First Friday Ethics: July 2026
Need ethics credit? We’ve got you covered! UT Law CLE’s First Friday Ethics streams live every first Friday of the month, and features some of our best ethics speakers and presentations for a total of 3.00 hrs ethics credit. Fulfill your entire annual ethics requirement in Texas in one day! Maintaining Your Ethics in Trying Times: One Lawyer’s Tale (0.75 hr ethics)Lawyers know that hard cases make bad law. Likewise, maintaining your professional ethics in a difficult situation is very different than day-to-day practice. Hear ethical perspectives and lessons learned from serving as a local elected official and a defendant in lengthy litigation while still practicing as a lawyer.Leah Stewart, Reed, Claymon, Meeker, Krienke & Spurck, PLLC - Austin, TX Ethics: My Opinion, My License – Is It a Business Decision? (0.75 hr ethics)This session reviews the ethical rules and principles that lawyers must consider when advising clients on land development issues, with a hard look at situations where a client’s mileage may vary from the legal advice given, and the outcomes to the lawyer—is the matter ultimately a risk-taking analysis, where all a lawyer can do is advise the client, leaving them the business decision to make in following (or not) the lawyer’s advice.Alan J. Bojorquez, Bojorquez Law Firm, PC - Austin, TX Kimberley Mickelson, Downtown Houston+ - Houston, TX Generative AI in Litigation: Practical Uses, Pitfalls, and Guardrails (1.00 hr ethics)Generative AI is rapidly reshaping litigation for attorneys and experts—from discovery and expert analysis to drafting and research. This session explores current AI trends, provides concrete real-world use cases, and discusses the legal, ethical, and evidentiary risks that need to be managed.Kristofer Buchan, StoneTurn Group, LLP - Houston, TX Legal Privilege: Understanding Who You Represent and Avoiding Other Ethical Pitfalls (0.50 hr ethics)This topic focuses on the perennially-important ethical issues concerning how to create privilege; how to maintain it; and how, as in-house counsel, to instruct the business to maintain it. Examine (in)famous examples of where things went wrong, and advise on how to avoid similar situations.Allison Standish Miller, Steptoe LLP - Houston, TX
Includes: Video Captions Audio Transcript Paper Slides
- Total Credit Hours:
- 3.00 hrs | 3.00 Ethics
- Credit Info
- TX, CA, PA
- TX MCLE credit expires: 6/30/2027
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First Friday Ethics: July 20265 out of 5 starsWhat was the overall quality of the course (presentation, materials, and technical delivery)?Rate the overall teaching effectiveness and presentation skills of faculty for the course.
eSupplement to the 36th Annual Conference on State and Federal Appeals
Session 1: Outsmarting the Smartphone: Crucial Evidence Could Be In Your Back Pocket - In the digital era, smartphones are not just communication devices; they've become repositories of vast amounts of personal and professional data ranging from texts and emails to photos and location history providing a comprehensive digital footprint of a user's life. Examine how we use smartphones, how they work, what data is stored on the phone, proper evidence handling methods, and mobile device forensic examinations and much more. Session 2: Practical Tips for Submitting a Public Information Act Ruling Request - Take an in depth look at the requirements of section 552.301 of the Government Code. Look at common pitfalls when submitting a ruling request and representative samples. Review some hypotheticals to help get your ruling request right. Session 3: Ensuring Operational Resilience - How quickly can your organization recover from a cyberattack? This panel examines legal and strategic approaches to maintaining operational resilience, especially in the face of disruptions to critical infrastructure or third-party vendors. Topics include incident response, third-party due diligence, and legal counsel’s role in minimizing downtime and ensuring continuity across complex systems. Session 4: Trade Secret Misappropriation: The Case for Damages - Whether in addition to or in lieu of injunctive relief, theft of trade secret cases offer a variety of theories for potentially significant monetary recovery. Gain insight to these theories, how they shape a case from pleading to discovery to final proof, the distinctions between loss recovery and disgorgement of ill-gotten gains, and considerations associated with proof of causation. For theft of trade secret cases involving a covenant not to compete, the impact of Section 15. 51(c) and how to navigate it is also addressed.
