eCourses

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) State Bar Election Results and New Disciplinary Rules (Replay) In a referendum from April 1-30, the members of the State Bar of Texas voted on proposed amendments and additions to the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct. The Bar approved the Rules and the Texas Supreme Court gave final approval to them. This presentation gives an overview of the new Rules. Robert L. Tobey, Johnston Tobey Baruch, P.C. - Dallas, TX (1.00 hr | 1.00 hr ethics) Ethical Issues in Criminal Appeals Practice (Replay) Ethical representation is required at the appellate level as well as the trial level. Explore rules of ethics and situations specifically centered on appellate representation. Stephanie L. Stevens, St. Mary's University School of Law - San Antonio, TX (1.00 hr | 1.00 hr ethics) Ethics: Officer of the Court (Replay) Explore the ethical obligations of attorneys as officers of the court, with a particular focus on the obligations of an attorney toward the bench. Jason Boulette, Boulette Golden & Marin L.L.P. - Austin, TX

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

Session 1: Intellectual Property: The Essentials of Copyrights and Trademarks for Creatives - Understand the basic copyright and trademark principles and identify where they apply in music, television/film, podcasting, and influencer deals. Session 2: ​Exploring the Expansion of Criminal Antitrust Enforcement and What Recent Criminal Investigations and Trials Tell Us About the Government’s Tools, Tactics, and Targets - Panelists discuss the expansion of criminal antitrust enforcement and recent investigations that delve into the government's tools, tactics and targets. Session 3: Getting the Most Out of Your Mediation: Tips to Maximize Your Mediation Time - Join Scott Baker as he explores ways to help attorneys make the most of a mediation session as well as the mediator’s skills to help their clients resolve disputes. He'll delve into written mediation statements, pre-mediation conferences, joint sessions and opening statements, negotiations, and mediated settlement agreements. Examples, trends, and case law will be discussed and used to provide practical tips and suggestions to attorneys who represent or counsel clients who use mediation to resolve disputes. This presentation is designed to provide useful information to attorneys of all experience levels.

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

THIS MONTH: Venturing Into the Future: Navigating AI Implementation, Training, and Usage in Your Organization • NIL Updates • Available Sources of Funds to Save a Home • Fiduciary Duties and LLC’s • My Mind Has A Mind of Its Own: Why Even Good Lawyers Are Lured Into Unethical Behavior by the Way Their Brains Work

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

THIS MONTH: Yet Another Acrimonious Election Year: The Challenge of Political Talk at Work (and On Social Media) • I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do): Celebrity Entities and Entanglements • Guardians of the Galaxy: General Counsel's Challenges in Managing Risk and Protecting a Nonprofit's Brand • 2024 Ethics Referendum: What Passed, What Didn’t, and What Now? • Consumer Mass Arbitration and Class Actions

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

Session 01: Update on Appellate Rules Changes - The Supreme Court has been busy with amendments to the TRAPs, both on its own initiative and at the direction of the Legislature. See how the changes will affect your practice (and why you won’t have to sign any more certificates of service in your appeals but you might need to update your template for petitions for review). Session 02: Preservation of Error Update - An overview of recent cases regarding preservation of error. Session 03: Supersedeas and Post-Judgment Proceedings - The ability to supersede a judgment is often critical to preserving a party’s appellate rights. Hear an overview of the process for superseding a judgment, highlighting the 2023 changes to the Civil Practice & Remedies Code and Appellate Rules focused on alternative security. The presentation also touches on post-judgment discovery and execution. Session 04: Jury Charge Update - Recent developments impacting civil jury charges and strategies involved in preparing and preserving error on them. Session 05: District Court Judges Panel - A discussion of how district court judges feel about having appellate counsel at trial. And, how appellate counsel can be most beneficial at certain stages of the trial.

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

Texas Lawyers voted in April to adopt 12 new Disciplinary Rules and a new Rule of Disciplinary Procedure. So, based upon the results, how should lawyers expect the practice to change? Is there anything we need to do or understand right away?

Includes: Video Audio Slides

Session 01: Practicing in the Fifth Circuit: A Few Things Attorneys Need to Know - An operational update on court operations with an emphasis on practice tips and new applications designed to assist the appellate practitioner.  Session 02: U.S. Fifth Circuit Update - This presentation covers the most interesting cases about civil litigation from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in the past year. Session 03: U.S. Supreme Court Update - An overview of major decisions and trends from the Supreme Court’s 2023-2024 term.

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

Session 01: Texas Supreme Court Update - Explore recent opinions issued by the Court in the current term. Session 02: Texas Supreme Court by the Numbers - A new look at what has been happening with petitions and what that suggests about your client's odds. Session 03: Texas Supreme Court Panel - Hear a candid conversation among the Justices about what is new at the Court, the state of the docket, and ways practitioners can improve their chances of securing discretionary review for their clients.

