CLE rules have temporarily changed in several states due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. MCLEZ is monitoring these changes and will provide updates as they occur.
Alabama: No rule changes have been made at this time.
Alaska: No rule changes have been made at this time.
Arizona:The Supreme Court of Arizona has issued an Order extending the deadlines for both the completion of mandatory continuing legal education hours and the required affidavit of compliance, solely for the educational year 2019-2020. The deadline for completion of the necessary hours is extended through December 30, 2020; the deadline for submission of the affidavit of compliance is also extended through December 30, 2020.
California: The State Bar of California has issued an order extending the late CLE deadline, which was previously June 30, 2020, to September 30, 2020 for attorneys in Group 3 who have not yet completed their MCLE requirement. Failure to complete the requirement by September 30, and pay any outstanding license fees, will result in being enrolled in Involuntary Inactive status.
Connecticut: No rule changes have been made at this time.
Florida: The Florida Bar issued an order extending CLE reporting deadlines for February, March, April and May 2020 to August 31, 2020. All other annual compliance deadlines remain the same.
Georgia: The Supreme Court of Georgia issued an order temporarily waiving the 6 hour in-person CLE requirement until the late CLE deadline on March 31, 2020. Georgia attorneys can now complete their full 12 hour requirement through self-study, in-house or online seminars.
Illinois: The Illinois Supreme Court has issued an order extending the MCLE deadline by 90 days (to September 30) for attorneys due in 2020 (last name A-M) who are unable to complete their requirement by June 30. To receive this extension, attorneys must log in to the MCLE Board's website and report "Not Yet Completed" by July 31. No reason for the extension is required.
Indiana: The Indiana Supreme Court has waived the credit-hour limitations on distance education courses for attorneys whose three-year Educational Period ends on December 31, 2020. Those credit-hour limitations are amended for all other attorneys whose educational periods expire on or before December 31, 2022 may obtain no more than 24 hours of distance education. https://www.in.gov/judiciary/files/order-other-2020-20S-ms-239.pdf
Kansas:On April 8, 2020, the Kansas Supreme Court issued Administrative Order 2020-RL-033. This order modifies continuing legal education attendance and reporting deadlines, and waives the limitation on prerecorded programming through September 30, 2020
Kentucky: No rule changes have been made at this time.
Maine:The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has issued an order temporarily waiving the in-person CLE requirement. Maine attorneys may complete their entire CLE requirement via On-Demand courses until further notice. In addition, the Board of Overseers of the Bar for the State of Maine has extended the reporting deadline to May 1, 2020 and will not impose any late fees for the 2018-2019 reporting period.
Mississippi: The Supreme Court of Mississippi approved the waiver of the in-person requirement for MCLE so that attorneys may earn all their credits through online programs or live webinars. The Court also extended the deadline to September 30, 2020 with a reporting deadline of October 15, 2020. This waiver and deadline extension also apply to newly licensed attorneys whose new lawyer requirement deadline is July 31, 2020. https://courts.ms.gov/appellatecourts/docket/sendPDF.php?f=700_496517.pdf&c=91465&a=N&s=2
Missouri: No rule changes have been made at this time.
Montana: No rule changes have been made at this time.
Nevada: No rule changes have been made at this time.
New Hampshire:No rule changes have been made at this time.
New Jersey: The Supreme Court of New Jersey issued an order temporarily relaxing the 12-hour live classroom credit requirement. Until further notice from the courts, New Jersey attorneys may fulfill their entire CLE requirement through approved courses offered in alternative verifiable learning formats.
New York: No rule changes have been made at this time.
North Carolina: No rule changes have been made at this time.
Ohio: The Ohio Commission on Continuing Legal Education has waived the self-study cap for the 2018-2019 Late Compliance period and extended the deadline to June 29, 2020. Ohio attorneys who still need to finish their CLE requirements from the 2018-2019 compliance period can do so by watching On-Demand programming.
Oklahoma: No rule changes have been made at this time.
South Carolina: Chief Justice Donald Beatty issued an order on March 17, 2020, allowing lawyers who failed to comply with the 2019-2020 CLE requirements to earn all or any portion of the required 14 hours of CLE credit for the annual reporting year through online or telephonic programs.
Tennessee: On March 27, 2020, the Supreme Court issued an order allowing attorneys to use unlimited online hours to establish their compliance for the 2020 compliance year. Attorneys seeking reinstatement in 2020 are also covered by the order.
Texas: The State Bar of Texas has granted the following automatic extensions for their CLE requirement: (1) A 60 day extension for attorneys with March, April, or May 2020 compliance deadlines; (2) A 60 day extension for missed January or February 2020 compliance deadlines, to prevent the assessment of further fees; (3) A one month extension for attorneys subject to suspension for failure to comply with MCLE requirements in November or December 2019.
Utah: The Supreme Court Board of Continuing Education issued an order suspending all requirements for the in-person CLE requirement until June 30, 2020. Utah attorneys can now complete their required hours through webinars and other self-study courses.
Vermont: No rule changes have been made at this time.
Virginia:The Supreme Court of Virginia issued an order April 14, 2020, extending a number of compliance deadlines that affect Virginia lawyers to ease their professional responsibilities during the COVID-19 emergency. The order extends the MCLE compliance deadline from October 31, 2020 to December 31, 2020.
Washington: No rule changes have been made at this time.
Continuing Legal Education Online Courses with MCLEZ are for Montana attorneys who want to make the most of their time and money. Easily earn Montana Online CLE credit through courses which have been produced in a variety of legal subjects that matter to you.
MCLEZ provides online continuing legal education courses that are applicable toward the Montana MCLE requirement based on the reciprocity rule of the Montana Board of CLE. For more information about this rule, please visit the Montana Board of CLE Website, or call (406) 442-7660.
