If you are a trial attorney you have inevitably been forced to deal with difficult witnesses and hostile attorneys at some point in your legal career. Problem witnesses can take many forms - the dishonest witness, the evasive witness, the hostile witness- the witness that doesn't remember what they had for breakfast. All too often, witnesses try to frustrate the discovery process - and depositions in particular - by their obstructive and abusive behavior. And we all have stories about hostile or bullying opposing counsel.

This CLE course examines strategies to effectively depose some common difficult witnesses and also provides tips on how to deal with difficult attorneys during the deposition process. Join trial attorney Roy Comer as he discusses the hostile witness, the basics of questioning, dealing with the problem witness, the forgetful or unsure witness, the dishonest witness and the obstructing lawyer. Further topics covered by Mr. Comer include controlling the deposition, what doesn't work, the goal of the deposition, the form of questioning, the 4 step process for dealing with the evasive witness, videotaping depositions, looking for visual clues, asking more, quickening the pace, the Duty of Candor, the bullying lawyer, the law is your friend, talking to the witness, the improperly objecting attorney, the lawyer that wants to go off the record all the time, the condescending lawyer and the "I'll fix it later lawyer."

For over thirty-five years Roy L. Comer has been dedicated to handling damage cases, including catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases arising from automobile, truck, motorcycle, medical negligence, defective products, and dangerous premises claims. In addition, Mr. Comer has represented individuals and medium-sized businesses in real estate, landlord-tenant, insurance and contract disputes. Defending these types of claims has provided Mr. Comer with further insight into how insurance companies approach these claims. Mr. Comer's clients depend on his broad experience, coupled with the highest legal, professional and emphatic standards.

The person most qualified (PMQ) deposition is a powerful discovery tool or - or a headache of a lifetime - depending what side of the litigation you're on. Whether you are pursuing remedies against a business entity or defending a corporation, how you plan and prepare for the PMQ deposition will ultimately determine the success you achieve for your client. With all of the possible traps, do you know how to effectively take, defend, and prepare for the PMQ deposition?

In this CLE course, veteran civil litigator Roy Comer provides practical tips and advice for your next PMQ deposition. When you complete this course you will know how to: indentify what makes a person most qualified, prepare the notice, respond & object to the notice, select the PMQ witness, prepare the PMQ witness, prepare the testimony, take the deposition, spot common traps and defend the PMQ deposition. Deposing the person most qualified is drastically different than the standard lay witness deposition and since party admissions are admissible against the company or entity, PMQ depositions can produce valuable testimony that can greatly aid settlement or sway the jury at trial.

For over 30 years Roy L. Comer has been dedicated to handling damage cases, including catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases arising from automobile, truck, motorcycle, medical negligence, defective products, and dangerous premises claims.

If you can help to keep your clients stay out of court, clients will look to you as a trusted legal advisor that they can turn to for proactive legal advice and counseling - and not just the person to call once they've been sued. Transactional attorneys, nonprofit attorneys and in-house counsel can definitely benefit from this proposition by knowing the key facets of their client's businesses and making sure their legal liabilities are accounted for and properly addressed. Even immigration attorneys with international clients can serve as a valuable resource to clients coming to America on investor visas by assisting with their client's with basic counseling on starting and running a business.

In this course Miami business attorney Brett Trembly highlights a number of practical and legal points that you can advise your business clients on to help you serve as a valuable resource and keep them out of court. Brett starts by presenting ten general tips to advise your business clients on, lists four key documents that your clients must have in place, analyzes five essential terms for every contract and closes by highlighting key nonprofit issues. Further subjects covered include: business formation & structure, keeping good records, business insurance, appropriate security protections, vendors, employee handbooks, being proactive, independent contractor agreements, the articles of organization, the operating or shareholders agreement, client or service contracts, emergency plan documents, terms of service, prevailing party attorneys? fees, forum & venue selection clauses and termination & damages clauses.

