Course1

Capital Stacks in Real Estate: Tiers, Tradeoffs & Costs

$65.00

Real estate capital structures have evolved into sophisticated financing mechanisms that can make or break investment deals. This intensive program demystifies the complex world of equity tiers, preferred returns, and capital stack optimization for real estate transactions. Attorneys will gain practical insights into structuring deals that balance investor expectations with project feasibility.   · Analyze different capital stack structures and their legal implications · Understand waterfall distributions and preferred return mechanisms · Navigate investor agreements and capital contribution requirements · Examine case studies of successful and failed capital structures · Master the documentation necessary for complex real estate financing   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.  

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 11/5/2025
    Presented
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Course1

Stockholders' Agreements for C & S Corps, Part 1

$65.00

Stockholders’ agreements can make or break a closely held company.  Voting control is allocated, distribution policies established, buy-sell mechanisms defined, and the relationship of the owners organized.  Most of the big decisions of a closely held company are made in the stockholders’ agreement. In the context of S Corporations, these agreements take on even more importance in the form of various restrictions to ensure the corporation does not lose its pass-through status for federal income tax purposes. This program will provide you with a guide to planning and drafting the most essential provisions of stockholders’ agreements for C and S corporations.    Day 1: Practical uses of stockholders’ agreements Management and voting rights – what events trigger a vote and by whom Economic rights – distributions, taxes, and liquidations Information rights – access to operational, financial and tax information   Day 2: Restrictions on transferability and mechanisms to buy/sell restricted stock Valuation methodologies for stock that does not have a liquid market Protective provisions for S Corps – preventing transfers to ineligible holders Provisions for approving the termination an S Corp election Close corporations and the ability to govern the company without a board of directors   Speaker: Frank Ciatto is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Venable, LLP, where he has 20 years’ experience advising clients on mergers and acquisitions, limited liability companies, tax and accounting issues, and corporate finance transactions.  He is a leader of his firm’s private equity and hedge fund groups and a member of the Mergers & Acquisitions Subcommittee of the ABA Business Law Section.  He is a Certified Public Accountant and earlier in his career worked at what is now PricewaterhouseCoopers in New York.  Molly Merritts is an attorney in the Washington, D.C. office of Venable, LLP, where she focuses her practice on a wide range of corporate law matters, including mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity financing, and real estate investment trusts. She also advises clients on corporate governance matters, transactional and commercial contract negotiations, and corporate reorganizations.  

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 11/6/2025
    Presented
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Course1

Stockholders' Agreements for C & S Corps, Part 2

$65.00

Stockholders’ agreements can make or break a closely held company.  Voting control is allocated, distribution policies established, buy-sell mechanisms defined, and the relationship of the owners organized.  Most of the big decisions of a closely held company are made in the stockholders’ agreement. In the context of S Corporations, these agreements take on even more importance in the form of various restrictions to ensure the corporation does not lose its pass-through status for federal income tax purposes. This program will provide you with a guide to planning and drafting the most essential provisions of stockholders’ agreements for C and S corporations.    Day 1: Practical uses of stockholders’ agreements Management and voting rights – what events trigger a vote and by whom Economic rights – distributions, taxes, and liquidations Information rights – access to operational, financial and tax information   Day 2: Restrictions on transferability and mechanisms to buy/sell restricted stock Valuation methodologies for stock that does not have a liquid market Protective provisions for S Corps – preventing transfers to ineligible holders Provisions for approving the termination an S Corp election Close corporations and the ability to govern the company without a board of directors   Speaker: Frank Ciatto is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Venable, LLP, where he has 20 years’ experience advising clients on mergers and acquisitions, limited liability companies, tax and accounting issues, and corporate finance transactions.  He is a leader of his firm’s private equity and hedge fund groups and a member of the Mergers & Acquisitions Subcommittee of the ABA Business Law Section.  He is a Certified Public Accountant and earlier in his career worked at what is now PricewaterhouseCoopers in New York.  Molly Merritts is an attorney in the Washington, D.C. office of Venable, LLP, where she focuses her practice on a wide range of corporate law matters, including mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity financing, and real estate investment trusts. She also advises clients on corporate governance matters, transactional and commercial contract negotiations, and corporate reorganizations.  

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 11/7/2025
    Presented
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Course1

LIVE REPLAY: Lawyers Supervising Lawyers: Navigating Ethical Responsibilities

$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.   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.

