Disaster Planning and Emergency Preparedness - Best Practices for Solos 

1.5 MCLE Credits*

CLE Video Webcast Archive

LPM CLE Webcast sponsored by the Law Practice Management Committee of the New York State Bar Association

Featuring Deborah A. Scalise, Esq., Scalise & Hamilton LLP, Scarsdale, NY

An unforeseen crisis can be difficult to manage and can jeopardize your law practice. Planning ahead is essential to providing competent representation and preventing disciplinary problems.  Most law firms know they need a disaster recovery plan, but don’t have one. Maybe your firm has started its emergency planning procedures, but how can you be certain it is comprehensive or that you are not overlooking important functions, contingencies and considerations? Without an effective and customized plan, your firm is at risk.

This program will cover:

1. Law Practice Continuity - Preparing for retirement, disability or other planned or unplanned interruptions in the practice of law
2. Ethical Risks – Don't risk your good standing status by neglecting to plan ahead
3. Preparedness Manuals, Action Plans and Checklists - Best practices in emergency planning and disaster recovery for law firms
4. Physical Facilities: Knowledge of the physical layout of your premises is critical to safe evacuation of personnel, retrieval of important documents and equipment, restoration of services, and planning to repair or rebuild
5. Records Protection, Retention and Storage: A records disaster recovery program identifies and protects records encompassing vital files, documents (hard copy and electronic) and information necessary for a law firm to maintain business continuity in case of a disaster or emergency

About the Presenter

DEBORAH A. SCALISE ESQ.

Deborah A. Scalise is a partner in the firm SCALISE & HAMILTON, LLP in Scarsdale, New York. The Firm focuses its practice on the representation of professionals (lawyers, judges, accountants, doctors, dentists, pharmacists, social workers, and government employees) in professional responsibility and ethics matters, and white-collar criminal matters. Before entering private practice, Ms. Scalise held the position of Deputy Attorney General in Charge of Public Advocacy for the Westchester Region for more than two years and was responsible for cases involving consumer frauds, civil rights, public integrity and environmental concerns. Prior to that, she was the Deputy Chief Counsel to the Departmental Disciplinary Committee for the First Judicial Department. In her nine years at the Committee, she litigated complex disciplinary matters including, investigations, hearings and appellate review of attorney ethical misconduct pursuant to the Code of Professional Responsibility, the Judiciary Law and the New York Rules of Court. She supervised and trained staff attorneys and was actively involved in office management. In addition, she served as an Assistant District Attorney in Kings County for three and a half years where she handled economic crimes and arson cases. Ms. Scalise received a Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School and a Bachelor of Arts from John Jay College of the City University of New York. Ms. Scalise also earned a Master of Arts Degree in Forensic Psychology from the John Jay College of the City University of New York.

 Ms. Scalise is active in several bar associations. She has served two terms as Vice President to Women's Bar Association of the State of New York (WBASNY), where she also serves as the Chair of the Professional Ethics Committee. She is President Elect, Vice President and Co-chair of the Grievance/Ethics Committee of the Westchester Women's Bar Association and is also the Secretary for the White Plains Bar Association. She serves as Outreach Co-chair for both organizations and is actively involved in educational programs and events for students including Take Your Children to Work Day as well as Law Day. She is a member of the American Bar Association and served on the Public Sector Lawyer's Division and Ethics and CLE Committees. She is also a member of the New York State Bar Association where she serves on the Attorney Professionalism Committee and the Law Practice Continuity Committee and a member of the Westchester County Bar Association where she served as Co-chair of the Ethics and Professional Responsibility Committee for two years. As a member of the New Rochelle Bar Association, she serves as a Small Claims Court Arbitrator in the New Rochelle City Court.

This program was recorded on April 25, 2012.

*Please note: Newly admitted attorneys cannot receive MCLE credit for participation in CLE webcasts and webconferences. 

To learn more about law practice management resources available to NYSBA members, visit www.nysba.org/LPM.