Aug 26 2016
CLE, Florida CLER, Online CLE

How to Post Your FL CLE Hours with the Florida Bar

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When it comes to CLE compliance, Florida is a self-reporting state. That means that Florida Bar members are required to report their compliance with the FL CLER every three years and must also report all FL CLE courses completed to the Florida Bar.

The easiest way to report your completed FL CLE courses is online through the Florida Bar website. You will need the course ID number for the course in order to report your credit.  Click here to access the link to report your FL CLE credit hours: Report FL CLE.

Posting Your Florida CLE Credits

In order to post your CLE credits with the The Florida Bar, you can login to your account on the Florida Bar website and report your FL CLE hours.

If you complete an Attorney Credits FL CLE course, the Florida course number will be located on your Certificates of Completion once you finish the course. You can download these certificates when you are logged in from the My Certificates page. To self-report your FL CLE credit click this link: Report FL CLE.

Please contact the Florida Legal Specialization and Education department at (800) 342-8060 ext. 5842 with questions regarding online CLE credit reporting. You can also contact Attorney Credits for additional information about Florida CLE compliance or visit our Florida webpages: FL CLE.

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Aug 25 2016
California MCLE, CLE, MCLE, Online CLE

CA CLE: Group 3 California MCLE Checklist

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California attorneys that are in Group 3 (Last names N-Z) must complete and report CA MCLE compliance by the February 1 CA CLE reporting deadline. Attorney beware: the State Bar of California has been conducting thousands of California MCLE audits each year. Below, I have listed some of the top mistakes people commit when completing their CA MCLE.

CA MCLE Checklist

  • 25 total hours
  • 12.5 participatory
  • 4 Ethics
  • 1 Bias
  • 1 Competence Issues

Please make sure to properly complete your CA CLE compliance. You will feel much better in July if you get that MCLE audit letter in your mailbox!! For more information about California CLE please click here: CA CLE.

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Aug 24 2016
Blogging, California MCLE, CLE, Email, Expectation of Privacy, Facebook, Google, Illinois MCLE, Intellectual Property (IP), Law & Technology, Malpractice, MCLE, New Jersey MCLE, New York MCLE, Online CLE, Privacy, Social Media, Twitter

New Digital Assets Law Coming to California???

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What happens to your Facebook account when you die… does it die too? What about your PayPal account, iTunes library and all your other valuable digital assets? States around the country have begun to pass legislation that allow individuals to access social media accounts and other digital accounts on behalf of a deceased individual.

To date, over 20 states have passed their own laws to protect digital assets and give the heirs/executor the right to access and manage online accounts after death. There have been tragic examples of people who have passed away and family members and loved ones were unable to access their social media and other electronic accounts due to terms of use and privacy policies.

California Digital Assets Law

An individual may “use an online tool to direct the custodian to disclose to a designated recipient or not disclose some or all of the user’s digital assets.”

California is the latest state to pass a digital assets bill. If it makes it out of the Assembly and is signed by governor Jerry Brown, the California Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act will provide guidelines for how companies can share deceased individuals’ digital records such as emails and social media accounts following death. The law will grant the social media website or online company the right to grant full or partial access to a designated recipient.[1]

The California digital assets law is a sign of our new electronic times. It is also a reminder that attorneys must now recognize their client’s digital assets and identify how their clients want the assets to be accessed or distributed after their death. To access a CLE course on digital assets please click here: Digital Asset Landscape: Preparation for Changes in Legislation.

[1] The company must first receive a written request, a certified copy of the death certificate and/or a certified copy of the letter of appointment of the representative, along with authenticating information about the deceased user.

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Aug 23 2016
CLE, MCLE, Texas MCLE

Texas CLE: When is the TX MCLE Deadline?

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Texas attorneys must complete at least 15 Texas CLE credit hours each annual compliance period. The Texas CLE compliance period is a one-year period that begins on the first day of your birth month. The Texas CLE compliance period ends one year later on the last day of the month BEFORE your birth month. Additionally, each Texas attorney receives an automatic grace period – the end of his/her birth month – to complete and report Texas MCLE hours for that compliance year.