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 11/12/2025
    Presented
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Course1

Buy/Sell Agreements: Crafting for Closely Held Companies, Part 1

$65.00

There is rarely a liquid market for the sale or exchange of ownership interests in closely-held companies.  Buy/sell agreements fix that problem by creating a market among the owners of a company, providing a mechanism for owners to liquidate their interests in a reliable manner. The owners may agree to buy and sell interests among themselves on the occurrence of certain events and using certain valuation metrics, or they may agree that the company itself will redeem an owner’s interest. Without these agreements, there is often no alternative for an owner to cash out, short of liquidating the company. This program will provide you with a practical guide to the different types of buy/sell agreements, drafting the essential provisions of each, and common negotiating and drafting tips.    Day 1:  Types of buy/sell agreements – cross-purchase among owners, entity redemption, and hybrid approaches  Most highly negotiated provisions of buy/sell agreements  Triggering events – voluntary sale, retirement, death, bankruptcy of shareholder or member  Valuation of interests – appraisals, formula clauses,comps, and dispute resolution  Rights of first offer v. rights of first refusal, and sales to third parties    Day 2:  Funding buy/sell arrangements  – payouts/earnouts over time, commercial borrowing, key-man insurance, other funding sources  Special issues involving S Corps and unincorporated entities  Drag-along and tag-along rights in buy/sell agreements  Major tax issues in buy/sell agreements for buyer, seller and the entity    Speaker:  Daniel G. Straga is counsel in the Washington, D.C. office of Venable, LLP, where he counsels companies on a wide variety of corporate and business matters across a range of industries. He advises clients on mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, venture capital, and governance matters.  He also have extensive experience in private equity and cross-border transactions. 

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 11/13/2025
    Presented
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Course1

Buy/Sell Agreements: Crafting for Closely Held Companies, Part 2

$65.00

There is rarely a liquid market for the sale or exchange of ownership interests in closely-held companies.  Buy/sell agreements fix that problem by creating a market among the owners of a company, providing a mechanism for owners to liquidate their interests in a reliable manner. The owners may agree to buy and sell interests among themselves on the occurrence of certain events and using certain valuation metrics, or they may agree that the company itself will redeem an owner’s interest. Without these agreements, there is often no alternative for an owner to cash out, short of liquidating the company. This program will provide you with a practical guide to the different types of buy/sell agreements, drafting the essential provisions of each, and common negotiating and drafting tips.    Day 1:  Types of buy/sell agreements – cross-purchase among owners, entity redemption, and hybrid approaches  Most highly negotiated provisions of buy/sell agreements  Triggering events – voluntary sale, retirement, death, bankruptcy of shareholder or member  Valuation of interests – appraisals, formula clauses,comps, and dispute resolution  Rights of first offer v. rights of first refusal, and sales to third parties    Day 2:  Funding buy/sell arrangements  – payouts/earnouts over time, commercial borrowing, key-man insurance, other funding sources  Special issues involving S Corps and unincorporated entities  Drag-along and tag-along rights in buy/sell agreements  Major tax issues in buy/sell agreements for buyer, seller and the entity    Speaker:  Daniel G. Straga is counsel in the Washington, D.C. office of Venable, LLP, where he counsels companies on a wide variety of corporate and business matters across a range of industries. He advises clients on mergers and acquisitions, capital raising, venture capital, and governance matters.  He also have extensive experience in private equity and cross-border transactions. 

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 11/14/2025
    Presented
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Course1

LIVE REPLAY: Faith-Based Planning: Trust & Estate Strategies for Beliefs

$65.00

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.  

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 11/18/2025
    Presented
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Course1

The Privilege: Exactly What Communications Between Attorney and Client are Protected?

$65.00

Attorney-client privilege seems straightforward until you're faced with corporate clients, third-party communications, or discovery disputes that challenge its boundaries. This program cuts through the confusion with practical guidance on when privilege applies, how it can be waived, and what communications truly remain protected. Learn to safeguard confidential communications while avoiding privilege pitfalls that could expose sensitive client information.   Identify the precise scope and limitations of attorney-client privilege Understand privilege in corporate settings and multi-party representations Learn when third-party presence destroys or preserves privilege protection Master common privilege waiver scenarios and how to avoid them Develop strategies for asserting and protecting privilege in litigation   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.

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 11/19/2025
    Presented
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Course1

LIVE REPLAY: Digital Legacy: 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. 

