Course1

Buying, Selling and Exchanging Partnership and LLC Interests

$65.00

As LLCs have become the default choice of entity for most businesses, sales and exchanges of LLC membership interests are commonplace. Despite the frequency of sales and exchanges, exactly what rights of the seller the buyer succeeds to is often mistaken and these mistakes can lead to dispute and litigation. By default, transferees succeed only to the economic interests of the transferor. They do not succeed to the transferor’s governance rights. If governance rights are part of the underlying bargain, the consent of the LLC’s other members generally must be sought.  This program will provide you with a practical guide to drafting and planning for the sale and exchange of LLC interests.   Selling/exchanging LLC and partnership interests and effective alternatives Succession to economic rights of seller v. management and information rights Tax consequences to the entity and buyers/sellers in sales/exchanges of entity interests Disguised sales of LLC/partnership interests – and techniques to avoid adverse tax impact Constructive terminations and their adverse tax consequences Distributions and other alternative to sales and exchanges of LLC/partnership interests   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
  • 12/6/2024
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Course1

Rights of First Offer, First Refusal in Real Estate

$65.00

Rights of first refusal and rights of first offer are frequently used in commercial real estate transactions, establishing rights to acquire property from a seller before it hits the market.  The practical effect of these tools is often to exert downward pressure on the price of the property and hamper development of a third-party market.  Rights of first refusal can help hasten a deal among buyers and sellers or landlords and tenants, thereby reducing costs, or they can be a costly waste of time. There are many subtle differences between rights of first refusal and rights of first offer, each with subtle tradeoffs for counter-parties that must be considered in context of a particular transaction.  This program will provide you with a practical guide to drafting rights of first refusal and rights of first offer in real estate.   How rights of first refusal and rights of first offer work in real estate transactions Real-world costs, tradeoffs and risks of each type of right – and drafting tips and traps Best circumstances in which these mechanisms are used in property acquisitions, sales, and leasing How rights of refusal depress prices &limiting third party interest in the property – and how to mitigate Practical strategies for buyers and sellers, landlords and tenants when negotiating these rights   Speaker: John S. Hollyfield is of counsel and a former partner in the Houston office Norton Rose Fulbright, LLP.  He has more than 40 years’ experience in real estate law practice.  He formerly served as chair of the ABA Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section, president of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, and chair of the Anglo-American Real Property Institute.  He has been named a "Texas Super Lawyer" in Real Estate Law by Texas Monthly magazine and is listed in Who’s Who in American Law.  He is co-editor of Modern Banking and Lending Forms (4th Edition), published by Warren, Gorham & Lamont.  He received his B.B.A. from the University of Texas and his LL.B. from the University of Texas School of Law.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 12/7/2024
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Course1

Ethics of Beginning and Ending Client Relationships

$65.00

Substantial ethics issues flow from the moment an attorney-client relationship is formed, whether it is formed intentionally or through inadvertence.  Determining when a relationship commences and the scope of the representation has dramatic implications for issues related to confidentiality, conflicts of interest, the attorney-client privilege and more. Ending an engagement is nearly as complicated. When are you allowed to end an engagement?  And how must you go about it without prejudicing a client’s interest in a transaction or in litigation? This program will you provide a real-world guide the ethical issues of beginning and ending an attorney client relationship.   Determining when and how a relationship starts – including through inadvertence Email and technology issues – how unsolicited communications may trigger ethical obligations Joint representation issues – unsorting the confidentiality and privilege issues End a relationship – when are you allowed to end an engagement?  How do you do it ethically? Circumstances when you might be required to end a relationship   Speaker: Elizabeth Treubert Simon is an ethics attorney in the Washington, D.C. office of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, where she advises on a wide range of ethics and compliance-related matters to support Akin Gump’s offices worldwide.  Previously, her practice focused on business and commercial litigation and providing counsel to clients regarding professional ethics and attorney disciplinary procedures.  She is a member of the New York State Bar Association Committee on Professional Discipline and the District of Columbia Rules of Professional Conduct Rules Review Committee.  She is the immediate past chair of the District of Columbia Legal Ethics Committee.  She writes and speaks extensively on attorney ethics issues.   She received her B.A. and M.S. from the University of Pennsylvania and her J.D. from Albany Law School.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 12/8/2024
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Course1

Selection and Preparation of Expert Witnesses in Litigation

$65.00

Experts play a vitally important role in civil litigation, whether they act as consulting experts or also as testifying experts.  The complexity of modern litigation has substantially increased the pressure on attorneys to carefully evaluate the suitability of experts for a particular case and prepare them for testimony. Approaching, evaluating and preparing witnesses, however, is as much an art as science or database search.  Furthermore, once an expert is selected, there are substantial risks surrounding discovery and preserving the attorney-client privilege.  This program will provide you with a practical guide to selecting and preparing experts in civil litigation.   How to find the right expert witness and common traps Evaluating the suitability of experts for your case Consulting v. testifying experts Approaching and retaining experts Preparing witnesses for testimony in a specific case Practical tips on the best/worst uses of particular types of expertise in litigation Discovery issues and preserving the attorney-client privilege   Speaker: Shannon M. Bell is a member with Kelly & Walker, LLC, where she 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 officer liability, piercing the corporate veil, and derivative 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
  • 12/9/2024
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Course1

