Legal Profession Blog

Upcoming Minnesota Ethics CLEs (Including Today) Are Also Available for Out-of-Staters

Posted by Alan Childress
The late-June fare out of Minnesota looks interesting and the remote programs are pretty affordable.  An archived one available to non-Minnesota participants, and earning 2 hours credit, is "Chemical Dependency and Mental Health in the Legal Profession." (I don't know if that earns an 'ethics' credit, but all the following seem to, and seem to be credited throughout the U.S.)  "The Family Law Series: Ethics," is webcast live today (6/19) at 9:00 am cst.  And tomorrow offers a 3-hour ethics programs for in-house counsel (but video only, in state), and also one webcast live on a topic that I rarely see but sounds very useful to some:  Winding Down a Law Practice.  On June 25, see the live webcast of Ethics - Best Practices in Business Development, for 3 MCLE credits.  Then Monday, June 30 means two 1-hr. programs on "conflicts checks" and on "lessons from recent discipline cases."

Chicago CLE June 13 on Ethics for Government Lawyers

Celebrate Friday the 13th, June 2008, in Chicago with nearly 4 hours of MCLE ethics credit taught in skit-and-discussion format, by the Illinois State Bar.  It is Ethical Considerations for Government Lawyers:  "The program will consist of various scenarios, portrayed by the panelists, and depicting complex ethical dilemmas confronted by public sector attorneys.  Each skit will be followed by a discussion of the ethical issues posed...."  The entire program costs only $65.

Downstate, in Springfield the same day, try Corporate Legal Ethics.  But there will be no mention of the city's "Fissionator 1952 Slow-Fission Reactor, [which] is poor and badly maintained, largely due to owner Montgomery Burns' miserliness," and raises critical ethics issues for corporate deciders like Waylon Smithers, Jr., shown right all happy before the backdating scandal and his investing some of Mr. Burns' fortune into subprime paper.  Other than that lapse, the program seems fine, offers 4 hours, and is very  affordable.

Neither Illinois program covers the ethics of leaving a kid alone at home while doing a Winona Ryder at the local Kohl's, but Mike thinks that's problematic nonetheless.

[Alan Childress]

ABA Offers Web/Phone CLE on June 4: "Ethical Issues in E-Discovery"

Counting as 1.5 ethics hours or more, and accessible remotely, the ABA course in Ethical Issues in E-Discovery (including Rule 26(f) conferences and using third-party vendors) is set for Wed., June 4, 2008, starting noon eastern time.  [Alan Childress]

'Ethics of Email' CLE Offered by D.C. Bar on June 11

Speaking of metadata disasters, the District of Columbia Bar will hold a 2-hour ethics program about emails on Wed. evening, June 11, 2008 (scroll down to 6/11). Topics include  confidentiality, metadata scrubbing, document retention, and  outsourcing.  [Alan Childress]

Legal Ethics in Financial Services: CLE in New York City June 3

The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, SIFMA, offers a 2-hour CLE Legal Ethics Workshop on Tues., June 3, 2008, in New York City.  It focuses on ethical considerations for in-house counsel.  Program and speakers here. [Alan Childress]

ALI-ABA To Hold "Legal Ethics & Lawyer Websites" CLE By Phone Or Web On June 4

It's a one-hour remote CLE program on lawyer websites and blogging, and their ethical implications.  It earns 1 to 1.2 ethics MCLE credits.  It will be held live on Wed., June 4, 2008, 1:00 eastern.  Topics include domain names, solicitation issues with third-party sites and chatrooms, and multijurisdictional practice issues.  [Alan Childress]

California Bar Holds Ethics Symposium May 3 in San Francisco

The State Bar of California, as announced by this webpage, will hold its 12th annual ethics seminar at University of San Francisco Law School on Sat., May 3, 2008.  Its theme is NOTORIETY – When the Spotlight Is on Ethics, and it includes a keynote speech by UC-Irvine's Dean Erwin Chemerinsky (previously at Duke while Nifong was D.A.--that should be interesting); the panel on prosecutorial misconduct includes Mark Garegos.  Other panels are on inadvertent disclosure, public lawyers, and rules revisions.

