Mediation in Estates, Guardianships, and Elder Law Matters

1.0 CLE

Rachel Monaco-Wilcox, Rachel Monaco-Wilcox LLC, Richfield

As people age, conflicts often erupt over property transfers, estate planning, powers of attorney, guardianships, and who's paying for what type of care. Discover how you can employ mediation effectively in these sorts of conflicts. In addition, learn a dispute resolution model used nationwide to generate optimal outcomes for clients.

More Than a Handshake: Effective Networking

0.0 CLE

Drew Coursin, Carex Consulting Group, Inc., Madison

Jeffrey M. Glazer, U.W. Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic, Madison

Networking is more than just handing your business card to everyone you meet at a happy hour. Discover how you can get people to know, like, and trust you. Understand how leveraging networking skills can help you build stronger relationships with potential clients and referral sources. Then start using your newfound techniques to network your way through the Conference!

Insider’s Guide to Using Fastcase

1.0 LPM

Christina Steinbrecker Jack, Fastcase, Washington, DC

Don’t settle for mediocre legal research tools. Discover how the Fastcase online law library can supercharge your research with award-winning analytical tools for locating primary law. Plus, State Bar of Wisconsin members can enjoy Fastcase’s unlimited legal research potential for free.

Receive an introduction on how to do simple tasks like pulling up cases or statutes, printing documents, and setting up alerts. In addition, learn how using Boolean operators can help you find relevant materials.

An Ethics "Fee for All"

1.0 CLE / EPR

Brian C. Anderson, Wisconsin Lawyers Mutual Insurance Co, Madison

Aviva Meridian Kaiser, State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison

David Krekeler, Krekeler Strother, S.C.

Attorney's fees are filled with possible ethical pitfalls. Anticipating problems can help you avoid them. Receive an analysis of topics with the greatest potential for trouble, including:

• Fee agreements
• Engagement letters
• Scope of representation
• Advances
• Third-party payments
• Security for fees
• Guaranties
• Charging interest
• Ensuring fees are reasonable
• Contingent fee agreements
• Limited scope representation

In addition, understand the risk of a legal malpractice counterclaim in response to filing an action to collect fees.

Attorney-Mediators as Drafters: Understanding the New Rule​

1.0 CLE / EPR

Hon. Dolores A. Bomrad, Washington County Circuit Court, West Bend

Kate Knowlton, Knowlton Law Group LLC, Wauwatosa

Timothy J. Pierce, State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison

Lauri Roman, Haus, Roman and Banks LLP, Madison

Hon. Katherine M. Stewart, Circuit Court Commissioner, Washburn and Barron Counties, Spooner

The new Wisconsin Supreme Court rule permitting lawyer-mediators to draft legal documents has opened the door for increased mediation in family court cases. While mediation services offer lawyers the chance to enhance their practices, mediation is its own discipline with its own set of dangers and ethical issues. How can you ensure full compliance with the new rule and protect your license and reputation?

A panel of court commissioners, experienced attorney-mediators, and an ethics specialist will discuss and distill the benefits of mediation as well as pitfalls to navigate and avoid. Leave this session more confident regarding:

• Mediating pro se parties
• Knowing and respecting your own limitations
• Informed consent
• Basic fee and mediation agreements
• Application and availability of non-legal resources for pro se parties

Mayday! Mayday! Lessons Learned from Setting Up Shop​

1.0 LPM

Mark J. Goldstein, Goldstein Law Group SC, Milwaukee

David Krekeler, Krekeler Strother, S.C., Madison

Sarah L. Ruffi, Ruffi Law Offices SC, Wausau

“If only I knew then what I know now." Inexperience can be frustrating and expensive as you face the challenges of starting, growing, and maintaining a law practice. This interactive discussion gives you insights and solutions to common hurdles practice owners must overcome, including:

• Hiring and firing
• Finding the right clients
• Identifying essential products and services to use

Tools for Your PDF/Paperless Toolbox

1.0 LPM

Jeffrey S. Krause, Affinity Consulting Group, Waterford

Just as a carpenter needs a hammer and saw to work with wood, lawyers need tools to work with electronic documents. Reducing the amount of paper used in your practice is not a dream but a necessity, and PDF is the standard for doing so. Discover tools to make your digital life easier when working with PDFs and digital files.

Cyberliability and the Payment Card Industry

1.0 LPM

Caroline Tipton, AffiniPay, Austin

If your firm accepts credit card payments or is thinking of doing so, don't miss this session. The payment card industry has higher standards than even lawyers do when it comes to collecting and storing clients' payment information. Learn what you must do to ensure you're complying with the rules of the payment card industry.

