This CLE program is designed to guide estate planning attorneys through the often-overlooked nuances of trust drafting and funding. With real-world examples and practical drafting language, attorney Leah Morrison highlights the most common mistakes practitioners make when preparing and funding trusts. From discretionary standards and trustee powers to titling assets and interpreting ambiguous clauses, this course equips attendees with actionable strategies to improve trust clarity, enforceability and alignment with client intent. This session provides essential tools to reduce risk, avoid litigation and deliver higher-value estate plans.

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify the essential components of a valid trust and explain the roles and responsibilities of trustees, beneficiaries, and grantors.

• Interpret and evaluate key trust language — including Health, Education, Maintenance, and Support (HEMS) clauses — to ensure clarity and consistency with settlor intent.

• Assess the implications of trustee discretion and standard of review in discretionary distributions, with an emphasis on avoiding misinterpretation and potential litigation.

• Analyze real-world drafting and funding mistakes to understand their consequences and apply corrective strategies in practice.

• Implement effective funding strategies by correctly titling assets and coordinating trust provisions with beneficiary designations, tax implications, and estate planning goals.

Leah Morrison thinks of tax law as a board game with very elaborate rules. Once you learn the rules, you can learn how to navigate the game – and win. Her knowledge of both tax and estate law allows her to present her clients with options for estate plans that take taxes into account when appropriate.

Practice Areas: Trusts and Estates

Offered In: California (CA)

Course Expiration: 06/06/2030 Original Production Date: 06/06/2025
Run Time: 1:00:00

Trustees are frequently pulled into litigation involving the validity or construction of a trust instrument or amendment. Sometimes, the trustee itself is accused of inappropriate conduct. It is better to resolve trust litigation early and efficiently.

Hon. Glen M. Reiser (Ret.) has vast experience adjudicating and resolving thousands of complex commercial, real property/environmental, trust and family law disputes as a respected trial judge and litigator. In this CLE, Judge Reiser will provide his practical insights and guidance to trust professionals on the mediation process and how to achieve the best results for their clients. The main topics: the Role of Trustees in Mediation, the How & Why to Mediate and Best Practices for the Mediation. Additional subjects: Arbitration vs. Mediation, Mediation in Probate, Trust & Conservatorship Litigation, Mediation: Who Attends, the Trustee as Neutral Stakeholder, the Trustee as Target, Mediation: When Is Best, the Mediation Process, Helping the Mediator Help You, Impairments to Settlement, Overcoming Real Barriers, Working on Creative Solutions and the Settlement Agreement.

Hon. Glen M. Reiser (Ret.) has vast experience adjudicating and resolving thousands of disputes and he regularly teaches California judges trust, probate, and conservatorships through the Judicial Council of California’s Center for Judicial Education and Research (CJER).

Practice Areas: Family Law, Trusts and Estates

Offered In: California (CA)

Course Expiration: 06/30/2028 Original Production Date: 06/30/2023
Run Time: 1:00:00

The 2008 Mortgage Crisis put many homeowner's underwater. Millions lost their homes to foreclosure and often filed for bankruptcy in the process.

UDAAP blossomed out of the 2008 financial crisis to protect consumers against "unfair, deceptive, or abusive" by companies selling financial products. In this CLE, Brian Brunkow will analyze the 3 main tests, outline the key impacts of UDAAP and provide best practices to remain compliant with this key legislation that impacts almost every lending regulation and part of the lending cycle. Brian will also discuss: Al Capone & UDAAP, lenders, the Unfair Test, Deceptive Acts & Practices, the Abusive Test, the CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), lending regulations, the lending cycle, discrimination, data security, BOD & management oversight, Compliance Management System (CMS), enforcement actions and final compliance tips. UDAAP's influence on the mortgage industry is all-encompassing, affecting each step of the lending cycle from advertising to servicing closed loans.

Brian Brunkow is a Seattle-area lawyer focused on negotiations, dispute resolution and NCAA compliance. In addition, he teaches lawyers about sports agency law and speaks at West Coast coaching clinics on student-athlete development.