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

Discuss the current state of using Generative AI in handling appeals, including current tools and techniques for legal research, brief writing, and oral argument preparation. Also cover ethical issues involving the use of large language models to assist preparation of appeals and discuss some near-future possibilities for Generative AI.

Includes: Video Audio Slides

From preserving venue challenges to engaging in the bellwether process, navigating the appellate issues in multi-district litigation can be complex. Dive into the most common appellate issues using recent MDL’s as examples.

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

Learn time-tested techniques for minimizing the risk of grievances and malpractice lawsuits in your appellate practice.

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

Watch ambitious appellate practitioners compete against one another, as they try to answer ethics questions that savvy practitioners ought to know.

Includes: Video Audio Slides

THIS MONTH: When is Ticketing Like Pork Bellies? Current Legislation on Speculative Tickets and Resale Royalties • War Stories, Trial Tips, and Trial Skills Comparison • Key Trends in Private Company Mergers and Acquisitions • Mortgage Concepts for Family Lawyers • Drafting Contracts to Protect Your Company

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

Modern behavioral psychology research has revealed that our brains lead us into behaviors that are inconsistent with logic, our own self-interest, and ethical principles. This presentation explains how scientifically identifiable justifications, rationalizations, and heuristics can present challenges in legal ethics.

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

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) Lessons Learned From GCs Behaving Badly (Allegedly) (Replay) It is always better to learn from someone else’s mistakes. Examine examples of in-house counsel allegedly (or admittedly) behaving badly—from alleged assaults and slurs to embezzlement—and what in-house counsel can learn from those situations. Discuss examples of in-house counsel allegedly being punished for doing the right thing, and review applicable Model Rules of Professional Conduct, including Rules 1.13 and 8.4. Joseph T. Clees, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C., Phoenix, AZ (0.75 hr | 0.75 hr ethics) Ethics and Cybersecurity in the Virtual Practice of Law (Replay) Explore some of the ethical hazards associated with practicing law virtually including unauthorized practice of law, confidentiality and cybersecurity, and the challenges of remote supervision. Anthony Hendricks, Crowe & Dunlevy, Oklahoma City, OK Paige A. Masters, Crowe & Dunlevy, Oklahoma City, OK (0.75 hr | 0.75 hr ethics) Brady v. Maryland, the Michael Morton Act, and the Texas Disciplinary Rules (Replay) The obligation to disclose evidence comes from multiple sources, including constitutional, statutory, and ethical. This presentation discusses each source and recent, significant cases in the area. Carson R. Guy, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Austin, TX (0.75 hr | 0.75 hr ethics) What We Say and Do Matters…(Replay) Discuss the various approaches to ensuring that clients with disabilities are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve and is ethically required. Gain insight on how to approach family members, clients, and other professionals as well as practical dos and don'ts when handling cases where the client has limitations. Amanda E. Carter, Matthew Harris Law, PLLC, Lubbock, TX Jennifer L. Coulter, Townsend Allala, Coulter & Kludt, PLLC, El Paso, TX

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

Ethical representation is required at the appellate level as well as the trial level. Explore rules of ethics and situations specifically centered on appellate representation.

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

THIS MONTH: The Science of Readable Legal Writing • Techniques for Negotiating With Difficult Counterparties  • Election Year Issues: Political Engagement by Nonprofit Organizations • Bank Failures and Banking Distress • ​Safety and Texas Schools: Their Future Depends on What We Do Today • ​Dealing With the Problem of Opposing Counsel

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

Session 01: Drafting Effective PDRs and Motions for Rehearing - Discuss effectively phrasing issues in PDRs, knowing when to fight and when to fold and getting PDRs granted. Session 02: Approaches to Statutory Interpretation - Hear discussion of reading and analyzing statutes, dissecting issues in brief writing, and providing practical tips on briefing and arguing statutory construction issues before appellate courts. Session 03: Drafting Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law - Practical tips for post-conviction litigators: drafting proposed Findings of Fact; increasing the likelihood they will be adopted; and framing the issues for favorable review. Session 04: Court of Appeals Judicial Panel - Court of Appeals justices discuss what goes into their decision-making, how to make them more receptive to your briefs (or not), and other factors to improve your appellate practice. Audience members will have the chance to ask questions. Session 05: Court of Criminal Appeals Judicial Panel - Hear a panel of judges respond to your frequently—and sometimes infrequently—asked questions

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

Get current on the two high courts’ latest cases in a presentation curated for the appellate practitioner. Get caught up with the cases from the end of last year’s term and preview what remains in the pipeline for this one.

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides

The obligation to disclose evidence comes from multiple sources, including constitutional, statutory, and ethical. This presentation discusses each source and recent, significant cases in the area.

Includes: Video Audio Paper Slides