Montana CLE Course Catalog
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10 Legal Considerations for Starting and Running a Medical Practice
10 Legal Considerations for Starting and Running a Medical Practice Details
Price:
$19.99
Course Description
In this fast-paced and highly informative program, the speakers address core issues with which attorneys who may be involved with medical practitioners must be familiar. These include how to help limit liability exposure, choice of business entity, supervision issues, compensation, Contracts 101 (HR and more), Intellectual Property, legal issues regarding marketing and how to avoid and/or best resolve disputes with patients. Also discussed are recommended asset protection and estate planning strategies and common asset protection mistakes which medical professionals need to be aware of and avoid.
Course Agenda
Limiting Your Liability
Supervision Issues
Compensation
Contracts 101
Intellectual Property
Marketing Legal Issues
How to Avoid Disputes
Course Credit per State
AK - Voluntary: 1.0 Credits AL - On-Demand: 1.0 Credits AZ - General: 1.0 Credits CA - General: 1.0 Credits CT - General: 1.0 Credits FL - General: 1.0 Credits GA - Self Study: 1.0 Credits IL - General: 1.0 Credits IN - Distance Education: 1.1 Credits ME - Self Study: 1.0 Credits MO - Self Study: 1.0 Credits MS - General: 1.1 Credits MT - Self Study: 1.0 Credits NC - General: 1.0 Credits NH - General: 1.0 Credits NJ - General: 1.3 Credits NV - General: 1.0 Credits NY - General: 1.0 Credits OH - Self Study: 1.0 Credits OK - Distance Learning: 1.0 Credits PA - Distance Learning: 1.0 Credits SC - General: 1.05 Credits TX - General: 1.0 Credits UT - Self Study: 1.0 Credits VA - General: 1.0 Credits
Course Presenter(s)
Jacob Stein, Esq
Jacob Stein, Esq. is a partner at Aliant, LLP. He specializes in structuring international business transactions, complex U.S. and international tax planning and asset protection planning. Mr. Stein received his law degree from the University of Southern California, and a Master of Laws in Taxation from Georgetown University. He has been accredited by the State Bar of California as a Certified Tax Law Specialist. He is AV-rated (highest possible rating) by Martindale-Hubbell, has been named ?A Super Lawyer? by the Los Angeles Magazine and one of ?America?s Most Honored Professionals 2016?, by the American Registry.
Over the course of his career Mr. Stein has represented thousands of clients, including: officers and directors of Fortune 500 companies; Forbes 400 families; celebrities; Internet entrepreneurs; high-profile real estate developers, builders and investors; physicians; wealthy foreigners doing business in the United States; small business owners; attorneys, accountants and financial advisors; and many other individuals facing financial adversity or seeking privacy for their holdings.
He is the author of numerous books, scholarly articles and technical manuals including his most recent article, Pre-Immigration Taxation, published in the January 2016 edition of EB-5 Investors Magazine Volume 3, Issue 3; His other works include his book: A Lawyer?s Guide to Asset Protection Planning in California, Second Edition, published in April of 2016, which is the only legal treatise on asset protection specific to California, and International Joint Ventures ?A Concise Guide for Attorneys & Business Owners,? published in 2014.
Mr. Stein is a frequent lecturer to various attorneys, CPA and other professional groups, teaching over 100 seminars per year. His presentation topics include: Tax Planning for Cross-Border Joint Ventures, A Foreigner?s Guide to Investing in U.S. Real Estate, Creative Planning with Controlled Foreign Corporations, Advanced Asset Protection Planning, Choice of Entity Planning, Estate Tax Planning and various courses on trust law.
He is an instructor with the California CPA Education Foundation, National Business Institute, Thomson Reuters, the Rossdale Group and Lorman Education Services where he teaches courses on advanced tax planning, structuring international business transactions, asset protection and trust law. He is an adjunct professor of taxation at the CSU, Northridge Graduate Tax Program.
Course Price:
$19.99
Conflicts of Interest in the Practice of Law: Causes and Cures
Conflicts of Interest in the Practice of Law: Causes and Cures Details
Price:
$19.99
Course Description
In this one hour program, Richard E. Flamm, the author of the new treatise "Conflicts of Interest in the Practice of Law: Causes and Cures" will discuss what the term "conflicts of interest" means, the various ways in which conflicts can arise for counsel, the disciplinary and other than disciplinary consequences of engaging in conflicted representation, and how conflicts can sometimes be avoided or "cured." Mr. Flamm will briefly touch upon some of the most important conflict of interest rules.
Course Agenda
My Background
Who I am
How I got into this business
Books\Teaching\Consulting
What is a Conflict of Interest?
Dates to Book of Matthew
17th Century Application to lawyers
No Ethical Rules existed to define
Case law definitions (John Marshall)
Restatement definition
My definition (what the applicable ethical rules say)
(we will get to what the rules say a conflict is, before doing so I want to discuss:)
Possible Consequences of Conflicts Representation
Discipline (types of possible discipline)
Admonition
Suspension
Disbarment
No discipline (some jurisdictions, including California)
The Rules Suggest that discipline is the only possible consequence of a rule violation:
CRPC Rule 1-100: ?The following rules are intended to regulate professional conduct of members of the State Bar through discipline?These rules are not intended to create new civil causes of action. Nothing in these rules shall be deemed to create, augment, diminish, or eliminate any substantive legal duty of lawyers or the non-
disciplinary consequences of violating such a duty.?
