Many of us have achieved the one of the pinnacles of the American dream, owning our own home. However, even though it’s the most expensive purchase many of us will make, quite a few attorneys and clients fail to understand the basics of the document that protects their investment - the homeowners insurance policy.

In this CLE course, attorney Evan Walker will walk you through the basics of understanding homeowners insurance policies and coverage. He will mainly cover the following topics: the declarations page & definitions, coverages, exclusions, endorsements and first & third party claims disputes. Evan will also discuss coverage & coverage limits, Coverages A - D, how to read the policy, the definitions of the insured & insured property, being underinsured, due diligence to make sure that you have adequate insurance, depreciation, additional living expenses, named perils, the burden of proof, scope of coverage, riders, contract-driven disputes, tort claims against third parties and subrogation.

After evacuating from New Orleans to Houston, Evan W. Walker graduated in 2008 as part of the ‘Hurricane Katrina Class.’ After graduation, Evan worked for a New Orleans insurance defense firm. He opened his own firm in 2014 to represent people after years of defending insurance companies.

With billions of cell phones and apps out there, the amount of ESI generated by cell phones is overwhelming to many legal professionals. We get it - you are an attorney not a computer genius. But if you are ignoring evidence on smart phones and apps, you are ignoring a virtual treasure trove of electronic information that can greatly benefit your client at trial.

In this CLE program, highly rated instructor Lars Daniel will use case examples from his digital forensics practice to explain the proper methods to forensically acquire cell phone evidence. Lars will mainly discuss the collection, acquisition, analysis and examination of electronic evidence on smartphones and challenging the evidence. Lars will also address the following topics: “thumb forensics” by first responders, logical & file systems, deleted & destroyed data, manual examinations, Google Maps & network, user accounts, Internet searches & history, call logs, SMS & MMS messaging, installed apps, power events, the user dictionary, Google is watching & listening, timelines, affidavit highlights, video verification, fakes messages are real and a spoofing case example.

A digital forensics expert, Lars Daniel has attended over 250 hours of forensic training and has worked on over 500 cases involving murder, child pornography, terrorism, rape, kidnapping, intellectual property, fraud, wrongful death, among other case types. A licensed attorney in California, Jason Castillo actively participated in this course.

Communicate with clients, don’t “borrow” money from trust accounts, calendar every key deadline… the same fundamental ethics principles still hold true for the 21st century lawyer. That’s because the same traditional ethics issues continue to plague lawyers, leading to countless ethics violations and malpractice lawsuits.

In this course Joel Selik discusses the most common ethics violations you need to be aware of so you can continue to practice ethically. The main issues discussed include the most common ethical pitfalls, insurance issues, what happens when you get “the letter” and sources of ethics laws & duties. Joel will also address calendaring deadlines, communicating with clients, trust account issues, dumping clients, staying in your practice area, contingent & set fee agreements, billing issues, responding to a malpractice letter or ethics complaint from the state bar and key practice points to remain ethical in your everyday practice.

A malpractice attorney and ethics expert, Joel G. Selik has practiced law for over 30 years and frequently represents attorney clients in malpractice cases. Joel is licensed to practice law in both California and Nevada and he frequently presents seminars on Estate Planning, Nursing Home Litigation, Legal Ethics and Malpractice.

Your 13 year-old daughter comes home from school one day crying because a group of girls posted a horrible video on YouTube calling her derogatory names and making fun of the way she dresses. The girls shot the video at a local restaurant on the way home from school. What can your daughter’s school legally do to punish the girls who filmed and posted the video?

In this CLE course Gretchen Shipley, an education technology lawyer, discusses one of the key issues facing educators and school districts today - cyberbullying and free speech. Gretchen will mainly cover the school’s duty to provide a safe environment, infringing on student’s free speech, school & district employees and related laws to cyberbullying. These topics will also be addressed: transmitting sexual images of minor, bullying & cyberbullying defined, schools & social media monitoring, bullying prevention laws, the school’s jurisdiction to punish student speech, the substantial disruption standard, search & seizure of student’s smartphones and impersonation laws. Gretchen will also discuss key case law in this area such as: Tinker v. Des Moines, J.C. v. Beverly Hills School District, J.S. v. Blue Mountain School District, New Jersey v. T.L.O and Klump v. Nazareth.