"This program offers up to 6.25 hours of MCLE credit in legal ethics."  The price is extremely affordable, ranging from free to $125 including lunch. 

[Alan Childress]

Discuss Ethics, Values, Literature, and a Life in Law: But Do So Under The Tuscan Sun

Posted by Alan Childress
The Justice Institute for the Legal Profession in Ohio uses studies of the humanities to reconnect lawyers, judges, and teachers to the ideals of law and justice.  The group offers a "CLE" in July 2008 that is way more than that, and takes place in Tuscany, Italy -- mainly the "Val d'Orcia valley, arguably the most beautiful region of Tuscany, famous for its hill towns and breathtaking landscapes."  Two week-long seminars "explore the relationship between law, justice and culture" and encompass the 'great readings' such as Sophocles' Antigone, Augustine's City of God, and Virgil's The Aeneid, all linked to great modern films. 

If you can't go to Italy, consider their 10th Annual Legal Profession Seminar, Oct. 15-18, 2008, in the villas of . . . Newark, Ohio.  OK, I know, but this too is not your father's ethics CLE:  "Bringing together experienced members of the Ohio bench, bar and academy, we will meet again this fall for an intensive discussion designed to deepen the understanding of legal ethics and professionalism. As we have done in the past, the discussions will center around classic and contemporary 'Great Readings' from literature, history and philosophy."

No word on whether Diane Lane will show at either site.

Tele-CLE on Jan. 17: Avoiding Waiving Privilege

Posted by Alan Childress

This from Lorman (contents here, and link to register is here):

Avoiding Waiver of the Attorney-Client Privilege
Live Teleconference - $199  ...   Early Bird - $179
Register by December 13th, 2007 for Early Bird Pricing

January 17th, 2008 - 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Eastern
Listen from your home or office / Unlimited listeners per connection
Registration includes one connection...Only Registered Attendee Receives Continuing Education Credit

    (The speaker is Joseph Mays, Jr. of the Bradley Arant firm.)

Ph.D.s for Law Professors?

Posted by Jeff Lipshaw

There's an interesting thread over at PrawfsBlawg (where I am guest-blogging this month) on the question whether it takes a Ph.D. (not a village!) to teach a lawyer, touched off by a post from Jonathan Simon (Boalt, left).  I'm simply going to replay here my comment about one of Jonathan's observations:

As for whether police officers or corporate compliance officers might compete to teach at law schools, even without a JD, its an interesting proposal. The question would be whether they have the capacity for a sophisticated and reflexive view of their own practice worlds, and the tools to unpack that view.

Having just recently written about what it would take to make the jump from the practice to the academy, I think this observation cuts to the heart of it.  There's probably a continuum between pure theory and pure practice arts, and the Ph.D. is no doubt a good signal that one has passing familiarity with the former.  Whether that leaves the teacher unprepared to deal with the other end of the spectrum is an interesting question.  But I think that the difference between, say, a CLE class and a law school class is the introduction of some meta-consideration to the practice matters under consideration, at least to some degree.  When the long-time practitioner is trying to persuade law professors that she is appropriate professor material, it's the presumption that the ability to have a sophisticated and reflexive view and the ancillary tools has atrophied that is one of the major hurdles to overcome.

D.C. Bar Offers DVD Training on New Ethics Rules and Links to Redlined Versions

The April e-brief of the D.C. Bar has this post about an inexpensive DVD training program (or self-study) available, explaining the bar's revised (2/1/07) rules of professional conduct.  The DVD programs will soon be free as well.   The post also links resources to download redlined and amended versions of the new rules (drawn on the Ethics 2000 Model Rules) and comparing the previous ones.  [Alan Childress]

