eCourses

First Friday Ethics (October 2023)

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!   This month includes: (1.00 hr | 1.00 hr ethics) AI and Effective Corporate Governance (Replay) This discussion covers artificial intelligence (AI) fundamentals and business opportunities to utilize AI responsibly and strategically. The panelists also address corporate governance and compliance frameworks to enable boards and business leadership to proactively and effectively manage risks posed by AI. Regina Jones, Baker Hughes - Houston, TX Ryan D. McConnell, R. McConnell Group PLLC - Houston, TX Meagan Baker Thompson, R. McConnell Group PLLC - Austin, TX (0.75 hr | 0.75 hr ethics) Requests from on High: Keeping In-House Counsel Out of Hot Water (Replay) One of internal counsel’s many functions is to avert problems for their employers. But sometimes in keeping their client away from the fire, they risk being singed. These concerns implicate challenging attorney-client privilege issues, clarity in communicating to employees and management who they represent, educating others about how to maintain confidentiality, engaging the right counsel and consultants for the proper purposes, and knowing when to stay away from direct interaction in depositions, mediations and regulator meetings and interactions, or when to interact directly. Joel Cohen, White & Case LLP - New York, NY (0.75 hr | 0.75 hr ethics) Ethics on the Edge (Replay) Whether in-house or in private practice, technology lawyers increasingly find themselves counseling clients operating at or beyond the edge of what the law has contemplated—and sometimes with business models so “disruptive” they may even be illegal. Explore the ethics issues that come into play in such situations, through real-world examples of how experienced in-house lawyers have counseled their clients though high-risk innovation and legal uncertainty.   Christopher T. Brown, KASTNER/GRAVELLE LLP - Austin, TX Cara Connolly, Reality Labs at Meta - Austin, TX Catherine Dawson, AffiniPay - Austin, TX  (0.50 hr | 0.50 hr ethics) Pro Bono Opportunities for Business Attorneys (Replay) Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts (TALA) offers attorneys the opportunity to work with creatives, non-profits, and others who qualify based on their income on various legal issues such as entity formation, contracts, trademark/patent/copyright filings, and other general legal needs. An in depth discussion on these opportunities as well as give several examples of cases or matters handled by volunteer attorneys. Angela L. Lee, TALA - Austin, TX Adrian Resendez, Brough & Resendez PLLC - Austin, TX

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

Hooked on CLE: November 2023

THIS MONTH: Reflections on the U.S. Supreme Court • Will Robot Lawyers Steal Our Jobs, and Can They do the Job Ethically? • Developing a Winning Deposition Strategy • Sunshine and Cyber Insurance • How to Cultivate a Better Workplace

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

First Friday Ethics (September 2023)

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!   This month includes: (0.75 hr | 0.75 hr ethics) Lawyers Behaving Badly (REPLAY) The hosts of the Lawyers Behaving Badly podcast share true but outrageous stories about lawyers being less than their best selves.   Karen Delaney, Delaney Legal PLLC - Frisco, TX Jennifer Judge, Destination Pet, LLC - Plano, TX (0.75 hr | 0.75 hr ethics) Social Media Hot Topics (REPLAY) Should social media platforms be civilly liable for the content that their users post? Is the content moderation on platforms like Facebook and Twitter subject to statutes like those passed in Florida and Texas? Come hear the latest on these issues currently before the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as other cutting edge topics in social media - like service of process via social media and even NFTs, the evidentiary value of emoji and memes, and the limits on how lawyers can ethically respond to online criticism. John G. Browning, Spencer Fane / Faulkner Law School - Plano, TX (1.00 hr | 1.00 hr ethics)  Practicing of Law Across State Lines, Cross Border Issues and Privacy (REPLAY) Privacy laws continue to develop and evolve as regulators promulgate regulations and laws that seek to protect and permit individual privacy rights and remedies. Gain insight on issues that arise in privacy, including COPA and biometric data, and will discuss the expectation for the development of new privacy laws within the United States and best practices to adopt when responding to privacy incidents and advising clients and internal stakeholders. Skyla R. Banks, Amplitude, Inc. - Dallas, TX Fisayo Fadelu, Pecan Street - Austin, TX Brice White, Meta, Inc. - Dallas, TX (0.50 hr | 0.50 hr ethics)  Appeals from Sanctions Orders (REPLAY) Sanctions orders can have devastating impacts on both attorneys and their clients. Learn the latest cutting-edge techniques for obtaining, avoiding, appealing, and keeping trial court sanctions orders. Scott Rothenberg, Law Offices of Scott Rothenberg - Bellaire, TX

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

AI and Effective Corporate Governance

This discussion covers artificial intelligence (AI) fundamentals and business opportunities to utilize AI responsibly and strategically. The panelists also address corporate governance and compliance frameworks to enable boards and business leadership to proactively and effectively manage risks posed by AI.

