Before Your Clients Signs, Part 1

$89.00

Franchises often seem to clients like vehicles to assured success, but they are risky ventures.  The task for lawyers advising clients about franchises is to counsel them about setting reasonable expectations and help them understand the practical obligation of franchise agreements.  This is no easy task because these agreements are a complex arrangement of restrictions, fees, operational requirements, intellectual property protections and reporting periods. But understanding how these agreements work – and the range of what’s negotiable and what’s not – is essential to client success.  This program will provide you with a real world guide to the framework of franchise law, practical due diligence of franchise opportunities, and reviewing and negotiating the most important provisions of franchise agreements.   Day 1: Setting and counseling clients about realistic franchise expectations Practical guide to reading/understanding a Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) Phases of franchise review – due diligence, negotiation of agreement, and lease work Spotting red flags early in the process Framework of franchise law and relationship of federal/FTC regulations to state regulation   Day 2: Major economic and non-economic provisions in franchise agreements Determining what’s truly negotiable – and what’s not Scope of territory – rights within in it and the opportunity to expand Tiers of fees, royalties and marketing expenses Operating standards and covenants – and negotiating for local modification Transfer and exit issues when a franchisee wants out   Speakers: Kerrin O'Connell is an attorney from Denver, Colorado who has focused her practice on franchise transactions and intellectual property licensing for Drumm Law. Prior to joining Drumm Law, she served as an associate at a law firm specializing in the development of franchise disclosure documents and franchise agreements for emerging franchise brands, and previously worked in the contracts department of one of the largest real estate franchisors. Ethan Larson is an attorney from Denver, Colorado who joined Drumm Law after bouncing around in various legal fields, but has now found his  home at Drumm Law, where he can put the interests of his clients first. He prides himself on providing quality work for his clients while keeping their costs down. He enjoys getting to know his clients on a personal level, and developing relationships that extend outside of the virtual office.  

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 3/15/2025
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Franchise Agreements: What You Need to Know Before Your Clients Signs, Part 2

$89.00

Franchises often seem to clients like vehicles to assured success, but they are risky ventures.  The task for lawyers advising clients about franchises is to counsel them about setting reasonable expectations and help them understand the practical obligation of franchise agreements.  This is no easy task because these agreements are a complex arrangement of restrictions, fees, operational requirements, intellectual property protections and reporting periods. But understanding how these agreements work – and the range of what’s negotiable and what’s not – is essential to client success.  This program will provide you with a real world guide to the framework of franchise law, practical due diligence of franchise opportunities, and reviewing and negotiating the most important provisions of franchise agreements.   Day 1: Setting and counseling clients about realistic franchise expectations Practical guide to reading/understanding a Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) Phases of franchise review – due diligence, negotiation of agreement, and lease work Spotting red flags early in the process Framework of franchise law and relationship of federal/FTC regulations to state regulation   Day 2: Major economic and non-economic provisions in franchise agreements Determining what’s truly negotiable – and what’s not Scope of territory – rights within in it and the opportunity to expand Tiers of fees, royalties and marketing expenses Operating standards and covenants – and negotiating for local modification Transfer and exit issues when a franchisee wants out   Speakers: Kerrin O'Connell is an attorney from Denver, Colorado who has focused her practice on franchise transactions and intellectual property licensing for Drumm Law. Prior to joining Drumm Law, she served as an associate at a law firm specializing in the development of franchise disclosure documents and franchise agreements for emerging franchise brands, and previously worked in the contracts department of one of the largest real estate franchisors. Ethan Larson is an attorney from Denver, Colorado who joined Drumm Law after bouncing around in various legal fields, but has now found his  home at Drumm Law, where he can put the interests of his clients first. He prides himself on providing quality work for his clients while keeping their costs down. He enjoys getting to know his clients on a personal level, and developing relationships that extend outside of the virtual office.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 3/16/2025
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Mother Nature & Leases: Drafting Issues to Protect Against Storm & Other Damage

$89.00

As extreme weather becomes more common, landlords and tenants are spending more time with overlooked lease provisions on weather-related damage.  When a weather or other “Act of God” event occurs, the tenants often have a wider array of remedies, including sometimes termination of the lease, and landlord’s see their risk (and thereby their costs) increase substantially.  As the probability of these events become less than trivial, it’s important reassess whether “boiler-plate” provisions still make economic and risk-management sense. This program will provide you with a real-world guide to drafting and reviewing weather-related and other force majeure provisions in commercial leases.   Intricacies of force majeure clauses in leases Termination rights – triggers for landlords and tenants Economic concessions – rent abatement and other financial considerations Duty of landlord to restore, rights of tenant to access property & construction issues Practical, timely and cost-effective assertion of rights   Speaker: Richard R. Goldberg is a retired partner, resident in the Philadelphia office of Ballard Spahr, LLP, where he established an extensive real estate practice, including development, financing, leasing, and acquisition.  Earlier in his career, he served as vice president and associate general counsel of The Rouse Company for 23 years.  He is past president of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, past chair of the Anglo-American Real Property Institute, and past chair of the International Council of Shopping Centers Law Conference.  Mr. Goldberg is currently a Fellow of the American College of Mortgage Attorneys and is a member of the American Law Institute.  Mr. Goldberg received his B.A. from Pennsylvania State University and his LL.B. from the University of Maryland School of Law.

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  • 60
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  • 3/22/2025
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Nonprofits and Commercial Real Estate

$89.00

Nonprofit and exempt organizations are often attracted to real estate because the asset class is seen as comparatively safe yet offers opportunities for long-term appreciation and, perhaps, ongoing income.  Even if these investment assumptions prove correct, real estate assets – ownership of exiting property, development of new property, or leasing activities – implicate a range of restrictions, complications, and compliance obligations.  These include regulatory restrictions depending on whether the real estate investment furthers the entity’s charitable purpose or not; collaborations with for-profit joint ventures; and debt financing of investments.  This program will provide you with a real world guide to advising nonprofit and exemption organization clients about real estate activities.   Use of 501(c)(3) funds for real estate acquisition and development Restrictions of using nonprofit/exempt organization funds in for-profit real estate transactions Compliance issues for nonprofit/exempt organizations participating in real estate deals Planning for event something goes wrong – how to limit damage to for-profit and nonprofit   Speaker: Michael Lehmann is a partner in the New York office of Dechert, LLP, where he specializes in tax issues related to non-profits and in the tax treatment of cross-border transactions.  He advises hospitals and other health care providers, research organizations, low-income housing developers, trade associations, private foundations and arts organizations.  He advises clients on obtaining and maintaining tax-exempt status, executive compensation, reorganizations and joint ventures, acquisitions, and unrelated business income planning.  

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 3/25/2025
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