California Bar Ethics Symposium in L.A. at Southwestern on 5/19

The California bar website announces the 11th Annual Statewide Annual Ethics Symposium --- May 19, 2007, Southwestern Law School, Los Angeles.  "This year’s theme is 'Ethics Around the Edges' and will include sessions on transactional practice, Sarbanes-Oxley and other topics."  MCLE credit is available.  Call 415-538-2167.   [Alan Childress]

Tennessee CLE 5/4 on Lawyers Entering Public Service

As if answering Jeff's call for (or query about) lawyers as legislators and in other public positions, the Knoxville Bar Association, as part of its Law Day program and luncheon, offers this CLE:  The Importance of Lawyers in Public Service.   "A panel of local lawyer legislators and former legislators will discuss how they became involved in public service and how they managed to practice law and fulfill the obligations of their elected position."  It will be May 4, 2007, and equals one ethics hour.  More importantly, the buffet features Hand Pulled Hickory Smoked Pork.  Pigs appreciate the personal touch.  [Alan Childress]

Fordham Conference on International Arbitration & Mediation Offered June 18-19 in NYC By Stein Center on Ethics

The Louis Stein Center for Law and Ethics at Fordham will cosponsor its second annual conference on International Arbitration and Mediation, including substantial attention to ethics issues for both subjects.  It will be held in New York City on June 18-19, 2007.  CLE credit is also available.  The conference director is Fordham Adjunct Professor Arthur Rovine.    [Alan Childress]

University of Miami CLE 4/13 on Criminal Justice Ethics

"Criminal Justice Ethics:  Round IV"
April 13, 2007 -- Bank United Center @ University of Miami Campus, Coral Gables

[Alan Childress]

David Hricik's CLE on Avoiding Legal Malpractice Ends Feb. 28

An on-line MCLE seminar on Avoiding Malpractice Claims: Things to Do (and NOT Do) on the First Day You Represent a Client is provided by David Hricik, who teaches at Mercer and contributes to Legal Ethics Forum.  It runs at all hours, offers 1.5 ethics credits, and ends Feb. 28.  It costs only $29 and should count as 'participatory.'

Professor Hricik also offers a longer CLE called Ethics for Litigators, similarly through 2/28, for up to 3 hours of credit.  [Alan Childress]

Live Webcast CLE 2/23 on Stock Options Backdating For Attorneys

Telestrat Consulting offers this 2-hour CLE Feb. 23, on options backdating and what lawyers need to know.  The speaker is Reuben Advani.  [Alan Childress]

D.C. Bar CLE 3/26 on Ethics and Rules Changes Lately Sings the Blues

We have posted on other music- or drama-driven programs on legal ethics, in Colorado and Louisiana.  Now the District of Columbia Bar offers to set its ethics CLE to song –- the program is "Ethics Blues:  A Musical Ethics Experience."  And it promises (really) to ease the Stormy Weather of professional responsibility, particularly in light of the significant amendments to the rules effective Feb. 1 (on which Mike blogged here).  The program is upcoming Monday afternoon, March 26, and offers up to three ethics credits.  [Alan Childress]

Fordham To Hold CLE 3/19 in NYC on Conflicts in Transactional Practice

The Louis Stein Center for Law and Ethics at Fordham will hold a CLE program on Avoiding Conflicts of Interest in Transactional Practice.  It will be in NYC at Fordham on Monday, March 19, 6:00-8:00 pm.  The registration fee is affordable and the speaker is Ronald Minkoff, of Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz.  Credit:  2 ethics hours.  [Alan Childress]

West CLE Audiocast 2/7 on Congressional Ethics, Gifts, and Lobbying

Posted by Alan Childress
This webcast audio CLE focuses on congressional ethics, gift-giving, and proposed reforms.  It is called "Washington Briefing: The 110th Congress Tackles Ethics Reform--New Prohibitions and Requirements."  It airs February 7, 12:30-2:00 pm EST, with information here.