Brett Trembly started the Trembly Law Firm over four years ago to work with business owners to resolve their legal issues as quickly, painlessly, and cost-effectively as possible. In the South Florida legal community, Brett sits on the Board of the South Miami Kendall Bar Association, the Florida Bar 11th Circuit Grievance Committee, volunteers on the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Mentoring Program, the Dade-County Bar Associations Rainmakers Committee, and annually volunteers for Miami-Dade County's Ethical Governance Day. Brett also maintains his leadership emphasis and is strongly committed to giving back, serving as Past President of the Rotary Club of South Miami, President of B.N.I. Superior, Vice-President of the Rotary Foundation of South Miami, Inc., and is a proud member of the Chamber South and Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay Business Associations.

Even the most lucrative sale of investment property includes one major downside - taxes. But what if you don't sell the property and you exchange it instead? A properly structured 1031 exchange allows an investor to sell an investment property and reinvest the proceeds in a new property while deferring all capital gains taxes. But like anything having to do with the tax code, properly structuring and completing a 1031 exchange is an incredibly complex process wrought with pitfalls.

This CLE course provides practitioners with a comprehensive review of IRC 1031 tax deferred exchanges and the real estate transactions that utilize this tax deferral strategy. A 1031 expert, attorney J. Paul Spring will mainly cover the history of 1031 tax deferred exchanges, the reasons for employing IRC 1031 and key requirements when structuring the 1031 exchange. This course will also address the following topics: the Starker Exchange, key benefits of the 1031 exchange, REITs, 1031 investment property converted to a primary residence, exceptions, the like kind requirement, leases & options, types of 1031 exchanges, sales contract language, the equal or greater value requirement, flipping properties, the timing of transactions, identifying the replacement property, related properties and reverse exchanges. In addition to discussing the legal requirements of the 1031 exchange, Mr. Spring also discusses number practical considerations that arise in these complex transactions.

Mr. Spring has been a practicing attorney in California for more than thirty years, specializing in real estate, title insurance, business law, tax-deferred exchanges, trust law and short-sale transactions. He is currently the President of Investment Capital Resources.

Entrepreneurs and inventors often come up with great ideas that they think will be the next great product at home in the United States and around the world. But patenting that Green Bay Packer cheese head beer coolie hat in Germany might not be the best idea - no matter how great your client thinks it will sell.

In this CLE program, Eric Hanscom and Greg Sach highlight key legal and practical points about seeking patent protection in the EU. Eric and Greg will mainly discuss the U.S. patent system, the EU patent system and common pitfalls when seeking patent protection in the EU. Additional subjects covered: the three types of U.S. patents, provisional patent applications in the U.S. & Europe, comparing the cost of U.S. vs. European patents, popular validations in Europe, the unitary patent, typical EPO examination procedures, costs & timelines, added subject matter, intermediate generalizations, novelty & the two categories of prior art, the inventive step, patent ineligible subject matter, methods for treatment and the number of claims.

Eric Hanscom is actively involved in overseeing litigation, contract negotiation and customs issues around the globe over matters ranging from patent and trademark infringement to breach of contract. With over 14 years of experience in the patent profession, Greg Sach has expertise in drafting, prosecution and appeal proceedings for the European Patent Office and he also handles patent applications before the UK and Germany.

The issues that professional athletes face on a daily basis are very unique compared to the rest of society because athletes have a different career length and economic situation than most people. In addition, professional athletes have a different mindset than the average person when it comes to dealing with business and personal issues. This presentation is for sports law lawyers, estate planning attorneys, criminal defense attorneys, family lawyers and any other lawyer that is looking to assist and counsel with athlete clients.

