80 Members Telephone Seminars - Training Resources

Partnerships and Section 704(c) BenefitsMany tax professionals and investors in partnerships, LLCs and other entities that are treated as partnerships struggle with the concepts and the operating rules that apply to Section 704(c). These rules potentially apply whenever property is contributed to such an entity or are distributed from such an entity. The regulations under Section 704(c) provide a very flexible but very  more...

Best Practices in Nursing Documentation: Writing Effective and Legal Proof Notes BenefitsLong gone are the days that nurses and other health care providers hand-wrote cryptic notes on essay paper-like chart pages that rarely were ever looked at again. Long gone, also, are the days that physicians would only look at labs, reports and other physician's notes, expecting the nurse to call to the physician's attention anything important about the patient so they didn't have to read  more...

Health Care Facility Design and Development BenefitsDeveloping or expanding a health care facility is particularly challenging in the modern economic and regulatory environment. Health care administrators are looking for project delivery models that ensure excellence in planning and delivery. Incorporating thought leadership in design, operational efficiency and sustainability, as well as efficient project delivery are important  more...

Maintain and Gain Downtown Businesses in a Tough Economy: Key Retention and Recruitment Concepts BenefitsIt is possible to pursue new growth and attend to those who have already invested in your community. In fact, we believe that it should be a goal of every economic development or downtown to have a balanced 'maintaining and gaining' approach to economic growth. This teleconference will illuminate a number strategies and tactics to consider as you pursue this goal. Learning Objectives -  more...

Powers of Attorney: Medical Records Release Concerns BenefitsBusy medical practices understand that each day, personal health information is transmitted in various forms between hospitals, doctors, attorneys, insurance companies, patients, and their lawyers and families. With increasing reliance on electronic medical records, health information can be transmitted with minimal effort. However, health information requests become more confusing and  more...

Public/Private Partnerships and Major Infrastructure Construction BenefitsThe term public/private partnership (P3) has recently emerged as one of the latest buzz words in the development area. States and local governments are struggling with resource limitations and ever-increasing demands of infrastructure. The involvement of the private sector offers an enticing solution for meeting massive infrastructure needs. At the same time P3s provide an opportunity for  more...

Workout Strategies for Troubled Condominium Projects BenefitsThe present economic downturn has affected real estate projects of all types but perhaps none as significantly as condominium projects. To further complicate matters, strategies to cope with failing and failed condominium developments must address multiple overlays of statutory and other legal requirements and limitations, as well as the often conflicting rights and concerns of the many  more...

Living With Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA) BenefitsAs of March 19, 2009, 29 states have adopted UPMIFA as law and the Uniform Act is presently pending in an additional 16 jurisdictions. By the end of 2009, in most of the United States, attorneys representing nonprofit institutions and those who donate to them and their endowment funds will be governed by new state law which replaces the Uniform Management of Institutional Funds, which had  more...

Current Issues in Cell Tower Regulation BenefitsThis teleconference will provide you with a description of the major issues and decisions in current federal zoning cases involving cellular towers, practice pointers on how municipalities can successfully handle cell tower zoning cases, and a description of the new federal backup power rule for cell towers and its implications for municipalities. You will gain a useful understanding  more...

Stimulus Reporting Requirements for Schools BenefitsTen months into the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, this teleconference will review the impact on education entities to date, including compliance risks and challenges. An update and analysis of current issues and guidance will be discussed as well as recent reporting experiences and upcoming reporting requirements. School administrators, teachers, special education  more...

Telephone Collections: Do's and Don'ts - Surviving the Jungle BenefitsThe credit and collection industry has grown dramatically over the past 20 years. Creditors are faced with increasing challenges in making loans and extending credit. The collection staff members in these creditor settings face mounting customer difficulties and tighter compliance environments. This teleconference will help you understand the importance of developing an effective recovery  more...

