Course1

Retirement Planning: Trust and Estate Strategies for IRAs and 401(k)s

$59.00

The single biggest asset most clients have is their retirement account – IRAs, 401(k)s, other defined benefit plans, and annuities. These retirement plans are often tax-favored but in exchange for that status come with a variety of restrictions. Each is also governed not only by the underlying terms of its sponsors and providers but by an array of complex tax regulations.  Understanding how these complex financial products are treated not only for tax purposes but, often more importantly, for purposes of transfer at death is the central focus of trust and estate plans for most clients.  This program will provide you with a guide to tax treatment and transfer rules of client retirement assets.    Allocation of estate and gift taxes QTIPing IRAs and trusts as IRA beneficiaries Trust distributions as income v. principal Understanding traps of beneficiary designations Creditor claims against retirement assets How annuity distributions are treated for income tax purposes – ordinary income, capital gain, return of investment   Speakers: Alicia Cole is a partner at Plante Moran in Detroit, Michigan, and an estate planning and wealth transfer specialist in the firm’s wealth management practice. Known for collaborating closely with clients, Alicia develops comprehensive estate plans designed to minimize taxes, preserve family wealth, and proactively address potential future issues, including special needs beneficiaries, remarriage, and asset protection concerns. With more than 16 years of experience, Alicia provides a wide range of consulting services to high-net-worth clients. Her expertise includes advanced wealth transfer techniques, estate and gift tax planning and compliance, and strategies for maximizing retirement benefits. 

  • Audio Webcast
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 8/15/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

Retirement Planning: Trust and Estate Strategies for IRAs and 401(k)s

$59.00

The single biggest asset most clients have is their retirement account – IRAs, 401(k)s, other defined benefit plans, and annuities. These retirement plans are often tax-favored but in exchange for that status come with a variety of restrictions. Each is also governed not only by the underlying terms of its sponsors and providers but by an array of complex tax regulations.  Understanding how these complex financial products are treated not only for tax purposes but, often more importantly, for purposes of transfer at death is the central focus of trust and estate plans for most clients.  This program will provide you with a guide to tax treatment and transfer rules of client retirement assets.    Allocation of estate and gift taxes QTIPing IRAs and trusts as IRA beneficiaries Trust distributions as income v. principal Understanding traps of beneficiary designations Creditor claims against retirement assets How annuity distributions are treated for income tax purposes – ordinary income, capital gain, return of investment   Speakers: Alicia Cole is a partner at Plante Moran in Detroit, Michigan, and an estate planning and wealth transfer specialist in the firm’s wealth management practice. Known for collaborating closely with clients, Alicia develops comprehensive estate plans designed to minimize taxes, preserve family wealth, and proactively address potential future issues, including special needs beneficiaries, remarriage, and asset protection concerns. With more than 16 years of experience, Alicia provides a wide range of consulting services to high-net-worth clients. Her expertise includes advanced wealth transfer techniques, estate and gift tax planning and compliance, and strategies for maximizing retirement benefits. 

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 8/15/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

LIVE REPLAY: E-Commerce Tax: Issues When Your Client Sells Good or Services Online

$59.00

Anytime your client’s business sells goods online, they may be required to calculate, collect and remint sales and use taxes for the buyer’s state. If the business sells nationally, they are potentially liable for collecting taxes in more than 7,000 taxing jurisdictions nationwide, even if they have no physical presence in those jurisdictions and markets.  As e-commerce become easier and more cost effective, the tax compliance part becomes far more difficult, especially have the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent seminal decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair.  This program will provide you a practical guide to your client’s sale and use tax compliance obligations when they sell goods on the Internet. New world of state and local sales taxes on the Internet after South Dakota v. Wayfair How physical presence is not required to trigger a state’s taxing jurisdiction Activities that subject a remote seller to a state’s taxing jurisdiction “Cookie laws,” the Cloud, and other digital bases for nexus Understanding the financial, civil and potentially criminal risks of non-compliance Best practices for state and local tax compliance in an uncertain environment   Speakers: Michael Lehmann is a partner in the New York office of Dechert, LLP, where he specializes in tax issues related to non-profits and in the tax treatment of cross-border transactions.  He advises hospitals and other health care providers, research organizations, low-income housing developers, trade associations, private foundations and arts organizations.  He advises clients on obtaining and maintaining tax-exempt status, executive compensation, reorganizations and joint ventures, acquisitions, and unrelated business income planning. 