Road Trip: "Working in the Public Interest" Conference at UGA March 30-31 is Free and Loaded

[This is excerpted from information sent by UGA in Athens.  This conference is free to most registrants, and open to students/profs/practitioners.  Note that the link so far provides only 2006 information (and says it is "closed," but it is not), so watch it fresh for updated registration and hotel info for 2007. Athens housing may be free for students attending on a road trip.  Sounds like a great idea.  --Alan Childress]

The University Of Georgia School Of Law cordially invites you to attend the Second Annual "Working in the Public Interest: Challenging Poverty through Law " conference on March 30-31, 2007.

The conference commences on Friday, March 30 with our keynote speaker, Stephen B. Bright, President of the Southern Center for Human Rights.  On Saturday, March 31 we will have an entire day of panels and roundtable discussions with speakers drawn from all parts of the country.

        This year we will be offering CLE credits for a small registration fee.   We can also arrange free housing for student attendees who would like to stay with other students here in Athens. 

        Panel discussions include: 

"What is Public Interest Law and Why Do We Care?" (Plenary)
"Universal Health Care: Political Priority or Pipe Dream?"
"Sheltering the Poor: Solving the Affordable Housing Crisis Through Government and Community Initiatives"
"The Immigrant Narrative: Day to Day Struggles of Legal and Illegal Immigrants in America Through the Lens of State Social Services and Health Care Access, Labor Laws, and the Scope of Legal Aid"
"Juvenile Delinquency Prevention and Responses: What Works?"
"Felon Disenfranchisement: How States are Mandating Change and Restoring Voting Rights"

"Are Labor Unions Obsolete?" (Workers' Rights Panel)

        Roundtable topics include:

Public Defenders and District Attorneys

Governmental service and the public sector
Grassroots organizations and faith based charities
Pro bono work in the private sector
Financing a public interest career
Non-traditional law practice

Impact litigation and lobbying

        ....Registration will be available online in a few weeks, at our website:  www.law.uga.edu/wipi.

Loyola Offers Theatrical, Fun Ethics CLE in New Orleans on Ground Hogs Eve

We previously posted on the Colorado Bar's evening of musical comedy and ethics CLE extravaganza.  In a similar though dramatic vein, this announcement from Loyola-N.O.'s CLE people:

Womens Lawyer Club – A Theatrical CLE Performance

February 1, 2007 (Thursday evening)

6:30 pm to 9:15 pm (doors open at 6:00 pm)

Loyola University Main Campus: Nunemaker Auditorium in Monroe Hall

1.0  Ethics and 1.5 Professionalism/$60 with credit; $25 guest; Free to students

The brochure and registration form are available by clicking PROGRAM BROCHURES at:  http://law.loyno.edu/cle.  To register, please fax or mail the form on the brochure. 

The hours apply beyond Louisiana, as well.  [Alan Childress; HT to Jeanne Carriere]

ABA Conference on White Collar Crime in San Diego March 1-2

The ABA's Criminal Justice Section is holding its annual "national institute" program March 1-2 in San Diego on White Collar Crime, including many topics and panels related to ethics, privilege, "hardball tactics," securities enforcement, and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. A link is here and the program brochure in PDF is here.  [Alan Childress]

ABA Offers CLE Webcast 1/18 on McNulty Memo

The ABA's CLE program linked here is "Securities Enforcement After the McNulty Memo."  It will be held on Thurs., Jan. 18 and is one hour of ethics credit.  The format is audio webcast or live teleconference.  One of the speakers is from the SEC division of enforcement.  [Alan Childress]

CLE 1/10 on McNulty Memo and Corporate Privilege

Link here to a two-hour audio CLE program from West LegalEdCenter.  It is to be webcast live January 10, 2007, from 2:00 to 4:00 EST.  The program is called "The McNulty Memo and Waiver of Attorney-Client Privilege in Criminal and Civil Investigations."  [Alan Childress]

Save May 8 For Boston Bar's CLE on Legal Ethics

If you are planning a trip to Boston around Tuesday, May 8 (as I suspect Jeff is, about then, just after Jazz Fest in New Orleans), or live there, one trip to plan may be the local bar association's 3-hr. program on "Ethics and Professional Liability."  It's part of this save-the-date announcement for all sorts of CLEs the bar offers in '07.  [Alan Childress]

Colorado Bar's Roadshow CLEs on Preventing Legal Malpractice, Etc.