Strategies to Reduce Bullying and Social Aggression BenefitsIncreasingly educators, health professionals, parents and lawmakers realize the seriousness of bullying, cyber bullying and social aggression in school. Certain state laws and regulations now hold schools personally responsible for the effects of bullying, including cyber bullying. Whether your school plans to implement one or more bullying prevention strategies, or a comprehensive  more...

Current Issues in Digital Billboards and Sign Regulations BenefitsLocal governments, elected officials, municipal lawyers, zoning and building officials, and professional planners face increasing litigation threats due to the proliferation of digital signs. One national expert has predicted a wave of litigation at localities across the country that is trying to maintain attractive communities and prevent visual blight. What is the role of the Federal  more...

Private Foundation Requirements and Restrictions BenefitsMany families and corporations establish private foundations to carry on their personal philanthropy. While private foundations offer significant opportunities for family and corporate philanthropists, there are special federal tax rules that apply. Failure to fully understand these rules can subject the foundations and those involved with them to substantial excise taxes. This  more...

Contractor Selection BenefitsIn today's difficult financial times when construction is considered, it is vital to have the best construction team members available. While design professionals, lenders and other professionals are important for a successful project, in these 'watch the bottom line' times, the contractor you place in charge of the work is the most important person on the project. This teleconference will  more...

15- Minute Expert Adult Patient Assessments: Practical Strategies, Tips, and Updates for Health Care Professionals BenefitsEverything seems to move faster these days and patient care is no exception. The patient's clinical acuities and complexities are increasing and the amount of available time to be hands-on with each patient seems to be decreasing. That is why every health care professional needs to be proficient in assessment skills. This teleconference, '15-Minute Expert Adult Patient Assessments:  more...

The Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act: Application to Condominiums and Single Family Homes BenefitsIn today's environment, many purchasers of condominium units and homesites are trying to back out of their purchases. Learn how to keep your hard-earned condominium unit sales and single-family home sales from slipping away. Many condominium developers and home builders who are subject to the federal Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act do not understand how to comply, or perhaps  more...

FAS 117-1: Endowments of Not-for-Profit Organizations BenefitsIn response to the enactment of the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act in most of the United States, the Financial Accounting Standards Board last year promulgated FASB Staff Position No. FAS 117-1. FSP FAS 117-1 provides guidance for nonprofits as to the proper classification of endowment funds when UPMIFA has been enacted and expands the required disclosure about  more...

When HOA's and the IRS Compete for Lien Property: Lien Priorities, Perfections and Foreclosure Rights BenefitsIn lien law, timing is everything - or is it? If an HOA's statutory lien is perfected by recording its CC R's, then an HOA lien should have priority over a subsequently recorded IRS income tax lien; but does it? When the IRS records an income tax lien, lien priority determinations under state law may be complicated by governed federal laws. This teleconference will discuss HOA lien  more...

Integrated Project Delivery Principles and Building Information Modeling BenefitsMany in the facilities community, including designers, builders and owners, need a hand understanding IPD and BIM. What does it all mean? Who benefits and how? Some that have heard about IPD and BIM may be wondering how to either ask for it in their projects or implement these principles in their firms. There are some basic concepts in IPD and BIM that can be used in every project large or  more...

Influenza: Seasonal to Pandemic BenefitsSeasonal influenza continues to be a regular challenge for health care and public health personnel. However, the events of April 2009 changed our perception of influenza when a novel Influenza A strain emerged and produced the first pandemic in almost 50 years. This teleconference will explore the changing influenza strains and the illnesses that result. You will come away enabled to  more...

Common Annexation Issues in Development BenefitsAnnexation is a process for the adjustment of government boundaries. Annexation can have a significant impact on the owners of the real property to be annexed, on the annexing government agency and on those who own property in the immediate area. This teleconference will discuss the pros and cons of annexation and how it is used to control development. You will gain useful information  more...

Collection Issues for Condominium and Homeowners' Association: Legal Tips, Concepts and Current Trends in Assessment Collection BenefitsThis teleconference will address relevant legal issues and practical considerations related to the collection of assessments for condominium and homeowner associations. Given current economic trends, the suppressed housing market and rising rates of foreclosures and bankruptcies, homeowners' associations are now inundated with delinquencies and legal issues in degrees not previously  more...