  • Audio Webcast
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 8/18/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

LIVE REPLAY: E-Commerce Tax: Issues When Your Client Sells Good or Services Online

$59.00

Anytime your client’s business sells goods online, they may be required to calculate, collect and remint sales and use taxes for the buyer’s state. If the business sells nationally, they are potentially liable for collecting taxes in more than 7,000 taxing jurisdictions nationwide, even if they have no physical presence in those jurisdictions and markets.  As e-commerce become easier and more cost effective, the tax compliance part becomes far more difficult, especially have the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent seminal decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair.  This program will provide you a practical guide to your client’s sale and use tax compliance obligations when they sell goods on the Internet. New world of state and local sales taxes on the Internet after South Dakota v. Wayfair How physical presence is not required to trigger a state’s taxing jurisdiction Activities that subject a remote seller to a state’s taxing jurisdiction “Cookie laws,” the Cloud, and other digital bases for nexus Understanding the financial, civil and potentially criminal risks of non-compliance Best practices for state and local tax compliance in an uncertain environment   Speakers: Michael Lehmann is a partner in the New York office of Dechert, LLP, where he specializes in tax issues related to non-profits and in the tax treatment of cross-border transactions.  He advises hospitals and other health care providers, research organizations, low-income housing developers, trade associations, private foundations and arts organizations.  He advises clients on obtaining and maintaining tax-exempt status, executive compensation, reorganizations and joint ventures, acquisitions, and unrelated business income planning. 

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 8/18/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

Secured Transactions/UCC 9 Masterclass: Soup to Nuts, Part 1

$59.00

Secured transactions are the most common form of commercial transaction and help finance businesses of every size.  They are governed by the complex provisions of UCC Article 9. Getting every detail in financing statements, security agreements, and perfection of credits is essential. Agreements can be costly and time consuming to draft, and full of risk. Failure to comply with UCC Article 9 in drafting security agreements, perfecting a creditor’s interest, or foreclosing a lien can easily cause the value of the underlying transaction to be lost.  This program will provide you with a real-world guide UCC Article 9 practice.   Day 1: Lifecycle of UCC Article 9 secured transactions Drafting cost-effective and enforceable security agreements What to do when something about the debtor changes – e.g., name, location, ownership Accounts receivable, inventory, equipment, intellectual property Anti-assignment provisions regarding collateral Enhancing enforceability of security agreements and reduce risks in foreclosure   Day 2: Framework for the foreclosure of personal property under UCC Article 9 Foreclosing on equipment, inventory, intellectual property, and accounts receivable Duties of junior creditors to senior creditors on foreclosure Rights to proceeds of foreclosure sales and reducing foreclosure costs Rights of guarantors Debtor remedies in the event of a secured party default Cost-efficient alternatives to foreclosures and circumstances when these alternatives are available   Speaker: Steven O. Weise is a partner in the Los Angeles office Proskauer Rose, LLP, where his practice encompasses all areas of commercial law. He has extensive experience in financings, 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.  

  • Audio Webcast
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 8/19/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

Secured Transactions/UCC 9 Masterclass: Soup to Nuts, Part 1

$59.00

Secured transactions are the most common form of commercial transaction and help finance businesses of every size.  They are governed by the complex provisions of UCC Article 9. Getting every detail in financing statements, security agreements, and perfection of credits is essential. Agreements can be costly and time consuming to draft, and full of risk. Failure to comply with UCC Article 9 in drafting security agreements, perfecting a creditor’s interest, or foreclosing a lien can easily cause the value of the underlying transaction to be lost.  This program will provide you with a real-world guide UCC Article 9 practice.   Day 1: Lifecycle of UCC Article 9 secured transactions Drafting cost-effective and enforceable security agreements What to do when something about the debtor changes – e.g., name, location, ownership Accounts receivable, inventory, equipment, intellectual property Anti-assignment provisions regarding collateral Enhancing enforceability of security agreements and reduce risks in foreclosure   Day 2: Framework for the foreclosure of personal property under UCC Article 9 Foreclosing on equipment, inventory, intellectual property, and accounts receivable Duties of junior creditors to senior creditors on foreclosure Rights to proceeds of foreclosure sales and reducing foreclosure costs Rights of guarantors Debtor remedies in the event of a secured party default Cost-efficient alternatives to foreclosures and circumstances when these alternatives are available   Speaker: Steven O. Weise is a partner in the Los Angeles office Proskauer Rose, LLP, where his practice encompasses all areas of commercial law. He has extensive experience in financings, 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.  