Gretchen M. Shipley is a partner in the San Diego area office of Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost and co-chair of the firm's eMatters Practice Group. A respected legal leader in education law and technology, Mrs. Shipley advises school districts and presents workshops to students, employees and district leaders nationwide on the promotion of digital citizenship in the school community.

There has been a recent trend in the last few years to place greater emphasis on how substance abuse and mental health issues affects attorneys and the clients they represent. In this course, Amy Allemann will address mental health and substance abuse issues among attorneys and personality disorders frequently encountered in everyday practice.

Amy will mainly address depression & substance abuse in the legal profession, personality disorders common in attorneys & clients and the ethical issues involved. In addition, Amy will also cover the facts about depression & suicide, the DSM-5 Criterion for a Major Depressive Episode, signs & symptoms of chemical dependency, Cluster A, B & C personality disorders, dealing with High Conflict Personalities, reacting vs. responding, competence to practice law, confidentiality to clients with mental health issues, dealing with clients with mental health issues and your duty to report intended future client crimes. The following specific personality disorders will be discussed: paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal, avoidant, obsessive-compulsive disorder, dependent, antisocial, histrionic, borderline and narcissistic.

Amy E. Allemann is the managing attorney of Boyd Law and she specializes in complex civil litigation and family law. A frequent speaker, Ms. Allemann belongs to several associations including Mensa International, LEAD San Diego, the Thomas More Society, the San Diego Lawyers Club and the San Diego County Bar Association.

Despite the increased importance of eDiscovery in today’s legal world many attorneys still don’t even know the basics… what’s ESI??? How do you respond to a litigation hold? What are native files?

In today’s electronic world, being prepared to properly respond to eDiscovery demands can make or break your client’s case - and your litigation budget. In this CLE course Alex Marjanovic and Greg Mahoney show you the most efficient way to respond to eDiscovery by discussing the key terms you need to know to get results, litigation holds and the three primary methods that firms are currently handling e-discovery. Alex and Greg also review the three primary eDiscovery methods and provides a cost benefit analysis and the potential for sanctions with each of the three methods: review on your computer, review hard copy of ESI and review in database. The analysis of the three methods is conducted with the use of a sample data set that could be found in any litigation matter today.

Alex Marjanovic the Managing Partner of Sales at Epiq, a national and international provider of electronic discovery services, with responsibility over the Southwestern States of the U.S. He has had extensive experience with electronic and paper-based discovery and related litigation production/discovery matters over the past 14 years.

There has been a recent explosion of significant new rulings involving whistleblowing and retaliation claims brought under Sarbanes-Oxley, Dodd-Frank and Title VII. In one recent course, the SEC awarded $30 million to a whistleblower who provided key original information that led to a successful enforcement action.

In this CLE course, veteran employment law attorney Mark Oberti provides a detailed analysis of key recent decisions brought under whistleblower and retaliation laws. Mark will mainly discuss the Nassar case and its implications for the “cat’s paw” doctrine, the split regarding the “manager rule” in the circuit courts, third-party retaliation claims, termination cases & protected activities, the scope of Dodd-Frank's anti-retaliation provision and Sarbanes-Oxley litigation in a post-Paraxel world. These are cutting edge topics more geared for attorneys who have worked in employment law. If you are not an employment law attorney, some of this material may be too advanced.

Mark Oberti is an employment law attorney at Oberti Sullivan LLP. Before that, Mr. Oberti was a part of Seyfarth Shaw LLP, one of the largest and most respected labor and employment law firms in the United States. Mr. Oberti regularly counsels employers and executives on issues in employment law and he frequently presents on whistleblowing and retaliation topics.

Every business owner must eventually think about selling or transferring their business. What they often fail to think about is how this transition will be accomplished. This CLE course will help you counsel business owner clients when they are ready to transfer, sell or otherwise transition their business.

Joe Strazzeri and Melisa Silverman discuss how you can implement a process that leads business owners through all phases of transition. The main sections of the presentation include evaluating the current state of the business, preparing for the future of the business, getting the business there and transitioning the business. Joe and Melissa will also talk about business valuation & readiness assessments, realizing enterprise value, personal & financial readiness assessments, enhancement initiatives, “90-day sprints,” business transition options, transfer to a family member, management buy out, transfer to shareholder(s)/partner(s), sale to employees (ESOP), sale to 3rd party - strategic or financial buyer, refinance/recapitalization, orderly liquidation. The resulting increased clarity for the owner and market value of the business will expand the possible options and solidifies choices for eventual transition.