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 11/20/2025
    Presented
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Course1

I Want Out, Too: Russian Roulette/Stand-off & Tag-along Rights in Business Transactions

$65.00

A client investment in an operating business, particularly a minority stake, is only as good as its liquidity.  If a client cannot readily sell his or her ownership stake at fair market value, it has little real value. The key to ensuring liquidity is contractually creating a private market for the ownership stake.  This market can come in the form of requiring other stakeholders, including the majority owner, to buy the minority stake at a mutually agreeable price, or creating other mechanisms for selling the stake to third parties. Without these contract rights, a stakeholder has no liquidity and is stuck. This program will provide you with a practical to planning and drafting contractual liquidity rights in closely held companies.     Planning and drafting liquidity rights in closely held companies  Counseling clients about the limitations and risks of liquidity in closely held companies   Framework of alternatives for determining most appropriate liquidity rights   “Texas standoff” or “Russian roulette” – opportunities, risks and tradeoffs  Drafting “tag-along” and “drag-along” rights – practical uses and drawbacks  How to think about valuing closely held ownership stakes     Speaker:   Frank Ciatto is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Venable, LLP, where he has 20 years’ experience advising clients on mergers and acquisitions, limited liability companies, tax and accounting issues, and corporate finance transactions.  He is a leader of his firm’s private equity and hedge fund groups and a member of the Mergers & Acquisitions Subcommittee of the ABA Business Law Section.  He is a Certified Public Accountant and earlier in his career worked at what is now PricewaterhouseCoopers in New York.  Mr. Ciatto earned his B.A., cum laude, at Georgetown University and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. 

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 11/21/2025
    Presented
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Course1

LIVE REPLAY: Drafting Waivers of Conflicts of Interests

$65.00

A bedrock principle of lawyer ethics is that lawyers owe their clients loyalty, free of conflicts of interest – unless those conflicts are explicitly waived by a client in writing.  Clients are entitled to zealous representation without the lawyer being conflicted by other representations.  When a conflict arises, the lawyer is required to decline the representation causing the conflict or withdraw from an ongoing matter – unless the conflict is explicitly waived by the client.  But waivers are not always easily accomplished.  They must be carefully drafted – particularly when it purports to be of an anticipated conflict. This program will provide you with a real-world guide to the rules governing conflict waivers, types of waivers, and how to draft them to avoid future dispute and ethical sanction. Drafting effective waivers of conflicts of interest Key provisions of waivers and ensuring there is “informed” consent Advance waivers – drafting waivers for anticipated conflicts Types of advance waivers – stating subject area, adverse parties, neither or both Sources of rules and practical guidance on drafting waivers Common mistakes made in drafting waivers Consequences of ineffective waivers Speaker: 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 more than 25 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.  

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 11/24/2025
    Presented
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Course1

Joint Representations, Part 1: Civil Litigation Focus

$65.00

Joint representations in civil litigation present unique opportunities and significant ethical minefields that can derail cases and careers. This two-part program provides essential guidance on when joint representation serves clients' interests and when it creates insurmountable conflicts. Practitioners will learn to navigate these complex arrangements while maintaining ethical compliance and effective advocacy.   Part 1: Evaluate when joint representation benefits multiple parties in litigation Identify potential conflicts before they become ethical violations Master consent procedures and documentation for joint representations Understand the scope of shared confidentiality in joint arrangements Learn to structure retainer agreements for multiple-client representations   Part 2: Navigate withdrawal obligations when conflicts develop mid-litigation Handle strategic considerations for managing divergent client interests Address privilege issues unique to joint representation scenarios Develop communication protocols that protect all parties' interests Master fee allocation and billing practices in joint representations   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.

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 11/25/2025
    Presented
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Course1

Joint Representations, Part 2: Civil Litigation Focus

$65.00

Joint representations in civil litigation present unique opportunities and significant ethical minefields that can derail cases and careers. This two-part program provides essential guidance on when joint representation serves clients' interests and when it creates insurmountable conflicts. Practitioners will learn to navigate these complex arrangements while maintaining ethical compliance and effective advocacy.   Part 1: Evaluate when joint representation benefits multiple parties in litigation Identify potential conflicts before they become ethical violations Master consent procedures and documentation for joint representations Understand the scope of shared confidentiality in joint arrangements Learn to structure retainer agreements for multiple-client representations   Part 2: Navigate withdrawal obligations when conflicts develop mid-litigation Handle strategic considerations for managing divergent client interests Address privilege issues unique to joint representation scenarios Develop communication protocols that protect all parties' interests Master fee allocation and billing practices in joint representations   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.