To learn more about representing athlete clients join attorney and sports agent Brandon Leopoldus as he introduces you to the mindset of the professional athlete, helps you as an attorney provide increased value to your athlete clients and discusses how you can give the best possible service to your athlete clients. The main topics addressed include 12 key stats & insights about professional athlete clients, knowing the client's mindset, understanding the client's needs, coaching your athlete client and building your team. Additional issues presented include invincibility, trusting without reason, rewarding risk, collecting solutions, focusing on the result, keeping your quarterback safe, making your athlete client part of the team, being a lawyer - not a fan, being yourself and finding your niche. This presentation is for sports law lawyers, estate planning attorneys, criminal defense attorneys, family lawyers and any other lawyer that is looking to assist and counsel with athlete clients.

After completing a career as a minor league baseball umpire, Brandon Leopoldus worked in the front office of the Mountain Collegiate Baseball League as the Director of Baseball Operations, before attending Thomas Jefferson School of Law and working for Mandalay Sports. An attorney, mediator and sports agent, Brandon works with his clients' teams of agents, managers, accountants, and other professionals to craft unique legal strategies to safeguard the client's assets and interests. He focuses on developing the best legal game plan for his clients while keeping their information in confidence, with respect, and confidentially.

If you're like many attorneys and firms, you utilize numerous online resources to provide legal information to the public and advertise your services to potential clients. However, while numerous firms and attorneys rely on websites and social media to grow their businesses, some don't give a second thought to the fact that their online activities could run afoul of the ethical rules. Facebook, Twitter, Quora, AVVO, LinkedIn, law firm websites and other social media platforms all pose significant ethical risks for lawyers who may be inappropriately or even inadvertently advertising to or soliciting clients.

In this course, attorney Ken Matejka points out the ethical issues created by your online content and shows you how to fulfill your ethical duties when advertising and offering legal information on your law firm website, social media websites and other online resources like LinkedIn and Yelp. The five main topics that Ken discusses include false & misleading communications, solicitations, required disclaimers, privacy policies and eliciting online reviews. Further issues covered in this course include legal information/legal advice, case results, specialists, guarantees, establishing the attorney-client relationship online, online Q & A websites, contingency fees & costs, ABA Formal Opinion No. 10-457, recommended elements for a valid disclaimer, recommended placement for disclaimers, unencrypted email and the attorney-client privilege and the integrity of the profession.

Ken Matejka, President, LegalPPC, Inc., Internet Services for the Legal Profession Ken Matejka is a California attorney and a former member of the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Lawyer Referral and Information Services. For seventeen years, he worked at the Lawyer Referral and Information Service of the Bar Association of San Francisco and in 2006, co-founded LegalPPC, an Internet Services Company dedicated to helping lawyers and lawyer referral services get more clients from Google. Ken has been a regular presenter at events like the ABA's Annual LRIS Workshop and for attorneys across California on the topic of online visibility and lead generation for the solo practitioner's law practice. LegalPPC currently provides Internet services to about 20 bar associations and a large number of law firms nationwide.

You don’t have to have an LLM in tax to help your business clients with tax issues. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Being able to spot tax issues and help your business clients identify and manage risk can save them thousands of dollars and keep them in business.

In this tax crash course Sam Brotman details how you can help the businesses you counsel spot tax issues before they become major headaches. Sam will mainly cover the following topics: the difference between an accountant & an attorney, dealing with income tax audits, how to defend your clients against IRS audits, what to expect during a payroll tax audit and sales & use tax audits. In addition Sam will also address the main pitfalls that create tax problems, common myths, why people get audited, DIF & UI DIF scores, the 4 types of audits (matching, correspondence, office & field), statutes of limitations, audit red flags, substantiation & legal issue audits, how to conduct the pre-audit, the IRS Appeals Process, the EDD, the general ledger, independent contractor issues, methods of testing, sampling, the pre-audit plan and common traps.

Samuel D. Brotman is the founder of Brotman Law. His practice primarily centers on all aspects of tax litigation and criminal & civil tax controversies. Although a strong proponent of early stage tax resolution, Sam's practice is uniquely tailored to assist clients in all phases of their tax controversy from administrative resolution of the lawsuit.