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 8/19/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

Secured Transactions/UCC 9 Masterclass: Soup to Nuts, Part 2

$59.00

Secured transactions are the most common form of commercial transaction and help finance businesses of every size.  They are governed by the complex provisions of UCC Article 9. Getting every detail in financing statements, security agreements, and perfection of credits is essential. Agreements can be costly and time consuming to draft, and full of risk. Failure to comply with UCC Article 9 in drafting security agreements, perfecting a creditor’s interest, or foreclosing a lien can easily cause the value of the underlying transaction to be lost.  This program will provide you with a real-world guide UCC Article 9 practice.   Day 1: Lifecycle of UCC Article 9 secured transactions Drafting cost-effective and enforceable security agreements What to do when something about the debtor changes – e.g., name, location, ownership Accounts receivable, inventory, equipment, intellectual property Anti-assignment provisions regarding collateral Enhancing enforceability of security agreements and reduce risks in foreclosure   Day 2: Framework for the foreclosure of personal property under UCC Article 9 Foreclosing on equipment, inventory, intellectual property, and accounts receivable Duties of junior creditors to senior creditors on foreclosure Rights to proceeds of foreclosure sales and reducing foreclosure costs Rights of guarantors Debtor remedies in the event of a secured party default Cost-efficient alternatives to foreclosures and circumstances when these alternatives are available   Speaker: Steven O. Weise is a partner in the Los Angeles office Proskauer Rose, LLP, where his practice encompasses all areas of commercial law. He has extensive experience in financings, 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.  

  • Audio Webcast
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 8/20/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

Secured Transactions/UCC 9 Masterclass: Soup to Nuts, Part 2

$59.00

Secured transactions are the most common form of commercial transaction and help finance businesses of every size.  They are governed by the complex provisions of UCC Article 9. Getting every detail in financing statements, security agreements, and perfection of credits is essential. Agreements can be costly and time consuming to draft, and full of risk. Failure to comply with UCC Article 9 in drafting security agreements, perfecting a creditor’s interest, or foreclosing a lien can easily cause the value of the underlying transaction to be lost.  This program will provide you with a real-world guide UCC Article 9 practice.   Day 1: Lifecycle of UCC Article 9 secured transactions Drafting cost-effective and enforceable security agreements What to do when something about the debtor changes – e.g., name, location, ownership Accounts receivable, inventory, equipment, intellectual property Anti-assignment provisions regarding collateral Enhancing enforceability of security agreements and reduce risks in foreclosure   Day 2: Framework for the foreclosure of personal property under UCC Article 9 Foreclosing on equipment, inventory, intellectual property, and accounts receivable Duties of junior creditors to senior creditors on foreclosure Rights to proceeds of foreclosure sales and reducing foreclosure costs Rights of guarantors Debtor remedies in the event of a secured party default Cost-efficient alternatives to foreclosures and circumstances when these alternatives are available   Speaker: Steven O. Weise is a partner in the Los Angeles office Proskauer Rose, LLP, where his practice encompasses all areas of commercial law. He has extensive experience in financings, 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.  

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 8/20/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

LIVE REPLAY: Trust and Estate Planning in 2025: Embracing Change and Overcoming Challenges

$59.00

Trust and estate planning in 2025 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.   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 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 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
  • 8/21/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

LIVE REPLAY: Trust and Estate Planning in 2025: Embracing Change and Overcoming Challenges

$59.00

Trust and estate planning in 2025 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.   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 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 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.    

