8 Issues Telephone Seminars - Training Resources

Current Issues in Real Estate Title and Title Insurance BenefitsThis teleconference is a nuts-and-bolts program designed to give you real life practical information to facilitate the closing of commercial and residential real estate transactions. You'll gain insight into the workings of the title industry to better prepare you to anticipate problems and assist in developing solutions to ultimately close the transaction. This teleconference will  more...

Telecommuting: The Next Wave of Wage and Hour Litigation BenefitsMany employers offer their employees the opportunity to work from home either on a regular or temporary basis. While the flexibility of a telecommuting arrangement can benefit both the employer and the employee, allowing a nonexempt employee to work at home can lead to a minefield of wage and hour issues that you must carefully navigate to avoid potential liability. As telecommuting has  more...

Satisfying OFCCP's Internet Applicant Rules BenefitsThe OFCCP has further clarified the long awaited definition of an Internet applicant and the revised guidance gives employers additional direction and assistance into this new and growing area of employment issues. Moreover, the OFCCP has initiated a systematic process for monitoring adherence to the Internet Applicant Rule. This teleconference will review the new and expanded OFCCP  more...

A Paralegal's Guide for Drafting Pleadings BenefitsProviding the knowledge to know what pleadings and legal documents to file, when to file them and how to draft them is very important to the litigation process. You will learn the basic tools for locating documents, developing computer competencies for maximum efficiency and the importance of keeping essential forms. The speaker will discuss brief and memorandum banks as well as provide an  more...

Corrosion Control for Water System Piping & Storage Tanks BenefitsCorrosion is a process that attacks buried metallic water distribution and transmission piping often resulting in unexplained water loss, service disruptions, and increased maintenance and operating costs. A recent study indicated the annual cost of corrosion of water systems in the United States alone exceeds $22 billion and is expected to grow. The goal of this teleconference is to  more...

Understanding the Apportionment Rules for Service-Based Businesses BenefitsApportionment of income for state tax purposes is 'where the rubber meets the road.' That is to say, the complex and varied rules for determining a taxpayer's state income tax apportionment percentage can provide opportunities - with careful planning - for state tax minimization or create traps - without such planning - that lead to multiple taxation. Service-based businesses face  more...

Do's and Don'ts for Internal Investigations of Employment Issues BenefitsAny prudent employer will want to investigate and, if necessary, remedy reported discrimination or harassment. In some states, a prompt investigation is legally required. This teleconference will provide you with valuable and practical advice on planning and conducting internal investigations, and assessing how to respond once the investigation is completed. Human resource professionals,  more...

Structuring and Drafting Conservation Easements BenefitsCreating a conservation easement can be complicated and the failure to consider the effects of possible pitfalls can be devastating. This teleconference will provide you with the legalities of creating a conservation easement and establish what the priorities are when it comes to structuring and drafting them. You will gain an appreciation for the complexities of crafting a form of  more...

Claims Management Techniques in Workers' Compensation Cases BenefitsThe aftermath of a workplace accident produces difficult and costly ramifications for management personnel in all business and industries. Many parties are involved in every aspect of a claim, including your insurance carrier or servicing agent and counsel, but each of them has to be dealt with in a very different manner. You will learn how to successfully investigate an accident and use  more...

Implementing a Health Risk Assessment for Your Health Plan: What Works, What Doesn't, What's Legal BenefitsMaybe you've heard about health risk assessments and wonder if they're a good idea for your organization. Or you've been tasked with implementing a health risk assessment as part of your health plan and don't know much about them. You have a lot of questions such as 'How can a health risk assessment help control health care costs?,' 'What makes for an effective health risk assessment?,'  more...

California's New State Court E-Discovery Rules: Do Try This At Home BenefitsOn June 29, 2009, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law AB 5, California's first set of statutes designed to address the realities of electronic discovery. AB 5 added two new statutes to the California Code of Civil Procedure and amended 19 pre-existing CCP sections. On August 14, the Judicial Council followed suit by amending Calif. Rule of Court 3.724 to require early meet and  more...

Unique Workers' Compensation Aspects of Independent Contractors and Traveling Employees BenefitsHear experienced attorneys discuss the complex issues that arise when dealing with independent contractors and traveling employees. Take advantage of this opportunity to gain professional knowledge and advanced insight on this important workers' compensation issue. Workers' compensation administrators, human resource managers, benefits professionals, safety and compliance managers,  more...