In a recent case, a U.S. Magistrate Judge sanctioned an attorney for telling opposing counsel it wasn’t “becoming of a woman” to raise her voice during a contentious deposition. Yes, we have made strides when it comes to creating a level playing field for women in the legal profession… but there is still a long way to go.

In this lively and thought-provoking program, Andrea S. Kramer and Alton B. Harris discuss how gender bias can prevent law firms and legal organizations from achieving their desired diversity goals. In this incredibly insightful and practical discussion Andie and Al will mainly address gender disparity in achievement in the legal profession, why gender disparity exists in law firms, ending the gender disparity in law firms and what attorneys can do. The following topics are also covered: ABA Model Rule 8.4(g), state bar professional responsibility rules, the Muller-Lyer Illusion, communal & agentic stereotypes, the Goldilocks dilemma, the moral & business rationale for creating diversity, affinity bias, unconscious bias, being proactive, impression management and what male lawyers can do to be a part of the solution. Finally, Andie and Al provide specific action steps for addressing implicit biases and creating policies and procedures that can prevent bias from influencing decisions inside the firm.

Andrea S. Kramer is an attorney and a partner in the international law firm of McDermott Will & Emery, LLP. The managing partner in the Chicago office of Nixon Peabody, Al is a frequent writer and lecturer on the financial markets, financial regulation, corporate governance and diversity in the legal profession.

At this point, most attorneys are aware of the increased rates of substance abuse amongst lawyers and the link between abuse & addiction and diminished competence & disciplinary issues. But what about treatment options - is there anything to consider aside from the normal 12 step programs like AA?

In this CLE program, psychologist Tom Horvath will mainly analyze some of the most current studies and research on the subject as he discusses the evolution of addiction treatment and provides options for treatment including self-care. The main studies addressed include The ABA Report of the National Task Force On Lawyer Well-Being, The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs & Health and the DSM–5. Additional topics covered: the Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP), the power of language, problems with most U.S. treatments, sources of pleasure, self-control, the cost-benefit analysis of addictive behavior, self-treatment 101, coping with craving and why addiction is NOT a disease.

Dr. Tom Horvath, founder of Practical Recovery, is an internationally recognized expert on addiction treatment. He has been president of SMART Recovery for almost 20 years - SMART Recovery is the largest of the non-12-step mutual help groups. He is the author of Sex, Drugs, Gambling & Chocolate: A Workbook for Overcoming Addictions.

From a gang member, to an incredibly successful trial lawyer… to a full blown alcoholic. This is the story of Gary Gwilliam. Gary shares his story and his wisdom with you so you can avoid the same path that he - and thousands of other lawyers - ended up going down. The path to alcoholism and substance abuse.

How does Gary’s story end? Well, the story hasn’t ended yet. At 80 years old, Gary is still an taking on complex multi-million dollar civil litigation cases. In this heartfelt presentation Gary will mainly talk to you about how lawyers start drinking, the Sandy Staples case & dealing with loss, burnout & intervention and lessons from losing the big case. Gary also addresses our win-at-all-costs culture, the shame & guilt of losing, resources for attorneys, The Soul of the Law, how we become objectified because of our legal training, taking care of yourself, how to get better balance, how to achieve peak performance and learning to forgive.

Gary Gwilliam is considered one of the best consumer trial attorneys in the state. He has tried 150 jury cases, of which more than 100 were personal injury cases. He has also spent the last 30 years trying to help attorneys facing substance abuse issues.

Substance abuse and depression are two of the main contributors that affect an attorney's competence to practice law and lead to high rates of suicide among lawyers. Attorneys are nearly twice as likely to have problems with drugs & alcohol and are nearly four times more likely to suffer from depression when compared to the general population. In fact, the depression rate in the legal profession is the highest among all professions and over 50% of all discipline cases involve an underlying substance abuse issue.