Piercing the Entity Veil: Individual Liability for Business Acts

$65.00

One of the bedrock principles of business law is limited liability. The individual owners of an entity – shareholders of a corporation or members of a limited liability company – cannot be held personally liable for the debts or liabilities of the entity.  But the doctrine is not absolute.  There are many common law fact patterns that allow courts to pierce the entity veil – co-mingling of funds, using an entity as an alter ego, among others – and reach an individual person’s assets. There are also several sources of statutory authority allowing veil piercing. This program will provide you with a practical guide to common law, equitable, and statutory theories of piercing entity veils.   Statutory and equitable principles to pierce the entity veil Fact pattern justifying piercing limited liability to reach an owner’s personal assets Statutory sources permitting breaching the entity veil Application of veil piercing to non-corporate entities Liability for improper distributions Piercing for withheld income and employment taxes, and sales/use taxes   Speakers: Allen Sparkman is a partner in the Houston and Denver offices of Sparkman Foote, LLP.  He has practiced law for over forty years in the areas of estate, tax, business, insurance, asset protection, and charitable giving.  He has written and lectured extensively on choice-of-entity, charitable giving and estate planning topics.  He is the Colorado reporter for the books "State Limited Partnership Laws" and "State Limited Liability Company Laws," both published by Aspen Law & Business.  He has also served as president of the Rocky Mountain Estate Planning Council.  Mr. Sparkman received his A.B. with honors from Princeton University and his J.D. with high honors from the University of Texas School of Law

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 12/12/2024
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Course1

Letters of Intent in Business Transactions

$65.00

Letters of intent frame the material terms of business and commercial transactions.  They outline with considerable detail the substantive terms of the underlying agreement – price, reps and warranties, closing conditions, etc. They also provide a process by which a definitive underlying agreement will be finalized. But they are not, generally, intended to be definitive agreements themselves; not enforceable, only a substantial starting point. There is, however, a certain point at which the detail in these letters becomes so extensive that they become enforceable.  This program will provide you with a practical guide to the most important substantive and process aspects of letters of intent, their uses and traps, including unexpected enforceability.   Drafting effective letters of intent in transactions Purposes of letters, timing, relationship to diligence, exclusivity Substantive  terms v. process terms Indemnity, hold back and limitation of liability provisions Termination of a letter and survival of certain provisions Understanding the point at which letters of intent may become enforceable   Speaker: Stephanie Molyneaux is an attorney in the Washington, D.C. office of Venable, LLP, where she assists clients with a wide variety of transactional matters.  Her experience includes mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, contractual agreements, technology transactions, licensing, and intellectual property transactions.  Ms. Molyneaux received her B.A., with distinction, from American University of Beirut and her J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Richmond School of Law.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 12/13/2024
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Course1

The Art and Science of Conditional Gifts in Estate Planning

$65.00

In formulating their trust and estate plans, clients often want to set up benchmarks of achievement before distributions or gifts are made. These benchmarks often involve educational attainment – i.e., that a child obtain a college degree by a certain.  But they may involve more difficult to measure benchmarks or life goals that are arguably not appropriate – i.e., that a child marry or have children of their own by a certain age.  Conditional gifts can easily lead to resentments among beneficiaries, questionable enforceability, disputes, and fiduciary litigation.  This program will provide you with a practical guide to conditional gifting using incentive trusts and other mechanisms, and counseling clients about the real limits and risks of conditional gifting.   Conditional gifting using incentive trusts and other mechanisms Establishing objectively measurable conditions for gifts or distributions Types of conditions or benchmarks – education, life goals, etc. What’s enforceable, what’s not – counseling clients about limits Choosing the right fiduciaries to administer conditional gifts/incentive trusts   Speaker: 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
  • 12/16/2024
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Course1

Guarantees in Real Estate Transactions

$65.00

Guarantees undergird most real estate transactions.  Lenders, investors and others are often unwilling or unable to finance or otherwise support a real estate transaction without certain substantial guarantees.  These guarantees may concern repayment of loan proceeds or performance of other services – construction, maintenance and waste prevention, environmental indemnity, etc.  The scope of guarantees is highly negotiated, particularly whether the guarantee is recourse or non-recourse and the scope of carve-outs from the guarantees. This program will provide you with a practical guide to negotiating and drafting guarantees in real estate transactions.    Types of guarantees – payment, performance, collection, completion Essential elements of a guarantee – consideration, scope, carve-outs, waivers Guarantees for property maintenance/no waste, environmental indemnity and other non-financial concerns Carve-outs – full v. partial, fraud, misappropriation, misapplication, failure to maintain, insurance, and more Guarantees of construction loans   Speaker: John S. Hollyfield is of counsel and a former partner in the Houston office Norton Rose Fulbright, LLP.  He has more than 40 years’ experience in real estate law practice.  He formerly served as chair of the ABA Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section, president of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, and chair of the Anglo-American Real Property Institute.  He has been named a "Texas Super Lawyer" in Real Estate Law by Texas Monthly magazine and is listed in Who’s Who in American Law.  He is co-editor of Modern Banking and Lending Forms (4th Edition), published by Warren, Gorham & Lamont.  He received his B.B.A. from the University of Texas and his LL.B. from the University of Texas School of Law.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 12/20/2024
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Course1