ConsensusDOCS Contract Fundamentals BenefitsIn the fall of 2007, the Associated General Contractors of American and the Construction Owners of America folded their AGC contract documents program into a new organization and issued a new series of contracts called the ConsensusDOCS. These forms, some revised and some entirely new, were issued at nearly the same time as the American Institute of Architects' 2007 revision of the AIA  more...

Current Issues in H-1B Visas BenefitsThis teleconference will outline key issues applicable to company's that employ H-1B temporary workers. Detailed guidance on current H-1B trends, new labor conditional application procedures and H-1B visa issuance will be provided. Special attention will be given to changes in H-1B employment with common scenarios outlined. The teleconference will also present strategies for compliance  more...

Ethical Implications for Attorneys Transitioning to New Firms BenefitsIn today's legal market, attorneys transition between law firms and other professional associations with great frequency. The movement of attorneys implicates some fundamental ethical issues, such as confidentiality and conflicts. Not knowing and understanding these ethical issues and implementing procedures to avoid a violation of the pertinent rules may lead to claims against the  more...

Estate Planning for the Final Years of Life BenefitsEmpirical evidence and directed studies indicate that the majority of Americans fail to plan for their final years of life. Ironically, this is the time when many people are confronted with their greatest challenges and most stressful experiences. This teleconference will cover why people need to plan, what they need to plan for and how to apply proven strategies for dealing with the final  more...

The New ADA Design Standards- When, Where, and How? BenefitsThere has been a great deal of speculation about when the Department of Justice will adopt the revised ADA/ABA Guidelines as the new ADA Design Standards and the implications of the proposed changes. This teleconference will provide an update on the status of the new rule, a highlight of the major changes, and the potential implications for your business and clients. Presenters include  more...

The Art and Science of Ethically Firing a Client BenefitsSo you think distancing yourself from an uncooperative client is as simple as saying, in the words of Donald Trump, 'You're fired.'? Not so. Both ethical and fiduciary considerations come into play when a lawyer seeks to withdraw from ongoing representation of a client. This teleconference will provide a detailed discussion of those ethical rules, as well as the impact of withdrawal on  more...

Infill Development Fundamentals BenefitsOver the past decade, a variety of forces have operated to create a trend toward more infill development and less development of greenfields or agricultural land. But infill development poses a unique set of challenges compared to more traditional development on vacant land. This teleconference will summarize the principal differences between infill development and greenfield development,  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...

Current Work Product Issues in Taxation: Preservation, Waiver and Tax Accrual Work Papers BenefitsCompanies face many obstacles and ever-changing standards to maintaining work product protection of sensitive documents and information prepared by counsel. The documents at issue, such as tax accrual workpapers, litigation analyses and internal investigation materials, are often roadmaps for the companies adversaries. Challenges to work product protection come from many directions,  more...

End of Employment Payroll Issues BenefitsThis will be a comprehensive look into issues that arise when an employee terminates. Topics that will be discussed will go from when an employee needs to receive their final pay to how an employee death's final pay best practices and taxation. This teleconference will cover special situations when an employee terminates such as benefit deductions, state minimum hours requirements and  more...

Techniques to Prepare for Difficult Employee Discussions BenefitsSexually offensive behavior, poor communication and leadership skills, excessive absenteeism, and attitude problems - whether you're encountering commonplace or exceptionally serious employee relations issues, you'll need a down-to-earth strategy to protect yourself and your organization. Verbally addressing problems head-on can be a daunting task because of their confrontational nature,  more...

Bankruptcy Basics for Paralegals BenefitsThe bankruptcy world is full of traps for all professionals. Not only must you be familiar with the Bankruptcy Code, which is often amended, and case law, but also the often overlooked federal rules of bankruptcy procedure, local rules and judge-specific rules. Scott Brown - a national humor columnist by day and a bankruptcy lawyer by night - puts a unique spin on issues germane to the  more...

Appealing Standards: Determining the Applicable Standard of Review BenefitsThis teleconference is designed to help you with your two most important jobs: prediction (telling clients what appellate courts are likely to do with a given case) and persuasion (getting the appellate courts to do it). The two most common mistakes in appellate advocacy are (1) taking the standards at face value, uncritically assuming that they mean what they say and that the court will  more...

A Primer on International Estate Planning BenefitsIndividuals are increasingly 'international' today - especially wealthy ones. More and more clients work or study abroad, own property in more than one country, find their spouses abroad and qualify as citizens or residents of multiple nations. All of this can subject clients to the competing property, succession and tax laws of multiple jurisdictions. This teleconference will help you  more...

Legal Ethical Issues BenefitsEthical issues present themselves in all aspects of an attorney's professional life. Knowledge of these ethical standards will assist you in properly representing a client and at the same time protect you from the adverse consequences of a violation of the ethical standards. This teleconference will provide an overview of typical ethical issues affecting the various areas of the practice  more...