Current Issues in Cell Tower Leases BenefitsThe wireless industry has built more than 220,000 cell sites in the United States in the past 20 years. But many more cell sites are needed as the wireless industry expands coverage and extends the capabilities of cell phones and wireless devices into data, email, computer and video applications. New cell sites and significant modifications to existing cell sites will also be needed to  more...

Tax Treatment of Charitable Fundraising BenefitsFundraising for charitable organizations has become a complex business. Charities no longer hold out a tin cup and ask for donations. They engage in sophisticated activities to generate revenue for their mission and the activities have tax consequences. This teleconference will review the federal tax consequences of fundraising activities and provide specific guidance on how to avoid tax  more...

Private Foundation Grant Agreements: Basics and Beyond BenefitsGrant making is the raison d'etre of most foundations. It is what you do! Therefore, a solid foundation grant agreement ought to be the legal backbone for much of a foundation's operations. Surprisingly however, for many private foundations the grant agreement is merely a form document that has been given little thought - if it exists at all. This teleconference will cover some of the  more...

Taxation Issues When Conducting Business With Native American Tribes BenefitsThe American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 included a number of provisions designed to encourage economic development on Native American reservations, including expanded authority for American Indian tribes to issue tax-exempt bonds for projects on American Indian lands and a $500 million investment of funds for infrastructure, renewable energy, tribal detention facilities and  more...

Major Issues in WiMAX Tower Leases and Zoning BenefitsHigh speed over the air broadband service for your computer, home or office, often called WiMAX service, is being rolled out in more than 80 U.S. metropolitan areas in 2009 and 2010. WiMAX is like Wi-Fi computer service, but covers an entire city or county. WiMAX will lead to more leases of land for communications towers because an entire new set of antennas and some new towers will be  more...

Who Should Bear the Risk? Top 10 Things Developers Need to Know About Loan Documents BenefitsWith the tightening in the commercial lending market, developers are under increased pressure to provide lenders with projects that present no more than a responsible risk. After an equity requirement, loan documentation is the primary vehicle for allocating risk between the parties. This teleconference will help you understand lenders' requirements and the variety of loan documentation  more...

Don't Bet the Company: Understanding and Avoiding Class Actions in Labor and Employment Law! BenefitsYou have all seen in the news media reports of companies settling employment-related class actions for many millions of dollars. The horror of class actions is that a small claim among a few employees can mushroom into a huge claim worth millions of dollars once some ferocious plaintiff's lawyers get their teeth into it and add hundreds of additional claims through the simple process of  more...

Infection Control Programs BenefitsHealth care associated infections have moved into the forefront of the health care industry due to emerging and re-emerging issues, the human toll and reimbursement challenges. Central to this problem is the impact of the infection preventionist and the infection prevention function. This teleconference will help identify specific elements of an effective infection prevention program and  more...

New Rules and Formats for International ACH Transactions nInternational commerce is rapidly growing but with that growth comes challenges, the most significant being the need to track transactions to ensure funds are not being disbursed to or from individuals that are threats to the U.S. The Office of Foreign Asset Control is the government organization that tracks this information. Their regulations require that all international transactions comply  more...

Enforcing Arbitration Agreements: 14 Penn Plaza and Other Recent Developments in Arbitration of Statutory Employment Claims nIn 14 Penn Plaza v. Pyett, 07-581 (S. Ct. April 1, 2009), the Supreme Court held that a union-negotiated arbitration agreement can bind individual employees to arbitrate statutory age discrimination claims. This decision continues the trend of enforcing agreements to arbitrate employment discrimination claims. 14 Penn Plaza should cause all legal professionals to consider the advantages of  more...

Patients' Rights Update nHealth care providers, particularly long term care providers, mental health providers and hospices, have become increasingly aware of patients' rights concerns in recent years. Many states have passed bills of rights for their residents living in mental health, skilled nursed or other health care facilities. These bills of rights cover basic and not so basic concerns. From the right to be treated  more...