Includes: Video Captions Audio Transcript Paper Slides
- Total Credit Hours:
- 3.00 hrs
- Credit Info
- TX, CA, PA
- TX MCLE credit expires: 5/31/2027
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eSupplement to the 36th Annual Conference on State and Federal Appeals4.33 out of 5 starsWhat was the overall quality of the course (presentation, materials, and technical delivery)?Rate the overall teaching effectiveness and presentation skills of faculty for the course.
Boulette never disappoints!
2026 Commissioner Decisions Update
Hear an update on Commissioner of Education decisions from the past year.
Includes: Video Captions Audio Transcript Paper Slides
- Total Credit Hours:
- 1.00 hr
- Credit Info
- TX, CA, PA
- TX MCLE credit expires: 4/30/2027
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2026 Commissioner Decisions Update4 out of 5 starsWhat was the overall quality of the course (presentation, materials, and technical delivery)?Rate the overall teaching effectiveness and presentation skills of faculty for the course.
AI Without the OMG! A Guide to Ethical and Responsible AI Use
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies can bring efficiency, insight, and the occasional existential crisis—but they also introduce ethical risks for lawyers. Explore how the legal profession can shape ethical frameworks that keep us out of trouble (and out of the headlines). Through emerging trends, professional responsibility rules, and real-world “please-don’t-let-this-happen-to-you” scenarios, look at emerging technologies and how to use them as well as break down the legal and ethical obligations surrounding AI and offer practical tools for staying compliant, accountable, and somehow still fully human.
Includes: Video Captions Audio Transcript Slides
- Total Credit Hours:
- 0.75 hr | 0.50 Ethics
- Credit Info
- TX, CA
- TX MCLE credit expires: 4/30/2027
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AI Without the OMG! A Guide to Ethical and Responsible AI Use4.79 out of 5 starsWhat was the overall quality of the course (presentation, materials, and technical delivery)?Rate the overall teaching effectiveness and presentation skills of faculty for the course.
Community Colleges Update: New Laws, Guidance, and More
An overview of recent legislative changes (including those affecting dual credit programs), new agency guidance, and notable cases affecting community colleges.
Includes: Video Captions Audio Transcript Paper Slides
- Total Credit Hours:
- 0.50 hr
- Credit Info
- TX, CA
- TX MCLE credit expires: 4/30/2027
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Community Colleges Update: New Laws, Guidance, and MoreNot yet rated
Dancing in the Dark: Employment Actions When Access to Evidence is Limited
How can attorneys represent and advise their clients when they don't have the relevant evidence? Explore practical and ethical challenges with school district obligations to make quick reports to TEA before investigations are done, and employee-side hurdles in defending educators in district investigations and certification actions with the agency.
Includes: Video Captions Audio Transcript Paper Slides
- Total Credit Hours:
- 0.75 hr | 0.25 Ethics
- Credit Info
- TX, CA
- TX MCLE credit expires: 4/30/2027
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Dancing in the Dark: Employment Actions When Access to Evidence is LimitedNot yet rated
Education Savings Accounts: Understanding School Choice in Texas
Provide background on the passage of the bill, the status of the administrative code rules, and considerations for school district trustees and leaders as the school choice legislation is implemented.
Includes: Video Captions Audio Transcript Paper Slides
- Total Credit Hours:
- 0.50 hr
- Credit Info
- TX, CA
- TX MCLE credit expires: 4/30/2027
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Education Savings Accounts: Understanding School Choice in Texas5 out of 5 starsWhat was the overall quality of the course (presentation, materials, and technical delivery)?Rate the overall teaching effectiveness and presentation skills of faculty for the course.
Helpful history and overview!
Family Law Issues in Public Schools
Explore the various family law issues that arise in the public school setting, including parental rights, custody disputes, and student rights.
Includes: Video Captions Audio Transcript Slides
- Total Credit Hours:
- 0.50 hr
- Credit Info
- TX, CA
- TX MCLE credit expires: 4/30/2027
-
Family Law Issues in Public SchoolsNot yet rated
Legislative Updates Impacting Schools (2026)
Session 1: Update from the 89th Legislature - Hear the latest information on major updates to the Texas Education Code and related regulations. Focus on some of the most significant changes that have not made the headlines. Session 2: HB6: Chapter 37 Update - A review of 2025 legislative updates affecting student discipline and removal.