Includes: Video Slides

First Friday Ethics (August 2023)

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!   This month includes: (1.00 hr | 1.00 hr ethics) AI Topic Regina Jones, Baker Hughes - Houston, TX Ryan D. McConnell, R. McConnell Group PLLC - Houston, TX Meagan Baker Thompson, R. McConnell Group PLLC - Austin, TX (1.00 hr | 1.00 hr ethics) Ethics: Can We Talk? (REPLAY) Jason Boulette, Boulette Golden & Marin L.L.P. - Austin, TX   (0.50 hr | 0.50 hr ethics)  Don’t Do It: Legal Temptations to Resist (REPLAY) This presentation is a reminder of the things lawyers are tempted to do, but the Rules of Professional Conduct, Standards of Appellate Conduct, and the good manners we were all raised on prevent. Hon. Tanya Garrison, 157th District Court - Houston, TX (0.50 hr | 0.50 hr ethics)  Securing Client Communication (REPLAY) Lisa Angelo, Angelo Law Firm PLLC - Houston, TX

Includes: Video Paper Slides

Answer Bar: Maximizing Technology in Your Law Practice

Session 1: The Duty of Technology Competence - Understand the importance of technology competence for your practice and the ethical obligations to be competent. Explore the current landscape and recent decisions in this area, as well as common problem areas for attorneys. Session 2: Conducting Cost-Effective E-Discovery and the Use of Technology Assisted Review (TAR) - Examine how technology-based processes, specifically technology assisted review (TAR), can be cost-effective and efficient solutions for e-discovery in litigation. This session highlights situations where TAR is often the preferred tool over attorney review and flags times that it is not, and discusses how to address contentious issues that may arise in TAR-related negotiations with opposing counsel. Session 3: Social Media Hot Topics - Should social media platforms be civilly liable for the content that their users post? Is the content moderation on platforms like Facebook and Twitter subject to statutes like those passed in Florida and Texas? Come hear the latest on these issues currently before the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as other cutting edge topics in social media - like service of process via social media and even NFTs, the evidentiary value of emoji and memes, and the limits on how lawyers can ethically respond to online criticism.  Session 4: Communication - Attorneys have a duty to keep client communication secure. Get practical tips on conducting communication with the courts or with opposing counsel, as well email filtering and its impacts on communication including filing deadlines, etc. Session 5: Cybersecurity and Protecting Against Cyber Scams - An informative program about the legal standards that govern a compliant cybersecurity program as well as an update about the ethical duty of technology competence that affects all Texas lawyers. Session 6: Will Robot Lawyers Steal Our Jobs, and Can They do the Job Ethically? - As artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and others have entered the legal sphere, questions naturally arise as to the extent to which AI can satisfactorily complete legal tasks. AI is being widely used for everything from legal research to the drafting of contracts snd pleadings to even assisting with jury selection. But can “robot lawyers” truly replace their human counterparts? This program examines not only the ways in which AI is impacting the legal profession, but also the multiple ethical dimensions of AI use - from our duty of tech competence to our duty to supervise non-lawyers.

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

Hooked on CLE: July 2023

THIS MONTH: Client Selection, Contracts and Handling Complaints • Religious Accommodation: A Conflict of Rights • Affordable Housing: Land Use Regulation to Increase and Preserve Affordable Housing  • Demonstrating Value as a Law Department: KPIs and Metrics • Joint Ventures Between Business Entities

Includes: Video Audio Slides

eSupplement to the 30th Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference

Session 1: Client Selection, Contracts and Handling Complaints - During a long career, almost no lawyer can completely avoid conflicts and complaints from Clients. The nature of our adversary system provides many opportunities for stress, misunderstandings and disagreements about how the legal system works – or the client’s expectations.  Many times, these matters can be avoided in the intake process. But when a complaint arises, lawyers need to know how to respond and handle those attorney client disagreements in ethical and empathetic ways. This course takes you through the interview process, the execution of clear attorney fee agreements, maintaining clear communications, and ultimately handling an attorney client dispute. Dozens of great tips, sound advice, and reminders of our fiduciary duty under the Disciplinary Rules. Session 2: Protecting Privilege? The Evolving Role of Attorney-Client Privilege in Cybersecurity Incidents and Responses - This session analyzes the advantages and limitations of including outside counsel during incident response. Session 3: Tales from Trial: The Boeing Case is Shot Down - Defense attorneys for the Boeing test pilot, the only individual indicted in connection with the Boeing 737 Max crashes, discuss details of the trial and their successful defense strategy. Session 4: Employee Mental Health: What Response is Required - In the aftermath of COVID and with increased visibility of mental health issues, districts must consider a more holistic plan for addressing the concerns related to employee well-being. This session combines a discussion of the legal requirements of dealing with employee mental health challenges along with best practices in prevention and intervention.

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

Hooked on CLE: June 2023

Session 1: A Lawyer's Duty in a Democracy Under Attack - An examination of lawyers' duty to support the Constitution and democratic principles when they are being challenged.  Session 2: What the Surviving Spouse Needs to Do, and What to Do if They Don’t - A practical discussion of the steps a surviving spouse can or should take when their spouse dies and what to do later if those steps are not taken. Session 3: Medical Staff, Nursing Staff, and Patient Rights in a Post-COVID World - As we move past the pandemic into a post-public health emergency world, hospitals are contending with physician and nursing staffing shortages, changing trends in the use of physicians and advanced practice professionals on medical staffs, increasing violence by patients, and regulatory pressures. The speakers discuss these issues and options for responding to them. Session 4: Artist Rights: The Future of the Copyright Royalty Board for Songwriters - ​This panel discusses the history and future of the U.S. Copyright Royalty Board, the federal agency that sets the royalty rate for the government’s compulsory licenses for songs and webcasting among other. Session 5: Workers’ Comp 101: The Basics of the Workers’ Compensation System in Texas - An overview of the Workers’ Compensation System outlining the responsibilities of insurance carriers, employers, and self-insureds in the administration of work injuries in Texas.

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

First Friday Ethics (May 2023)

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!   This month includes: (1.00 hr | 1.00 hr ethics) Will Robot Lawyers Steal Our Jobs, and Can They do the Job Ethically? John G. Browning, Rockwall, TX   (1.00 hr | 1.00 hr ethics) Attorney Wellness: Speaking Up, Reaching Out (REPLAY) Mental health issues are taboo discussions at the workplace, yet when attorneys consider suicide, it's often a result of work-related stress. Explore real-world tips and information on how to spot a mental health crisis in someone you work with, and what to do once you are aware of a problem. Stephanie Townsend Allala, Townsend Allala, Coulter & Kludt PLLC - El Paso, TX   (1.00 hr | 1.00 hr ethics)  Approaches to Privilege During Deposition Breaks (REPLAY) In an age of Zoom depositions, it is more important than ever to understand that different jurisdictions take different approaches the question of privilege during deposition breaks, with some disallowing any privilege at all once the deposition commences and others taking a more nuanced approach. Join Jason Boulette as he explores these different approaches, what they share in common, and where they differ sharply. Jason Boulette, Boulette Golden & Marin L.L.P. - Austin, TX

Includes: Video Paper Slides

Will Robot Lawyers Steal Our Jobs, and Can They do the Job Ethically?

Includes: Video Paper

Hooked on CLE: May 2023

THIS MONTH: Geopolitics and Extreme Weather Impacts on the Energy Markets • Bow Your Head and Play: A Discussion on Kennedy v. Bremerton • Sign Right Here: A Survey of Provisions for Your Attorney-Client Agreements • Defensive Documentation from Hiring to Firing • Estate Tax: Best Strategies for Estates and Gifts Leading Up to 2026

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

A Lawyer's Duty in a Democracy Under Attack

Includes: Video Slides

First Friday Ethics (April 2023)