ABA Model Rules used to say essentially the same thing. Now Scope Note 20 reads: ?Violation of a Rule should not itself give rise to a cause of action against a lawyer nor should it create any presumption in such a case that a legal duty has been breached. In addition, violation of a Rule does not necessarily warrant any other nondisciplinary remedy, such as disqualification of a lawyer in pending litigation. The Rules are designed to provide guidance to lawyers and to provide a structure for regulating conduct through disciplinary agencies.?
But most of the consequences of conflicted representation are other than disciplinary
Decision to Refrain from Handling Representation
Challenges to Representation
Disqualification Motions
Injunction Actions
Opposition to Applications for Employment (Pro hac vice)
Actions for Malpractice/Breach of Fiduciary Duty
Disgorgement Actions
(Aside: Qualification Motions)
Possible Consequences for Innocent Clients
Loss of counsel/Loss of money/Delay
Loss of work product (turnover)
Prejudice to their case
Kinds of Conflicts
Conflicts involving current clients
Joint/Dual/Multiple Representation Conflicts
Unrelated Matter Conflicts
Model Rule 1.7(a): ?Except as provided in paragraph (b), a lawyer shall not represent a client if the representation involves a concurrent conflict of interest. A concurrent conflict of interest exists if: (1) the representation of one client will be directly adverse to another client; or (2) there is a significant risk that the representation of one or more clients will be materially limited by the lawyer's responsibilities to another client, a former client or a third person or by a personal interest of the lawyer.?
Conflicts involving Former Clients
The Former Client Conflict Rule Generally
Model Rule 1.9(a): ?A lawyer who has formerly represented a client in a matter shall not thereafter represent another person in the same or a substantially related matter in which that person's interests are materially adverse to the interests of the former client unless the former client gives informed consent, confirmed in writing.?
The Substantial Relationship Test
Development (pre ethics rules)
Poorly defined
Different Approaches
Personal Interest Conflicts
Pecuniary Interest Conflicts
Example: Business Transactions Rule
Rule 1.8(a) ?A lawyer shall not enter into a business transaction with a client or knowingly acquire an ownership, possessory, security or other pecuniary interest adverse to a client unless: (1) the transaction and terms on which the lawyer acquires the interest are fair and reasonable to the client?(2) the client is advised in writing of the desirability of seeking and is given a reasonable opportunity to seek the advice of independent legal counsel on the transaction; and (3) the client gives informed consent??
Relationship Conflicts
Familial Relationships
Sexual Relationships
Model Rule 1.8(j): ?A lawyer shall not have sexual relations with a client unless a consensual sexual relationship existed between them when the client-lawyer relationship commenced.?
Other types of Conflicts
Advocate-Witness Conflicts
Issue Conflicts
?Finite Pie? Conflicts
Prospective Client Conflicts
Model Rule 1.18? ?(a) A person who consults with a lawyer about the possibility of forming a client-lawyer relationship with respect to a matter is a prospective client. (b) Even when no client-lawyer relationship ensues, a lawyer who has learned information from a prospective client shall not use or reveal that information, except as Rule 1.9 would permit with respect to information of a former client. c) A lawyer subject to paragraph (b) shall not represent a client with interests materially adverse to those of a prospective client in the same or a substantially related matter if the lawyer received information from the prospective client that could be significantly harmful to that person in the matter??
Model Rule 1.10(a): with certain exceptions ?(a) While lawyers are associated in a firm, none of them shall knowingly represent a client when any one of them practicing alone would be prohibited from doing so by Rules 1.7 or 1.9??
Avoiding Conflicts
Declining to Take on Conflicted Representation
Before you can decline, need to detect: Conflicts checks
Other Means for Avoiding Conflicts
e.g., client?s consent not to name a party/include a cause of action
Curing Conflicts
Consent
Why consent is a cure
Model Rule 1.7 (b) ?Notwithstanding the existence of a concurrent conflict of interest under paragraph (a), a lawyer may represent a client if: (1) the lawyer reasonably believes that the lawyer will be able to provide competent and diligent representation to each affected client; (2) the representation is not prohibited by law; (3) the representation does not involve the assertion of a claim by one client against another client represented by the lawyer in the same litigation or other proceeding before a tribunal; and (4) each affected client gives informed consent, confirmed in writing.?
The need for informed consent
?Waiver Letters?
Requirements in addition to informed consent
Non-consentable conflicts
Screening (10 minutes)
History of Screening Defense
Evolution of ABA View of Screening (2009)
Remember what model rule 1.10(a) says? But a law firm can act adversely to the interests of a party even though a lawyer at the firm could not if: [Model Rule 1.10(a)(2)]: ?the prohibition is based upon Rule 1.9(a) or (b) and arises out of the disqualified lawyer?s association with a prior firm, and (i) the disqualified lawyer is timely screened from any participation in the matter and is apportioned no part of the fee therefrom??
The permissibility of screening
The California rule (courts never rushed to adopt screening)
Timely and Effective Screening
Types of Screens:
Chinese Wall
Cone of Silence (get smart!)
Course Credit per State
AK - Ethics: 1.0 Credits AZ - Ethics: 1.0 Credits CA - Ethics: 1.0 Credits CT - Ethics: 1.0 Credits MT - Ethics: 1.0 Credits NY - Ethics: 1.0 Credits WV - Ethics: 1.3 Credits
Course Presenter(s)
Richard Flamm
Richard E. Flamm, a 1981 Rutgers Law School graduate, is a
nationally-recognized expert in the field of legal ethics. A litigator for more
than 20 years, since 1995 Mr. Flamm has concentrated on his Berkeley California-based law and consulting practice. In his practice, Mr. Flamm provides representation, advice and expert witness testimony with respect to legal and judicial ethics, legal malpractice, and breach of fiduciary duty matters -- with an emphasis on legal, judicial, and quasi-judicial disqualification motions and appeals.