In this course, Richard P. Carlton presents an overview of the connection between substance abuse, depression and an attorney's competence to practice law. The main topics discussed include the law as a high risk profession, substance abuse & depression disorders, personality traits of attorneys, methods to cope with the stress & the mental challenges of the legal profession and managing the expectations of clients. Further issues presented and discussed include brain chemistry, depression, traits of pre-law students & the effects of law school, lawyers as pessimists, thinking like a lawyer, resources & assistance for attorneys, the stress response, negativity bias, fear & negativity, mindfulness, the pace of life for attorneys and time shifting.

Richard P. Carlton, MPH, is the Acting Director of the Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP) of the State Bar of California and has been addressing mental health and disability concerns in the legal profession for over twenty-five years. A licensed attorney in California, Jason Castillo actively participated in this course.

For patent prosecution, patent prior art research is an essential requirement and one of the critical first steps in the prosecution process. Prior art research should be concluded early on in the process before time and money are expended on the construction of the patent and the application. Prior art research will identify those patent publications that may prevent the innovation in question from being patented and can provide a type of road map in the early stages of development that can assist in providing work arounds of the prior art that will allow the innovation to be patented or used freely in the market.

In this CLE course Intellectual Property attorneys Alan Kendrick and Eric Hanscom provide an excellent practical discussion about the best practices when conducing a patent prior art search. Alan and Eric mainly address the main goal, types & scope of prior art research and patent publication prior art research. Additional topics covered: patent prosecution, freedom to operate, FTO Research, state of the art research, patentability search, invalidity research, patent landscape research, whitespace analysis, non-patent publication research, discussions with the inventor, strategy development, qualifying terms, searching by number/date ranges, searching by applicant/assignee name or by inventor name, searching by specific data fields and using Patbase.

Before beginning his own practice Eric Hanscom utilized his science background and law degree to gain experience in multiple facets of patent, trademark and copyright law and the application of those property rights. He has been actively involved in overseeing litigation, contract negotiation and customs issues in the US, Asia, Europe, South American and Australia over matters ranging from patent and trademark infringement to breach of contract. Alan Kendrick has been an attorney since 1998 and his practice focuses on intellectual property matters including patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret and unfair competition. He has several years of experience providing patentability and invalidity research in a wide variety of disciplines including aerospace, mechanical, industrial, energy, medical, materials, food technology and the automotive arts.

Many family law cases are extremely emotionally draining for the client and attorney alike. Knowing what to expect and having a good understanding of how these cases proceed through the court system can help you manage your client’s expectations and emotions.

Sandra Fava will provide you with a broad overview of family law practice – from adoptions to domestic violence. Sandra will mainly discuss how a family law case starts, the non-dissolution docket, the dissolution docket, practical points for family law practice and pitfalls for the new practitioner. She will provide you practical points on the following: domestic violence actions, adoption proceedings, juveniles, settlement, motion practice, use of experts, mediation & arbitration, dealing with unpaid support obligations, guardianships, the worthy client, zealous advocacy vs. becoming emotionally intertwined, good client management, managing deadlines, communicating with clients and practical advice for clients. This course is designed for attorneys new to family law practice or experienced attorneys from other practices that need to understand the family court system and how a case proceeds.

Sandra C. Fava has dedicated her legal career to the thoughtful and diligent representation of clients in divorce and family law matters. She provides representation at every level, including complex and sophisticated family law matters, often representing high net worth individuals, entrepreneurs, corporate executives, professionals and business owners or their spouses.

When you are a child you are scared of the boogeyman or the monster under the bed. When you are an adult, you are scared of the IRS. One of the worst days in the life of a person or small business owner is when the IRS undertakes collection activities to collect past due taxes. Because of their wide powers and ability to freeze and seize assets, IRS collection activities can have a devastating impact on an individual taxpayer or small business' financial operations.