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 3.25 hrs ethics credit. Fulfill your entire annual ethics requirement in Texas in one day!   This month includes:   (0.75 hr | 0.75 hr ethics) A Lawyer's Duty in a Democracy Under Attack Peter M. Curry Jr., Michael Curry Attorney-Mediator - Austin, TX   (0.75 hr | 0.75 hr ethics) Ethics “Game Show” (REPLAY) Elizabeth G. (Heidi) Bloch, Greenberg Traurig, LLP - Austin, TX Mia Lorick, Locke Lord LLP - Houston, TX Laurie Ratliff, Laurie Ratliff LLC - Austin, TX Jane M. N. Webre, Scott Douglass & McConnico LLP - Austin, TX   (0.75 hr | 0.75 hr ethics) Ted Lasso Ethics (REPLAY) Charlie Ginn, McCraw Law Group - McKinney, TX (1.00 hr | 1.00 hr ethics) There Is No Bias, Said Nobody Ever (REPLAY) Hon. Audrey Moorehead, Dallas County Criminal Court #3 - Dallas, TX

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

Fourth Amendment and More: 2022 Technology Case Law Wrap-Up

This CLE reviews important recent cases that deal with technology developments in 2022 including: surveillance cases, digital signatures, and Internet-induced human trafficking.

Includes: Video Slides

eSupplement to the 34th Annual Health Law Conference

Session 1: Conflicts of Interest: You Can’t Be Everyone’s Best Friend…or their Lawyer - Did you know that almost 10% of malpractice cases are caused by conflicts of interest.  Join us for “Conflicts of Interest:  You Can’t Be Everyone’s Best Friend, or Their Lawyer”. This will be a practical review of Conflicts rules and situations which can arise. Do you know the 4 situations when you are prohibited from dual representation?  How do you make a full disclosure that satisfies your duties before you seek of wavier? Join us and find out. Session 2: Protecting the Pig in the Poke: Ethical Redaction of Medical Records – a Plaintiff's View - This presentation explores the scope of discovery pertaining to healthcare information relevant to a claim or defense and pragmatic approaches to protecting irrelevant, confidential healthcare information. Session 3: Emergency Toolkit for Grievances and Sanctions Orders - No lawyer expects to be the recipient of a grievance or an order to pay sanctions. Consider this program as your emergency toolkit to help you not only survive but thrive while handling these situations both efficiently and effectively. Session 4: Ted Lasso Ethics - Five lessons lawyers should learn from Ted Lasso. Session 5: How Smart People Deal with Difficult People - In these polarizing times, we must rely on intelligence when interacting with difficult others. We'll discuss the science behind avoiding contempt, recognizing motive attribution asymmetry, and learning to coexist with disagreement so that we can behave ethically—even when we don't feel like it.

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

First Friday Ethics (March 2023)

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!   This month includes: (1.00 hr | 1.00 hr ethics) The Duty of Technology Competence (REPLAY) John G. Browning, Rockwall, TX   (1.00 hr | 1.00 hr ethics) What to Do if Your Client is Misbehaving (REPLAY) Bradley A. Jackson, The University of Texas School of Law - Houston, TX Scott Rothenberg, Law Offices of Scott Rothenberg - Bellaire, TX   (1.00 hr | 1.00 hr ethics) Conflicts of Interest: You Can’t Be Everyone’s Best Friend…or their Lawyer (REPLAY) Claude E. Ducloux, Attorney at Law - Austin, TX