Includes: Video Captions Audio Transcript Paper Slides
- Total Credit Hours:
- 1.50 hrs
- Credit Info
- TX, CA, PA
- TX MCLE credit expires: 4/30/2027
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Legislative Updates Impacting Schools (2026)5 out of 5 starsWhat was the overall quality of the course (presentation, materials, and technical delivery)?Rate the overall teaching effectiveness and presentation skills of faculty for the course.
So good to hear updates from people who apply the changes in their work.
Maintaining Your Ethics in Trying Times: One Lawyer’s Tale
Lawyers know that hard cases make bad law. Likewise, maintaining your professional ethics in a difficult situation is very different than day-to-day practice. Hear ethical perspectives and lessons learned from serving as a local elected official and a defendant in lengthy litigation while still practicing as a lawyer.
Includes: Video Captions Audio Transcript Slides
- Total Credit Hours:
- 0.75 hr | 0.75 Ethics
- Credit Info
- TX, CA
- TX MCLE credit expires: 4/30/2027
-
Maintaining Your Ethics in Trying Times: One Lawyer’s Tale5 out of 5 starsWhat was the overall quality of the course (presentation, materials, and technical delivery)?Rate the overall teaching effectiveness and presentation skills of faculty for the course.
Navigating Employee Free Speech in Today’s Schools: Legal and Ethical Challenges
Advising on employee free speech in schools has never been more complex. Discuss practical strategies and ethical considerations for navigating today’s polarized environment.
Includes: Video Captions Audio Transcript Paper Slides
- Total Credit Hours:
- 0.75 hr | 0.25 Ethics
- Credit Info
- TX, CA
- TX MCLE credit expires: 4/30/2027
-
Navigating Employee Free Speech in Today’s Schools: Legal and Ethical Challenges5 out of 5 starsWhat was the overall quality of the course (presentation, materials, and technical delivery)?Rate the overall teaching effectiveness and presentation skills of faculty for the course.
So good to hear "free speech" in CLE
Now I know my THC's and CBD's: Where Legal Weed Meets School Policy
When it comes to teacher discipline and cannabis use, the law can get a little “hazy.” Explore the complex intersection between evolving cannabis laws and educator conduct standards, examining how schools can navigate teacher discipline, off-duty marijuana use, and the growing confusion around CBD products in states where cannabis is legal.
Includes: Video Captions Audio Transcript Paper Slides
- Total Credit Hours:
- 0.75 hr
- Credit Info
- TX, CA
- TX MCLE credit expires: 4/30/2027
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Now I know my THC's and CBD's: Where Legal Weed Meets School Policy5 out of 5 starsWhat was the overall quality of the course (presentation, materials, and technical delivery)?Rate the overall teaching effectiveness and presentation skills of faculty for the course.
Very informative course on an evolving and complex area of law.
Pick a Title, Any Title: Update on Title VI and Title IX
Federal law, including Title VI and Title IX, are in flux. Address current court and agency interpretations of Title VI and Title IX and the requirements of investigations, thereunder, as well as the impact of executive orders.
Includes: Video Captions Audio Transcript Slides
- Total Credit Hours:
- 0.75 hr
- Credit Info
- TX, CA
- TX MCLE credit expires: 4/30/2027
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Pick a Title, Any Title: Update on Title VI and Title IXNot yet rated
Practical Tips for Submitting a Public Information Act Ruling Request
Take an in depth look at the requirements of section 552.301 of the Government Code. Look at common pitfalls when submitting a ruling request and representative samples. Review some hypotheticals to help get your ruling request right.
Includes: Video Captions Audio Transcript Slides
- Total Credit Hours:
- 0.75 hr
- Credit Info
- TX, CA
- TX MCLE credit expires: 4/30/2027
-
Practical Tips for Submitting a Public Information Act Ruling RequestNot yet rated
SB12: Affecting Nurses and Counselors
Discuss the intersection of SB12 and licensing standards for K-12 school nurses and counselors. Is this really a tight rope with no safety net?
Includes: Video Captions Audio Transcript Paper Slides
- Total Credit Hours:
- 0.50 hr
- Credit Info
- TX, CA
- TX MCLE credit expires: 4/30/2027
-
SB12: Affecting Nurses and CounselorsNot yet rated
Section 504 Parental Rights
Provide an overview of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, with a focus on the procedural and substantive rights of parents and the legal obligations of schools to ensure nondiscrimination and equitable access to education.