Practice Areas: Business Law, Real Property

Offered In: California (CA)

Course Expiration: 06/17/2027 Original Production Date: 06/17/2022
Run Time: 1:15:00

Your client is accused of kidnap, murder and arson. Of course, your client swears he was nowhere near the incident scene because he spent the night at his girlfriend's house that night. How can you prove this to the jury?

Just ask special agent turned digital forensic examiner Eric Grabski! Using the girlfriend's Facebook IP address, network subscriber info and WiFi data, Eric was able to prove definitively that the suspect was nowhere near the murder scene on the night in question. From tracking murder suspects with Facebook Live data - to pointing out mistakes in the state's location evidence due to bad vector analysis - Eric will show you how to analyze cell phone location evidence in your legal cases. Eric will mainly discuss: Sources of Evidence: Cellular Providers & Network, Understanding Call Detail Records - CDRs and the Reliability of Location Information: Bolstering the Evidence. Additional topics: burner phones, cellular design network, legal process & discovery, using subpoenas, Cell Site Location Information (CSLI), phone extractions, location data from multiple sources, social media records and Google Takeout.

Eric Grabski is an expert witness specializing in historical cell site analysis, call detail record analysis, and mobile device forensics. Eric is currently a Senior Digital Forensic Examiner with Envista Forensics where he provides consultation to attorneys regarding criminal and civil litigation.

Specialty Areas: Technology

Practice Areas: Criminal Law, Litigation, Personal Injury, Technology

Offered In: California (CA)

Course Expiration: 11/07/2027 Original Production Date: 11/07/2022
Run Time: 1:30:00

Business valuations frequently play a critical role in legal matters involving closely held companies, including shareholder disputes, business transactions, estate and gift planning, marital dissolution, succession planning, and other matters in which the value of a business or ownership interest is at issue. For attorneys advising clients in these matters, understanding how valuation professionals identify and account for risk is essential to evaluating valuation conclusions and effectively working with financial experts.

This course examines how company-specific risk, ownership rights, and marketability can affect the valuation of a closely held business or ownership interest. Participants will learn how operational, commercial, financial, legal, and governance risks may influence a valuation and how valuation professionals incorporate those risks into discount rates and other valuation assumptions. The program also examines discounts for lack of control (DLOC) and lack of marketability (DLOM), including the significance of ownership and voting rights, transfer restrictions, shareholder agreements, liquidity, and company-specific circumstances.

Through practical examples, valuation methodologies, IRS guidance, and relevant case law, attorneys will learn how to identify assumptions that warrant closer examination, recognize potential double counting of valuation risks, and ask more effective questions when reviewing or challenging a valuation report.

Learning Objectives for Attorneys:

*Identify company-specific risks that may affect the valuation of a closely held business, including operational, commercial, financial, legal, regulatory, governance, and key-person risks.

*Evaluate how valuation professionals incorporate risk into valuation conclusions, including the relationship among expected earnings, growth assumptions, discount rates, and company-specific risk premiums.

*Analyze ownership and governance rights relevant to a valuation, including voting power, decision-making authority, veto rights, transfer restrictions, shareholder agreements, and other factors affecting control.

*Distinguish between discounts for lack of control (DLOC) and discounts for lack of marketability (DLOM) and identify circumstances in which each adjustment may—or may not—be appropriate.

*Evaluate the factual and legal support for valuation discounts, including relevant IRS guidance, empirical valuation data, and judicially recognized factors used to assess marketability.

*Identify potential weaknesses in a valuation analysis and formulate questions for valuation experts, including whether risks have been double counted and whether the applicable standard of value and jurisdiction permit the proposed adjustments.

Sri Chakravarty specializes in business valuations, business plans, and integrated financial projections for companies seeking debt or equity financing, ownership transitions, or strategic growth.

Practice Areas: Business Law

Offered In: California (CA)

Course Expiration: 08/27/2031 Original Production Date: 08/27/2026
Run Time: 1:03:16

Cheryl Nolan is an animal law lawyer who helps aggrieved pet owners with veterinary malpractice claims. She handles cases involving dogs, cats, horses, birds... and even hamsters.