Posted by Alan Childress

The Colorado Bar Association's annual "Preventing Legal Malpractice" seminar earns four credits (all ethics hours) and is offered live in these locations: 1/25 and again 2/7 in Denver, 1/26 in Colorado Springs, and 2/9 in Grand Junction.  Webcasts are 1/25 and 2/7.  Here is the brochure in PDF.

All three cities offer a video replay Dec. 29 of "The All New Ethics Revue," a musical-comedy ethics program on which we posted details earlier.

Programs on Criminal Law Ethics and on Bankruptcy Ethics were blizzarded out Dec. 20 and will be rescheduled.  Watch this page for new dates.

CLE: West Webcasts of Year-End Ethics Programs

Posted by Alan Childress

West LegalEd is announcing some last-minute CLE ethics programs, via live web audiocast, particularly handy for those whose eligibility runs out Dec. 31.  They are, with links:

• Dec. 27 - Asset Protection:  Criminal, Civil & Ethical Considerations (audio) 1.25 hrs.
• Dec. 27 - Ethics in Advocacy:  Litigation Perspective (audio) 1 hr.
• Dec. 28 - Everyday Ethics: Real World Dilemmas (audio) 1 hr.
• Dec. 29 - Confidentiality and Attorneys' Fees (audio) 1.5 hrs.
• Dec. 29 - Stopping Malpractice in its Tracks (audio) 1 hr.

Plus on Dec. 26, there's a live webcast on corporate Lawyer Liability: Personal Exposure of Inside and Outside Counsel, for 3 hours (2.75 credits and it looks like 2 of them are ethics hours).

ABA Teleconference 12/21 on Ethics in Managing Multistate Practices

Link here to an ABA ethics CLE on managing multistate law practices.  It's 90 minutes on Thurs., Dec. 21.  One of the speakers is Carol Needham at St. Louis University Law School.  [Alan Childress]

CLE in DC 12/11 on Corrupt Practices Act; One 12/14 on Privilege; 12/28 on Chess

The D.C. Bar as linked here is putting on a CLE on Monday Dec. 11, from 6:00-9:15 pm, on "A Practical Guide to the Federal Corrupt Foreign Practices Act," including how to conduct internal investigations. On Thursday, Dec. 14, also 6:00-9:15, the bar here is featuring, "Understanding the Intricacies of the Attorney-Client Privilege," including 2 hours of ethics in its 3.

Finally, on Thursday Dec. 28 (1:30-4:45 pm), there's this:  "Ethics Chess:  Thinking Ahead to Avoid Ethical Dilemmas."  Topics, including conflicts and new clients, "are addressed through interactive, hypothetical scenarios."  All 3 hours are ethics credits.  [Alan Childress]

Videocast CLE 12/19 by West/PLI on Privilege and Internal Investigations

Link here to a CLE webcast and video by PLI sold through West, for Dec. 19 and running 2 hours 10 min., entitled The Attorney-Client Privilege & Internal Investigations 2006.  [Alan Childress]

Musical Theatre "Ethics Revue" Offers 3 CLE Credits in Denver 12/13 (Or: Your State's CLE Agenda Pales by Comparison)

Posted by Alan Childress

The bar announcement trumpets, "If you are only going to see one CLE musical this fall...."  This one is co-performed by the Colorado Bar Association's Ethics Committee--over dinner--and allows pre-registration here.  They admit:  "Your mental image of the 50-year-old CBA Ethics Committee is of sixty scholarly, Seventeenth Street solicitors whose average IQ is about 145. The last time one of them told a joke was in 1972. And it was dry. Dusty dry. The Ethics Committee's idea of a good time is reading disciplinary decisions from Delaware. They still sip sherry and wear three-piece silk suits."  Don't let that stop you from earning 3 hours of ethics CLE over chicken.  The event is Dec. 13 and a colorful PDF brochure has detailed information. 

