Washington Mini Compliance Bundle 042823

Is this program really about getting into bed with our clients? Of course….but I don’t mean sexual relationships. Well, not only sexual relationships. There are a bunch of ways that a lawyer can metaphorically get into bed with their client and all of those situations are governed by the conflicts rules in Rule 1.8. Whether it’s doing business with clients, getting a bequest from a client, or some other self-serving conflict, chances are there’s an ethical implication to doing so.

Stuart will discuss whether lawyers can accept cryptocurrencies for legal fees, Fee splitting with other lawyers, when people fight over trust account funds, and the problem of the flat fee.

Whether it’s fictional lawyers in film, real lawyers who represent celebrities, or lawyers who have themselves become celebrities, some of these characters have committed ethical violations. Let’s talk about what every lawyer can learn from the mistakes of these lawyers who represent some interesting people.

Join Professor Saltzman for a in-depth review of the Supreme Court decisions on constitutional cases involving Criminal Law issues during the 2019-2020 term. He will also discuss cases involving Federal Law Statutes and the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.

It is inevitable that we must face change at some point. At times, we can predict the changes ahead, but it is not always possible to see what lies just beyond the horizon. Embedding agility and resilience within your legal operations team and wider legal department can be thus crucial to responding to these unforeseen challenges with a well-orchestrated plan. Building strong relationships with external partners, including law firms, ALSPs and LPOs, can be further important to deliver a well-executed plan that effectively navigates unforeseen change on a global scale.

No one could have anticipated that 2020 would be the year that the legal profession went virtual. In 2019, we talked as it this was 10 years away. Today, legal departments, law firms and courts all across the world have embraced and implemented these technologies and new working practices. This transformative shift for the legal profession has brought new opportunities and risks for General Counsel. The imposing risks have been quick to appear, but understanding the opportunities has been much more clouded. In this new digital age, how can you managing a remote workforce, continuing to drive productivity and inclusivity, over these new digital platforms?

While in-house teams continue to grow and examples of General Counsel with increased influence are more prolific, the impact of the legal function can still be muted. Moreover, while there is still plenty of talk of "demonstrating value" - how to clearly articulate value beyond cost reduction remains a challenge.

With remote working on the rise and its impact on mental health, this will become ever more important. It is important for us to see this as a way to pave opportunities for females, minorities and those with disabilities to gain more senior roles in the future, but we must also be wary of the challenges remote working will also bring to our mental health if inclusivity is not considered.