Topics include:

• The growing trend of online payments and credit card payments in professional services
• Benefits and risks of this trend in the legal field
• PCI compliance
• Common mistakes that increase your liability
• Dangers of commingling funds between trust and operating accounts when accepting online or credit card payments
• Best practices to decrease the potential of leaked payment information
• Recent changes in payment technology
• Tips for creating a digitally secure firm

Understanding Special Needs Trusts

1.0 CLE

Meghan M. Teigen, Christenson Johnson LLC, Madison

Do you know what a special needs trust is and when it's appropriate for a client? Estate planning attorneys should recognize when to discuss special needs trusts with elderly clients contemplating long-term care needs and with clients providing for a loved one with a disability. Personal injury attorneys must understand the ramifications for clients receiving a settlement that impacts their public benefits or long-term care needs. Family law attorneys should be aware of how support payments impact a spouse or child with a disability relying on means-tested benefits.

Explore the different types of special needs trusts, including:

• Third-party
• Self-settled
• Pooled

Learn how to spot situations where these trusts could be an option, or even a necessity, for your clients. Hear advice on counseling your clients about the realities of how a special needs trust operates. Plus, understand how clients can use a special needs trust to supplement their own needs or provide for a loved one’s long-term needs that public benefits will not meet.

Leadership for Lawyers

1.0 LPM

Matthew Pletzer, Lift Consulting LLC, Madison

Susan Thomson, ActionCOACH, Madison

Why manage a good law firm when you can lead a great one? Even the smallest firm can benefit from great leadership. Effective leaders see the future and help others see it as well. They inspire loyalty, improve employee retention, and know how to find worthy successors. Law firm leaders must also be adept at creating a culture of professional responsibility, understanding the ethical obligations of the entire team, and mentoring young lawyers.

Discover the secrets to successful law firm leadership. Plus, find out why strong leadership is critical for your law practice:

• Good leadership skills attract good lawyers
• Clients look to attorneys to lead them through their cases
• Leading your practice to smart business decisions means greater results
• Insights to advising business clients

Getting Work Done with Your iPad

1.0 LPM

Mark C. Metzger, Law Office of Mark C. Metzger, Naperville

Turn your iPad into a production device without the bulk of a laptop. The presenter will show you how to use your iPad and its available apps - including Office 365 - efficiently and effectively.

Pro Bono Work is a Professional Obligation

1.0 CLE / EPR

Jeff Brown, State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison

David Krekeler, Krekeler Strother, S.C., Madison

Margaret Niebler-Brown, Legal Action of Wisconsin Inc, Milwaukee

Pro bono work may not bring dollar signs to your bottom line, but every lawyer has an ethical obligation to perform pro bono service. Learn what the rules say about how much and where lawyers should focus their efforts. Additionally, gain insight regarding your obligations once you undertake pro bono work:

• Should you conduct a conflict of interest check with your colleagues?
• Does your pro bono participation extend to others in your firm?
• How might you limit your engagement to specific matters?

You'll also learn how pro bono's benefits branch out far beyond a quantifiable number. A panel of three pro bono professionals show you how taking on these types of cases can further your firm. Discover pro bono advantages such as:

• Valuable recognition and respect
• Unique networking opportunities
• Broadened knowledge base and the chance to gain new experience
• Up to six CLE credits per reporting period
• Overall practice growth and improvement

Agricultural Reorganizations, Simplified for General Consumption

1.0 CLE

David Krekeler, Krekeler Strother, S.C., Madison

Eliza M. Reyes, Krekeler Strother SC, Madison

Wisconsin's ideal climate, natural resources, agribusiness infrastructure, and farming heritage have made it one of the top ten agricultural states in the U.S. But years of depressed commodity prices and adverse weather are making it difficult for Wisconsin producers to pay their bills and keep their operations going.

Whether your client is the farmer down the road or the local community bank lending to producers, find out how you can help members of your farming community put their financial matters back on track.

Attend this session to learn:

• Available reorganization options under Chapters 11, 12, and 13 of the Bankruptcy Code and filing mechanics for each
• Tips for choosing the reorganzation chapter that's right for your client, including addressing eligibility, pros and cons, and related costs
• Information on secured and unsecured creditors' rights in agricultural reorganizations
• Tools for effective negotiations with secured and unsecured creditors for loan workouts

In Social Media, “E” is for Ethics

1.0 CLE / EPR

Aviva Meridian Kaiser, State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison

Aly Lynch, Next Step Legal Consulting LLC, Madison

Spencer X. Smith, Spencer X. Smith Consulting, Waunakee

Lawyers and clients alike use Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social media platforms to connect with friends, stay current on the news, and promote their businesses.

To meet the demands of a growing number of users, social media is becoming increasingly sophisticated. That means more complex ethical conundrums for lawyers when it comes to communicating with clients, advertising, and advising clients about social media.

