Practical CLE for the Solo⁄Small Firm Attorney!

The "Real World" Ethics of Client Intake!

 

 

For more information on participating via webcast, go to:

 

Information and instructions regarding connecting to the webcast will be e-mailed to you approximately 3-5 business days before the webcast.

 

 

What You Will Learn:

*Handling the Dog Bite Case

*Finding Your “Niche” as a New Solo or Small Firm Attorney

*Handling the Speeding Ticket Case

*Handling the Minor in Possession of Alcohol Case (Juvenile Criminal Matters)

*Client Intake and Legal Ethics:  A System to Keep the Solo⁄Small Firm Practitioner Out of Trouble

*Handling Temporary Restraining Orders and Temporary Civil Protective Orders

Who Should Attend:

*Newly Licensed Attorneys

*Experienced Attorneys Who Are New to These Types of Cases

*Anyone Who Needs to Know How to Manage “Bread and Butter” Small Firm Cases to a Successful Outcome!

In a “call out” on the front cover:

 

 

Are you a newly-licensed attorney hanging your shingle for the first time?  Maybe you are an experienced attorney moving to a solo or small firm practice?  Maybe you just need practical CLE designed just for a solo⁄small firm practice?  If so, you owe it to yourself to attend the CBA Solo⁄Small Firm section's Door Law seminar on February 5, 2009!

As the program title implies, this program is all about how to handle those bread and butter cases and clients that “walk through the door.”  Solo and small firm attorneys are on the front lines helping Coloradans with the legal issues that affect them most directly and most personally – juvenile criminal matters, domestic violence, and traffic tickets – just to name a few.

Our expert, veteran faculty of experienced practitioners will give you real world advice, tips, and strategy gained through years of work handling these cases.  They will be your guides and get you up to speed fast on the issues you face and the actions you must take when taking on these cases.  Our program also includes a segment on how to find the practice area “niche” that suits you best as well as a full CLE credit hour of legal ethics!  Our ethics segment focuses on how to ensure that the client intake process does not result in ethical violations and legal malpractice down the road.

Don't delay – Register for Door Law today!

 

 

8:30 AM – 9:00 AM

 

9:00 AM – 9:05 AM

 

9:05 AM – 9:55 AM

 

 

Topics to be covered include:

*Mini-review of CRS 13-21-124 – the dog bite statute

*Definition of “serious bodily injury”

*Does the dog have “dangerous propensities”?

*Factors affecting liability

*The “one-bite” rule

*What about liability to trespassers?

*How to determine the amount of damages suffered

*The most common fact patterns clients will bring to you

*Landlord liability when a tenant owns the dog in question

*Comparing the facts in your client's case to the law

*How to assess whether the likelihood of success, and the recovery possible, justifies going forward

*Issues of particular interest to defense counsel

*How to negotiate settlement

*Important timing and procedural issues

*Key tasks when preparing for trial

*Top 5 tips for handling these cases

 

9:55 AM – 10:05 AM

 

10:05 AM – 10:55 AM

 

Happy lawyers that love their work do a better job for their clients.  Find out how to use your heart and your head to create a law practice you will love!

Topics include how to:

*Determine the areas of law and type of practice you like best

*Become an “expert”

 -In a particular area of law

 -In a particular jurisdiction

 -In a particular venue

*Specialize your practice

*Profit from non-profit cases (hint:  you can “do good” and earn a living at the same time!)

*Find a mentor (hint:  it's a two-way street)

*Find association and apprenticeship opportunities with veteran attorneys

*Follow your heart (hint:  it still takes work)

*Lose your fear of “changing your mind” about your chosen path

*Know that the search is never over because the law is always constantly developing

*And more!

 

10:55 AM – 11:05 AM

 

11:05 AM – 11:55 AM

 

Topics to be covered include:

*Speeding versus reckless driving

*When is the client in serious trouble?

*The second and third tickets – the repeat offender problem

*The point system

*Suspension of driver's license issues

*Common factual issues in radar and laser speeding ticket cases

*Which defenses are usually successful and which are not

*The most common fact patterns clients will bring to you

*Comparing the facts in your client's case to the law

*Advising the client on options, risks, and likely outcomes

*How to negotiate with the prosecutor

*Important timing and procedural issues

*Key tasks when preparing for trial

*Top 5 tips for handling these cases

 

11:55 AM – 1:10 PM

 

1:10 PM – 2:00 PM

 

Topics to be covered include:

*The teenager calls you…

*The parents find out…

*The basics of minor in possession (MIP) law in Colorado

*The most common fact patterns clients will bring to you

*Distinguishing the client from the person responsible for payment of your fee

*Useful clauses for your retainer agreement when handling an MIP case

*Advising the client on options, risks, and likely outcomes

*How to negotiate with the prosecutor

*Important timing and procedural issues

*Top 5 tips for handling these cases

 

2:00 PM – 2:10 PM

 

2:10 PM – 3:00 PM

 

*Why giving a “free consultation” helps neither the client nor the lawyer

*Define “urgent”:  How to ensure that the client's sense of urgency and panic does not distract you from doing your ethical due diligence

*The “magic form” every attorney needs to bring to the initial meeting

*The initial meeting “cheat sheet” and what it should contain

*Other documents to bring to the first meeting

*Before leaving the first meeting, the client (or non-client) must sign one of two documents

*Conflict Checking:  The value of a good client contacts database and when to run the conflicts check

 

3:00 PM – 3:10 PM

 

3:10 PM – 4:00 PM

 

*Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) defined

*Temporary Civil Protective Order (TCPO) defined

*Differences between civil and criminal “restraining orders”

*The difference between a restraining order and a protective order

*How to get the court to order a TRO or TCPO

*Remedies for violations of restraining orders and protective orders

*Domestic Violence Situation 1:  The husband or wife was arrested after an altercation, was in jail overnight, and calls you the next morning.  What law applies?  What do you do?

*Domestic Violence Situation 2:  The husband or wife was physically attacked by the spouse and calls you for help.  What law applies?  What do you do?

*Another Restraining Order Situation:  A person is having problems with his or her boyfriend, girlfriend, significant other, or other person and wants you to get a restraining order.  What law applies?  What do you do?

 

4:00 PM

 

 

Law Offices of C. E. Abernethy

Denver, CO

 

Demers & Associates, LLC

Denver, CO

 

Gustafson Law Office

Colorado Springs, CO

 

Law Offices of Brian S. Popp, LLC

Denver, CO

 

Thomaidis Law, LLC

Denver, CO

 

Law Offices of Scott N. Walker

Fort Collins, CO

 

Law Offices of Scott N. Walker

Fort Collins, CO

 

 

Law Offices of Brian S. Popp, LLC

Denver, CO

 

Law Offices of Scott N. Walker

Fort Collins, CO

 

 

Denver: CLE Classroom, 1900 Grant Street, Suite 300

Grand Junction: 1250 East Sherwood Drive

Colorado Springs: 421 South Tejon Street, Suite 100