April Compliance Period – Live Video Replay CLE Sale
Spring sneak up on you? If so, the April compliance period has as well.
If you still need credits before the April 30 deadline – or if you want to get a jump on next year – the ACBA has you covered.
The ACBA is offering a Live Video Replay CLE sale on Tuesday, April 25 in the Koppers Building. The event will feature screenings of 12 of the ACBA’s most popular programs from the ACBA’s library of Previously Recorded CLEs. A total of six Substantive and six Ethics credits will be available at the reduced price of $25 per credit for members or $35 per credit for non-members.
Each video will be shown in an ACBA conference room following the schedule listed below. Please be mindful of start times as videos will start promptly then. Credit cannot be awarded if you miss more than 10 minutes of any given session.
You can choose the number of programs that you wish to view and since these are Live Video Replays, they “count” as live credits, not distance learning credits. Full descriptions are below.
If you can’t make this in-person event, the ACBA is also offering a Previously Recorded CLE Sale April 26-30 (these are distance learning credits); click here for more.
Substantive Programs
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. – Effects of Sentencing Law and the Need for Reform
This program examines various aspects of sentencing law and policy reform, as well as the effects of excessively long federal criminal sentences on the individuals who were convicted; finding employment, for example. The program also looks at the impact on families and communities; finding post-prison employment is just one such example.
10:05 – 11:05 a.m. – The Basics of Blockchain and Cryptocurrency
Blockchain and cryptocurrency represent new and exciting technologies that are becoming more and more prevalent in the modern world. This CLE program ventures to answer the questions “what is cryptocurrency?” and perhaps more importantly “why should I care?” from the perspective of a lawyer encountering this technology. Whether from a tax, employment or international finance perspective, lawyers are encountering cryptocurrency with increasing frequency. Learn the basics about these technologies, and about how area attorneys are dealing with these technologies on a regular basis.
11:10 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. – Moving Beyond the Pandemic: Successful Alternative Work Arrangements
The pandemic forced lawyers to try new ways of working, including extensive remote work. The results showed the efficacy of arrangements that were previously considered alternative but are now mainstream. How should employers adapt to new ways of working and focus on retaining talent, including finding ways to effectively train and mentor junior attorneys? How can lawyers advocate for effective alternative arrangements – for themselves, but also for the workplace generally? What are some strategies for successful remote, in-person and hybrid work arrangements, especially when there are many different approaches within the same office? Panelists from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives will discuss issues surrounding alternative ways of working in a working environment that is not going to revert entirely to pre-pandemic conditions.
12:15 – 1:15 p.m. – Job Interviewing Best Practices: What Should Not Happen and What to Do if it Does
This CLE is for anyone who is or plans to be interviewing for a new job in the future. The program covers what is legal and what is appropriate during the interview/hiring process. Learn related substantive law from an experienced employment law practitioner and hear from a panel of young lawyers and advisors about real-life interviewing perils and pitfalls. Attendees will come away prepared to handle any potentially inappropriate or illegal interview tactics with professionalism and integrity.
1:20 – 2:20 p.m. – The Future of Privacy in America
For the last several years, consumer privacy regulations have taken center stage. From the General Data Protection Regulation to the California Consumer Privacy Act, Pa. businesses have had to assess and monitor their compliance and risk under these new laws. In 2023, some states will enact privacy laws that Pennsylvania businesses must be aware of and potentially be compliant under. This program offers a brief overview of what privacy laws will be enacted in 2023, what is coming down the pipeline in Pennsylvania and neighboring states and how all of this impacts Pennsylvania businesses.
2:25 – 3:25 p.m. – Mediation 101
In the past 20 years, mediation has gained such wide acceptance that effective representation of clients in a mediation is now an essential legal skill. During this program, a distinguished panel of speakers, a federal magistrate judge, an in-house counsel with extensive mediation advocacy experience and a well-known mediation trainer will survey the field and share some essential “need to knows” to help you become more effective in mediations.
Ethics Programs
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. – Ethical Considerations for Lawyers Working Remotely
Many attorneys in Allegheny County and across the country were forced to work from home for the first time in their careers following Governor Tom Wolf’s order closing “non-essential businesses” in March 2020. More than three years later, many lawyers in the area still find themselves working away from their offices frequently. This CLE focuses on the ethical obligations incumbent on lawyers who are working from locations other than a commercial office and provides some practical considerations and solutions for attorneys continuing to adjust to the proverbial “new normal.”
10:05 – 11:05 a.m. – Social Equity Consideration in the Expanding Cannabis Industry
As more states legalize the adult use of cannabis, the Pennsylvania legislature is pushing to create a legal and regulatory framework to allow adult use within the Commonwealth. However, the Commonwealth must take social equity into consideration in its work to decriminalize adult use of cannabis. This program will look at state legislation for Adult Use bills and how the bills plan to implement a regulatory framework while working to enhance communities that are negatively impacted by the decriminalization and enforcement of marijuana possession.
11:10 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. – Understanding the Pennsylvania Disciplinary Board
This program covers the process for attorney discipline in Pennsylvania and will cover the investigation and administration process for attorneys reported for ethical concerns. Panelists discuss the ultimate role of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in administering attorney discipline, as well as the role of the Disciplinary Board, hearing committees and the Office of Disciplinary Counsel. The CLE also covers some of the major factors used by adjudicators in determining whether and what type of discipline should be administered to attorneys found to violate the Rules of Professional Conduct.
12:15 – 1:15 p.m. – How to Comply with Rule 8.4(g) and Advance Professionalism
This program will cover the status and impact of the anti-bias and harassment amendment to the Rule of Professional Conduct 8.4(g) in the legal profession. A panel of partners and experts offer attendees a better understanding of both the technicalities and the practical implementation of the Rule. The panel discussion, moderated by Professor Ashley London of Duquesne University School of Law, includes robust conversation in this ever evolving and highly important aspect of the rules of ethics and of our profession.
1:20 – 2:20 p.m. – Navigating Bias in the Profession as an Associate
This program will cover the status and impact of the anti-bias and harassment amendment to the Rule of Professional Conduct 8.4(g) in the legal profession. Associates and other junior legal professionals join a panel of associates and experts to better understand Rule 8.4(g) and the other resources available for navigating issues of ethics and bias in the legal profession from an associate position. This CLE is structured as a panel discussion, moderated by Cheryl Kaufman, with robust conversation in this ever evolving and highly important aspect of the rules of ethics and the legal profession.
2:25 – 3:25 p.m. – Depression and the Legal Profession
Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania address the alarming prevalence of substance abuse and mental health disorders in the legal profession. This course dispels the stigma associated with mental health, which is a roadblock to legal professionals reaching out for help. It provides a comprehensive overview of risk factors and symptoms of depression, compelling reasons detailing why attorneys with depression should seek help and intervention strategies for attorneys with colleagues in need of support. Additionally, the presentation will outline the confidential, free, safe and supportive resources that are available through Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania.