Available Previously Recorded CLE Courses

This program will explore important operational factors for entrepreneurs and startup companies to consider prior to applying for a visa such as timing, organizational and ownership structure and financial commitments. Major content areas of the program will include:

Non-immigrant and immigrant visas
Entrepreneurship and visas
Operational/financial consideration for visas
Types of visas
Best practice tips

Date Recorded: February 20, 2024

Speakers: Kimberly Bennett; Eryn Correa

Moderators: WooYoung Chang

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Regulation of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on the state and federal levels is a dynamic area, requiring constant vigilance to assist clients with identifying and meeting current compliance requirements.

Pennsylvania enacted Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for two PFAS compounds in 25 PA Code Chapter 109. This one-hour presentation will review the following:
Background of the MCL rule
Effectiveness dates relevant to different classes of water systems
Required monitoring requirements, analytical methods and reporting limits
Approved treatment options and estimated costs
Options for complying with the MCL monitoring requirements and USEPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 (UCMR 5) requirements.
The presentation will also review similar information for the USEPA's March 29, 2023 proposed modifications to the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations adding MCLs for six PFAS compounds, including the proposed unique use of a Hazard Index to develop system specific MCLs for four of the PFAS compounds.

Date Recorded: September 21, 2023

Speakers: Thomas Maher

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This program is tailored to legal professionals and explores the intersection of technology and the legal profession, including artificial intelligence, blockchain and cybersecurity. The program will address key ethical considerations and the evolving responsibilities of legal professionals involved with cyber forensics, intellectual property and data breach response.
This program will also address ethical considerations and potential challenges in implementing AI technologies while maintaining human-centric values. With a strong emphasis on technology tools and educational use demonstrations, this program is ideal for lawyers seeking to protect their clients' interests in the digital age and stay up-to-date with the latest legal developments. Participants will witness firsthand how technology can augment human interactions, improve communication and create more inclusive and accessible environments.

Date Recorded: August 25, 2023

Speakers: Daniel Hickton; Jayla Hemphill

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"Following the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, thousands of Afghan evacuees have arrived in the United States under a temporary immigration status that allows them to live and work in the U.S. while they apply to stay here permanently. Many of these people need legal representation to apply for asylum so that they can avoid having to return to dangerous and life-threatening conditions.

This CLE is an introductory course on asylum law and application procedures. It will provide a basic toolbox for attorneys interested in providing pro bono legal representation to Afghan asylum applicants. Experienced immigration attorneys and law professors will guide participants through a discussion on the following:

The asylum procedure
How to complete Form I-589
Understanding "fear of persecution" in the asylum context
How to prepare a checklist for the asylum application packet
How to prepare clients for an effective asylum interview
Participants will also learn about opportunities to provide free legal assistance to affected families through a partnership with the Immigration Clinic at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law."

Date Recorded: October 13, 2023

Speakers: Annette Martínez-Orabona; Sheila Vélez-Martínez

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This is a comprehensive, five-credit criminal education program concerning Capital criminal cases. The subjects include the history of the death penalty, the perspectives of a trial judge, expert testimony concerning future dangerousness, representing the seriously difficult clients, the right to self-representation and a case analysis of an actual capital case.

Date Recorded: August 4, 2023

Speakers: William Difenderfer; Edward Borkowski

Moderators: Thomas Farrell

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This CLE will address business valuation and net disposable income topics, with a panel of financial experts from HBKVG, Cohen & Company and H2R.

Panelists will provide an engaging presentation regarding business valuation, complex support and other litigation support matters. The seminar will include skits and discussions regarding normalization and other adjustments, discounts, double dip, goodwill and post-COVID considerations related to business valuations.

Date Recorded: February 8, 2024

Speakers: Heather Baranowski; Steven Dotterer; Julie Herzog; Beth Mascetta; Christopher Mascetta; Christopher Pattison; Robert Zahner

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Panelists provide an engaging presentation regarding business valuation, complex support and other litigation support matters. Panelists also offer insight regarding ethical considerations that arise in litigation matters and how rules for attorneys and experts may differ.