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

Answer Bar: LLCs and Partnerships Formation

Session 1: 2022 Case Law Update - A survey of recent Texas cases addressing significant issues (fiduciary duties, piercing the entity veil, and more) in the context of LLCs and partnerships (including limited partnerships and LLPs). Session 2: A Series of Changes: Recent Developments in Texas Series LLCs - A practice-focused review of changes to Texas Series LLC law effective June 1, 2022 and what the new “registered series” might bring to the table for practitioners followed by a discussion of common tax issues associated with series and suggested best practices. Session 3: 2022 Secretary of State Update - Learn about filing tips and resources that will make your transactions with the Secretary of State easier and more predictable; hear updates on notable legislation and our system modernization initiative. Session 4: S corporations: A Cautionary Tale about Squaring the Circle - A discussion of some of the motivations driving the use of LLCs as S corporations, some of the potential issues and some of the drafting and structuring issues that should be considered if an LLC is taxed as an S corporation.  Session 5: Letters of Intent and Side Letters (Enterprise Products) - On January 31, 2020, the Texas Supreme Court issued its opinion in Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. v. Enterprise Products, L.P., an important case about when a business relationship is deemed to be a partnership under Texas law. Learn about this case and what it means for structuring and drafting agreements for business relationships. Session 6: Updated Model LLC Agreements - Review three model agreements tailored for a closely held company, including a discussion of some recent changes in the models as well as decisions that the authors made in drafting the models to help improve your drafting skills and result in better operating agreements. Session 7: Provisions Limiting Liability and Duties in Partnership and Company Agreements - This panel will discuss the effectiveness and limitations on provisions of partnership and company agreements which provide for the modification of duties, exoneration from liability and indemnification with respect to claims against managers, members and other employees and agents.   Session 8: Inadvertent Partnerships Revisited - Hear an update on inadvertent partnerships after the Dallas Court of Appeals decision in Enterprise Products Partners, L.P. v. Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. Session 9: "Good Bye"—Buy-Outs or Exits - All good (and not so good) things must come to an end.  When owners of an LLC or partnership are ready to part ways, what does one want in the Company Agreement/Partnership Agreement in order to facilitate an orderly exit by the departing owners? Session 10: Effective Engagement Letters and Other Simple Risk-Management Tools - This ethics CLE presentation will look at engagement letters and how they can be used as a risk management tool. Along they way, the presentation will provide practical tips to help lawyers avoid conflict of interest pitfalls and to assist in controlling client expectations about the scope of the representation. Session 11: Multiparty Representation —Entity Formation - A deep-dive into the knurly problems of multi-party representation of start-up companies, including whether the client is the founder or founders or the company is yet to be formed. The ethical difficulties for the lawyer continue after formation as the company and its founders, directors and officers move beyond formation of the entity into the realm of operations.

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

Hooked on CLE: March 2023

Session 1: Ted Lasso Ethics - Five lessons lawyers should learn from Ted Lasso.   Session 2: NiFTy Uses of NFTs and Other Emerging Technology for Cybersecurity - Blockchains, cryptocurrency, and non-fungible tokens are all components of the metaverse. Explore the use of private and public blockchains, NFTs, and other “metaversal” technologies as part of an information security program as well as cybersecurity considerations that organizations should keep in mind when deploying these technologies.   Session 3: Student Loans - Gain insight into the constantly shifting student loan legislative landscape.   Session 4: Small Crimes and Misdemeanors Related to Aging, Dementia, or Mental Health Issues - A roadmap for attorneys who counsel clients and their families seeking practical resolution of these matters. Session 5: Diversity and Equity Issues for Small Businesses - Every business should be committed to diversity and equity irrespective of its size. This section will discuss how small businesses can be intentional about doing their part to create a more equitable workplace and community. Session 6: Website Accessibility Lawsuits - The ADA requires that websites be accessible to those with disabilities. Hear what “accessibility” means for websites and the legal theories behind such suits, and take away effective strategies for dealing with a claim against your client.

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

First Friday Ethics (January 2023)

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!   This month includes: (1.00 hr | 1.00 hr ethics) Sign Right Here A survey of provisions for your attorney client agreements from “must haves” to “optional”clauses. Claude E. Ducloux, Attorney at Law - Austin, TX   (1.00 hr | 1.00 hr ethics) You’ve Received a Grievance or Sanctions Motion – What Now? (REPLAY) Receiving a grievance or a sanctions motion can be very upsetting for lawyers, but it doesn’t have to be. Please join Scott Rothenberg for an informative, reassuring, step-by-step process on what to do when a grievance or sanctions motion comes knocking at your office door. Scott Rothenberg, Law Office of Scott Rothenberg - Bellaire, TX   (0.50 hr | 0.50 hr ethics)  Mental Health in Light of Difficult Clients and Difficult Practices (REPLAY) How to develop Post traumatic Growth and be psychologically and emotionally strong when working in the ongoing stress of working with trauma survivors. Review self-care and maintaining balance both professionally and personally. Bernadette Hassan Solórzano, Our Lady of the Lake University Community Counseling Service - San Antonio, TX (0.50 hr | 0.50 hr ethics)TBD Redaction “Fails" (REPLAY) This presentation explains how to properly shield confidential information in public filings. Matthew Murrell, The University of Texas at Austin School of Law - Austin, TX

Includes: Video Paper Slides