In his capacity as an expert witness, Mr. Flamm has testified, either in court or by way of affidavit, in dozens of cases involving matters of legal and/or judicial ethics. Mr. Flamm's extensive client list includes many of the nation's leading corporations and law firms.
Mr. Flamm is the author of two highly-acclaimed treatises: Lawyer Disqualification: Conflicts of Interest and Other Bases, and Judicial Disqualification: Recusal and Disqualification of Judges, which has been widely relied on by state and federal courts throughout the country. Both works are published by Banks and Jordan Law Publishing: www.banksandjordan.com. He has also authored numerous scholarly articles on conflicts of interests, disqualification and related subjects for law reviews and other publications.
We live in a surveillance world. The technology exists for everyone to watch everyone. The technology exists for us to be connected online all the time. Is this what we want?
In this course, attorney Deborah Gonzalez presents an overview of new legal concerns regarding cyber-stalking, cyber harassment, and cyber bullying. Ms. Gonzalez will discuss how new consumer technology such as wearable tech, which is getting smaller and smaller, with the capabilities of recording audio and video without detection, along with the viral nature of social media, is leaving more and more people vulnerable to various types of online abuse. These types of issues have caused states to revise their current general harassment statues, to include language addressing electronic communications. Ms. Gonzales will cover some of these updates as she discusses how various states are choosing to approach these issues. Ms. Gonzalez will also cover several cyber-bullying and cyber-harassment cases, as well as explain the difference between the two. Ms. Gonzalez will conclude the presentation with a brief discussion about current cyber-voyeurism and cyber-revenge porn laws.
Course Agenda
Setting the Context
Cyber-Harassment
Cyber-harassment usually pertains to threatening or harassing email messages, instant messages, or to blog entries or websites dedicated solely to tormenting an individual.
Two approaches for state laws:
Include language addressing electronic communications in general harassment statutes; or
Create stand-alone cyber-harassment statutes.
47 U.S. Code § 223, Communications Decency Act, rephrased to include any telecommunications device.
New York Penal Code, 240.3
§ 240.30 Aggravated harassment in the second degree.
Florida, 784.048, 2014
Another definition connects this to a violation of anti-harassment/anti-discrimination policies (like Civil Rights) via an email, online post, Tweet, or other electronic communication.
Social Media Policies
Cyber Harassment: Tips
Cyber-Stalking
Cyber-stalking is the use of the Internet, email or other electronic communications to stalk, and generally refers to a pattern of threatening or malicious behaviors
Based on a posing credible threat of harm.
Sanctions range from misdemeanors to felonies.
18 U.S.C. § 875(c) makes it a federal crime, punishable by up to five years in prison and $250,000 fine, to transmit any communication in interstate or foreign commerce containing a threat to injure the person of another.
Section 875(c) prohibits the actual transmission of a threat, which is defined "objectively" as a statement which a reasonable person would understand as threatening bodily injury.
§ 875(c) applies only to "true threats" which are not protected by the First Amendment.
Watts v. United States, 394 U.S. 705 (1969)
Such protected speech includes "political hyperbole" or "vehement," "caustic," or "unpleasantly sharp attacks" that fall short of true threats.
Georgia Code, 16-5-90, 2014
Virginia, 18-2-60, 2002
§ 18.2-60. Threats of death or bodily injury to a person or member of his family; threats to commit serious bodily harm to persons on school property; penalty.
North Carolina, 14-196.3, 2000
§ 14-196.3. Cyber-stalking.
U.S. v. Elonis, October 2014
Unwanted Sexual Contact Online
International Cyber-Stalking
Cyber-Bullying
Most people consider this in regards to minors and/or students. However there are a series of laws referring to ?workplace cyber-bullying.?
Cyber-bullying or Cyber-Harassment?
Cyber-bullying State Laws:
Colorado, HB 1036, 2005
California, AB86, 2008
Virginia, HB1624, 2009
Georgia, SB250, 2010
#Gamergate, August 2014
Zoe Quinn, software developer of the game ?Depression Quest,? a text-based game partially based on her own experience with depression, in 2013.
Victim of online death threats and harassing posts.
Cyber-Voyeurism
Video-Voyeurism: The use of small micro cameras to observe and monitor another person.
Cyber-Voyeurism: Controlling those cameras via online or wireless connections and can include recording and posting the videos on social media or other Internet sites.
State Statutes include:
Unlawful photographing
Voyeurism
Unauthorized videotaping
Eavesdropping
Peeping or Spying
Disorderly Conduct
Various Privacy laws
Various Stalking laws
Intimate Partner Cyber-Violence
IPV encompasses domestic violence, sexual violence, and stalking that targets a current or former spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, or significant other.
IPCV encompasses the above through the use of technology, including the Internet, social media, email, texting, etc.
Cyber-Revenge Porn
CA v Iniquez, 2014 Conviction
Noe Iniguez, convicted of the charge of distributing "revenge porn" via the internet; 1 year in jail
CA Revenge Porn Law?s requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt that:
the accused photographed or recorded an image of one or more intimate body parts of an identifiable person under circumstances where the parties agree or understand that the image is to remain private and the accused subsequently distributed the image with the intent to cause serious emotional distress and the depicted person did suffer serious emotional distress. CA, one of 13 states that have enacted cyber-exploitation laws. CA eCrime Unit: prosecuting operators of cyber-exploitation websites
Course Credit per State
AK - Voluntary: 1.25 Credits AZ - General: 1.25 Credits CA - General: 1.25 Credits CO - General: 1.4 Credits CT - General: 1.0 Credits MO - Self Study: 1.4 Credits MT - Self Study: 1.25 Credits NY - General: 1.0 Credits WV - General: 1.4 Credits
Course Presenter(s)
Deborah Gonzalez
Deborah Gonzalez, Esq. is the founder of Law2sm, LLC, a new legal consulting firm focusing on helping its clients navigate the legal issues relating to the new digital and social media world.