  • Audio Webcast
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 8/21/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

LIVE REPLAY: Lawyer Ethics When Clients Won't Pay Your Fees

$59.00

Attorneys and clients are in a confidential relationship, one that demands the lawyer’s absolute loyalty and zealous representation of client interests.  But what if the client refuses to pay his or her lawyer?  At that point, the broad and categorical demands of the ethics rules run up against the practical business of running a law practice. This clash of interests raises a range of substantial ethical issues.  How can the lawyer compel payment yet continuing representing a client?  Must he or she withdraw from the representation?  Can the lawyer sue the client or place a lien on client property?  Is the lawyer allowed to breach certain confidences in obtaining payment? This program will provide you with a guide to the ethical issues that arise when a client refuses to pay for a lawyer’s legal services, practical methods to ethically obtain payment, and best practices to avoid these disputes. Ethics when clients refuse to pay their lawyers’ fees How to manage the direct conflict with a client without breaching confidences Determining whether continuing a representation is permissible or required When and how a withdrawal from a representation is permitted in the cases of non-payment of fees Ethical issues when a lawyer places a lien on client property or sues the client Issues when no-payment relates to one of multiple representations of a client Understanding related attorney-client privilege issues Best practices in engagement letters and billing practices to protect lawyers   Speakers: Thomas E. Spahn is a partner in the McLean, Virginia office of McGuireWoods, LLP, where he has a broad complex commercial, business and securities litigation practice. He also has a substantial practice advising businesses on properly creating and preserving the attorney-client privilege and work product protections.  For more than 20 years he has lectured extensively on legal ethics and professionalism and has written “The Attorney-Client Privilege and the Work Product Doctrine: A Practitioner’s Guide,” a 750 page treatise published by the Virginia Law Foundation.  Mr. Spahn has served as member of the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility and as a member of the Virginia State Bar's Legal Ethics Committee.     Matthew Corbin is Vice President and 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.  

  • Audio Webcast
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 8/22/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

LIVE REPLAY: Lawyer Ethics When Clients Won't Pay Your Fees

$59.00

Attorneys and clients are in a confidential relationship, one that demands the lawyer’s absolute loyalty and zealous representation of client interests.  But what if the client refuses to pay his or her lawyer?  At that point, the broad and categorical demands of the ethics rules run up against the practical business of running a law practice. This clash of interests raises a range of substantial ethical issues.  How can the lawyer compel payment yet continuing representing a client?  Must he or she withdraw from the representation?  Can the lawyer sue the client or place a lien on client property?  Is the lawyer allowed to breach certain confidences in obtaining payment? This program will provide you with a guide to the ethical issues that arise when a client refuses to pay for a lawyer’s legal services, practical methods to ethically obtain payment, and best practices to avoid these disputes. Ethics when clients refuse to pay their lawyers’ fees How to manage the direct conflict with a client without breaching confidences Determining whether continuing a representation is permissible or required When and how a withdrawal from a representation is permitted in the cases of non-payment of fees Ethical issues when a lawyer places a lien on client property or sues the client Issues when no-payment relates to one of multiple representations of a client Understanding related attorney-client privilege issues Best practices in engagement letters and billing practices to protect lawyers   Speakers: Thomas E. Spahn is a partner in the McLean, Virginia office of McGuireWoods, LLP, where he has a broad complex commercial, business and securities litigation practice. He also has a substantial practice advising businesses on properly creating and preserving the attorney-client privilege and work product protections.  For more than 20 years he has lectured extensively on legal ethics and professionalism and has written “The Attorney-Client Privilege and the Work Product Doctrine: A Practitioner’s Guide,” a 750 page treatise published by the Virginia Law Foundation.  Mr. Spahn has served as member of the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility and as a member of the Virginia State Bar's Legal Ethics Committee.     Matthew Corbin is Vice President and 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.  

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 8/22/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

Weathering the Storm: Lease Drafting for Natural Disasters

$59.00

As extreme weather becomes more common, landlords and tenants are spending more time with overlooked lease provisions on weather-related damage.  When a weather or other “Act of God” event occurs, the tenants often have a wider array of remedies, including sometimes termination of the lease, and landlord’s see their risk (and thereby their costs) increase substantially.  As the probability of these events become less than trivial, it’s important reassess whether “boiler-plate” provisions still make economic and risk-management sense. This program will provide you with a real-world guide to drafting and reviewing weather-related and other force majeure provisions in commercial leases. Intricacies of force majeure clauses in leases Termination rights – triggers for landlords and tenants Economic concessions – rent abatement and other financial considerations Duty of landlord to restore, rights of tenant to access property & construction issues Practical, timely and cost-effective assertion of rights  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.  