Alternatively, the same bar site front page yesterday touted a new article in it bar journal entitled, "Colorado Revisits the Rule Against Perpetuities," thereby putting some poor trusts-and-estates author in the equivalent position of following animals or children on-stage.  Let's face it:  the rule against perpetuities is just not as sexy as it sounds, at least not since 1981's Body Heat.

Anyway, back to the CLE program: actual topics include conflicts of interest, confidentiality, witness prep, and deposing opposing counsel -- while actual songs, really, are entitled:

•   >>  "It's the Most Ethical Time of the Year"
•   >>  "The Twelve Days of Conflicts-Checking Diligence"
•   >>  "Super Lawyer"
•   >>  "Pro Bono Obligation Song"
•   >>  "A Spooky Little Witness Like You"

...although we add that apparently New Jersey attorneys will get no CLE credit for the Super Lawyer segment and may even have to cover their ears while humming "Henery the Eighth" to block it out.

West CLE Webcast 12/18 on Ethics In Corporate Counseling

Topic is "Ethics 2006:  Corporate & Legal," and includes SOX, internal investigations, "who is the client?", backdated options, and corporate attorney-client privilege.  Live webcast is 3.25 hours on Monday, December 18, 1:30 pm EST. 

UPDATE: Here is a link to the entire West collection of audio CLE webcasts on ethics from the National Business Institute, which are field-specific and run various dates. [Alan Childress]

ABA's CLE Program on Ethics Issues in Representing a Client After a Disaster (Mainly the Client's Disaster)

Here is a link to an ABA-sponsored ethics webcast, scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 28, on issues in representing clients after a disaster (including pre-planning to make sure the clients are cared for in spite of the lawyer's and client's troubles).  Such disasters include extreme ones like hurricane and office fire and also more personal ones like family illness and call-up to military service–-basically life-changing events that make clients vulnerable and raise unique issues of ethics and professionalism (such as practice across state lines and rules about active-duty military clients).  Its format is a 90-minute live audio webcast or teleconference.  I don't know anything about four of the five listed speakers (from all over), but I can tell you that the fifth--New Orleans attorney Malcolm Meyer--is an experienced adjunct ethics teacher who cares about these issues and recently lived them through Katrina.  [Alan Childress]

CLE Webcast 11/30 on Ethics Issues for In-House Counsel, Law Firm Counsel, and Outside Corporate Counsel

Here is information from West on a 3.25-hour webcast program Nov. 30 on ethics and liability issues affecting corporate counsel including counsel to law firms.  It is called Lawyer Liability: Personal Exposure and Ethical Responsibilities of Inside and Outside Counsel: A Town Hall Event. Topics include SOX compliance, selective waiver of privilege, liability for investigators a la H-P, and also advanced waiver of conflicts of interest [see LegalEthicsForum for an update on that].  The program is part of a lot of West CLE offerings from this site.  CAUTION:  Some of the information West has on one site lists the course as starting at 1:00 pm EST but another site says 2:00 EST.  You'd better check with West.   [Alan Childress]

ALI-ABA Webcast on Ethics Issues Friday the 13th

Posted by Alan Childress

Here is the West information page on an audio- or video-webcast "Ethics Update" program of three and a quarter hours, including accidental clients and "red flags."  Although the West email circulating about this could give more coverage information and less hype ("The hottest ethical issues discussed!"), I note that the content is provided by the reputable and substantive ALI-ABA organization.  You'd have to go to the link to find out that the speakers are actually quite good, including my colleague at GW Susan Martyn (who did not put me up to this) and Kathleen Clark at Wash U., as well as speakers from a law firm, the bar, and in-house.  In contrast (to the subject matter ambiguity of hot), their "people who also bought" suggestions box features one program that I think I understand the contents by its title:  "Don't Lie, Cheat, or Steal!"  We are pleased to observe that West did not put an asterisk on the title, though disappointed that such advice is not considered hot.