Drafting Indemnity Agreements in Business and Commercial Transactions

$65.00

Indemnity agreements are central to the risk allocation and limitation of liability system built into most transactionalarrangements. The indemnitor agrees to indemnify the indemnitee on the occurrence of certain events. The scope of liability in these agreements is very carefully defined, often including actual costs but excluding consequential damages or any damages arising from third-party claims. All of the pieces of the indemnity puzzle – scope, measure of damages, exclusions and procedures for cost recovery – must be very carefully considered, negotiated and drafted. This program will provide you with a practical guide to drafting key provisions of indemnity agreements in transactional agreements.    Scope of indemnity – indemnity v. hold harmless, damages v. liabilities, direct v. third-party claims Types of losses subject to indemnity – breaches of reps and warranties, covenants, losses, specific circumstances Determining recoverable damages and costs, including attorneys’ fees Implied or equitable indemnity – and use of disclaimers to limit liability Difference between the duty to defend v. indemnification  Procedure for claiming and obtaining indemnification reimbursements   Speakers: Joel R. Buckberg is a shareholder in the Nashville office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, P.C. and chair of the firm’s commercial transactions and business consulting group. He has more than 45 years’ experience structuring and drafting commercial, corporate and business transactions.  He also counsels clients on strategic planning, financing, mergers and acquisitions, system policy and practice development, regulatory compliance and contract system drafting. Prior to joining Baker Donelson, he was executive vice president and deputy general counsel of Cendant Corporation.  Mr. Buckberg received his B.S. form Union College, his M.B.A. from Vanderbilt University, and his J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law. William J. Kelly, III is a founding member of Kelly Law Partners, LLC, and has more than 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 School of Law.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 12/21/2024
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Course1

2023 Uniform Commercial Code/Commercial Law Update

$65.00

  The overlapping articles of the UCC impact most business, commercial and real estate transactions.  From the perfection of security interests to the enforceability of promissory notes and investment contracts to equipment leases and the sale of goods, the UCC plays a role in most significant transactions. This program, led by one of the nation’s leading authorities on the UCC, will provide you with a wide-ranging discussion of developments under the many articles of the UCC, including secured transactions, investment notes, sales, and equipment leasing.   Recent UCC developments for transactional attorneys Developments impacting commercial, business and real estate transactions UCC Article 9, asset-based transactions and secured transactions Sales of goods contracts Equipment leases, including computer equipment and capital equipment Notes, guarantees and letters of credit   Speaker: Steven O. Weise is a partner with Proskauer Rose, LLP, where his practice encompasses all areas of commercial law. He has extensive experience in financing, particularly those secured by personal property.  He also handles matters involving real property anti-deficiency laws, workouts, guarantees, sales of goods, letters of credit, commercial paper and checks, and investment securities.  Mr. Weise formerly served as chair of the ABA Business Law Section. He has also served as a member of the Permanent Editorial Board of the UCC and as an Advisor to the UCC Code Article 9 Drafting Committee.  Mr. Weise received his B.A. from Yale University and his J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law.

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  • 60
    Minutes
  • 1/7/2025
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Course1

Ethical Issues When Representing the Elderly

$65.00

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

$65.00

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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Course1

Drafting Liquidated Damages Clauses

$65.00

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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Course1

Trust and Estate Planning Issues in Divorce

$65.00

  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

$65.00

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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Lawyer Ethics When Working with Paralegals

$65.00

  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

$65.00

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

$65.00

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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  • 1/31/2025
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Exit Strategies: Selling Companies to Employees, Part 1

$65.00

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

$65.00

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

$65.00

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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  • 2/4/2025
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2023 Ethics Update, Part 1

$65.00

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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  • 2/9/2025
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2023 Ethics Update, Part 2

$65.00

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

$65.00

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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  • 2/11/2025
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Due Diligence in Real Estate: How to Conduct and Use

$65.00

  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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  • 2/15/2025
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Policies for Newly Distributed Workforces: How to Make the "New Office" Work

$65.00

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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  • 2/15/2025
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Estate Planning for Digital Assets

$65.00

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

$65.00

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

$65.00

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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  • 2/22/2025
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Lawyer Ethics and Texting

$65.00

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
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  • 2/23/2025
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