  • Audio Webcast
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 8/25/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

Weathering the Storm: Lease Drafting for Natural Disasters

$59.00

As extreme weather becomes more common, landlords and tenants are spending more time with overlooked lease provisions on weather-related damage.  When a weather or other “Act of God” event occurs, the tenants often have a wider array of remedies, including sometimes termination of the lease, and landlord’s see their risk (and thereby their costs) increase substantially.  As the probability of these events become less than trivial, it’s important reassess whether “boiler-plate” provisions still make economic and risk-management sense. This program will provide you with a real-world guide to drafting and reviewing weather-related and other force majeure provisions in commercial leases. Intricacies of force majeure clauses in leases Termination rights – triggers for landlords and tenants Economic concessions – rent abatement and other financial considerations Duty of landlord to restore, rights of tenant to access property & construction issues Practical, timely and cost-effective assertion of rights  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.  

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 8/25/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

LIVE REPLAY: Ethics in Discovery Practice

$59.00

Discovery can be the most important phase of litigation, directing the course and outcome of the case.  How evidence is discovered, how it is used, and how mistakes in its handling are disclosed and remedied all raise very significant ethical issues. These issues – the risk of mishandling – are increased by the vast growth of ESI, electronically stored information. Litigators have certain obligations that their vendors comply with ethics rules. There are also issues surrounding the use of paralegals in discovery practice.  Failure to ensure ethics compliance during discovery can have a material adverse impact on the underlying litigation and draw an ethics complaint.  This program will provide you with a real-world guide to substantial issues ethical issues that arise in discovery practice and how to avoid ethics complaints.    Duty of candor to the tribunal during discovery Ethical issues when you learn that a client is dishonest Inadvertent disclosure privileged documents and their handling Ethics in depositions – conferring with witnesses, using video depositions and more Ethical issues in widespread data mining of discovery documents Issues involving metadata in electronic files – documents, email, text messages Attorney-client privilege and security issues of working with outside e-discovery vendors Ethics and social media discovery   Speakers: 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.    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.  

  • Audio Webcast
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 8/26/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

LIVE REPLAY: Ethics in Discovery Practice

$59.00

Discovery can be the most important phase of litigation, directing the course and outcome of the case.  How evidence is discovered, how it is used, and how mistakes in its handling are disclosed and remedied all raise very significant ethical issues. These issues – the risk of mishandling – are increased by the vast growth of ESI, electronically stored information. Litigators have certain obligations that their vendors comply with ethics rules. There are also issues surrounding the use of paralegals in discovery practice.  Failure to ensure ethics compliance during discovery can have a material adverse impact on the underlying litigation and draw an ethics complaint.  This program will provide you with a real-world guide to substantial issues ethical issues that arise in discovery practice and how to avoid ethics complaints.    Duty of candor to the tribunal during discovery Ethical issues when you learn that a client is dishonest Inadvertent disclosure privileged documents and their handling Ethics in depositions – conferring with witnesses, using video depositions and more Ethical issues in widespread data mining of discovery documents Issues involving metadata in electronic files – documents, email, text messages Attorney-client privilege and security issues of working with outside e-discovery vendors Ethics and social media discovery   Speakers: 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.    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
  • 8/26/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

LIVE REPLAY: Ethics in Discovery Practice

$59.00

Discovery can be the most important phase of litigation, directing the course and outcome of the case.  How evidence is discovered, how it is used, and how mistakes in its handling are disclosed and remedied all raise very significant ethical issues. These issues – the risk of mishandling – are increased by the vast growth of ESI, electronically stored information. Litigators have certain obligations that their vendors comply with ethics rules. There are also issues surrounding the use of paralegals in discovery practice.  Failure to ensure ethics compliance during discovery can have a material adverse impact on the underlying litigation and draw an ethics complaint.  This program will provide you with a real-world guide to substantial issues ethical issues that arise in discovery practice and how to avoid ethics complaints.    Duty of candor to the tribunal during discovery Ethical issues when you learn that a client is dishonest Inadvertent disclosure privileged documents and their handling Ethics in depositions – conferring with witnesses, using video depositions and more Ethical issues in widespread data mining of discovery documents Issues involving metadata in electronic files – documents, email, text messages Attorney-client privilege and security issues of working with outside e-discovery vendors Ethics and social media discovery   Speakers: 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.    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
  • 8/26/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