Texas CLE Deadline

  • All TX CLE must be completed & reported
  • By the last day of your birth month

If you fail to complete and report the required 15 hours of TX CLE by the last day of your birth month grace period then you subject to possible fines and penalties.[1] Please click this link to access more information about CLE in Texas: TX CLE.

[1] Penalties range between $100-$300 if you are considered to be in non-compliance.

Aug 15 2016
ABA Model Rules, Attorney Websites, Blogging, California MCLE, CLE, Criminal Law, eDiscovery, Ethics & Professionalism, Ethics Codes, Facebook, Google, Illinois MCLE, Law & Technology, Legal Research, Litigation, Malpractice, MCLE, New Jersey MCLE, New York MCLE, Online CLE, Social Media, Twitter, Voir Dire

CLE: Ethical Issues in Social Media and eDiscovery

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Social media offers attorneys and law firms the opportunity to build credibility & trust with clients, uncover relevant facts & information about cases, clients and opposing attorneys, and to bring in new business. Unfortunately, social media also creates many new ethical pitfalls for attorneys. Law firms, attorneys, and staff must ensure that their online activities adhere to ethical and professional rules of conduct – even without the guidance of specific electronic ethical rules.

Ethics 2.0

  • Can you list specialties or endorsements on your LinkedIn page?
  • Is it ethical to send a Facebook friend request to an individual involved in pending litigation?
  • Can you ethically advise clients to remove tweets from their Twitter account on the eve of trial?

In this timely presentation, attorneys Kathryn Konzen and Ross Mecham provide best practices for the ethical use of social media, offer practical ethical guidance regarding common scenarios and highlight situations & online activities to avoid. The main ethical duties covered include the Duty of Competence, candor & fairness to the court & opposing counsel, the duty to supervise, requesting & producing documents & data, accuracy of discovery certifications and protection of the attorney-client privilege. To access the course please click here: Ethical Issues in Social Media and eDiscovery.

Further issues discussed in this CLE:

  • Ethical pitfalls & risks
  • FRCP Rule 1
  • Zealous advocacy
  • ABA Model Rule 1.1 & the Duty of Electronic Competence
  • Examples of unethical online conduct
  • Examples of ethical/unethical advertising
  • Website disclaimers
  • Retention
  • Inadvertent formation of the attorney-client relationship
  • The Duty of Confidentiality
  • Avoiding online Conflicts of Interest
  • Recruiting
  • Investigation
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Blogging about prior cases
  • LinkedIn
  • Examples of social media policies
  • Ethical references & citations

Kathryn Konzen joined DTI in 2014 as a Regional Business Development Executive, and returned in 2016 after going in house with a law firm as the Director of Business Development and Litigation Technology. She is a California licensed attorney that focuses on efficient and cost effective solutions for her clients when dealing with electronic data, whether it is for a government investigation, litigation matter, or internal issue. Kathryn has presented various CLE programs on such topics as Managing ESI, Ethics in Social Media, and Ethical Issues of eDiscovery. Ross Mecham is an eDiscovery Consultant with DTI. He helps law firms and corporate legal departments understand and manage their eDiscovery needs, using technology and efficient workflows to reduce risks and costs while increasing deliverable quality. An attorney with over a decade of experience across all phases of electronic and paper discovery, his career spans state, federal, and international matters, as well as the development of internal corporate discovery practices. His prior cases include intellectual property, employment, and business tort actions, data breach and internal investigations, and regulatory requests.

This CLE course is offered in the following states:

  • Alaska (AK)
  • Arizona (AZ)
  • California (CA)
  • Connecticut (CT)
  • District of Columbia (DC)
  • Illinois (IL)
  • Maryland (MD)
  • Massachusetts (MA)
  • Michigan (MI)
  • New Hampshire (NH)
  • New Jersey (NJ)
  • New York (NY)
  • North Dakota (ND)
  • Pennsylvania (PA)
  • South Dakota (SD)

Attorney Credits offers CLE for attorneys in New York and around the country. For more information about CLE in New York please click the following link: NY CLE.

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Aug 12 2016
California MCLE, CLE, Employment Law, Illinois MCLE, Intellectual Property (IP), MCLE, New Jersey MCLE, New York MCLE, Online CLE

CLE: Legal Challenges of Working with Breweries

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With the emergence of Stone Brewing, Ballast Point and thousands of other breweries in every corner of the country, the American craft beer industry has exploded over the last decade. Unfortunately, while these new brewer entrepreneurs are experts when it comes to barley & hops, they are not experts when it comes to reviewing leases and establishing trademark rights in their beers.