Creating Investment Policies For Your Nonprofit: Risk Tolerance, Reserve Funds and Portfolio Management Capacity nEstablishing and maintaining investment policies that fall in line with the needs, risk tolerance and portfolio management capacity of your organization are critical to its success. At this teleconference we will take a strategic look at the components that contribute to creating strong investment policies. Included will be discussions on understanding the needs of your organization, spending  more...

Community Benefit Agreements nCommunity benefits agreements can increase public participation in the planning process, promote smart growth and environmental justice goals, and bring neighborhoods, local governments, and private interests together to make development projects more sustainable, transparent and accountable. Negotiating a CBA can be a win-win solution for community groups and developers. The community receives  more...

Real Estate Market Studies: Critical Decision Tool or Superfluous Information? nMost significant real estate projects are required to pass the market study hurdle during due diligence. What factors impact the applicability, reliability and timeliness of these market studies? This teleconference will help real estate professionals identify the best providers of market studies, formulate a scope of work to suit the needs of the assignment, assist the consultant without  more...

Strategies for Successful Mixed Use Development nThe ideals and realty of mixed use as the preferred urban form are still in their relative infancy as part of the 21st century development vocabulary. Ironically, the ideals behind the tremendous push for this development form harken back to the urban fabric of our oldest cities. The driving factors behind the attraction to the mixed use model include current trends and attitudes toward a more  more...

Reducing Insulin Errors nThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced this past June that 24 million Americans now have diabetes, an increase of three million people in just two years. Diabetes is also one of the most common diagnoses seen in hospitalized patients. Moreover, insulin may be the preferred medication to manage glucose while patients are hospitalized. The Joint Commission of Accreditation of  more...

Current Trends in Transit-Oriented Development nAs the United States faces the most severe economic recession since the Great Depression, one sector of real estate - transit-oriented development - is situated to protect investors from the economic downturn and deliver attractive long-term profits. TOD provides a new investment opportunity for both the public and private sectors as our cities are faced with the challenges of rapid price  more...

Writing the Critical Teacher Evaluation nThe act of teaching is what finally determines the success or failure of the school. To that end, a well-developed and wisely used evaluation system is the most important tool of school administration. Teacher associations will (appropriately) protect memberships from evaluations that are poorly constructed or poorly delivered. Teacher associations also understand the importance of working with  more...

Estate Planning for Vacation Homes nSummer and holiday gatherings at the family vacation home have become important traditions for many families. Providing a place where family members can relax, reconnect and escape the busy pace of life is increasingly significant to many families. Parents want to perpetuate these cherished memories and experiences throughout the generations. To do so requires careful, thoughtful planning by both  more...

Protecting Yourself From Client Violence nFew enter a helping profession, such as social work, anticipating that they may become targets of violence from the very individuals they want to help. However, evidence suggests that violence perpetrated by clients or their family members toward practitioners is increasing across settings. Such workers are facing increasing risks in their jobs because of the nature of their work; the  more...

Capital Improvements for Condominium and Homeowners' Associations nThe common elements of all forms of community associations are in a never ending cycle of deterioration. It is the fiduciary responsibility of the association's board of directors to protect and maintain the community. It is not optional to address the physical condition of the community in a well-considered manner. This teleconference will help you develop strategies. The board itself needs to  more...

Effective Program Evaluation for Nonprofits nThe importance of evaluating your nonprofit cannot be underestimated! The data you collect and analyze will let you know the extent to which you have met your goals and objectives, how your clients feel about your organization and its services, whether you are using quality processes, what you can celebrate and how you can improve! Effective evaluations can also tell you about the program design  more...

Return on Investment for Wellness Programs nMounting evidence indicates that worksite wellness should be part of every strategic health plan. These plans can offer a valuable tool for employers to promote a fit and health-conscious work force that will save employers money by keeping health insurance premiums down, reducing workers' compensation costs, and by increasing productivity and decreasing lost time. Implementing a plan takes time,  more...