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 11/26/2025
    Presented
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Course1

Rescission in Business Transaction: How to fix Something That Has Gone Wrong

$65.00

Despite the best-laid plans and careful drafting, errors occur in transactions and their underlying documents. The parties may have had a misunderstanding of a crucial fact or the applicable law, leaving the parties with a practically or legally defective arrangement. Or a simple drafting error may have been made in one or more of the transaction’s underlying documents. This program provides you with a practical guide to using rescission, backdating, and other forms of modification to fix transactional errors, teach you about the best uses and limits of each technique, and discusses the tax and other consequences of using these techniques. • Types of temporal modification—rescission, backdated initial actions, backdated modification • Legitimate reasons for after-the-fact modification of transactions• Statutory and common law recognition of rescission• Permissibility of backdating certain transactions• Special use of rescission to save S corporation status• Tax consequences of rescission and other corrective measures   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. 

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 12/1/2025
    Presented
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Course1

Crafting Success 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 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. Mr. Malech received his B.A., with special honors, from the University of Texas and his J.D. from the Connecticut School of Law. 

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 12/2/2025
    Presented
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Course1

Negotiation Ethics: Balancing Boasts and Integrity

$65.00

Lawyers must be truthful.  Yet they must be zealous in the representation of their clients.  The tension between these two principles is perhaps never as great as when the lawyer is negotiating for a client.  The negotiation may be a settlement of litigation or in connection with a transaction. The lawyer may make statements about the law or fact – or simply refrain from making statements because the lawyer knows certain facts or legal precedent are adverse to his or her client’s interest.   Lawyers may also “puff” or boast, signaling that a negotiating stance is firmer than a client’s true positon or more substantively valid than the law can reasonably support.  At some point, the gray ethical line is tripped and what the lawyer does becomes improper. This program will provide you with a real world guide to ethical issues in lawyer negotiations.  Ethics and ethical drawing lines – what’s an acceptable level of deception in negotiations? Affirmative statements of fact, value or intent in settlements Silence about adverse law in negotiations Silence about facts unknown to an opponent or counter-party Silence about errors in settlement agreements or transactional documents Non-litigation work in another state – “temporary” practice Speakers: Thomas E. Spahn is a partner in the McLean, Virginia office of McGuireWoods, LLP, where he has a substantial practice advising clients on properly creating and preserving the attorney-client privilege and work product protections.  For more than 30 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 a member of the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility and as a member of the Virginia State Bar's Legal Ethics Committee.   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, she practiced law in Washington DC and New York, focusing 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 Legal Ethics Committee.  She writes and speaks extensively on attorney ethics issues.       

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 12/4/2025
    Presented
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Course1

LIVE REPLAY: Faith-Based Planning: Trust & Estate Strategies for Beliefs

$65.00

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.  

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 12/5/2025
    Presented
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Course1

Navigating Conflicts of Interest, Part 1

$65.00

Conflicts of interest remain among the most common sources of legal malpractice claims and disciplinary actions. This comprehensive two-part program transforms conflict analysis from guesswork into systematic risk management through practical frameworks and real-world scenarios. Attorneys will develop the skills to identify, evaluate, and properly handle conflicts before they become career-threatening problems.   Part 1: Apply systematic conflict-checking procedures and documentation requirements Understand when conflicts are consentable versus absolutely prohibited Master client consent processes and required disclosures Learn to identify conflicts in transactional versus litigation contexts Develop intake procedures that catch conflicts before engagement   Part 2: Handle conflicts that arise during ongoing representations Navigate conflicts between current and former clients Understand imputation rules and their impact on law firm operations Develop firm-wide policies for conflict prevention and management Learn remedial measures when conflicts are discovered after engagement   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.  

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 12/9/2025
    Presented
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Course1

Navigating Conflicts of Interest, Part 2

$65.00

Conflicts of interest remain among the most common sources of legal malpractice claims and disciplinary actions. This comprehensive two-part program transforms conflict analysis from guesswork into systematic risk management through practical frameworks and real-world scenarios. Attorneys will develop the skills to identify, evaluate, and properly handle conflicts before they become career-threatening problems.   Part 1: Apply systematic conflict-checking procedures and documentation requirements Understand when conflicts are consentable versus absolutely prohibited Master client consent processes and required disclosures Learn to identify conflicts in transactional versus litigation contexts Develop intake procedures that catch conflicts before engagement   Part 2: Handle conflicts that arise during ongoing representations Navigate conflicts between current and former clients Understand imputation rules and their impact on law firm operations Develop firm-wide policies for conflict prevention and management Learn remedial measures when conflicts are discovered after engagement   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.