Brewers are often unaware of the most basic legal issues. They want to put all their time, money, effort and energy into making beer – not thinking about clauses in lease agreements.

In this CLE program, the Craft Beer Attorney Candace L. Moon will teach you how to help your brewer clients to start and run a solid business. Candace discusses legal issues for brewers including selecting the appropriate legal entity, staying compliant with securities law, reviewing leases & agreements, filing state and federal registrations & updates, establishing & protecting trademarks & brands and avoiding labor & employment issues. To access the course please click here: Legal Challenges of Working with Breweries.

The following topics are also covered:

  • TTB (Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) forms
  • State forms
  • Entity protection for owners
  • Changing entities
  • Key points in lease review
  • Distribution agreements
  • State & federal registrations
  • Obtaining a trademark
  • Banned words
  • Independent contractor vs. employee designation
  • Safety compliance
  • Employment records
  • Knowing your clients
  • TTB licensing process

Candace L. Moon discovered the need for specialized craft beer counsel while working as a bartender at a brewery during law school. While she met countless brewers, there were no attorneys catering to the legally complicated industry. Accordingly, Candace opened a practice serving San Diego’s beer makers. She has since worked with over 200 craft breweries and craft breweries-in-planning nationwide, handling business entity formation, alcoholic beverage law, contract review, trademark law, as well as other legal needs.

This CLE course is offered in the following states:

  • Alaska (AK)
  • Arizona (AZ)
  • California (CA)
  • Connecticut (CT)
  • District of Columbia (DC)
  • Illinois (IL)
  • Maryland (MD)
  • Massachusetts (MA)
  • Michigan (MI)
  • Missouri (MO)
  • New Hampshire (NH)
  • New Jersey (NJ)
  • New York (NY)
  • North Dakota (ND)
  • Pennsylvania (PA)
  • South Dakota (SD)

Attorney Credits offers CLE for attorneys in California and around the country. For more information about CLE in California please click the following link: CA CLE.

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Aug 09 2016
Attorney Websites, Blogging, California MCLE, CLE, Ethics & Professionalism, Facebook, Illinois MCLE, Law & Technology, Law Practice Management, MCLE, New Jersey MCLE, New York MCLE, Online CLE, Social Media

CLE on New Legal Technology Tools for Lawyers

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New technologies sprout up every day. These new technologies are changing society and the legal profession at a rapid pace. Social media discovery, cloud computing, practice management software… these new technologies have changed the way lawyers practice law and the way law firms operate. While recent innovations have helped to streamline the legal process, create new ways to work more efficiently and help law firms gain a competitive advantage, these new technologies also present novel challenges for many attorneys. 

Time to pull your head out of the sand and start practicing more efficiently by using new legal technologies!

In this timely presentation Andres Hernandez discusses how lawyers can adopt new technologies to run a more efficient law firm and be a better lawyer. The main points presented by Andres include the three pillars of law firm technology, your Internet presence, technology to run your office more efficiently and technology to make your firm & client data more secure. To access the course please click here: Top Tech Tools for Lawyers.

Andres also addresses

  • Legal websites
  • Claiming your online profiles
  • Developing your social media strategy
  • Ethical advertising
  • File storage
  • Practice management software
  • Client communications
  • The cloud
  • Security
  • Domain names
  • Data backup
  • Computer maintenance
  • Online reputation management
  • Managed IT
  • Cyber insurance
  • Clio
  • WP Engine
  • WordPress
  • AVVO
  • Microsoft Office 365
  • Dropbox
  • LawPay
  • LinkedIn
  • Pipedrive
  • Lexicata
  • Zapier
  • Calendar Rules
  • NetDocuments
  • Page Vault

Andres is the co-founder and CEO of Wingman Legal Tech. He is a Marine Corps Veteran with an MS in Technology Management from National University and 10 years experience at HP working on Government contracts. Andres has been leading an effort in the legal industry to adopt cloud technologies for leaner and more efficient practice. He frequently speaks to legal groups, attorneys and bar associations in an effort to demystify law firm technology.

