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Risk Management 2012 - Protect Your Practice | LPM CLE

- Location -
Holiday Inn Amherst
1881 Niagara Falls Blvd.
Amherst, NY 14228
(716) 691-8181

9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

4.5 MCLE Credits
(4.0 ethics credits, 0.5 areas of professional practice/law practice management)

Register Online

Risk Management for Attorneys 2012 
Protect Your Practice

Sponsored by the Law Practice Management Committee, the Committee on Association Insurance Programs
and the Committee on Continuing Legal Education of the New York State Bar Association

The New York State Bar Association Law Practice Management Committee is pleased to present Risk Management for Attorneys 2012 – Protect Your Practice. Designed for all practicing attorneys regardless of their level of expertise, the seminar features panelists who will offer practical tips to help improve your practice and lessen the possibility of a malpractice claim or grievance. The program includes an overview of the New York Rules of Professional Conduct, disciplinary rules, recent developments and cases of interest.

Earn 4.0 MCLE Ethics credits while getting up-to-date tips from experienced practitioners and consultants.  The program carries a total of 4.5 MCLE credits.

Program Topics

• Competency in Area of Practice
• Recognizing and Handling Conflicts of Interest – Proper Client Intake
• Effective Client Relations and Resolving Attorney-Client Disputes
• Relations with Others, Including Partners and Non-Clients
• Insurance Considerations, Including the Appropriate Coverage and the Importance of Proper and Timely Notice

Reasons to Attend

- Earn 4.0 Ethics credits (4.5 total credits)
- Learn about standardization of engagement, non-engagement and disengagement letters
- Learn about malpractice insurance considerations and purchasing the appropriate coverage
- Learn about dangers in office sharing and implied partnerships
- Includes a segment on conflicts of interest

Agenda

8:30 a.m.                                 Registration (outside meeting room)

9:00 a.m. – 9:05 a.m.             Welcome and Introduction – Local Chair

9:05 a.m. – 9:55 a.m.             I.  Competency in Area of Practice

• Mandatory continuing legal education
  [22 N.Y.C.R.R. § 1500]
• Referrals and associations with attorneys proficient in area of representation
• Dangers in office sharing and implied partnerships
• Graphs/Charts – problematic areas of practice
• Develop a docket control procedure for appointments and reminders
• File retention

9:55 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.            II. Conflicts of Interest – Proper New Matter/Client Intake

• Maintenance of conflict procedures
• Lateral hires
• Identifying the client
• Conflicts between attorney and client
• Simultaneous representation of clients with adverse interests
• Transactions between lawyer and client
• Conflict between present and former client
• Representing business organizations
  

10:45 a.m. – 10:50 a.m.         Break

10:50 a.m. – 11:40 a.m.         III. Client Relations

• Choosing the client carefully
• Client’s expectations
• Informative and truthful communications
• Statement of Client’s Rights and Responsibilities [22 N.Y.C.R.R. § 1210.1]
• Importance of the clear, unambiguous written letter of engagement [22 N.Y.C.R.R. § 1215]
• Standardization of engagement, non-engagement & disengagement letters
• Informed consent
• Preserving the secrets and confidences of a client
• Limiting liability to a client
• How to avoid suits for fees – Fee Arbitration Rules [22 N.Y. C.R.R. § 1230]
• Escrow requirements [22 N.Y.C.R.R. § 1300 et seq.]
• Importance of documenting a file
• Resolving attorney-client disputes – Mediation of Attorney-Client Disputes [22 N.Y.C.R.R. § 1220]
• E-mail
• Proper withdrawal from employment

• Integrity in dealing with non-clients – Standards of Civility [22 N.Y.C.R.R. § 1200, Appendix A]
• Intra-firm relationships
• Dealing with partners
• Supervisory responsibilities of law firms and attorneys
• Scope of supervisory responsibility of lawyers
• Ethical issues facing newly admitted attorneys
• Stress management and Lawyers’ Assistance Programs
• The “innocent” partner
• Lawyer advertising and marketing

12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.           V. Insurance Considerations

• Purchasing the appropriate coverage
• The insurance application
• Claims made coverage
• Coverage for prior acts
• The importance of proper and timely notice
• Extended reporting periods/retirement

Program Faculty

Overall Planning Chair

Marian C. Rice, Esq., L'Abbate Balkan Colavita & Contini, LLP, Garden City, NY

Buffalo Program Chair and Speakers

Dennis R. McCoy, Esq. (Chair), Hiscock & Barclay LLP, Buffalo, NY 
Harry F. Mooney, Esq., Hurwitz & Fine, PC, Buffalo, NY
Glenn Fjermedal, Esq., Davidson Fink, Rochester, NY
Lee S. Michaels, Esq., Michaels & Smolak, Auburn, NY
Mike Mooney, USI Affinity, Philadelphia, PA

"Risk Management 2012 - Protect Your Practice"

9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

4.5 MCLE Credits
(4.0 Ethics, 0.5 Areas of Professional Practice/Law Practice Management)

NYSBA Members - $125*
Non-Members - $225*

*Pre-registration fees. Registration fees increase ten days prior to the program date.

Please note: If you cannot attend in person, the September 28, 2012 Albany program will be streamed as a live webcast.  For more information, go to www.nysba.org/RiskManagement2012Albany. Please note: Newly admitted attorneys cannot receive MCLE credit for participation in CLE webcasts and webconferences.

For questions about this program, please contact Kathy Suchocki, Director of Law Practice Management at the New York State Bar Association at
(518) 487-5590 or ksuchocki@nysba.org.

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

New this Fall: All program materials will be distributed exclusively online in searchable PDF format, allowing attendees more flexibility in storing this information and allowing you to copy and paste relevant portions of the materials for specific use in your practice.  A CLE NotePad © (paper) will be provided to all attendees at the live program site.  The CLE NotePad © includes lined pages for taking notes on each topic, as well as any PowerPoint presentations submitted prior to printing. Traditional printed course books may be ordered at the program site for a discounted price and will be shipped subsequent to the program date.

Directions to the Buffalo Program Location

From Buffalo-Niagara Int'l Airport: Exit the airport onto Rt. 33W and continue to the 90E. Take exit 50, Rt. 290W. Exit on Niagara Falls Blvd. exit 3 turn right.From the Canadian Border: (Peace Bridge) Take the 190N to the 290E to exit 3B, Niagara Falls Blvd. N (Rt. 62). Our hotel is just past the overpass on the right.From Niagara Falls Canada: (Rainbow Bridge) Take the 190S to the 290E to exit 3B, Niagara Falls Blvd. N (Rt 62). Our hotel is just past the overpass on the right.From the NYS Thruway (90) E or W: Exit 50, Rt. 290 W to exit 3, Niagara Falls Blvd. Turn right at the signal and right again into our parking lot.

The last day to pre-register online was September 19, 2012.

Members, please login to get member discounts.

Seminar
BUFF-Registration	$140.00

Seminar
BUFF-Registration	$240.00

Seminar
BUFF-Registration	$75.00

Accommodations for Persons with Disabilities:
NYSBA welcomes participation by individuals with disabilities. NYSBA is committed to complying with all applicable laws that prohibit discrimination against individuals on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of its goods, services, programs, activities, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations. To request auxiliary aids or services or if you have any questions regarding accessibility, please contact Cindy O'Brien at 800-582-2452 or cobrien@nysba.org.