Sophisticated Choice of Entity, Part 1

$59.00

Choosing the right entity for a closely held business is not only a choice in time but planning for long stretches of time and the likelihood of substantial change. Among those changes are changes in tax law, changes in the capital structure and ownership ranks of the company, and changes in business strategy. These and a multitude of other considerations often involve a sophisticated tradeoff of benefits and costs, balancing certainty with flexibility, in full knowledge that change is certain.  This program will provide you with a practical guide to sophisticated choice of entity considerations for closely held businesses.    Day 1: Impact of industry norms, investor expectations, and regulatory requirements Management and information rights, and the ability to restrict Fiduciary duties/liability of owners and managers, and the ability to modify these duties Economic rights – choosing among capital rights, income rights, tracking rights   Day 2: Anticipating liquidity events – sale of the company, liquidation of the company, new investors/members Planning for distributions of property Owner and employee fringe benefit considerations Impact of recent tax law changes, employment taxes, and SALT considerations   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 private practice, he was a Certified Public Accountant with a national accounting firm, specializing in corporate and individual income tax planning and compliance.   Christopher Davidson is a partner in the Baltimore, Maryland office of Venable, LLP, where he advises clients on a wide variety of federal and tax matters, including in the areas of corporate formations, financings, and transactions.  His focus is on foreign and domestic tax matters for partnerships, LLCs, and corporations. He is a frequent contributor to professional tax journals. 

  • Audio Webcast
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 8/27/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

Sophisticated Choice of Entity, Part 1

$59.00

Choosing the right entity for a closely held business is not only a choice in time but planning for long stretches of time and the likelihood of substantial change. Among those changes are changes in tax law, changes in the capital structure and ownership ranks of the company, and changes in business strategy. These and a multitude of other considerations often involve a sophisticated tradeoff of benefits and costs, balancing certainty with flexibility, in full knowledge that change is certain.  This program will provide you with a practical guide to sophisticated choice of entity considerations for closely held businesses.    Day 1: Impact of industry norms, investor expectations, and regulatory requirements Management and information rights, and the ability to restrict Fiduciary duties/liability of owners and managers, and the ability to modify these duties Economic rights – choosing among capital rights, income rights, tracking rights   Day 2: Anticipating liquidity events – sale of the company, liquidation of the company, new investors/members Planning for distributions of property Owner and employee fringe benefit considerations Impact of recent tax law changes, employment taxes, and SALT considerations   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 private practice, he was a Certified Public Accountant with a national accounting firm, specializing in corporate and individual income tax planning and compliance.   Christopher Davidson is a partner in the Baltimore, Maryland office of Venable, LLP, where he advises clients on a wide variety of federal and tax matters, including in the areas of corporate formations, financings, and transactions.  His focus is on foreign and domestic tax matters for partnerships, LLCs, and corporations. He is a frequent contributor to professional tax journals. 

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 8/27/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

Sophisticated Choice of Entity, Part 2

$59.00

Choosing the right entity for a closely held business is not only a choice in time but planning for long stretches of time and the likelihood of substantial change. Among those changes are changes in tax law, changes in the capital structure and ownership ranks of the company, and changes in business strategy. These and a multitude of other considerations often involve a sophisticated tradeoff of benefits and costs, balancing certainty with flexibility, in full knowledge that change is certain.  This program will provide you with a practical guide to sophisticated choice of entity considerations for closely held businesses.    Day 1:  Impact of industry norms, investor expectations, and regulatory requirements Management and information rights, and the ability to restrict Fiduciary duties/liability of owners and managers, and the ability to modify these duties Economic rights – choosing among capital rights, income rights, tracking rights   Day 2:  Anticipating liquidity events – sale of the company, liquidation of the company, new investors/members Planning for distributions of property Owner and employee fringe benefit considerations Impact of recent tax law changes, employment taxes, and SALT considerations   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 private practice, he was a Certified Public Accountant with a national accounting firm, specializing in corporate and individual income tax planning and compliance.   Christopher Davidson is a partner in the Baltimore, Maryland office of Venable, LLP, where he advises clients on a wide variety of federal and tax matters, including in the areas of corporate formations, financings, and transactions.  His focus is on foreign and domestic tax matters for partnerships, LLCs, and corporations. He is a frequent contributor to professional tax journals. 