The Construction Bidding Process BenefitsThe federal construction bidding process is complex. This teleconference will review the complicated federal construction bidding process, including sealed bidding procedures and negotiated procurements. The teleconference will also review practical substantive issues which commonly arise in preparing a bid or proposal for federal construction work, such as proprietary specifications,  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...

Directors' and Officers' Liability Insurance: Current Topics and Key Issues BenefitsIn the era of the subprime mortgage crisis, directors and officers are acutely aware of the potential for liability and the importance that directors' and officers' liability insurance afford sufficient coverage to provide for a defense and indemnity for any settlement or judgment. This teleconference will provide you with insight into common issues and trends that arise during a claim for  more...

Electronic Contracts: Best Practices and Legal Implications BenefitsThe legal landscape affecting the enforceability and proper use of electronic contracts continues to change. While such contracts are now widely used, certain issues remain unsettled, including unilateral modification of contracts and attribution of electronic signatures to a particular user for enforceability issues. Jason Epstein and Geof Vickers will provide solutions to some of these  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...

False Claims Act Update BenefitsThe False Claims Act is one of the most important weapons of the federal government in its efforts to combat fraud, waste and abuse in federal contracting and grants. This teleconference will identify and analyze many of the critically important issues in the interpretation and enforcement of the statute, and will review mandatory disclosure of credible evidence of False Claims Act  more...

Enforcement of Judgments BenefitsThis teleconference will present the fundamentals of locating and collecting assets to enforce a civil judgment. Topics will include asset search methods, the elements of a debtor's examination, obtaining liens against assets, executing on judgment liens, using garnishment procedures to collect assets, domesticating foreign judgments, handling bankruptcy filings and many other issues  more...

Medical Records: Responding to Subpoenas and Investigations BenefitsDon't be caught off guard. You could be breaching the confidentiality of patients without even realizing it! From HIPAA requirements to state privacy laws, legal issues abound in the medical records arena. If you're not up to date on medical records law, your company could face serious legal and financial liability risks. Attend this teleconference and gain critical information on  more...

Current Issues in Cloud Computing: Is There Sun Behind Those Clouds? BenefitsCloud computing is an enormous, pervasive and game-changing technology. Tech industry heavyweights such as Microsoft , IBM and Google have each committed billions to developing and marketing it. Smaller players and startups are cropping up daily with new offerings. Yet, for all the hype, few people understand the technology nor the unique issues cloud computing poses - particularly when it  more...

Hot Wage and Hour Issues: Assuring Proper Exempt and Nonexempt Classification of Your Employees BenefitsEmployees and their counsel continue to pursue individual and class action overtime claims based on the alleged misclassification of exempt workers at a fever pitch. Thousands of lawsuits asserting violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act or parallel state laws are filed each year and the costs of defending these matters and the damages claimed and paid, whether through trial or  more...

Design Professionals' Exposure for Design Errors and Omissions BenefitsToday, design professionals are being asked to take on greater risk and liability than ever before. For the individual responsible for identifying and evaluating risk for design professionals on a project-by-project basis, complex issues concerning measure of damages, insurance and other potential sources of risk must be understood and examined on every project. This teleconference will  more...

Affordable Housing: Finance and Development, How to Maximize the Available Resources BenefitsToday's housing market has been severely impacted by the subprime mortgage crisis and a downturn in the general economy. As a result, finding capital and equity to build affordable housing has become more and more difficult as investors sit this one out while the market stabilizes. This teleconference will highlight the issues, problems, causes, recent trends, what can be done and what is  more...

Float Ownership Issues in Construction Project Management BenefitsFloat is a measure of schedule flexibility. It can be used to avoid creating disputes about delays or misused to exacerbate them. We will discuss the relationships between schedules, float and delays, and examine techniques which may be used to manipulate them and to minimize manipulation. This teleconference will also review the effect of contract provisions and the development of case  more...

Commercial Lease Escalation Issues BenefitsHow can landlords and tenants protect themselves against rent risks and risks relating to property expenditures in an economy which is as unpredictable as ours? This teleconference will address the details of escalation clauses as they apply to rent, common area maintenance costs and even security deposits. It will address a variety of means whereby both landlords and tenants can try to  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...

Drafting Settlement Agreements in Personal Injury Cases: A Primer BenefitsPersonal injury cases can present unique challenges when drafting settlement agreements. Personal injury cases often involve multiple parties, special ethical considerations, the necessity of court approval and the participation of known (or unknown) nonparties who may hold liens or other claims on the impending settlement payment. It is important that the lawyer drafting a settlement  more...