This CLE course is offered in the following states:

  • Alaska (AK)
  • Arizona (AZ)
  • California (CA)
  • Connecticut (CT)
  • District of Columbia (DC)
  • Illinois (IL)
  • Maryland (MD)
  • Massachusetts (MA)
  • Michigan (MI)
  • Missouri (MO)
  • New Hampshire (NH)
  • New Jersey (NJ)
  • New York (NY)
  • North Dakota (ND)
  • Pennsylvania (PA)
  • South Dakota (SD)

Attorney Credits offers CLE for attorneys in New York and around the country. For more information about CLE in New York please click the following link: NY CLE.

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Aug 08 2016
Bankruptcy, California MCLE, CLE, Employment Law, Illinois MCLE, Intellectual Property (IP), Litigation, MCLE, New Jersey MCLE, New York MCLE, Online CLE

CLE on Emerging Trends in Cannabis Litigation

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The green gold rush has taken off. With marijuana laws rapidly changing across the country, many individuals and businesses have sought to cash in off the new “green gold rush.” Dispensaries, growers, cultivators and many others now seek to establish their position in this lucrative new industry and their share of billions of dollars in new business. Unfortunately, the last few years has also seen a massive boom in litigation for businesses involved in the marijuana industry, as these new cannabusineses get snared in litigation. Complicating matters, many states now have some form of marijuana regulation and each state is extremely different on how they regulate their cannabis programs – and marijuana still remains illegal under federal law.

Do you know what the emerging trends are in cannabis litigation? Do you have the knowledge to guide clients through an ever-changing regulatory maze? Do you know the key strategies to fully help your cannabusiness clients?

In this CLE course, Washington attorney Hilary Bricken discusses key topics and emerging trends in marijuana regulation and litigation. Hilary mainly addresses key issues in the cannabis industry, hot topics in cannabis law, business law in the context of emerging litigation issues and practice points to help your clients avoid litigation. To access the course please click here: Hot Topics and Emerging Trends in Cannabis Litigation.

Further topics covered:

  • Federal pre-emption
  • Enforcement memos
  • IRS & taxes
  • The USPTO
  • Bankruptcy issues
  • The NLRB
  • State vs. state litigation
  • Trademark infringement
  • Taxes
  • The CHAMPs case
  • Landlord-tenant disputes
  • Commercial disputes
  • NIMBY
  • Administrative appeals vs. the state
  • Municipal litigation
  • Insurance coverage
  • Product liability

Hilary Bricken is an attorney at Harris Moure, PLLC in Seattle and she chairs the firm’s Canna Law Group. Since joining Harris Moure in 2010, Hilary has earned a reputation as a fearless advocate for local businesses. Hilary’s clients — start-ups, entrepreneurs, and companies in all stages of development — value her bold approach to business strategy. She takes pride in her strong client relationships, which allow her to hone in on each company’s unique needs and goals. Her practice consists of representing marijuana businesses of all sizes in multiple states on matters relating to licensing, corporate formation and contracts, commercial litigation, and intellectual property. Named one of the 100 most influential people in the cannabis industry in 2014, Hilary is also lead editor of the Canna Law Blog.

This CLE course is offered in the following states:

  • Alaska (AK)
  • Arizona (AZ)
  • California (CA)
  • Connecticut (CT)
  • District of Columbia (DC)
  • Illinois (IL)
  • Maryland (MD)
  • Massachusetts (MA)
  • Michigan (MI)
  • New Hampshire (NH)
  • New Jersey (NJ)
  • New York (NY)
  • North Dakota (ND)
  • Pennsylvania (PA)
  • South Dakota (SD)

Attorney Credits offers CLE for attorneys in California and around the country. For more information about CLE in California please click the following link: CA CLE.

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Aug 05 2016
CLE, MCLE, Online CLE, Texas MCLE

TX CLE: Who Reports My Texas CLE Hours?

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Texas attorneys must complete fifteen (15) TX CLE credit hours each annual compliance period, including three (3) credit hours of legal ethics or professionalism. The Texas CLE compliance year is a one-year period that begins on the first day of the month you were born. Your compliance year ends one year later on the last day of the month that precedes the month of your birth.[1]

Texas attorneys must complete a minimum of 15 hours of accredited TX CLE each compliance period.