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 12/10/2025
    Presented
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LIVE REPLAY: Decanting, Reformation & Other Tools Explained

$65.00

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. 

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 12/11/2025
    Presented
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Noticing & Reacting to Red Flags: Under Duress & Undue Influence in Trust and Estate Planning

$65.00

Elderly and other clients with diminished physical or intellectual capacity are often the victims of undue influence or duress in disposition of their property.  They are often dependent on a caregiver, relative or other person for social interaction or essential mobility and functioning.  This makes them ripe for exploitation by the unscrupulous.  From a trust and estate planner’s perspective, undue influence and duress undermine the client’s true intent and jeopardize the validity of estate and trust instruments. This program will provide you with a world guide to spotting warning signs of undue influence and duress, drafting considerations, and the risks of litigation challenging trust and estate plans.    Undue influence and duress risks in trust and estate planning  Elements of undue influence – motive, opportunity and actual exercise  Understanding what constitutes duress  How to spot warning signs or red flags of undue influence and duress  Drafting considerations to preserve the true intent of a client and prevent challenges  Court battles – burdens of proof, assessing likelihood of successful challenges    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. 

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 12/12/2025
    Presented
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LIVE REPLAY: Internet Ethics: Navigating Lawyer Responsibilities Online

$65.00

The Internet is the uniform information appliance for communications, research, and marketing, for consumers and for lawyers.  You can easily research witnesses, parties, judges, and jurors with a simple Google search.  Add in social media searches – blogs, Facebook, Twitter and many other platforms – and you can develop a rich demographic profile of all of these individuals.  With a few keystrokes, you can pull down more information than ever before. You can also communicate freely, unmediated and unrestricted, with virtually anyone. All of these functions are valuable in litigation and transactional practice but also give rise to substantial ethics issues – not everything that the Web enables is proper. This program will provide you with a real world guide to ethics issues when lawyer engage in research and communication using the Internet.    Communicating with parties, opposing attorneys, and witnesses via email, social media, and texting Researching jurors, parties, witnesses and judges via social media Blogging or sending newsletters/law updates to clients Trends in texting, confidentiality, and discoverability Law firm marketing via the web   Speaker: Thomas E. Spahn is a partner in the McLean, Virginia office of McGuireWoods, LLP, where he has a substantial practice advising clients on properly creating and preserving the attorney-client privilege and work product protections.  For more than 30 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 a member of the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility and as a member of the Virginia State Bar's Legal Ethics Committee.  

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 12/15/2025
    Presented
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Real Estate Wealth: Trust and Estate Planning Strategies, Part 1

$65.00

Real estate often represents the largest component of a client's wealth, yet many estate plans fail to optimize its transfer potential. This two-part program reveals advanced strategies for minimizing transfer taxes, maximizing valuation discounts, and preserving family wealth through sophisticated real estate planning techniques. Discover how to turn property holdings into powerful estate planning tools.   Part 1: Explore valuation discounts and their application to real estate transfers Master grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs) for real estate assets Understand qualified personal residence trusts and their benefits Learn family limited partnership structures for real estate holdings Navigate installment sales and self-canceling installment notes   Part 2: Master conservation easements and their estate planning advantages Understand opportunity zone investments in estate planning contexts Learn charitable remainder trusts with real estate contributions Explore real estate investment trust (REIT) structures for family wealth Address generation-skipping transfer tax strategies for real estate   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.   Michael Sneeringer an attorney 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 has served as vice chair of the asset protection planning committee of the ABA’s Real Property, Trust and Estate Section and is an official reporter of the Heckerling Institute. 

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 12/17/2025
    Presented
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Real Estate Wealth: Trust and Estate Planning Strategies, Part 2

$65.00

Real estate often represents the largest component of a client's wealth, yet many estate plans fail to optimize its transfer potential. This two-part program reveals advanced strategies for minimizing transfer taxes, maximizing valuation discounts, and preserving family wealth through sophisticated real estate planning techniques. Discover how to turn property holdings into powerful estate planning tools.   Part 1: Explore valuation discounts and their application to real estate transfers Master grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs) for real estate assets Understand qualified personal residence trusts and their benefits Learn family limited partnership structures for real estate holdings Navigate installment sales and self-canceling installment notes   Part 2: Master conservation easements and their estate planning advantages Understand opportunity zone investments in estate planning contexts Learn charitable remainder trusts with real estate contributions Explore real estate investment trust (REIT) structures for family wealth Address generation-skipping transfer tax strategies for real estate   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.   Michael Sneeringer an attorney 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 has served as vice chair of the asset protection planning committee of the ABA’s Real Property, Trust and Estate Section and is an official reporter of the Heckerling Institute. 