Receive clarity and guidance on navigating social media's ethical challenges, such as:

• Required competence in social media
• A lawyer’s own social media regulation
• Advising clients about adding or removing information from social media
• Using social media information provided by the client
• Viewing the public portion of a social media website
• Contacting an unrepresented party to view a restricted social media website

Getting the Most from Outlook

1.0 LPM

Bryan Sims, Sims Law Firm Ltd, Naperville

Microsoft Outlook can help you organize your inbox and become more efficient - but only if you know how to fully use its capabilities. Receive an in-depth look at:

• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Exchange Server
• Office 365
• POP email

Plus, learn how apps can work with each other inside Outlook and find tips for unifying your communications.

Positive Psychology for Lawyers: Tools for Quality of Life

1.0 LAU

Hallie Love, Positive Psychology for Lawyers, Santa Fe

The new science of positive psychology provides a proactive approach for lawyers to decrease stress, raise levels of well-being, and prevent depression, anxiety, burnout, and other mental health concerns. Positive psychology can help you attain a greater quality of life as well as enjoy improved resilience for better practice management and client relationships.

Understand the neuroscience behind positive psychology. Learn about empirically supported positive psychology exercises that increase positive emotions. Even practice some of these exercises and experience the positivity boosting effects.

Real Estate Essentials for Every Practice

1.0 CLE

Sara B. Andrew, Andrew Law Offices SC, Fond du Lac

Carol E. Krigbaum, Krigbaum Law LLC, Milwaukee

Even if you don't specialize in real estate law, chances are you'll run into property issues in your cases. Discover helpful strategies for resolving real property conundrums designed for attorneys practicing in family law, estate planning, probate, criminal law, post-judgment litigation, and fair housing.

• Family law - hear how to handle the family home when the family is splitting up
• Estate planning - take away tips for trouble-free transfers of title
• Probate - bolster your ability to divvy up dirt to devisees
• And much more!

Method to the Madness: Building Processes into Your Law Firm

1.0 LPM

Erin R. Ogden, OgdenGlazer LLC, Madison

Sarah L. Ruffi, Ruffi Law Offices SC, Wausau

Missing deadlines or bungling an action can result in malpractice claims and even OLR sanctions. But you can easily avoid that scenario by implementing simple, client-centric processes into your practice. Learn how processes make your firm more efficient, create happy clients, help you avoid missteps, and build staff confidence. Hear a panel discussion on how to build processes around:

• Intake
• Client communication
• Standardized forms
• Checklists
• Routine tasks

Protecting Your Digital A$$ets

1.0 LPM

Brent J. Hoeft, Hoeft Law LLC, Madison

Nerino J. Petro, Jr., Belvidere

The only true defense against ransomware and other digital catastrophes is a current and complete backup. This session will provide you with a solid foundation on:

• Types of backups
• Backup software
• Where to save your important data to protect it from cyber criminals and natural disasters

Breaking Up is Hard to Do: Severing the Lawyer-Client Relationship

1.0 CLE / EPR

Aviva Meridian Kaiser, State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison

Todd Scott, Vice President of Risk Management, Minnesota Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company, Minneapolis

Mary Spranger, State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison

Sometimes, continuting to represent a client can become impossible despite your best efforts. However, terminating a client relationship isn't easy either.

Receive a framework for analyzing whether you can, should, or must part ways with the client. Be able to identify the ethical, malpractice, and interpersonal concerns of terminating representation.

Once you've made the decision to terminate, understand your obligations and best practices, including:

• Surrendering papers and property to the client
• Proper timing
• What to put in your termination letter

Proportionality and Digital Evidence: Maximum Results on a Minimum Budget

1.0 CLE

Matthew J. Stippich, Digital Intelligence, New Berlin

Digital evidence and e-discovery issues can arise in any case - and not all of them are straightforward. Whether you're still learning the ins and outs of technology or are already comfortable with it, this session will show you practical strategies for:

• Maximizing digital evidence use
• Avoiding expensive consequences of improperly conducted e-discovery

Everyone Has a Story: Here's How to Tell Yours

1.0 CLE

Spencer X. Smith, Spencer X. Smith Consulting, Waunakee

William R. Wick, Nash, Spindler, Grimstad & McCracken LLP, Manitowoc

Whether you're speaking to a judge, jury, clients, opposing counsel, or the public, everyone loves a good story. Learn how to use common storytelling structures and other public speaking methods to capture and keep the attention of your audience while communicating facts and arguments effectively. Gain skills to improve oral arguments, negotiations, client development, and even dinner parties.

50 Tips in 50 Minutes

1.0 LPM

Jeffrey S. Krause, Affinity Consulting Group, Waterford

Mark C. Metzger, Law Office of Mark C. Metzger, Naperville

Nerino J. Petro, Jr., Belvidere

Bryan Sims, Sims Law Firm Ltd, Naperville

It's an annual favorite! Hear dozens of practical tips and tricks for getting things done better, faster, and maybe even cheaper. Panelists will share knowledge and tips you can begin implementing right away.