In this CLE she will discuss the hallmarks of dog & animal law, types of claims, theories of liability, small claims vs. the veterinarian board and case development. Additional subjects: animal law practice areas, private equity & veterinarians, the roots of animal law, what pet owners want, handling animal disputes with alternative dispute resolution (ADR), Debra Vey Voda-Hamilton's mediation practice, breach of contract, bailment, malpractice & negligence, conversion, consumer protections, fraud & misrepresentation, deceptive business practices, market value, replacement value, special & unique value monetizing bowser and utilizing expert witnesses to guide the case. Cheryl will conclude by providing a detailed analysis of two actual case examples where she helped pet owners.

Cheryl Nolan decided on a career in law to help others and be of service. After 23 years promoting the interests of the disadvantaged and equal access to justice, Cheryl now runs an animal-centered law practice.

Practice Areas: Law Practice Management, Litigation, Real Property

Offered In: California (CA)

Course Expiration: 04/30/2028 Original Production Date: 04/30/2023
Run Time: 1:00:00

This CLE will offer in-depth legal analysis and practical suggestions on how ethical duties can empower policy holders when a liability insurer agree to defend under a reservation of rights but then appoints defense counsel and directs the defense.

In this CLE, Stephen L. Thomas examines the language of the ethical rules, liability insurance law, and provides non-litigation solutions for panel counsel to comply with ethical obligations, for reserving insurers to fulfill contractual & regulatory obligations, for policyholders to enforce their rights and for counsel for injured victims to facilitate prompt settlements. The main issues discussed: how a reservation of rights triggers counsel's duty of undivided loyalty and creates a possible conflict of interest, well established (disparate) case law and practice pointers for how policy holders can win. Also covered: the 3 Types of Jurisdictions, the California Restatement Rule, Per Se Rule states, the Enhanced Duties Rule, Rule 1.7: Undivided Loyalty, Rule 1.4: Communication, Rule 1.6: Confidentiality, Rule 1.8: Compensation (Cal. 1.8.6), the 6 Prongs to success, developing admissible evidence, Insurance Industry Defenses, case law. Model emails & letters, questionnaires and a detailed memorandum of law are also provided in the written materials.

An attorney with over 40 years of experience in Insurance Law, Stephen L. Thomas focuses on defending policyholders in a wide variety of liability suits.

Specialty Areas: Legal Ethics

Practice Areas: Business Law, Ethics, Personal Injury, Real Property

Offered In: California (CA)

Course Expiration: 03/20/2028 Original Production Date: 03/20/2023
Run Time: 2:00:00

The ERC is a complex claim with precise requirements to help businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, the IRS has received over 4 million of these claims over the course of the program. Amid a surge of questionable claims the IRS ordered an immediate stop to new Employee Retention Credit (ERC) processing to protect taxpayers from scams.

Essentially, aggressive marketing to ineligible applicants created unacceptable risks to businesses and the tax system, possibly costing the IRS north of $500 billion in fraudulent claims. Tax attorney Sam Brotman has diligently advised business owners on their options and has helped claim over $100 million in ERC tax credits for his clients. He will explain in common sense terms what you need to know about the ERC tax credit to advise your business clients. Sam will mainly cover: recent ERC developments, the magnitude of the ERC for the IRS & businesses, ERC Mills, the two tests: Financial Impact & Operational Impact, IRS enforcement. Additional topics of discussion: how conservative CPAs processed ERC claims, how different business were affected in different ways, urban vs. rural, differences in state orders, the 9/14/2023 IRS Moratorium, the IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program (ERC-VDP), being proactive, seeking tax advice in an opinion letter and helping your client to understand all their options.

Samuel D. Brotman is the founder of Brotman Law. His practice primarily centers on all aspects of tax litigation and criminal & civil tax controversies. Although a strong proponent of early stage tax resolution, Sam's practice is uniquely tailored to assist clients in all phases of their tax controversy from administrative resolution of the lawsuit.