As a former general contractor, land developer, and business owner, Joe Strazzeri combines these skills along with more than 15 years of experience as an attorney to counsel families and business owners. Melisa Silverman is a Partner at the Founders Group., a national and international, boutique financial valuation, exit planning and consulting services firm.

A lot of lawyers think that they really know about mediation. But mediation is not arbitration, it’s not an early case evaluation and it’s not just a settlement conference. It’s a voluntary process where the parties control the outcome and have the ability to be creative and craft solutions that no judgment or verdict could ever provide.

In this CLE course, Jill Switzer presents a number of practical points about what to expect at mediation and provides tips to help you get the best result for your clients. Jill will mainly discuss the key principles of mediation, why you should mediate, preparing for the mediation, what to expect on mediation day, the resolution and after the mediation. Further subjects addressed: the neutral facilitator, a willingness to resolve the dispute, getting to mediation, choosing the correct mediator, understanding the mediator’s style, managing client expectations, mediation briefs, pre-mediation calls, sizing up the opposition, what happens if the case doesn’t settle and the state of confidentiality.

What sets Jill Switzer apart as a mediator is her years of in-house experience and her knowledge and understanding of the various forces that drive corporate clients to resolve matters. She has 40 years of experience as a lawyer and she has mediated scores of cases as an advocate and found it to be a better and much more cost-effective way to resolve disputes quickly and efficiently on behalf of her corporate client.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 essentially prohibits sex discrimination in educational institutions that receive federal funding. The principal objective of Title IX is to avoid the use of federal money to support sex discrimination in education programs and to provide individual citizens effective protection against discriminatory practices in schools that receive federal funding.

In this CLE course, attorney Adria Silva discusses what you need to know when handling Title IX cases by highlighting some of the most important elements and case law in this complex area of law. Adria mainly discusses the differences between Title IX and Title VII gender discrimination claims, pregnancy discrimination, damages, representing minor plaintiffs, filing the lawsuit and privacy (FERPA) considerations. Additional topics include: exempt institutions, patterns of proof, establishing your case, affirmative defenses, common plaintiffs & defendants, conditions precedent, the OCR (Office of Civil Rights), the burden of proof, retaliation cases, equitable relief, multi-client representation & conflicts of interest, forms of production, the Family Educational Privacy Rights Act (FERPA) and recent verdicts.

Attorney Adria Lynn Silva represents employees and students in Title IX gender or sex discrimination, harassment, and retaliation cases. She has been named a Rising Star in Employment and Labor Law by Super Lawyers Magazine.

Can a rock band named the “Slants” get a trademark on their band name? Can Apple get a patent for a device that can be used to vaporize cannabis? Does the owner of an Internet “tube” site featuring adult content get immunity from user uploaded videos under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act?

While we learn a lot about real property and contracts in law school, we don’t always learn about how intellectual property law can protect our client’s products, brands and services - especially in the context of modern lifestyle industries. For all practitioners, this CLE course is a fascinating walk through the specific rules that get triggered by clients who are in industries that push the edges of social norms, such as medical marijuana, adult content and the Rock n’ Roll music industry. Peter Afrasiabi also addresses the fascinating morality standards that apply and are deployed in the trademarking and patenting process to limit the scope of trademarks and patents in matter that is deemed scandalous by the government. We will start with an IP overview for the general practitioner and then explore the copyrighting, trademarking and patenting rules that are being tested by these industries.

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.

You run a successful six-person personal injury law firm. You can’t sleep one hot summer night and you’re up late so you decide to check Twitter one more time… and you can’t help but notice that your new paralegal James has blasted you as being a terrible, penny-pinching boss with horrible breath that “pervs” on female employees at the office. Can you fire him for this rude, untrue and offensive tweet?

The answer… it depends! The explosion of social media use in the workplace – from Facebook to online dating apps – has created a flood of novel legal and practical issues for employers. Further, increasing legislation, emerging case law, NLRB decisions and a change in administrations further cloud the legal landscape. If you need some guidance on how employers may legally handle employee social media use, join employment law attorney Alix Rubin for a lively and practical discussion of situations that arise when employees “misbehave” on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media sites and apps. Alix will mainly discuss the types of confidential information employers may protect from online exposure, the types of information you may discipline an employee for disclosing online, when you can and cannot monitor your employees’ social media activity and who owns an employee’s business-related social media contacts. This CLE course is full of recent case examples and practical guidance for employers.