Diminished Capacity and the Elderly or Declining Client

1.0 CLE / EPR

Jennifer A. O'Neill, O'Neill Elder Law LLC, Hudson

When a client’s decision-making capacity is in decline, attorneys must take special care to ensure that they are continuing to meet ethical standards. Gain insight and best practices to protect your clients as their abilities decline. Learn answers to questions such as:

• How can you assess the decision-making ability of your client and how often should you reassess?
• What traps are present when working with a client’s family on behalf of the client?
• How do you discern whether the client’s wishes are being conveyed?
• What reasonable protective measures should you take on behalf of the client?

Immigration Law for the Rest of Us

1.0 CLE

Teddy Chadwick, Grzeca Law Group SC, Milwaukee

Carrie M. Ziegler Thomas, Grzeca Law Group SC, Milwaukee

Learn how to avoid inadvertently getting your client deported. Negotiating for a client in criminal court or representing a client in a divorce can have different outcomes depending on his or her immigration status.

Experienced immigration attorneys will discuss the impact of immigration status in family law, criminal law, employment law, and other disciplines. In addition, explore the possibility of mandatory E-Verify and learn why many migrant workers can’t obtain work visas.

Immigration status - especially in today's political climate - must be considered in every case and across legal disciplines. Don't let ignorance of your client's immigration status unexpectedly upend your work on their behalf.

Ten Lessons for More Effective Legal Writing

1.0 CLE

Stephanie L. Melnick, Melnick & Melnick SC, Mequon

Make your contracts, briefs, and emails clearer, more compelling, and concise. Discover ten lessons for better legal writing from the founding fathers, civil rights activists, and U.S. Supreme Court justices.

Wonder Word Powers Activate!

1.0 LPM

Mark C. Metzger, Law Office of Mark C. Metzger, Naperville

Get your Word on and take it up a notch. In this power hour of Microsoft Word tips and tricks, explore features you may not know exist but that can make your drafting so much simpler.

Flying Solo and Enjoying the Ride

1.0 LAU

William Bratcher, Bratcher Law Office LLC, Thorp

Kimberly A. Henderson, Henderson Law Office, West Salem

Sarah Slice Yacoub, Slice Law Inc, Hudson

Do you really want to fly solo? Working for yourself can be liberating. You choose the work, you choose the clients, and a lousy boss or manager isn’t going to throw a wrench in your week. The flip side to this enticing coin is that 100% of the stresses from running a law practice are yours and yours alone.

Hear from three solo attorneys as they share their best practices for optimizing the rewards and mitigating the headaches. See how to focus your practice around your passions, minimize stress, and achieve work-life balance in the process.

Exactly Who Can (Legally) Own a Gun, Anyway?

1.0 CLE

Todd A. Snow, Snow Law SC, Waupun

If you’ve ever wondered how the latest shooter on the news acquired a gun or had clients ask how to keep their hunting rights in the face of a criminal conviction, this session is for you.

• See how state, federal, and constitutional laws dictate who can legally own a gun in Wisconsin
• Examine ways state and federal laws overlap and sometimes contradict one another
• Find out how gun ownership is assessed for felons, those under indictment for felony, and those found guilty of some misdemeanors
• Learn how mental disease and defect play into gun possession

Getting to Yes: Secrets to Successful Negotiation

1.0 CLE

Andrea Schneider, Director of Dispute Resolution Program, Marquette University Law School, Milwaukee

Empirical studies show that effective negotiators balance five different skills. This interactive session teaches you the importance of assertiveness, empathy, flexibility, social intuition, and ethicality, and also how to improve your own negotiation technique.

Take Me to the Cloud

1.0 LPM

Jeffrey S. Krause, Affinity Consulting Group, Waterford

Discover how to use cloud-based solutions for organizing, storing, and safely sharing your digital documents in the office as well as with outside counsel, clients, and third parties.

The Legal Industry of Tomorrow Arrived Yesterday

1.0 CLE / EPR

Amber Hollister, General Counsel, Oregon State Bar, Tigard

Aviva Meridian Kaiser, State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison

Josh King, AVVO, Seattle

Explore the challenges and opportunities of the legal industry of tomorrow at this insightful panel discussion. Among the featured panelists are Josh King, general counsel for AVVO, and Amber Hollister, general counsel for the Oregon State Bar.

Delve into disruptive changes in the law practice environment, such as:

• Realities of an internet-centered economy
• Consumer self-navigation ecosystem
• Spontaneous private deregulation

Plus, discover how the Oregon State Bar is preparing for the future through the recommendations of its Futures Task Force.