Includes: Video Captions Audio Transcript Paper Slides
- Total Credit Hours:
- 0.50 hr
- Credit Info
- TX, CA
- TX MCLE credit expires: 4/30/2027
-
Section 504 Parental RightsNot yet rated
The READER Act and SB13: Affecting Library Materials
The Reader Act created a framework for evaluating and adopting library materials. Vendor rating of books was found unconstitutional, but portions of the statute remained. With the passage of SB13, school districts must now navigate overlapping, but distinct definitions of “sexually explicit,” “sexually relevant,” and recently defined “harmful material” as they navigate the review and selection of books for school libraries.
Includes: Video Captions Audio Transcript Paper Slides
- Total Credit Hours:
- 0.50 hr
- Credit Info
- TX, CA
- TX MCLE credit expires: 4/30/2027
-
The READER Act and SB13: Affecting Library Materials5 out of 5 starsWhat was the overall quality of the course (presentation, materials, and technical delivery)?Rate the overall teaching effectiveness and presentation skills of faculty for the course.
refreshing to hear presenter actually comment on cases, not just summarize. Great images as well in materials.
Enjoyed the course!
Understanding the Grievance Process: Best Practices for School Attorneys
Provide school attorneys with a comprehensive overview of the legal framework governing employee, public, parent, and student grievances under Texas law and district policy.
Includes: Video Captions Audio Transcript Slides
- Total Credit Hours:
- 0.75 hr
- Credit Info
- TX, CA
- TX MCLE credit expires: 4/30/2027
-
Understanding the Grievance Process: Best Practices for School AttorneysNot yet rated
eSupplement to the 37th Annual Health Law Conference
Session 1: Avoiding Ethical and Sanctions Risks using AI-based Legal Research - Hundreds of lawyers and law firms around the country face sanctions or grievance problems resulting from the use of AI-based legal research. Learn how you can avoid the traps that snared your unfortunate colleagues. Session 2: Interacting and Dealing with Difficult People: Ethically Working with All Kinds of Others - The Texas Lawyer's Creed reminds us of our oath to "disagree without being disagreeable." But today's polarizing culture ensures we will have to interact with coworkers, leaders, and volunteers who can make it very hard to remain civil. In this enlightening and entertaining session, we'll discuss how to navigate difficult conversations respectfully, manage our own impulses toward being difficult, and actively model civility to ensure that we are in compliance with our legal and professional duties toward all. Session 3: The Enforcement Landscape: An In-House Counsel Perspective - The panel explores current enforcement and regulatory priorities and their implications for corporations and executives. Session 4: Outsmarting the Smartphone: Crucial Evidence Could Be In Your Back Pocket - In the digital era, smartphones are not just communication devices; they've become repositories of vast amounts of personal and professional data ranging from texts and emails to photos and location history providing a comprehensive digital footprint of a user's life. Examine how we use smartphones, how they work, what data is stored on the phone, proper evidence handling methods, and mobile device forensic examinations and much more.
Includes: Video Captions Audio Transcript Paper Slides No Materials
- Total Credit Hours:
- 3.25 hrs | 1.50 Ethics
- Credit Info
- TX, CA, PA
- TX MCLE credit expires: 3/31/2027
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eSupplement to the 37th Annual Health Law ConferenceNot yet rated
Hooked on CLE: October 2025
THIS MONTH: Loper Bright and the Future of the Administrative State without Chevron • Power of HOAs • What Not to Say • IP Protection and Ownership • Accommodating Anxiety, Stress and Related Conditions in Today’s Classroom Environment • Ethics Game Show
Includes: Video Captions Audio Transcript Paper Slides
- Total Credit Hours:
- 4.00 hrs | 1.00 Ethics
- Credit Info
- TX, CA, PA
- TX MCLE credit expires: 9/30/2026
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Hooked on CLE: October 20254.27 out of 5 starsWhat was the overall quality of the course (presentation, materials, and technical delivery)?Rate the overall teaching effectiveness and presentation skills of faculty for the course.
Loved it! This was an informative and entertaining selection of very timely subjects. In 4 hrs I was able to catch up on interesting and practical issues of the day. Thanks so much.