$79 Texas CLE - 15 Credits

ABA Ethics Rule 1.1 and Electronic Data Discovery

Texas CLE Requirements Credit Type: Ethics

Texas CLE Course Details:

This course explores the intersection of ABA Model Rule 1.1 and Electronic Discovery (E-Discovery), emphasizing the need for attorneys to stay technologically competent in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. It delves into the ethical and legal obligations attorneys must uphold when handling electronically stored information (ESI), including best practices for data preservation, metadata management, cybersecurity, and cross-border discovery challenges. The course examines the growing role of artificial intelligence, predictive coding, and cloud storage in modern litigation, highlighting both the efficiencies they provide and the risks they present. Special attention is given to privacy laws, ethical considerations in data collection, and the importance of defensible deletion strategies. By integrating discussions on proportionality principles, cost-shifting, and spoliation risks, this course equips attorneys with the necessary tools to navigate digital evidence effectively while ensuring compliance with ABA ethical standards. Ultimately, it underscores the importance of ongoing legal education and collaboration with technology experts to maintain competence and uphold the integrity of the legal profession.

Faculty:

• Berry Crawford

ABA Ethics Rule 3.3 and Electronic Data Discovery

Texas CLE Requirements Credit Type: Ethics

Texas CLE Course Details:

The course provides an in-depth exploration of ABA Model Rule 3.3 and its critical application to electronic discovery, emphasizing the attorney?s duty of candor toward the tribunal. It examines ethical obligations to disclose adverse legal authority and correct misrepresentations in both traditional and digitally stored evidence, addressing challenges such as metadata integrity, preservation of electronic evidence, and the complexities introduced by advanced technologies like AI, blockchain, and predictive coding. Additionally, the course discusses practical issues including client fraud, improper handling of encrypted or cloud-based data, and the ethical pitfalls of automated document review, ensuring that legal professionals are well-equipped to maintain the accuracy, transparency, and integrity of digital evidence in modern litigation.

Faculty:

• Berry Crawford

AI Deep Dive for Attorneys: Computer Vision

Texas CLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Texas CLE Course Details:

This course, An AI Deep Dive for Attorneys: Computer Vision, provides legal professionals with a comprehensive understanding of how computer vision, a branch of artificial intelligence, intersects with legal practice. It begins by introducing the fundamentals of computer vision and its growing relevance in law, especially in areas such as surveillance, intellectual property, discovery, and digital evidence. The course explores technical concepts including neural networks and deep learning while addressing legal challenges related to evidence admissibility, privacy, algorithmic bias, and ethical concerns. It also covers practical applications in forensic investigations, litigation, document verification, and regulatory compliance, equipping attorneys with the knowledge to navigate and leverage these technologies effectively in their legal work.

Faculty:

• Berry Crawford

AI Deep Dive for Attorneys: Machine Learning

Texas CLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Texas CLE Course Details:

This course, AI Deep Dive for Attorneys: Machine Learning, provides a comprehensive introduction to machine learning (ML) and its transformative implications in the legal field. It begins with foundational concepts, exploring the core principles, workflows, and models of ML, while distinguishing it from traditional programming. Tailored specifically for legal professionals, the course emphasizes the growing significance of ML in areas such as legal research, contract review, eDiscovery, and predictive analytics. It delves into key ethical and legal considerations, including data privacy, algorithmic bias, attorney-client privilege, and regulatory compliance with laws like GDPR. Participants are guided through real-world legal applications, challenges in evidentiary standards, liability concerns, and cross-examination of ML-based expert witnesses. The course also examines ML's impact on workplace surveillance, insurance, criminal justice, antitrust, and financial services. Throughout, attorneys are encouraged to develop technical fluency, adopt ethical best practices, and stay abreast of evolving legal frameworks to effectively navigate and leverage ML tools in modern legal practice.

Faculty:

• Berry Crawford

Client Confidentiality and Ethical Electronic Data Discovery

Texas CLE Requirements Credit Type: Ethics

Texas CLE Course Details:

This course, "Client Confidentiality and Ethical Electronic Data Discovery," provides a comprehensive exploration of ABA Model Rule 1.6 and its implications for legal professionals handling electronically stored information (ESI). It emphasizes the duty of attorneys to protect client confidences, highlighting key ethical challenges posed by emerging technologies, data discovery, and e-discovery processes. Participants are introduced to strategies for safeguarding sensitive information, such as metadata management, secure cloud storage, encryption, and the use of ethical screening software. The course also addresses practical measures for managing confidentiality in situations involving litigation holds, third-party vendors, social media data, and privilege logs, offering actionable solutions for reducing risks. By underscoring the importance of technological competence, the curriculum equips attorneys to navigate complex legal landscapes while upholding their ethical obligations. From proactive planning to disaster recovery, this course fosters a thorough understanding of how to balance transparency with confidentiality and prevent inadvertent disclosures. Through this knowledge, attorneys can enhance their professional integrity, client trust, and compliance with ABA ethical standards in an increasingly digital legal environment.