Presented by tax attorney Sam Brotman, this CLE program will provide the non-tax practitioner with a practical guide to the process and timeline of IRS collections. Sam mainly discusses how a filed return becomes a balance due, how the IRS Automated Collection Systems works, dealing with Revenue Officers and how to best resolve IRS collection issues for your clients. Further issues discussed include the benefits of understanding the IRS collections process, an overview of IRS examinations & audits, how attorneys get audited, balance due notices, liens, levies & wage garnishments, revenue officer specific collection actions, 120 day extensions, the statute of limitations, running, financial hardship, installment agreements, offers in compromise, defeating IRS liens and levies and bankruptcy.

Samuel D. Brotman is the founder of Brotman Law. His practice primarily centers on all aspects of tax litigation and criminal/civil tax controversies in front of the Internal Revenue Service, Franchise Tax Board, Employment Development Department, Board of Equalization, and various other state/local tax agencies. Although a strong proponent of early stage tax resolution, Sam's practice is uniquely tailored to assist clients in all phases of their tax controversy from administrative resolution to suits in superior/district court. In addition, Sam frequently handles corporate/real estate/litigation matters related to small and mid-size businesses.

From car accidents to botched surgeries, many legal cases require lawyers to put on their doctor hats and have in-depth knowledge of the anatomy human body. In briefs and during mediation – and especially in the courtroom – personal injury attorneys must be able to convey their knowledge of anatomy to experts and the judge and especially the jury.

In this CLE course, attorney Rachel Rose will teach you about the anatomy fundamentals you need to know about so you can communicate with your expert witnesses and the jury. Rachel will mainly cover the issues & types of cases that require a lawyer to have anatomical knowledge, anatomy vs. pathology, medical position terminology and practical points to consider in your legal cases. She also provides detailed overviews of the following systems: musculoskeletal, gastro-intestinal, circulatory and nervous.

From working on Wall Street to interning on Capitol Hill, Rachel V. Rose, JD, MBA, has accumulated knowledge in a multitude of fields throughout her career. She advises on federal and state compliance and areas of liability associated with a variety of healthcare, legal and regulatory issues including: HIPAA, the HITECH Act, the False Claims Act, Medicare issues, as well as corporate and security regulations.

A well-known phrase amongst IP practitioners is that patentable subject matter may include “anything under the sun that is made by man.” Yet not surprisingly, not every invention is patentable - even if it falls within the four classes of “statutory subject matter” and the novelty, nonobviousness, and written description requirements can be met.

Join Vish Mohan for an excellent review of patent law protection in the United States. Vish mainly covers the hallmarks of patent law and then details the standards determined to issue patents – patent eligible subject matter, useful, new, nonobvious and adequate written description. Additional subjects addressed include: utility, design & plant patents, how you get a patent, the four classes of patentable subject matter, substantial & credible utility, public use, described in a printed publication, “on sale”, otherwise available to the public and the best mode. The following hallmark cases are also discussed: KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., Diamond v. Chakrabarty, Bilski v. Kappos and Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank International.

Vishwanath (“Vish”) Kootala Mohan is an intellectual property associate at One LLP in Costa Mesa, California. Coming from a Mechanical Engineering background, his practice focuses on intellectual property law, including patent and trademark prosecution and IP litigation involving patent, trademark, and copyright issues.

When you prepare for oral argument do you find yourself writing out a convoluted outline and rehearsing in front of the mirror like you are going to be speaking at the local Toastmasters. Unfortunately, oral argument is not a speech where you will be handed ten minutes of interrupted speaking time. Rather, it's dynamic, rapid shifting and it can require extreme responsiveness if you get that judge that likes to pepper you with questions.