Alix R. Rubin founded Rubin Employment Law in 2010 to fill the need for compassionate legal counsel for both employers and employees. The firm’s goal is to help its clients resolve their disputes cost effectively and with as little disruption to their businesses, and lives, as possible. A former member of a New Jersey District Ethics Committee, she currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Volunteer Lawyers for Justice and as a director of the Wharton Alumni Club of New Jersey.

How many times do you have to be told to communicate with your clients? Well, it’s still not enough for some attorneys because numerous lawyers still get in hot water for failing to call, email or text clients and keep them in the loop.

What can you do to avoid a legal malpractice claim or grievance from the state bar? Brooks Schuelke will help keep you out of trouble by discussing the key elements of malpractice law, 10 tips to avoid ethical violations, what you can do if a claim is made against you and possible insurance coverage. Brooks will also cover negligence, breaching a fiduciary duty, privity, defining who you represent, defining the scope of the representation, communicating with clients, saying you’re sorry, calendaring, doing business with clients, suing clients for fees, screening clients, conflicts checks, reporting your claim to your insurance carrier and purchasing legal malpractice insurance.

Brooks has been a trial lawyer since 1995. His practice has focused on the representation of individuals and small businesses injured by others. This practice includes personal injury litigation and legal malpractice litigation.

It’s Tuesday and you’re just about to head to a lunch meeting. You get an email from Dan, one of your longest running clients that has recently had some financial hardships. Dan emailed you to “suggest” that he thought about covering up some “possible” money-laundering with some documents you previously prepared for him. What do you do?

Yes, dicey situations arise when it comes to the interplay of privilege, confidentiality and the attorney work product doctrine. Although related, these are different concepts and the interplay of the three frequently confuses lawyers and judges alike. In this CLE course, C. Evan Stewart will provide some clarity on these complex and interwoven issues. Evan will cover: ABA Model Rule 1.6, mandatory & permissive disclosures, SEC violations, the 5 C’s of Confidentiality, why the attorney-client privilege is under attack, selective waiver, the crime-fraud exception, the Michael Cohen incident, confidentiality & ex-employees, opinion vs. ordinary work product and ten tips to maximize the protections of confidentiality. Evan will discuss number case examples and practical everyday situations so you can better understand the similarities and differences between the privilege doctrine, the work product doctrine, and confidentiality.

C. Evan Stewart’s practice principally focuses on the financial services industry, handling litigation matters for domestic and international clients before federal and state trial and appellate courts, in arbitration forums and the U.S. Supreme Court. He advises clients on a range of complex commercial matters, including antitrust, bankruptcy, class action defense, ethics, intellectual property, internal investigations, securities litigation, and tax controversies.

When a company equips 11 million of its cars with software to cheat federal emissions tests and standards. When a former star athlete takes his own life at 43 due to a traumatic brain injury suffered while playing in the NFL. And when a terrorist group rams two planes filled with gas into the World Trade Center and into heart of New York City and America. Trial lawyers are there to protect the public and our Democracy.

A renowned trial lawyer who has tried hundreds of high profile cases and class actions, David Casey has been at the forefront of the fight to protect the public for over the last forty years. In this CLE course, David highlights the infamous cases he has litigated and the trial bar’s role in protecting the public and democracy. David will discuss the Exxon Valdez litigation, tobacco litigation, Wells Fargo’s collateral protection insurance litigation, Apple litigation regarding slowing phone speeds, CTE & the NFL, Tony Gwynn & smokeless tobacco, the Battling Bastards of Bataan and the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund.

A third generation attorney, he joined his late father David S. Casey Sr.’s firm in 1976, after working as a prosecutor for the San Diego City Attorney’s office. With dozens of high profile verdicts and settlements achieved over a nearly 40-year legal career, he is well on his way to attaining his father’s - who tried more than 700 jury trials - legendary status.

There's always a greater story hidden behind the (sometimes rigid) surface of your client. As a trial lawyer, it's your job to be able to find this story, to develop it and then to awaken the jury to your client’s greater story.