Practice Areas: Business Law, Taxation

Offered In: California (CA)

Course Expiration: 02/28/2029 Original Production Date: 02/28/2024
Run Time: 1:00:00

When is too much of a good thing...too much? Eating a great meal and getting in a good sweat at the gym are healthy, essential parts of many of our lives. But when there is never enough, it may be considered part of a compulsive, addictive or disordered behavior.

As the Education and Outreach Coordinator for Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, Brian Quinn has seen a significant increase in a number of disorders amongst attorneys during the pandemic - from compulsive gambling to impostor syndrome. He has also seen a corresponding rise in eating, sex and exercise disorders - a topic he covers in-depth in this eye-opening CLE. He will focus on symptoms, causes, early warning signs, physical & social impacts, easy well-being strategies for attorneys that work, barriers that prevent lawyers & judges from seeking help and a giving yourself a chance for success. Also discussed: Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia, Binge Eating, Orthorexia, Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), SCOFF, Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder (CSBD) and Compulsive Exercise Disorder.

Prior to working for Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers (LCL), Brian S. Quinn was a sole practitioner for nearly 40 years and has also worked in the field of Alcohol and Drug Counseling at Mirmont Treatment Center and Malvern Institute in suburban Philadelphia.

Specialty Areas: Prevention & Detection Competence

Practice Areas: Prevention & Detection Competence

Offered In: California (CA)

Course Expiration: 03/29/2027 Original Production Date: 03/29/2022
Run Time: 1:00:00

In today's outrage culture, things can go sideways very quickly for your clients in the court of public opinion. And "Bad Press" now includes blogs, social media, influencers and every Joey Bag O'Donuts with an iPhone.

This negative publicity - and sometimes downright outrage - can detrimentally affect your client's case and the results you can achieve for your client. A Crisis PR Expert, Dave Oates knows the risks of public interest firsthand and will show you how to handle media interest in your case when it hits the blogs, YouTube, Twitter and the nightly news. Main topics in this CLE: The Risks of Public Interest on Your Client's Legal Case, Preparing for Trial Publicity, Social Media & Influencer Interest, Litigation: Expanding Your Client's PR Presence, How to Handle Adjudication & Settlement and Preparing for Questions: How to Proceed Post Event. Further points of discussion: resetting the narrative, the public's view is perception, government entities, the wrongful termination case of Dr. Hasan Gokal, protecting the client, preparing for potential outcomes, creating a decision tree to proactively communicate and preparing for Q&As.

Starting as a U.S. Navy Public Affairs Officer and later as a Corporate CMO & Non-Profit President, Dave Oates has 30 years of experience dealing with Crisis PR. His experiences include employee & executive misconduct, cybersecurity attacks, product recalls, mass layoffs, large-scale accidents, criminal investigations, and civil litigation matters.

Practice Areas: Business Law, Criminal Law, Employment Law, Litigation, Personal Injury

Offered In: California (CA)

Course Expiration: 06/22/2028 Original Production Date: 06/22/2023
Run Time: 0:59:59

Where Deals Go Wrong: Reducing Liability Exposure in M&A Transactions brings together a distinguished panel of attorneys and risk management professionals for a roundtable discussion on managing risk throughout the lifecycle of an M&A transaction. Through practical insights from both the transactional and risk management perspectives, the panel will explore key areas of liability exposure in M&A transactions on both the buy and sell side, discuss best practices for attorneys at each stage of a deal, and highlight emerging industry trends affecting deal risk and complexity. Attendees will gain a best-in-class roadmap for reducing professional liability exposure while continuing to deliver exceptional results for their clients.

Learning Objectives:

* Identify common sources of liability exposure for attorneys in mergers and acquisitions transactions, including risks that arise during deal structuring, diligence, negotiation, and closing.

* Analyze the distinct risk considerations on both the buyer and seller side of an M&A transaction and understand how those risks can impact professional liability exposure.

* Apply practical risk-management strategies to mitigate exposure during key stages of an M&A transaction, including due diligence, drafting representations and warranties, and managing client expectations.

* Recognize the role of insurance and risk-transfer tools, such as representations and warranties insurance, in reducing transactional risk for clients and counsel.