Date Recorded: February 8, 2024

Speakers: Angelica Revelant; John Petrancosta

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This CLE will address business valuation and net disposable income topics, with a panel of financial experts from HBKVG, Cohen & Company and H2R.

Panelists will provide an engaging presentation regarding business valuation, complex support and other litigation support matters. The seminar will include skits and discussions regarding normalization and other adjustments, discounts, double dip, goodwill and post-COVID considerations related to business valuations as well as a variety of other topics and issues facing litigators today such as trusts, cryptocurrency and discovery.

Date Recorded: February 8, 2024

Speakers: Beth Mascetta; Heather Baranowski; Josh Lefcowitz

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This program will focus on 2D and 3D demonstrative aids for use in civil cases and criminal trials. The presenter will review several cases where demonstrative aids and forensic animation assisted in achieving a favorable outcome. The course will also introduce applicable case law, limitations and rules of admissibility.

Date Recorded: November 9, 2023

Speakers: Jeremy Gibson

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This CLE will address some of the issues that relate to succession planning for one's law practice and the need for the appointment of a Conservator when no advance planning was put in place. Currently there are approximately 40,700 attorneys in Pennsylvania, or 55 percent of all active attorneys, who are 50 years of age or older.

Succession planning is a necessity for all attorneys, but certainly for attorneys in this age group. Succession planning allows an attorney to identify a successor to protect the interests of clients in the event of the incapacity or death of the attorney. This program will explore the following:
Practical issues of naming a successor as well as the role and responsibilities of the successor.
The appointment of a Conservator for an incapacitated, absent or deceased attorney, including an overview of the Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement governing conservatorship.
The physical and cognitive issues that attorneys may face as they move into the more senior years of their practice and how this impacts the need to name a successor to one's practice.

Date Recorded: November 29, 2023

Speakers: Thomas Farrell; James Fox

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The mental demands of a lawyer can often lead to increased levels of stress and burnout. Prioritizing mental health and stress management is becoming increasingly important in the legal industry.

This presentation will offer education to help you understand the mental and physical effects of stress and will provide you with skills that will minimize the effect of stress on your health. This session is intended for healthy individuals who will benefit from increased stress-coping skills, and also for individuals with diseases where stress coping can promote an enhanced sense of well-being and possibly influence the course of disease.

Examples of diseases that may benefit from enhanced stress-coping skills include hypertension, depression, asthma, arthritis, cancer, atherosclerotic heart disease, chronic pain, sleep disturbances, psoriasis, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, lupus, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.

Dr. Bruce Rabin will discuss the following content areas:
Predisposing early life issues that affect how you respond to stress
Understanding how the brain responds to stress
The mental and physical health alterations caused by stress
How to reduce the response of the brain to acute stress

Date Recorded: February 13, 2024

Speakers: Dr. Bruce Rabin

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Cyberthreats to attorneys and law firms are at an all-time high and continue to grow. These threats are a particular concern for attorneys because of their duties of competence in technology and confidentiality. This session will explore current threats, attorneys' duties to safeguard confidential data, and practical ways to comply with the duties in today's emerging hybrid practice. It will cover:

• The current threat environment
• Attorneys' ethical and legal duties to protect confidential information (including PA Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3 and current ABA and Pennsylvania ethics opinions)
• Cybersecurity basics, including practical steps for compliance

Date Recorded: June 30, 2023

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For young lawyers, choosing a practice area can feel like a career-long commitment. In a profession that emphasizes experience, it can seem critical to build niche expertise as soon as possible.

But for many lawyers, the practice area that once seemed exciting can quickly become anything but. Or, young attorneys looking for a job may find themselves pigeon-holed in an area they have no interest in.

Lawyers often struggle with feeling stuck in a practice that makes them question their career entirely, even years into practice. However, there are options for attorneys that are struggling to hit their stride.