Since oral argument is much more fluid process than regurgitating a written response, you need a more dynamic approach. In this incredibly entertaining and practical CLE course, Peter R. Afrasiabi covers what to do, what not to do and how to be prepared when you stand at the podium to argue your appeal. Peter mainly discusses the hallmarks of effective oral arguments, winning preparation strategies and practical points when making your argument in front of the judges (or justices). In addition, Peter also addresses using a conversation dialogue, knowing your audience & goals, crafting a compelling argument, establishing credibility, the kitchen sink approach, briefs & the record review process, facts & law review, your podium materials, mooting, your first words, staying cool under pressure, possible outcomes, amicus briefs and the 7 Golden Rules.

From battles with Madonna over the "Material Girl" brand to fair use disputes with the Eagles' Don Henley to protecting such iconic brands as Bettie Page in trademark and trade dress disputes, Peter R. Afrasiabi primarily handles copyright, trademark, and entertainment disputes. He is also the Chair of the Appellate Practice Group for One LLP and co-director of the Appellate Litigation Clinic at the University of California, Irvine School of Law.

Increasingly more employers are finding themselves facing the need to conduct internal workplace investigations as employee retaliation claims soar and the EEOC continues to focus on discrimination. A thorough, effective and ethical internal investigation of an employee complaint can help a company avoid costly and protracted litigation and form the foundation for a successful defense in the event that a lawsuit is eventually filed. Unfortunately, missteps are common in internal investigations and these mistakes can expose an employer to costly liability.

In this CLE course, attorney and workplace investigator Amy Oppenheimer walks you through the best practices when conducting workplace investigations and highlights potential issues presented by implicit bias. Topics covered in this CLE course include: reasons to conduct an internal investigation, the decision to conduct an investigation, the choice of investigators, defining the scope of the investigation, investigation planning, communicating with representatives of the employer, confidentiality & privacy, evidence gathering & retention, witness interviews, investigation findings, reports, bias in the workplace, bias in investigations and the impacts of investigations.

Amy Oppenheimer is an attorney and retired Administrative Law Judge with over thirty years of experience working in the field of employment law, emphasizing preventing and responding to workplace harassment and discrimination. Ms. Oppenheimer has trained lawyers, human resource professionals, employees, and employers throughout the country in preventing and investigating workplace harassment, discrimination and retaliation, implicit bias and diversity in the workplace. She is the founder and president of the board of AWI (Association of Workplace Investigators, Inc.) and is an advisor to the executive committee of the labor and employment section of the California State Bar. She is a trial qualified expert on the issue of employment practices in preventing, responding to and investigating workplace harassment or discrimination and frequently speaks at legal and HR conferences on topics such as performing investigations, interviewing techniques, implicit bias and the preventing workplace harassment.

Have you ever had a case where the authenticity of a signature on a document was at issue? Cases that involve contracts, wills (even graffiti!!) and other important "writings" often turn on whether it was written by a given person. When the veracity of writing is at issue in a case, attorneys frequently turn to an expert - a trained forensic handwriting examiner.

This presentation details the scientific methodology used by forensic handwriting examiners in order to determine the authenticity of handwriting and signatures. Mike Wakshull of Q9 Consulting provides an excellent introduction to the tools and the trade of the forensic document examiner. In this highly informative presentation Mike teaches the basic tenets of handwriting analysis, describes natural variations in handwriting, explains the forensic document examiners role, highlights case examples where the authenticity of handwriting is at issue and provides an objective framework for handwriting analysis & authentication.

Additional topics covered in this CLE course: the Zodiac case, inter-writer variability, intra-writer variability, handwriting identification techniques, reasons for special cause variation, 21 key elements for handwriting identification, the tools used to examine documents, generally accepted methods of examining documents, handwriting comparison and the difference between simulated writing and disguised writing. In addition, Mike discusses numerous legal cases that he has worked on around the country over the years.

A court-qualified forensic document examiner, Michael N. Wakshull has been involved in the Forensic Document Examination arena since 1983 and belongs to a number of Document Examination Associations. A licensed attorney in California, Jason Castillo actively participated in this course.