  • Audio Webcast
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 8/28/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

Sophisticated Choice of Entity, Part 2

$59.00

Choosing the right entity for a closely held business is not only a choice in time but planning for long stretches of time and the likelihood of substantial change. Among those changes are changes in tax law, changes in the capital structure and ownership ranks of the company, and changes in business strategy. These and a multitude of other considerations often involve a sophisticated tradeoff of benefits and costs, balancing certainty with flexibility, in full knowledge that change is certain.  This program will provide you with a practical guide to sophisticated choice of entity considerations for closely held businesses.    Day 1:  Impact of industry norms, investor expectations, and regulatory requirements Management and information rights, and the ability to restrict Fiduciary duties/liability of owners and managers, and the ability to modify these duties Economic rights – choosing among capital rights, income rights, tracking rights   Day 2:  Anticipating liquidity events – sale of the company, liquidation of the company, new investors/members Planning for distributions of property Owner and employee fringe benefit considerations Impact of recent tax law changes, employment taxes, and SALT considerations   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 private practice, he was a Certified Public Accountant with a national accounting firm, specializing in corporate and individual income tax planning and compliance.   Christopher Davidson is a partner in the Baltimore, Maryland office of Venable, LLP, where he advises clients on a wide variety of federal and tax matters, including in the areas of corporate formations, financings, and transactions.  His focus is on foreign and domestic tax matters for partnerships, LLCs, and corporations. He is a frequent contributor to professional tax journals. 

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 8/28/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

Trust and Estate Strategies for Single Clients

$59.00

It’s a misnomer to think that single clients, unmarried and without children, don’t need estate planning.  In some important ways, they need planning more urgently than clients who are married.  Single clients need to plan for long-term health and medical decision making, if they do not have close relatives.  They need to plan for their long-term care and to maximize the benefit of retirement accounts. They also need to grapple with what to do with any assets they may have at their death.  Single clients often do not think about these issues and need to be counseled about alternatives.  This program will provide you with a real-world guide to counseling and planning issues for unmarried clients.    Retirement account assets, life insurance policies, and beneficiary designations Advance medical directives, health care powers of attorney, and living wills Counseling clients about charitable giving to develop their interests/passions Choosing personal representatives when the client does not have close family   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.   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.  

  • Audio Webcast
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 8/29/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

Trust and Estate Strategies for Single Clients

$59.00

It’s a misnomer to think that single clients, unmarried and without children, don’t need estate planning.  In some important ways, they need planning more urgently than clients who are married.  Single clients need to plan for long-term health and medical decision making, if they do not have close relatives.  They need to plan for their long-term care and to maximize the benefit of retirement accounts. They also need to grapple with what to do with any assets they may have at their death.  Single clients often do not think about these issues and need to be counseled about alternatives.  This program will provide you with a real-world guide to counseling and planning issues for unmarried clients.    Retirement account assets, life insurance policies, and beneficiary designations Advance medical directives, health care powers of attorney, and living wills Counseling clients about charitable giving to develop their interests/passions Choosing personal representatives when the client does not have close family   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.   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
  • 8/29/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

LIVE REPLAY: Real Estate Appraisals: Financing and Development Insights

$59.00

Appraisals are part and parcel of every major realistic transaction.  Lenders will not loan without an appraisal.  Loan-to-value ratios are measured against the appraisal.  Investors will not invest without an appraisal.Appraisals are not set-piece documents, however; they involve a multiplicity of valuation metrics and different appraisers looking at the same property can and do generate widely varying valuations.  Because of their centrality to real estate transactions, understanding their structure and content is essential.  This program will provide you with a real-world guide to how appraisals are prepared and used in commercial real estate, their traps, and how they are incorporated into transactional documents.   Use of appraisals in obtaining funding for development projects and acquisitions Ensuring appraisals are prepared according to standards – and fraud risks if they are not Integrating appraisals in underlying operative documents What lawyers should look for in appraisals provided to clients – and how to spot red flags   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.