When a chosen area unexpectedly comes with difficult personalities, confusing procedure or daunting subject matter, what should you do? Panelists will discuss ethical options for re-routing your career path to find fulfillment as a lawyer. This program will cover:
Finding your niche as a young lawyer
Navigating a mid-career switch
Making your practice your own for lawyers at all levels

Date Recorded: January 30, 2024

Speakers: Sarah Norcott; Todd Williams; Michelle Ross

Moderators: Maddison Sullivan

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On Oct. 13, 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy announced $7 billion to launch seven Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) across the nation, including two with significant ties to Pennsylvania. The H2Hubs are expected to use carbon capture technologies to reduce carbon emissions. This CLE will provide an overview of the H2Hub initiative and explore several legal issues surrounding carbon capture and storage, including potential regulatory actions and pore space ownership.

Date Recorded: January 18, 2024

Speakers: John Walliser; Hannah Wiseman; Tom Murphy

Moderators: Brian Greenert

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Law firms and legal departments recognize the importance and the impact of programs that promote diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB). These programs have the potential to be truly transformative when legal professionals properly execute them. Through the lens of exercises, case studies and facilitated dialogue, this session will explore the opportunities and the pitfalls that arise in connection with the use of various DEIB tools and initiatives such as employee resource groups, business resource groups and pipeline programs. This session will also address how such programs can empower lawyers to meet their professional obligations under Rule 8.4(g) to refrain from committing discrimination or harassment with respect to the practice of law.

Date Recorded: November 9, 2023

Speakers: Derek Illar; Danielle Mundekis; Cristian Minor Sanchez

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Having a baby; holding strong religious beliefs; applying to college; engaging in union activities; taking time off from work; being subjected to sexual harassment by an employer; investigating employee work conduct; suffering work data breaches; being fired in contravention of an employer's own policies...The past year once again changed the landscape in these and many other employment and labor issues both nationally and in Western Pennsylvania. This session will review the year in employment and labor law. Join a plaintiff and defense attorney for this lively and thought-provoking survey of the law of the workplace, 2023 style.

Date Recorded: November 9, 2023

Speakers: Samuel Cordes; Mariah Passarelli

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We've all been there – cornered at a party because someone "heard you were a lawyer" and wants to know something about a practice area that you haven't thought about since the bar exam.

In the WLD's "Law for Cocktail Parties" series, panelists at each session present answers to the top 10 questions in their field. First up: Family and Landlord-Tenant, where participants will learn the basics of divorce, custody, remedies for breach of lease and all the other things you need to answer Aunt Susie's questions at the next family gathering.

Date Recorded: February 15, 2024

Speakers: Robyn Eisen; Lois Vitti

Moderators: Hannalore Merritt

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During this program, a surveying expert from Civil and Environmental Consultants will offer a concise and informative overview of the 2021 Minimum Standard Detail Requirements for ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys.

These standards are the cornerstone of precise property assessments, offering attorneys invaluable insights into property boundaries, encumbrances and potential legal pitfalls. By grasping the intricacies of these requirements, attorneys can collaborate more effectively with surveyors and title companies, enhancing the due diligence process and ultimately safeguarding their clients' interests in real estate transactions.

Date Recorded: February 8, 2024

Speakers: Don Groesser

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This program will address common questions posed by clients with regards to their estate plans. Practical considerations and discussion topics between estate planners and their clients will be explored, such as:

What basic estate planning documents should be prepared?
What makes a good fiduciary in each of these documents?
What aspects of an estate plan should be discussed with others?
When should an estate plan be reviewed?

Date Recorded: January 17, 2024

Speakers: Elizabeth Ryan Uhler

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This course is designed to help those lawyers who are asking "I don't go to court that often, but when I have to, help me learn how to prepare."