* Evaluate emerging trends affecting M&A deal risk, including evolving deal structures, market pressures, and increasing complexity in modern transactions.

The panel includes Dieter Clauss, Vice President at Lawyers Insurance Group, who has spent over a decade delivering innovative insurance and risk management solutions to more than 1,100 law firms nationwide. Jenn Costanzo, Risk Manager and Director of Commercial Insurance at Promark Partners. Philip C. Barth IV, Senior Associate in Phillips Lytle’s Corporate Law Practice. Michael Fahner, Founder of Fahner Law and Socius Legal and former M&A associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore; and Isaac Wall, Founder of Parallax Law and former associate at Sidley Austin.

Practice Areas: Business Law

Offered In: California (CA)

Course Expiration: 04/28/2031 Original Production Date: 04/28/2026
Run Time: 1:00:04

"Those who tell the stories rule society." - Plato. And those lawyers who tell the best legal story win their cases.

In this CLE, Jennifer Gardner shows you how lawyers can tell powerful legal stories and how to be a powerful legal storyteller. The main topics presented include: whoever tells the best story wins the trial or case, telling your client's persuasive legal story, what makes a good legal story great and what makes a good legal storyteller great. Additional topics: key concepts of engaging stories, humans learn through story, telling persuasive stories in your legal case, the neuroscience of storytelling, the right brain & emotions, the left brain as gatekeeper, triggering the right brain, universal story themes, struggle & conflict, Joseph Campbell & The Hero's Journey, archetypes, superheroes + antiheros, outlaws + tricksters, the emotional reality of your clients, credibility & authority, building trust & rapport, being human, how to listen actively and repetition & mirroring.

Jennifer B. Gardner has served clients in criminal and civil legal disputes since 1987 as a trial lawyer in Los Angeles since 1992. A proud graduate of the Trial Lawyers College, Jennifer is also a writer, a speaker and magnetic courtroom presence.

Practice Areas: Criminal Law, Litigation, Personal Injury

Offered In: California (CA)

Course Expiration: 10/30/2028 Original Production Date: 10/30/2023
Run Time: 1:00:00

More people buying dogs during the pandemic, more delivery drivers, more people working & staying around the house - and there's always plenty of tasty mail carriers. More dogs means one thing - more dog bites.

And when man's best friend isn't so friendly, the consequences can unfortunately be deadly. A former prosecutor turned personal injury trial attorney, Claudine Wilkins will discuss practical tips for winning dog bite cases for your clients - from plaintiff's strategies & theories of law to restitution and damages. Additional topics of discussion: state law, reactionary & predatory dog bites, dog attacks, adoption centers & shelters, intentional mislabeling, toolkits, the prosecutor's checklist, legislation, restitution, liability, negligence, Dog at Large ordinances, injuries, initial intake, investigations, case law & examples, causes of dog bites, contributing factors, bad enclosures and bad laws. Claudine will also cover case intake, negligence & investigations and share numerous practical tips & strategies you can deploy at trial to get the best result for your client.

Claudine Wilkins is an Animal Law Expert & Attorney. A former prosecutor, she has trained thousands of professionals in animal-related fields.

Practice Areas: Personal Injury, Real Property

Offered In: California (CA)

Course Expiration: 08/26/2027 Original Production Date: 08/26/2022
Run Time: 1:00:00

People develop chronic pain and sustain concussion from a wide array of trauma, from car crashes to crane accidents. Unfortunately, while concussions, chronic pain and CRPS can be debilitating - the hidden nature of these injuries can make it difficult to prove to skeptical jurors. .

In this CLE brimming with practical information & insight, trial attorney Brett Schreiber will walk you through working up and trying these invisible injury cases - from client intake to the fine points of communicating your client's story to the jury. Brett will mainly cover client intake, discovery, voir dire and trial prep. He will conclude by analyzing a recent case example where a woman was injured when her foot fell through a second story walkway at an office building. Additional CLE topics: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), mTBI, lien MDs, insurance, disabilities, stalking social media, show & tell, spoon feeding the jury, KenHub.com, Presentation Zen, the TBI Survival Guide, CDC, VA, NIH, Exposing Deceptive Defense Doctors, Budapest Diagnostic Criteria 2003, the Glasgow Coma Score, declarations of witnesses, establishing the medical timeline of treatment and treating vs. expert doctors.