As an Accredited CLE Sponsor in Texas, Attorney Credits reports your all your completed TX CLE courses to the State Bar of Texas. We report completed courses to the State Bar of Texas every Monday. However, Texas is still a self-reporting state. You must verify the receipt of your completed courses by the State Bar of Texas because Texas attorneys are ultimately responsible for reporting completion of their continuing education requirement to the State Bar of Texas.[2]

It is each individual Texas attorney to ensure that your mandatory TX CLE hours are accurately and timely reported with the State Bar of Texas MCLE Department.

If you do not report your TX CLE credit hours in a timely fashion it could result in a non-compliance penalty of $100, $200, or $300. Attorney Credits also offers additional helpful information about continuing legal education (CLE) for attorneys licensed to practice in Texas. Please click this link to access more information about CLE in Texas: Texas CLE.

[1] Every Texas attorney also has a grace period to complete and report mandatory TX CLE hours for the TX CLE compliance year. The Texas CLE grace period runs until the end of your birth month.

[2] Please Note: We report on Monday for all courses completed the previous Monday 12:00:01 AM to Sunday 12:59:59 PM. Therefore, if your deadline is Thursday and you finish your courses on Tuesday you must self-report the courses to the State Bar of Texas yourself, since the next time we report, your deadline will have passed. We are not responsible if your courses are submitted past your reporting deadline.

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Aug 02 2016
ABA Model Rules, Blogging, California MCLE, CLE, Criminal Law, Facebook, Google, Illinois MCLE, Jury, Law & Technology, Legal Research, Litigation, MCLE, New Jersey MCLE, New York MCLE, Online CLE, Personal Injury, Social Media, Twitter, Voir Dire

CLE on Voir Google & the Ethics of Jury Selection

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When we try a case, our goal as lawyers is to get an impartial jury. But in reality, anybody who has struck a jury knows this is no easy task. During voir dire we must investigate jurors to uncover potential bias to ensure that the jury will be as fair as possible. And our investigation of jurors and jury system itself is changing rapidly because of social media and the law related to social media.

Will the impartial jury be able to exist in the age of Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and other social media websites and apps?

In this CLE course, trial attorney Sharon Stuart presents a thoughtful and timely discussion on ethical considerations in jury selection in our new world of social media. The main topics addressed include voir google, ethically investigating jurors online, your ethical obligations relating to juror misconduct, your ethical obligations to disclose juror relationships, medical privacy & voir dire and your ethical obligations in post-trial juror interviews.  To access the course please click here: Ethics in Jury Selection.

Additional issues covered in this course:

  • Social media use by jurors
  • The benefits of using social media in jury selection
  • The ethical duty to investigate
  • ABA Model Rule 1.1 – Competence
  • Comment to ABA Model Rule 1.1
  • ABA Model Rule 1.3
  • The NYSBA Social Media Guidelines
  • ABA Model Rule 3.5
  • Ethical limitations on juror investigation
  • Best practices when conducing social media research
  • Crossing the ethical line
  • Decorum to the tribunal
  • United States v. Daugerdas
  • Safeguards for jurors’ medical privacy
  • Post trial contact with jurors

Based in Birmingham, Alabama, Sharon Stuart devotes her practice to civil trial work and arbitration. She focuses on complex commercial and insurance litigation, and she handles a variety of pharmaceutical and medical device products liability litigation as national, regional or local counsel. Her trial experience includes a wide range of business tort claims, contract disputes, commercial and insurance fraud and bad faith suits, and wrongful death cases. She has defended dozens of class action lawsuits in areas as diverse as product liability/toxic tort, financial products, insurance and employment law.

This CLE course is offered in the following states:

  • Alaska (AK)
  • Arizona (AZ)
  • California (CA)
  • Connecticut (CT)
  • District of Columbia (DC)
  • Illinois (IL)
  • Maryland (MD)
  • Massachusetts (MA)
  • Michigan (MI)
  • New Hampshire (NH)
  • New Jersey (NJ)
  • New York (NY)
  • North Dakota (ND)
  • Pennsylvania (PA)
  • South Dakota (SD)

Attorney Credits offers CLE for attorneys in California and around the country. For more information about CLE in California please click the following link: CA CLE.

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