Nov. 5, 2025 – Whether you’re in court, at the conference table, or guiding clients through tough decisions, November’s CLE from State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE® focuses on practical tools and timely updates across bankruptcy, litigation and trial practice, estate planning, or business law. With flexible formats and experienced faculty, these programs are built to support your practice.
Are these areas outside your practice? Here’s a link to help you see what else is going on in November.
Wondering what CLE credits you still need before your reporting period is up? Check out the “Wisconsin Lawyer’s Guide to Earning, Tracking, and Reporting CLE.”
7.5 CLE, 1.0 EPR; in person at the State Bar Center in Madison and via webcast 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, and via webcast seminar on specific dates through Jan. 29, 2026.
7.5 CLE, 1.0 EPR; via webcast 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. via webcast seminar on specific dates through Jan. 29, 2026.
From shifts at the Small Business Administration (SBA) to evolving Chapter 13 mortgage issues, modern bankruptcy practice presents questions that demand clear and current answers. These CLE programs offer the latest in bankruptcy practice.
Receive a full day of timely instruction from judges, clerks, and experienced practitioners. You’ll hear candid reflections from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court as the judges expound on the reasoning behind their decisions. Get up to speed on the newest court rulings from across the country.
Seasoned creditor/debtor attorneys will be on hand to offer clarity, practice tips, and guidance on:
means test adjustments, including treatment of adult children and elderly household members;
SBA debt concerns such as asset surrender, compromise procedures, and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs); and
the rules governing discovery and admissibility in bankruptcy court.
Ethical challenges can surface as soon as client intake. Explore the key questions to ask when taking on new matters, the necessary disclosures, and pitfalls associated with aggressive asset protection and valuation strategies. You’ll also review how to advise clients on which chapter to file.
10.0 CLE; in person at The Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee and via webcast 8 a.m. to 6:05 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, and via webcast seminar on specific dates through Feb. 3, 2026.
Co-produced with the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA).
Why watch courtroom dramas on TV when you can watch one in real life? The 35th Annual Institute of Trial Practice (ABOTA) delivers an immersive experience designed to give you the methods, techniques, and insights you need to shine in the courtroom.
See how some of Wisconsin’s top trial lawyers tackle every angle of a case in real time as you experience a full mock trial, presided over by Hon. Marc A. Hammer, the Wisconsin ABOTA Chapter’s Trial Judge of the Year.
Lawyers for the plaintiff and the defense bring their courtroom skills to life as they deliver persuasive arguments and examine witnesses to build their cases. Along the way, you’ll hear the rationale behind each lawyer’s tactics during opening statements, witness examination, and closing arguments.
Judge Hammer will break down each lawyer’s actions and explain the reasoning behind his rulings. Then, you’ll get a rare behind-the-scenes look as the jurors deliberate and arrive at a verdict.
7.5 CLE; in person at the State Bar Center in Madison and via webcast 8:30 a.m. to 4:35 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, and via webcast seminar on specific dates through Jan. 27, 2026.
Endorsed by the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin.
Even the most carefully designed estate plan can quickly become outdated. Federal rulings, new statutes, shifting IRS positions, and state-level changes mean that lawyers must continually adjust their strategies to protect client legacies and preserve family wealth. The 46th Annual Estate Planning Update brings together experienced practitioners to deliver the insights and practical guidance that will prepare your practice for 2026 and beyond.
The 2025 update covers:
state and federal developments in estate and gift taxation;
maximizing charitable contribution deductions;
preservation and tax benefits of conservation easements;
practical pointers on portability elections;
tactics for streamlining debt resolution after death; and
FinCEN residential real estate reporting requirements.
Small and mid-sized estates face big tax questions. The way assets are titled, gifted, or placed in trusts can determine whether they pass smoothly to the next generation or are eroded by avoidable taxes. From basis adjustments and gifting strategies to generation-skipping transfer (GST) exemptions and powers of appointment, the choices you make matter. Discover planning approaches that help families preserve more of what they’ve built.
6 CLE, 1 EPR; in person at the State Bar Center in Madison and via webcast 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, and via webcast seminar on specific dates through Feb. 25, 2026.
When a business changes hands, a central question arises: should the deal involve selling assets or the entity itself?
The “better” choice may look different to the buyer than it does to the seller. Whether you’re representing a young entrepreneur or a well-established company, buying or selling a business comes with high stakes, and clients rely on counsel to anticipate challenges, negotiate strategically, and safeguard their financial interests.
Buying or Selling a Business gives you a practical framework for analyzing, structuring, and closing business transactions. You’ll come away with straightforward explanations, sample agreements, and strategies to counsel clients in buyouts, asset transfers, and corporate acquisitions alike.
You’ll learn how to:
evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of asset sales versus entity sales;
master the fundamentals of asset purchases, from offers to logistics;
identify key factors in valuation, due diligence, contingencies, and financing;
draft effective buy/sell agreements between business partners or employees;
address pre-closing and post-closing requirements and formalities; and
uphold ethical responsibilities when representing multiple parties in a transaction.
