This engaging course provides an overview of the disease of addiction, the impact on the legal profession, signs and symptoms of addiction, and obstacles to treatment and recovery. Ethical considerations and legal obligations are reviewed to provide the learner with a comprehensive approach to navigating the hurdles related to substance use disorders and the practice of law.

The threat of an estate planning legal malpractice claim is daunting, with the potential to be professionally and financially devastating. All it takes is one careless act for even the most experienced practitioner to become ensnarled in an ethical imbroglio. For this reason, estate planners must remain vigilant to steer clear of ethical errors and ensure the client’s intentions are carried out.

Post-employment restrictive covenants continue to be the focus of much debate. On the one hand, many view restrictive covenants as contrary to public policy and harmful to trade and professional development. On the other hand, many employers place much value on restrictive covenants, which provide them a tool to protect corporate assets including client contacts, product details, and organizational processes - to a degree. While courts have for years resolved disputes between employees and employers over the proper scope of restrictive covenants, state legislatures have also started to weigh in on the debate recently, enacting legislation intended to severely limit, or in some cases, outright ban, non-competes under certain circumstances. During this presentation, learn how to balance the tension between employer, employee, and public policy needs when it comes to restrictive covenants.

In an August letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, members of Congress asked for increased IRS funding to pursue wealthy tax evaders and improve IRS services for all Americans. If successful, the current budget reconciliation package will deliver this requested funding to the IRS. The downstream effect will have significant impacts on attorneys advising clients in tax, business, or wealth planning matters. They will see increasing numbers of IRS audits, assessments, and tax collections against their high-net worth and business taxpayers, both at home and abroad. Become better prepared for further IRS scrutiny on the horizon, including audits, litigation, and even criminal investigations by registering for this deep-dive program.

PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – are increasingly the subject of litigation, regulation, and legislation at the federal and state levels, including the recently released EPA “PFAS Strategic Roadmap.” These “forever chemicals” are under great scrutiny, and there is still important scientific study to be done to better understand their ecosystem and human toxicity to enable categorization of PFAS compounds for more efficient regulation. As rule makers at both the state and federal levels seek to restrict and remediate the widespread proliferation of PFAS in industry and the environment, it is more important than ever to consider the future landscape of PFAS liability. In this 90 minute OnDemand video, we’ll discuss how PFAS are used in the supply chain, how they can be identified, and what PFAS users are doing to reduce their use. With over 13,000 legal cases regarding firefighting aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) consolidated in South Carolina District Court, we’ll hear about litigation, liability, and what’s next in that arena. Finally, will congress, states, or federal regulators provide solutions? This panel will discuss the latest information on regulatory and legislative activities at the federal and state levels and offer a sense of what to expect in 2022. In particular, we’ll consider the EPA Roadmap, highlighting key takeaways and discussing what’s next in the PFAS federal regulatory world.

Internal investigations and special committees are almost ubiquitous in today’s corporate environment. Whether the need for them arises from an acquisition, merger, a suspect transaction, a poor management decision, or other sensitive issues, ensuring an independent and thorough investigation is of paramount importance to all organizational stakeholders, including board members, in-house counsel, and outside counsel. It is imperative that everyone involved have clarity on roles, extent of authority, party responsibilities, and evidentiary preservation/production expectations from the very beginning. Privilege considerations must also be appreciated and respected throughout an investigation. Register for this program and learn from an authoritative panel well-versed on the procedural underpinnings and best practices of special committees and internal investigations to ensure your next committee and investigation acts independently and effectively to manage what is on the horizon.

As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, no area of business has been untouched by its impact, including the commercial real estate market. Adaptive trends, such as the shift to remote workforces that have caused many businesses to reevaluate lease renewals, could have possible long-term effects across many sectors of the real estate market. These trends have led lenders, investors, and developers to respond by rethinking the ways to address bankruptcy and creditors rights in light of the current conditions.

When companies consider the cost of doing business, many never stop to consider the high cost of litigation if a dispute arises that disrupts a deal. Business lawyers often include arbitration clauses in contracts to settle disputes, but these are often generic and tacked onto the contract as afterthoughts that can end up impeding a speedy resolution. It’s imperative that a well-crafted arbitration clause that structures the resolution process to fit the specifics of the transaction be included in every contract.

High net worth clients have many options to consider when it comes to advancing their long-term philanthropic goals. Given the options and myriad of factors to consider, it is important to appreciate the difference between private foundations and donor advised funds (known as “DAFs”). DAFs - an often used alternative for donors wishing to avoid the burdens of running a private foundation – are commonly misunderstood as to how they work, whether they are working as intended, and the extent of the true benefits to donors and the missions they serve. In fact, DAFs have recently come under fire and are the focus of the proposed federal legislation, Accelerating Charitable Efforts Act (known as the “ACE” Act). To clear up some common DAFs misconceptions,

Some attorneys think that when it comes to negotiating on behalf of a client, “anything goes.” While zealous advocacy is encouraged, lines can be crossed. In this webcast, two practitioners with deep experience guiding and representing other attorneys on professional responsibility matters, will discuss six principles every attorney should follow while engaging in negotiations. These principles will help to ensure the attorney is staying within ethical guidelines while trying to get the best – and later enforceable – outcome for their client.