Deborah graduated from New York Law School. Following graduation, she built a successful boutique practice in New York City, focusing on the arts, music and entertainment scene. In 2007, Deborah relocated to Georgia where she was employed by the University System of Georgia. In 2008 she was granted reciprocity to practice law in Georgia.
Deborah's practice has taken her from an inner-city arts community center in NYC to a sidewalk café in Eastern Europe; from preparing programs for diplomats in the EU to assisting medical missions with refugee communities in Thailand; from protecting against music piracy in the US to protecting against bio-piracy in South America. And now it is transporting her beyond the Internet to the social space where the physical and digital dimensions of her clients co-exist and where she can leverage her legal expertise to their benefit.
Deborah enjoys engaging with those around her - so social media is a natural fit. But it is her skill in being able to connect the dots to understand the next big paradigm shift in global communication and legal application that makes her a leader in social media law. Deborah serves as Chair of the GA Bar Association's Annual Program on Social Media and the Law and serves as a social media legal liaison for social media marketing companies and their clients (such as Chick-fil-A and Nestle). In addition, Deborah speaks on the legal issues relating to intellectual property; art, music, and digital entertainment law; and social media legal trends and practices in various venues throughout the United States and abroad.
This course covers the basics of litigation invoking the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Potential clients are anyone whose credit reports have inaccuracies and who have not been able to get the credit reporting agencies (CRAs) to make corrections.
The FCRA provides for private civil actions against the CRAs such as Experian, Equifax and Trans Union and against the furnishers of information to the CRAs, such as banks, finance companies, and debt collectors.
The courts will cover the statutory framework, how the dispute process works, the issues that typically arise in civil litigation against the CRAs and furnishers, and the types damages consumers may seek.
There will be discussion of the types of cases that are successful under the FCRA and the types of clients and cases to avoid.
Resources available to the private practitioner will be discussed.
Course Agenda
Consumer Rights under the FCRA
Key Threshold Issue-Accuracy in Credit Reports
Common Inaccuracies in Credit Reports
The Dispute Process, a Prerequisite to a Civil Case
Mark F. Anderson has practiced law in San Francisco for over 45 years. He also represents consumers Fair Credit Reporting Act cases in which the consumers were damaged by inaccurate credit reporting by banks and other creditors who report credit information to Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. He has settled over 150 cases involving inaccurate credit reporting.
Mark was one of the first attorneys in California to represent consumers in lemon law cases. He has represented consumers in over 4,000 lemon law cases. He has also represented plaintiffs in numerous consumer class actions.
Thomas A. Lenz and Cindy S. Arellano, Partners at Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo,
discuss the factors which may give rise to "Misclassification" of workers by businesses. Are workers employees, or are they independent contractors, and how should businesses make these determinations? What are the possible consequences of misclassification? What are the new developments, trends and cases in this legal arena? The presenters discuss the benefits and risks of Independent Contractor status, triggers for misclassification audits, how to determine if a worker is properly classified and IRS criteria in classification matters. They offer valuable tips and a comprehensive review on how to conduct a best practices review of current employee classification systems and independent contractor relationships and review the new cases and laws in which these issues continue to be addressed.
Course Agenda
"Misclassification" - What Is It?
What's New with Classification Issues?
Benefits of Independent Contractor Status
Benefits of Using Independent Contractors
Risks
Common Triggers for Misclassification Audit
Overview of Classification Standards
How Do I Know If a Worker is Properly Classified?
Determinations/Rulings
Overview of IRS Criteria
Rulings/Risks/Pitfalls
IRS - Section 530 Relief (Safe Harbor)
Independent Contractor vs. Employee Factors
Course Credit per State
AK - Voluntary: 1.0 Credits AZ - General: 1.0 Credits CA - General: 1.0 Credits CO - General: 1.0 Credits CT - General: 1.0 Credits FL - General: 1.0 Credits IL - General: 1.0 Credits IN - Distance Education: 1.1 Credits MO - Self Study: 1.0 Credits MT - Self Study: 1.0 Credits ND - Self Study: 1.0 Credits NH - General: 1.0 Credits NJ - General: 1.3 Credits NY - General: 1.0 Credits OK - Distance Learning: 1.0 Credits TX - General: 1.0 Credits UT - Self Study: 1.0 Credits
Course Presenter(s)
Thomas A. Lenz
Experience
Thomas A. Lenz is a Partner in Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo, (AALRR), a leading full-service firm with over 180 attorneys in 9 offices in California. Mr. Lenz handles all aspects of labor and employment law issues and heads the firm's traditional labor and National Labor Relations Board practices. He works with employers in all major industries across California and the West. Mr. Lenz served as Chair of the Labor and Employment Section for the California Lawyers Association (formerly the State Bar of California) during the 2017-2018 term. He serves as a Lecturer in Law, teaching at the USC Gould School of Law.
Education
Tom received his undergraduate degree from Marquette University and his law degree from the Louisiana State University Law Center. Tom studied in Spain during college (Universidad Complutense de Madrid) and in France during law school (Universite d'Aix‐en‐Provence).
Memberships
Tom sits on a variety of boards and committees, including San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership (Board Member), International Institute of Los Angeles (Secretary), State Bar of California Labor and Employment Section (Executive Committee Officer), Associated Builders and Contractors (National Legislative Committee Member), National Club Association (Board Member), Orange County Labor and Employment Relations Association/OC LERA (Past President and current Board Member), and Marquette University Alumni Club of Southern California (Past President and current Board Member).