  • Audio Webcast
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 9/2/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

LIVE REPLAY: Real Estate Appraisals: Financing and Development Insights

$59.00

Appraisals are part and parcel of every major realistic transaction.  Lenders will not loan without an appraisal.  Loan-to-value ratios are measured against the appraisal.  Investors will not invest without an appraisal.Appraisals are not set-piece documents, however; they involve a multiplicity of valuation metrics and different appraisers looking at the same property can and do generate widely varying valuations.  Because of their centrality to real estate transactions, understanding their structure and content is essential.  This program will provide you with a real-world guide to how appraisals are prepared and used in commercial real estate, their traps, and how they are incorporated into transactional documents.   Use of appraisals in obtaining funding for development projects and acquisitions Ensuring appraisals are prepared according to standards – and fraud risks if they are not Integrating appraisals in underlying operative documents What lawyers should look for in appraisals provided to clients – and how to spot red flags   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.

  • Teleseminar
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 9/2/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

LIVE REPLAY: Generation Skipping Transfer Tax: Planning Opportunities and Mistakes

$59.00

This session provides a deep dive into the intricacies of the generation skipping transfer tax (GSTT), focusing on strategies to maximize tax efficiency while avoiding common planning mistakes. From understanding the core principles of GSTT to leveraging exemptions and trusts, this program offers tools to navigate the complexities of wealth transfer planning. Whether you're advising high-net-worth clients or managing family trusts, this session will provide actionable guidance.   Highlights:   An overview of GSTT rules, exemptions, and exclusions. Strategic use of trusts to minimize GSTT liability. Common drafting mistakes and how to avoid them. Recent regulatory developments and their implications. Practical examples of GSTT planning in action.   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. 

  • Audio Webcast
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 9/3/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

LIVE REPLAY: Generation Skipping Transfer Tax: Planning Opportunities and Mistakes

$59.00

This session provides a deep dive into the intricacies of the generation skipping transfer tax (GSTT), focusing on strategies to maximize tax efficiency while avoiding common planning mistakes. From understanding the core principles of GSTT to leveraging exemptions and trusts, this program offers tools to navigate the complexities of wealth transfer planning. Whether you're advising high-net-worth clients or managing family trusts, this session will provide actionable guidance.   Highlights:   An overview of GSTT rules, exemptions, and exclusions. Strategic use of trusts to minimize GSTT liability. Common drafting mistakes and how to avoid them. Recent regulatory developments and their implications. Practical examples of GSTT planning in action.   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
  • 9/3/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

Internet Ethics: Navigating Lawyer Responsibilities Online

$59.00

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.  

  • Audio Webcast
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 9/4/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

Internet Ethics: Navigating Lawyer Responsibilities Online

$59.00

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
  • 9/4/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE
Course1

LIVE REPLAY: Demand Letters That Deliver: Drafting for Impact

$59.00

Demand letters may seem like they’re merely hammer-strokes, the first blow of litigation.  But the most effective demand letters are more subtly crafted.  Tone is important.  Vitriolic letters – letters that do not keep a client’s goals in mind and misjudge the reader’s range of likely reactions – may be counterproductive.  Rather than moving the process toward a good outcome, the letter may actually result in setbacks and greater costs.  There’s a subtle balance between precision and vagueness, stimulating favorable response by being sufficiently vague so that the reader speculates about adverse consequences.There’s also the issue of how much of your case – favorable facts and persuasive law – to include in the letter.This program will provide you with a real-world guide to setting goals and carefully crafted demand letters to advance client goals.   Setting goals and realistic expectations Striking the right tone – how aggressive is too aggressive? Precision v. vagueness - leaving room for speculation and negotiation How much of your case – the facts and the law – to include in the letter? Common traps and mistakes in demand letters   Speaker:  Shannon M. Bell is a member with Kelly Law Partners, 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.  

  • Audio Webcast
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 9/5/2025
    Presented
SEE MORE