In this CLE course, Jesse Wilson will show you how to present your client’s winning story to the while avoiding the victim trap. Jesse will mainly discuss how to avoid telling the whining story, building a strong human connection with the jury, putting your client’s story before the jury and understanding the role of story & conflict at trial. Additional topics addressed include: embracing & thriving in an uncomfortable courtroom, avoiding talking about your client like a victim, tapping into emotional evidence, breaking through your client’s rough exterior, crafting the theme of your case, “But I don’t love my client,” reframing the definition of conflict, what make a great story, focusing on conflict and using monologue to understand your client’s experiences.

Born and raised in Los Angeles - in the shadows of the Hollywood sign - Jesse Wilson is the CEO and Founder of Tell The Winning Story, a communications effectiveness program that helps attorneys step into their true communications power through the raw power of the theater. A licensed attorney in California, Jason Castillo actively participated in this course.

Dodge, Chevy, Ford… America are known around the world for our car culture and our love of the automotive industry. And if it’s one thing that many Americans enjoy doing, it’s customizing their cars by slapping on the hottest new rims or upgrading to the most fuel-efficient oxygen sensor. For that reason, the aftermarket auto industry is big business domestically and the globe. The industry is slated to expand exponentially over the coming years with an estimated target revenue of $680 billion by 2024.

This course will discuss common legal issues in the aftermarket automotive industry and focuses on intellectual property concerns regarding aftermarket auto parts. The main subjects covered include: the aftermarket auto industry, how to protect inventions, how to protect the name of a company or product, how to enforce a trademark, how use copyright protection for websites & artwork, pre-litigation strategies to avoid court, the role of product liability insurance, facing a potential lawsuit and how to advise clients. Eric, Ed and Dave also discuss the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) Convention, protecting manufacturers, provisional patents, potential investors, trade secret protection, foreign IP protection, descriptive trademarks, enforcing & policing marks, registering copyrights, statutory damages, copyright myths, additional insureds and the schedule of assets.

An intellectual property attorney, Eric Hancom is 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. Edward W. Burns has extensive litigation experience in State and Federal Court and assists clients in protecting corporate intellectual property, including infringement litigation. David Branfman’s practice focuses on intellectual property and entertainment law, including trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, licensing, motion pictures & TV and music.

It’s a Friday afternoon, you’re trying to wrap up all the loose ends from the week and looking forward to spending some time with your family over the weekend. Then the phone rings. It’s a long-time client that runs a tow truck company. He’s decided it’s easier for him to pay all of his drivers as independent contractors… good idea???

Yes, while entrepreneurs and business owners are great at starting and running business, they are not always so great at employment law. That’s where you step in to counsel your business clients to help them avoid costly employment related lawsuits. Michael Freeland will discuss the following common scenarios that often lead to employer liability: independent contractors vs. employees, exempt employees, paying scheduled hours vs. the time sheet, final payment after termination, at will employees and retaliating against employees. Michael also talks about the dynamics of employment law, pre-litigation concerns, factors that determine independent contractor status, labelling employees as managers, potential damages, tracking worker’s performance & hours, failing to provide full pay at termination, the “employee in limbo” scenario, documenting attempts to contact AWOL workers and wrongful termination.

Michael M. Freeland has conducted state and federal trials, arbitrations and administrative hearings. In addition to his extensive appellate court experience, he is proficient in litigation and motion practice, mediation, arbitration and depositions.

Most lawyers do not truly know what an elder law attorney does. An elder law attorney is essentially an attorney that handles estate planning but also handles long term planning - Medi-Cal or Medicaid, veterans baenefit planning and special needs planning. This course will introduce you to elder law veterans benefits planning so you can better assist your clients and their families.

Elder Law attorney Kim McGhee will share her expertise on this subject and she will mainly discuss how adding elder law as a practice area can benefit you & your clients, the eligibility requirements for aid & attendance benefits and service connected disability compensation. Kim will also talk about the requirements that attorneys must meet to assist veterans, your fees, aid & attendance, how a person qualifies as a veteran, activities of daily living (ADLs), assets, the surviving spouse, caregivers in the home, irrevocable trusts, possible changes, disability & injuries, ratings and Nehmer claims. After completing this course, you may decide to add elder law to your practice or at the very least you will be able to spot these issues for your client and possibly build a referral network with an elder law attorney.

Kimberly R. McGhee is an experienced elder law attorney that advocates and protects her clients' best interests. She has a strong background in commercial litigation that gives her clients an advantage when she assists them to plan for and protect their future.