Awards and Recognitions
Tom has been named to the Top One Hundred Labor Attorneys in the United States by Labor Relations Institute, Inc., a leading industry information source.
Cindy Strom Arellano
Experience
Cindy Strom Arellano, head of the business and tax team, is a senior partner in the Cerritos office. Ms. Arellano?s practice focuses on employee benefits and executive compensation, qualified and nonqualified deferred compensation and retirement plans, health and welfare benefit plans, ERISA, tax audits and other tax controversy matters, and MBE/WBE/DBE certification. She also works with nonprofits, including educational foundations, auxiliary organizations, charitable organizations, and trade associations, and represents clients in general corporate transactional matters, business formations, compensation structuring, and mergers and acquisitions.
Ms. Arellano regularly assists clients with drafting and reviewing executive and deferred compensation plans and agreements and advises both public and private sector clients on a variety of issues relating to 401(k),
403(b), 457 and other deferred compensation/retirement plans. She also assists clients with controlled group issues and with correcting qualified plan errors through IRS and DOL compliance programs. In addition,
Ms. Arellano has considerable experience counseling clients with respect to their health and welfare benefit plans, Section 125 cafeteria plans, GASB 43 and 45 plans, voluntary disability plans, fringe benefit arrangements,
and COBRA issues arising in mergers, acquisitions and/or restructuring of businesses. Ms. Arellano has represented numerous clients in the trucking, construction, entertainment, and other industries in connection with tax audits and controversies with the Employment Development Department
(EDD), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Franchise Tax Board (FTB) and State Board of Equalization (SBE). Audits and tax controversies handled by Ms. Arellano have covered a multitude of issues, including worker
misclassification, sales, income and employment tax disputes and trust fund recovery penalty assessments. Ms. Arellano has successfully appealed many tax assessments, and has negotiated many favorable alternate
payment arrangements and settlements of disputed tax liabilities on behalf of clients who are in collections, under audit, or who have a pending appeal of an assessment by the IRS, EDD, SBE and/or FTB.
Education
Ms. Arellano received a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of Central Florida and her Juris Doctor, with distinction, from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, where she was a member of the Order
of the Coif. While at the University of Nebraska, Ms. Arellano served as a staff member of the Nebraska Law Review. Ms. Arellano received her LL.M. in taxation from the University of San Diego.
Course Price:
$19.99
Sophisticated Planning for High Net Worth Individuals
Sophisticated Planning for High Net Worth Individuals Details
Price:
$19.99
Course Description
Transactions and Asset Protection, discusses trends and developments in a number of important areas. He reviews in detail how the drafting of irrevocable trusts has changed over the last 10 years and how to best structure these instruments to allow for greater flexibility through the use of a "trust protector." He discusses how irrevocable trusts can be used to protect assets, to provide privacy for assets, to enhance tax planning and their use in offshore planning. He describes the use of LLCs and which states may be the most advantageous for LLC/trust formation. He discusses specific trust provisions, asset protection with both domestic and foreign trusts, and which types of trusts may be most useful for assets which may be expected to appreciate in value, like start-ups. Additional topics include international tax planning, structuring foreign investment in the U.S., pre-immigration tax planning, and which offshore jurisdictions may be favored.
Course Agenda
Structuring Irrevocable Trusts
Asset Protection
Asset Protection with Trusts
Asset Protection with Domestic Trusts
Asset Protection with Foreign Trusts
Foreign Trusts - Tax Treatment and Reporting
Defective Grantor Trusts
SCINs
GRATs
Income Tax Planning with DINGs
Monetized Installment Sale
Foreign Investment - FDAP and Capital Gains
Foreign Investment - Effectively Connected Income
Foreign Investment - Branch Profits Tax
Foreign Investment: FIRPTA
Foreign Investment: FIRPTA
Pre-Immigration Tax Planning
Course Credit per State
AZ - General: 1.0 Credits CA - General: 1.0 Credits CT - General: 1.0 Credits FL - Technology: 1.0 Credits IL - General: 1.0 Credits KY - General: 1.0 Credits MO - Self Study: 1.0 Credits MT - Self Study: 1.0 Credits NH - General: 1.0 Credits NJ - General: 1.3 Credits NY - General: 1.0 Credits
Course Presenter(s)
Jacob Stein, Esq
Jacob Stein, Esq. is a partner at Aliant, LLP. He specializes in structuring international business transactions, complex U.S. and international tax planning and asset protection planning. Mr. Stein received his law degree from the University of Southern California, and a Master of Laws in Taxation from Georgetown University. He has been accredited by the State Bar of California as a Certified Tax Law Specialist. He is AV-rated (highest possible rating) by Martindale-Hubbell, has been named ?A Super Lawyer? by the Los Angeles Magazine and one of ?America?s Most Honored Professionals 2016?, by the American Registry.
Over the course of his career Mr. Stein has represented thousands of clients, including: officers and directors of Fortune 500 companies; Forbes 400 families; celebrities; Internet entrepreneurs; high-profile real estate developers, builders and investors; physicians; wealthy foreigners doing business in the United States; small business owners; attorneys, accountants and financial advisors; and many other individuals facing financial adversity or seeking privacy for their holdings.
He is the author of numerous books, scholarly articles and technical manuals including his most recent article, Pre-Immigration Taxation, published in the January 2016 edition of EB-5 Investors Magazine Volume 3, Issue 3; His other works include his book: A Lawyer?s Guide to Asset Protection Planning in California, Second Edition, published in April of 2016, which is the only legal treatise on asset protection specific to California, and International Joint Ventures ?A Concise Guide for Attorneys & Business Owners,? published in 2014.