Brett Schreiber's practice includes mass torts, personal injury, medical malpractice and condemnation law. Whether lecturing student groups or handling pro bono claims for wrongfully convicted, he is guided by the Hebrew principle of tikkun olam meaning "heal the world."

Practice Areas: Personal Injury

Offered In: California (CA)

Course Expiration: 07/08/2027 Original Production Date: 07/08/2022
Run Time: 1:15:00

The client intake process is far more than an administrative task — it is the foundation of the attorney-client relationship and one of the most important opportunities to identify ethical issues before representation begins. A poor intake decision can expose lawyers and law firms to malpractice claims, disciplinary complaints, fee disputes, conflicts of interest, and reputational harm.

This interactive ethics program places participants in the role of the attorney through a series of realistic mock client intake scenarios involving high-risk prospective clients. Each scenario challenges attendees to determine not only whether they can accept representation, but whether they should. Participants will analyze common warning signs, identify ethical red flags and apply the ABA Model Rules to practical client intake decisions involving competence, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, meritorious claims, client communication, and professional judgment.

Learning Objectives:

* Identify the ethical duties implicated during the client intake process

* Recognize common warning signs and ethical red flags that may indicate increased risks of malpractice, disciplinary issues, or problematic attorney-client relationships

* Evaluate prospective client matters by applying sound professional judgment, conducting appropriate conflict checks and assessing whether representation should be accepted or declined

* Apply best practices for ethical client intake, including engagement letters, non-engagement letters, documentation, client communication and identity verification

* Analyze realistic client intake scenarios to identify ethical issues and develop practical strategies for managing risk while protecting client interests

* Implement effective intake procedures that promote professionalism, reduce liability exposure, and support compliance with ongoing ethical and professional responsibility obligations.

The course also explores best practices for conducting ethical client intake, including conflict checks, client identity verification, documenting communications, engagement letters, non-engagement letters, outside counsel guidelines and effective risk management procedures designed to protect both attorneys and clients. Throughout the program, attendees will evaluate situations involving unrealistic client expectations, prior attorney relationships, financial concerns, inadequate documentation, potential conflicts and other issues that frequently arise during initial consultations.

Designed as an engaging, discussion-based program, this course encourages attorneys to actively assess each scenario, compare approaches and develop practical strategies for making sound, ethical intake decisions. Attendees will leave with a structured framework for evaluating prospective clients, recognizing ethical pitfalls before representation begins, reducing malpractice exposure and implementing intake procedures that promote professionalism, protect client interests & strengthen compliance with ethical obligations. With over 15 years of legal experience in civil litigation, conflicts of interest, and professional responsibility, Cari Sheehan serves as the firm’s Assistant General Counsel.

Specialty Areas: Legal Ethics

Practice Areas: Ethics

Offered In: California (CA)

Course Expiration: 07/28/2031 Original Production Date: 07/28/2026
Run Time: 1:00:03

From bad IDs to people telling lies, Justin Brooks provides the main reasons that people are wrongfully convicted and he offers detailed accounts of the cases he has worked on. Main topics: bad lawyering, differences in police work in the city vs. the country, you come home & find your partner dead, false confessions, junk science, the jury is blinded by junk science, bad information from informants, and you are poor and/or a person of color. Additional topics: bite mark evidence, bad crime scene preservation, Relative Opinion Process, Cross-Racial Identifications, DNA testing & database, the Reid Technique, the CSI Effect, the McMartin Pre-School case and the Brian Banks case. Professor Justin Brooks directs the LLM Program in Comparative Law in Spanish at the USD School of Law. e administers a national moot court program in Mexico and coordinates the work of 35 innocence organizations in Latin America.

Practice Areas: Criminal Law

Offered In: California (CA)

Course Expiration: 09/18/2028 Original Production Date: 09/18/2023
Run Time: 1:00:00