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 12/18/2025
    Presented
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LIVE REPLAY: Cloud Contracts: Drafting and Reviewing IT Sourcing Agreements

$65.00

Virtually every organization outsources it information technology (IT) functions to third-party vendors.  Electronic files of every time – data and documents, video and audio – are stored on servers owned and maintained by third parties and located at off-site locations.  Telecom services are also commonly outsourced. The idea behind outsourcing these increasingly complex systems is that costs might be controlled and the difficulty of maintaining them becomes someone else’s task. But getting to that point lies beyond reviewing and negotiating highly complex IT outsource agreements involving performance and reliability, data security and privacy breaches, and warranty and indemnity.  This program will provide you with a practical guide to negotiating and drafting IT agreements with third-party vendors.   Performance standards for IT vendors, reliability, and Service Level Agreements Essential warranty and indemnity provisions – and spotting red flags Understanding how “The Cloud” works for contractual purposes Important data security, privacy and related liability concerns Drafting the underlying equipment lease and/or software license Reviewing fee structures in IT outsourcing agreements   Speaker: Peter J. Kinsella is a partner in the Denver office of Perkins Coie, LLP, where he has an extensive technology law practice focusing on advising start-up, emerging and large companies on technology-related commercial and intellectual property transaction matters.  Prior to joining his firm, he worked for ten years in various legal capacities with Qwest Communications International, Inc. and Honeywell, Inc.  Mr. Kinsella has extensive experience structuring and negotiating data sharing agreements, complex procurement agreements, product distribution agreements, OEM agreements, marketing and advertising agreements, corporate sponsorship agreements, and various types of patent, trademark and copyright licenses.

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 12/19/2025
    Presented
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Good Faith in Business: Navigating Litigation Risks

$65.00

The duty of good faith and fair dealing has become a powerful weapon in commercial disputes, transforming routine contract disagreements into high-stakes litigation. This program provides essential guidance on understanding, applying, and defending against good faith claims across various business contexts. Learn to counsel clients on compliance strategies that prevent disputes while positioning them advantageously if litigation arises.   Understand the evolving scope of good faith obligations in different jurisdictions Identify high-risk scenarios where good faith claims commonly arise Learn defensive strategies for businesses facing good faith allegations Master contract drafting techniques that clarify performance standards   Speaker: William J. Kelly, III is a founding member of Kelly & Walker LLC and has more than 25 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.  

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 12/22/2025
    Presented
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LIVE REPLAY: Alternative Ways to Acquire Commercial Real Estate: ROFRs, ROFOs & Options

$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, their practical consequences later in a transaction, and negotiating strategies for buyers and sellers, landlords and tenants.    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.  

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 12/26/2025
    Presented
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LIVE REPLAY: Incentive Trusts: Balancing Rewards and Expectations

$65.00

Incentive trusts are a mechanism by which the settlor tries to “incentivize” or seek to control the behavior of beneficiaries.  Settlors may want to encourage children or grandchildren to achieve certain educational milestones, maintain a job, get married or have children, or remain free of substance abuse or other risky behaviors. But there are serious limits – limits of what the law will allow a settlor to demand of a beneficiary or a trustee to enforce.  There are also practical limits, including how to objectively judge a beneficiary’s behavior when making distributions.  Incentive trusts are decidedly a mixed bag. This program will provide you with a real-world guide to drafting incentive trusts, counseling clients about their effectiveness and limits, and understanding what the law will (or won’t) allow.   Uses and limitations – practical and legal – of incentive trusts Types of incentive trusts – and rates of success or failure in achieving settlor goals Structuring incentives so they can be objectively measured and administered by trustees Drafting distribution provisions Counseling clients about downsides of incentive trusts and alternatives   Speaker: John A. Warnick is an attorney and wealth counselor in Denver, Colorado, with a national estate and trust planning practice. He is widely recognized for his counseling of high net worth families on purposeful giving, the process of not only transferring wealth but creating a lasting legacy. He is also the managing collaborator of the Purposeful Planning Institute and a wealth consultant with Family Wealth and Transition Solutions.  Mr. Warnick is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and formerly practiced law with Holme, Roberts & Owen, LLP in Denver.  

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 12/29/2025
    Presented
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