Join renowned trial attorney and national speaker Claude Ducloux for a 60-minute presentation on the topic. Specifics to be covered include:
Preparing the non-trial lawyer for a trial before the court
Developing a trial theme
Defining elements of the case or defense and evidence required for each
Preparing witnesses ahead of time
Simple yet effective presentation techniques
Scoping out your courtroom/court staff ahead of time
Understanding standard objections
Ethical rules about evidence, offers of testimony and the duty to correct false testimony
Drafting your judgment early and other necessities
Keeping track of exhibits and rulings during trial
Handling your client throughout the process and setting reasonable expectations

Date Recorded: January 16, 2024

Speakers: Claude Ducloux

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This program will offer an overview of the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) and other new international tax legislation that was enacted over the past five years. Additionally, the program will feature a more forward-looking component that addresses potential legislation – both in the U.S. and globally – that could impact multinational companies in the coming year.

Date Recorded: December 14, 2022

Speakers: Reid Meyer, Thomas Carpenter

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In the spirit of Halloween, this program explores "scary" legal scenarios and how to navigate them. The panel will explore the following topics:

Protection From Abuse Petitions and Orders of Court
The rise of AI in employment and hiring
Intellectual property and trademark issues, including a case involving the Ghostbusters logo
Ethical Scenarios: Rules of professional conduct regarding conversations "in confidence"
Recent updates in Pennsylvania's adoption of Rule 8.4(g) of the Rules of Professional Conduct and its "scary" implications
Real Property: Analyzing America's first legally designated haunted house and the landmark case that decided it

Date Recorded: October 31, 2023

Speakers: Timur Dikec; Jonathan Deasy; Trisha Klan; Maddison Sullivan; Alison Gutierrez; Margaret Prescott

Moderators: Kerven Moon

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This program will highlight recent decisions from the U.S. Supreme Court impacting areas of labor and employment law, including:

~The religious accommodations case Groff v. DeJoy.
~The Glacier Northwest case holding, for which the NLRA did not preempt a state law tort claim.
~Decisions that impact procedural matters, such as arbitration and the preservation of issues on appeal.

Date Recorded: October 3, 2023

Speakers: Christine Elzer; Terrence Murphy; Irene Thomas

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Dietary supplements are all the rage in the health industry. But are they actually healthy?
This program provides insight into the dietary supplement ("nutraceutical") industry from a toxicologist's perspective, but with attorneys in mind. This one-hour talk highlights dietary supplement-related topics that attorneys may encounter including: drug-dietary supplement interactions (essential for medical malpractice cases), drug testing (why is my client getting a positive drug test result if the only thing taken was a dietary supplement?), medical conditions that dietary supplements can worsen and impairment due to dietary supplements.
An overview of labeling requirements and regulation of these products will also be covered.

Date Recorded: August 3, 2023

Speakers: Allison Muller

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As the dependency and use of technology increases, people rely on electronic devices to complete many daily activities. Unfortunately, these same technologies are being seen more and more in family law cases where offenders have identified ways to exploit them in order to facilitate harm towards their victims and co-parents alike.

In this interactive workshop, Steven Bradley will explore the risks and benefits of technology, not only for the clients, but also for all individuals in their personal and professional lives. Attendees will learn safety planning and evidence collection strategies for phone technology, location apps, social media, and more. Non-technical language will be used throughout the presentation and how to safely navigate the world of technology.

Date Recorded: October 4, 2023

Speakers: Steven Bradley

Moderators: Michelle Barr

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Every task performed in a firm is a step in a procedure. From answering the phone to closing a file, effectively and efficiently completing those procedures is what gets the work done. Yet many firms rely on the procedures that are in their employees' heads or on post-it notes scattered around the office. If an employee leaves or a post-it note gets lost, that valuable information is lost.

Perhaps you do have some things documented. But are those documents in an understandable, consistent format? Is the process happening as you envisioned? Are the right tasks being performed at the right time in the right order by the right people?

This webinar will not only provide you with a list of procedures that need to be documented, but also an easy-to-follow format for doing so. By getting your S.O.P.s (Standard Operating Procedures) together, you will reduce mistakes, improve consistency, clarify roles and build a library for onboarding and cross-training.

Date Recorded: September 20, 2023

Speakers: Tamara Philabaum

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