Faculty:

• Berry Crawford

Diversity, Inclusion and Implicit Bias in Attorney Performance Evaluations

Texas CLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Texas CLE Course Details:

This course explores the critical issues of diversity, inclusion, and implicit bias in attorney performance evaluations within legal organizations. It addresses how implicit biases, unconscious attitudes or stereotypes, can significantly affect fairness in performance reviews, particularly regarding gender, race, communication styles, leadership perceptions, and intersectional identities. Throughout, it emphasizes the importance of identifying biases through quantitative and qualitative methods, promoting transparency, and implementing structured evaluation frameworks and regular bias training. Additionally, the course highlights the negative impact biases have on career trajectories, promotions, compensation decisions, and perceptions of competence and credibility. Effective strategies to mitigate bias include employing standardized metrics, diverse evaluation panels, anonymous assessments, and technology-driven solutions like artificial intelligence. Ultimately, the course advocates for accountability and proactive measures to foster equitable evaluations and inclusive organizational cultures.

Faculty:

• Berry Crawford

Reducing Substance Abuse with Mindfulness for Attorneys

Texas CLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Texas CLE Course Details: This course about Reducing Substance Abuse with Mindfulness for Attorneys will explore ten topics that are relevant to attorneys. First, the course will explore mindfulness meditation to reduce stress and substance abuse among U.S. attorneys. Next, the course will investigate incorporating mindfulness techniques in legal practice to combat substance dependency. The course will then explore mindful breathing exercises to alleviate substance cravings for lawyers. After this, the course will investigate ethics and responsibilities: attorneys practicing mindfulness to prevent substance abuse. Next, the material will cover mindfulness-based stress reduction for attorneys battling substance dependence. The course will then turn towards law firm culture: encouraging mindfulness to mitigate substance abuse risks. Next, the course will investigate mindfulness training for lawyers on sustainable recovery from substance abuse. The course will then explore jury trials: using mindfulness to manage anxiety and reduce substance dependency. The course will next investigate integrating mindfulness into continuing legal education for substance abuse prevention. Lastly, the material will cover attorney wellness programs: mindfulness as a tool to combat substance abuse.

Faculty:

• Berry Crawford

Storytelling in the Courtroom

Texas CLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Texas CLE Course Details:

As a trial lawyer, what do you really need in order to win your case? Attention ? the jury's attention. I don't mean that in the narcissistic "everyone look at me" sense. When I say every trial lawyer wants more attention, what I mean is that before you can build a rapport with the jury and earn their trust, you have to fight a war ? the war for the jury's attention. "Attention" and "connection" are the key elements needed to win the minds and hearts of the jury.

Faculty:

• Michael J. DeBlis III, Esq.

Storytelling in the Courtroom: Volume 1 - Part II

Texas CLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Texas CLE Course Details:

Like it or not, we are in the midst of an attention war. We need to confront the reality that the jury's attention can no longer be taken for granted. We have to change our way of thinking to focus on gaining attention before we can leave lasting impressions. The jury's attention must be the currency that every trial lawyer trades in. In this presentation, I will talk about how storytelling can help lawyers to cut through all of the noise and distractions of everyday life in order to connect to the jury on a human level.

Faculty:

• Michael J. DeBlis III, Esq.

Storytelling in the Courtroom: Volume 1 - Part III

Texas CLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Texas CLE Course Details:

Stories are told in two basic modes: (1) narrative summary and (2) scenes. Narrative summary is an overview. It?s an expository way of moving the audience along in the story. It?s very much ?telling.? Most Nineteenth Century novels begin with narrative summary. For example, ?It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.? It?s more conceptual than cinematic.

Faculty:

• Michael J. DeBlis III, Esq.

Storytelling in the Courtroom: Volume 1 - Part IV

Texas CLE Requirements Credit Type: General

Texas CLE Course Details:

Kristin Linklater, one of the great voice instructors, puts it like this:?There?s a desire to speak?an impulse. It runs down the spinal column and through the central nervous system galvanizing simultaneously the breathing mechanism and the laryngeal mechanism into an activity that creates a vibration which is immediately amplified by surrounding resonating surfaces into voice. At the same time the impulse activates movements of lips and tongue that deliver words."

Faculty:

• Michael J. DeBlis III, Esq.