Mr. Stein is a frequent lecturer to various attorneys, CPA and other professional groups, teaching over 100 seminars per year. His presentation topics include: Tax Planning for Cross-Border Joint Ventures, A Foreigner?s Guide to Investing in U.S. Real Estate, Creative Planning with Controlled Foreign Corporations, Advanced Asset Protection Planning, Choice of Entity Planning, Estate Tax Planning and various courses on trust law.
He is an instructor with the California CPA Education Foundation, National Business Institute, Thomson Reuters, the Rossdale Group and Lorman Education Services where he teaches courses on advanced tax planning, structuring international business transactions, asset protection and trust law. He is an adjunct professor of taxation at the CSU, Northridge Graduate Tax Program.
The Reduction of Bias in the Legal Profession Details
Price:
$19.99
Course Description
Attorney Steven A. Nielsen offers a fresh look at bias in the legal profession. Does a mere study and rote following of state bar rules address the larger issues? Mr. Nielsen notes that, in general, the reasons for our bias problems have been a taboo subject. He offers a candid assessment of the nature of bias and discrimination and how they have evolved in society and throughout history. He poses the question: is it realistic to expect a complete ?Elimination? of bias in the legal profession, or does it make more sense to understand the forces at work in human nature and to implement common sense steps to ?Reduce? bias and discrimination in the law office environment.
Course Agenda
WHAT IS DISCRIMINATION?
DO WE LEARN HATE?
ADVANTAGES OF BEING IN A GROUP
GROUP STUDY DATA AND EXPERIMENTS
IS GROUP THEORY SUPPORTED BY CURRENT EVENTS?
GROUPS OR TRAITS TO CONSIDER IN THE REDUCTION OF BIAS IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION
THE PROTECTED CLASSES ARE JUST A START
Course Credit per State
AK - Ethics: 1.0 Credits CA - Elimination of Bias: 1.0 Credits CO - Ethics: 1.2 Credits FL - Ethics: 1.0 Credits MT - Ethics: 1.0 Credits NY - Ethics: 1.0 Credits WV - Ethics: 1.0 Credits
Course Presenter(s)
Steven A Nielsen
Based in Larkspur, California, Steven A. Nielsen is a U.S. registered patent attorney with many years of experience in patent procurement and in achieving favorable results in federal court in the field of intellectual properly litigation. Mr. Nielsen is the past chairperson of the Intellectual Property Section of the Marin County Bar Association. Mr. Nielsen received his J.D. in 1987 from Boalt Hall, University of California at Berkeley and also holds a B.A. in Computer Science.
He may be contacted at steve@nielsenpatents.com, on his website, nielsenpatents.com or via his LinkedIn page.
Course Price:
$19.99
What Every Lawyer Should Know About Cyber Security
What Every Lawyer Should Know About Cyber Security Details
Price:
$19.99
Course Description
This informative presentation will cover current cyber security risks that affect today's attorneys, their firms, and clients. Deborah Gonzalez will begin by covering the basics of online security before delving deeper into the major cyber threats awaiting attorneys and their firms in a new and fast changing digital world. She will discuss critical issues, such as the importance of cyber security awareness, so that attorneys will have a better understanding of cyber vulnerabilities, as well as what security measures they can take to minimize risk and provide a reasonable level of security. Deborah will also cover issues such as ethical obligations, which may be compromised by a lack of understanding or preparation when it comes to protecting sensitive, confidential information.
Course Agenda
Setting the Context
How many lawyers out there log into secure accounts while using the free Wi-Fi at a local coffee shop?
How many click on links in emails that say "Is this really a picture of you?!!"
How many use an easy-to-guess password?
How many don't bother to log out of their office computer while they go to lunch?
How many leave it open overnight?
How many use the same easy-to-guess password for all their online accounts?
New world full of digital threats:
Breaches, Hacks, Social Engineering
Online risks:
Reputational, Operational, Legal
Consequences:
Financial, Compliance Penalties, Loss of Trust
What are you protecting?
Case and/or litigation strategy information
Confidential client business information
Attorney-client privileged communications and other legally privileged information
Client intellectual property
A range of personally identifiable information (PII) of all kinds for employees, clients and third parties and
Financial information, i.e. payment card information
Who creates the risk?
You
Your partners
Other attorneys/associates in your firm
Opposing Counsel
Interns/Clerks (Students)
Paralegals
Other Staff in your firm
Clients
Thieves
Hackers
Crackers
Cyberterrorists
Cyber Smearers
Competitors
Industrial Spies
Foreign Governments
Our Government - NSA
Politicians
Unknown Entities
I'm too Small Defense
"Size" is not the answer.
This is an issue for big firms, mid-size firms, small firms and solo practitioners.
It is not about us - it is about our clients - and all size firms have all size clients.
According to a study conducted by Symantec, whenever your laptop, USB thumb drive, or smart phone's data is
breached (i.e., your client's data), it costs on average $136 for each record that is stolen or $5.4 million per incident.
Address Disclosure Obligations and Appropriate Communications
Guide Participation in Public-Private Partnerships and Law Enforcement Interactions
Achieve Regulatory Compliance
Provide Counsel to Cyber-security Program
Prepare to Handle Incidents and Crisis
Manage Cyber-security Related Transactional Risk
Effectively Use Insurance
Monitor and Strategically Engage in Public Policy
Discharge Professional Duty of Care
Course Credit per State
AK - Voluntary: 1.0 Credits AZ - General: 1.0 Credits CA - General: 1.0 Credits CO - General: 1.3 Credits MO - Self Study: 1.3 Credits MT - Self Study: 1.0 Credits NY - General: 1.0 Credits WV - General: 1.3 Credits
Course Presenter(s)
Deborah Gonzalez
Deborah Gonzalez, Esq. is the founder of Law2sm, LLC, a new legal consulting firm focusing on helping its clients navigate the legal issues relating to the new digital and social media world.
Deborah graduated from New York Law School. Following graduation, she built a successful boutique practice in New York City, focusing on the arts, music and entertainment scene. In 2007, Deborah relocated to Georgia where she was employed by the University System of Georgia. In 2008 she was granted reciprocity to practice law in Georgia.
Deborah's practice has taken her from an inner-city arts community center in NYC to a sidewalk café in Eastern Europe; from preparing programs for diplomats in the EU to assisting medical missions with refugee communities in Thailand; from protecting against music piracy in the US to protecting against bio-piracy in South America. And now it is transporting her beyond the Internet to the social space where the physical and digital dimensions of her clients co-exist and where she can leverage her legal expertise to their benefit.
Deborah enjoys engaging with those around her - so social media is a natural fit. But it is her skill in being able to connect the dots to understand the next big paradigm shift in global communication and legal application that makes her a leader in social media law. Deborah serves as Chair of the GA Bar Association's Annual Program on Social Media and the Law and serves as a social media legal liaison for social media marketing companies and their clients (such as Chick-fil-A and Nestle). In addition, Deborah speaks on the legal issues relating to intellectual property; art, music, and digital entertainment law; and social media legal trends and practices in various venues throughout the United States and abroad.
Whistle-Blower Claims: Avoiding the Courthouse Details
Price:
$19.99
Course Description
During this presentation, Fisher Phillips Partner, Jason Geller will discuss, what constitutes retaliation, protecting and defending your company against such claims, whistle-blower protection vs. retaliation claims and creating policies and procedures to minimize problems, claims and lawsuits.
Course Agenda
The rise in whistleblowing and retaliation lawsuits
Important laws protecting employees against retaliation for whistleblowing
Enforcement by governmental agencies
What is ?protected activity? and how to spot it
Effective responses to whistleblowing and ?protected activity?
Why So Much Whistleblowing?
Publicity: Federal and State whistleblowing claims are in the press
Creates liability where none existed!
The Legal Landscape: What We Need to Know - ?Protected Activity?
Wrongful Discharge in Violation of ?Public Policy?
Federal False Claims Act
National Labor Relations Act
State laws protecting whistleblowers
The ?adverse actions? that can cause problems:
The Legal Landscape: What We Need to Know ? ?Adverse Action?
Look Out! Government Agencies Are Involved
EEOC, OSHA, NLRB, SEC State agencies
SEC Whistleblowing Program
SEC/NLRB enforcement:
Defend Trade Secrets Act
Social media policies
Recent wage/hour complaint?
The Best Response: Solid Policies and Practices
Employer complaint procedures
The Best Response: Solid Policies and Practices
Employer?s investigation protocol
Employer?s response to protected activity
Conduct objective and thorough investigation required by the circumstances
Carefully evaluate risks of subsequent discipline to employee
The Best Response: Spot Retaliation ?Red-Flags? And Shut Them Down!
Stricter supervision
New performance issues
Higher standards or expectations
Supervisor complaints to others
Coworkers shun, tease, threaten
Knock, Knock: The Government Is at Your Door on A Whistleblowing Complaint
Gatekeeping when the auditor arrives
Final Questions
Course Credit per State
AZ - General: 1.0 Credits CA - General: 1.0 Credits FL - General: 1.0 Credits IL - General: 1.0 Credits KY - General: 1.0 Credits MO - Self Study: 1.0 Credits MT - Self Study: 1.0 Credits NY - General: 1.0 Credits OH - Self Study: 1.0 Credits TN - General: 1.1 Credits VA - General: 1.0 Credits
Course Presenter(s)
Jason A. Geller
Jason A. Geller is the Managing Partner of Fisher & Phillips' San Francisco office. Fisher & Phillips is one of the largest U.S. law firms representing management exclusively in the areas of labor, employment, civil rights, employee benefits, and immigration law. The firm has 31 offices with 300 attorneys.
Jason represents employers in all facets of employment law
matters. He has considerable experience defending employers in
litigation involving claims under the Family and Medical Leave Act
(FMLA), the California Family Rights Act (CFRA), the Age
Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the California Fair
Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and California wage and hour
laws. Jason has also defended employers against whistleblowing
and retaliation claims, including claims under the California
Whistleblower Act, the False Claims Act and various provisions of
The California Labor Code.
Jason has extensive experience defending employers in Federal and
State courts, as well as in investigations by the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the DFEH, United States
Department of Labor (DOL) and the National Labor Relations Board
(NLRB).
In addition to defending his clients in litigation, Jason frequently
counsels employers to assist them in avoiding litigation. He regularly
advises clients on leave management issues and the interactive
process for employees with disabilities, reinstatement obligations
under various leave laws and wage and hour compliance. Jason has
prepared employee handbooks and a variety of agreements,
including independent contractor, employment, confidentiality and trade secrets agreements.
His clients are involved in a variety of industries, including assisted living, independent living facilities, construction, manufacturing, engineering, architecture, professional services, agriculture,
technology, retail and restaurant industries.
Jason was included in Northern California Super Lawyers in 2015.
Professional Activities
Board Member, Northern California Human Resources Association - East Bay Chapter
Member, Marin Human Resources Forum (1995-2000)
Member, Labor and Employment Section of the San Francisco Bar Association
Board Member & Legislative Co-chair, Employers' Advisory Council of the California Employment Development Department
Member, Labor and Employment Section of the State Bar of California
Member, Advisory Committee on Employment Law Jury Instructions of the Labor and Employment Section of the State Bar of California
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