Understanding UCC Article 9 Foreclosures BenefitsCurrent market conditions pose an alarming rate of defaults on commercial loans not seen in years. With defaults commonplace and secured creditors facing challenges in protecting their interests, foreclosing on assets under UCC Article 9 may be the right option. If appropriate, a public auction, private sale or friendly foreclosure under Article 9 may provide a quick and relatively  more...

Family Limited Partnerships in Estate Planning BenefitsMany estate planners who are asked about family limited partnerships or family limited liability companies do not understand the reasons for forming these entities in the planning process. They also are not clear on what is the current status of statutory and case law concerning the continued use of these entities. This teleconference will help you learn to identify when the use of this  more...

Everything You Wanted to Know About Drug and Alcohol Testing but Were Afraid to Ask BenefitsMost companies that care about safety in the workplace have implemented a drug and alcohol testing program. An added benefit to companies is a reduction in their workers' compensation insurance premiums. What makes an effective program? What kind of safeguards should there be to ensure accuracy? What does a drug test really measure? What is the best sample: urine, hair or oral fluid? Are  more...

Current Issues in Real Estate Appraisals BenefitsThe financial crisis occurred in mid-2008 and was brought to a crescendo when AIG was taken over and Lehman Brothers failed in September 2008. The reasons behind the failures were many but beneath it all was the collateral position of the real estate and proper risk assessment of the asset. The single most important question is always - What is the value? All federally regulated  more...

Taxation of Gifts, Prizes, Bonuses and Awards BenefitsParticularly in difficult economic times, employers are looking to provide benefits to employees with the least cost, both to them and employees. Gifts and prizes can be a good yet inexpensive way to boost morale, unless employers and employees alike fail to understand the tax consequences and end up with an unintended and unwanted tax bill. This teleconference will explain the tax  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...

Getting Advice from the IRS: Letter Rulings, Pre-Filing Agreements, TAMS and GLAMs BenefitsMany times clients must have certainty as to the federal tax consequences of a proposed transaction - and while tax opinions are helpful, they do not provide the certainty of qualified advice from the IRS. This teleconference is designed to discuss how, when and why to seek qualified written advice from the IRS, normally in the form of a private letter ruling request, a review of the  more...

Document Retention and Destruction: What Human Resource Professionals Must Know BenefitsCorrectly handling the documentation of employees is one of the most difficult and tedious tasks that human resources professionals need to perform for their organizations. Knowing the proper procedures to follow to document employees in the workplace is a key skill needed by most human resources professionals. This teleconference will provide you with information on the key concepts and  more...

Understanding the Basics of Bankruptcy and Bankruptcy Terminology BenefitsThe current economic environment makes bankruptcy a particularly timely and relevant topic. Whether you are forced to deal with bankruptcy issues as a debtor, secured or unsecured creditor, lessor or lessee, or investor looking for distressed-asset opportunities, this teleconference will give you a road map to understand the bankruptcy process. Attorneys, paralegals, presidents, vice  more...

Reverse Mortgages: A Lender's Perspective BenefitsThe reverse mortgage market is expanding exponentially as the population ages and new players are coming into the market. Don't get left behind. Learn what a reverse mortgage is, what's involved in offering such a product, which reverse mortgage products are currently offered in the market, state and federal requirements, and potential pitfalls. Join Reed Smith attorney Arthur Axelson for  more...

Federal Tax Classification of Series LLCs BenefitsThe series LLC may be the solution to many issues that confront federal tax practitioners on a daily basis. For example, the series LLC is very useful in situations where long and expensive regulatory processes are involved with a new state law entity. The series LLC also can be used in asset backed securitizations in place of business trusts in those states that treat single member LLCs  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...

Data Mapping and Electronic Information Management (EIM) - Risk Management for Daily Efficiency and Litigation-Preparedness BenefitsIn the digitized world of the twenty-first century, it is more important than ever for every organization to know as much as possible about the information it creates, stores, receives and maintains. As an attendee at this teleconference, you will learn from an expert how to develop multipurpose menus or charts of key storage locations and contents and use data-mapping to achieve  more...

Pupil Records: Rules, Responsibilities and Requirements BenefitsLegal issues concerning pupil records arise on a daily basis in a variety of contexts, often leaving school administrators under pressure to make split-second decisions regardless of the legal ramifications. Among many others, schools may face pupil records dilemmas such as: 1. Expelled student claims she was wrongfully disciplined and takes her case to the media. The media asks the  more...

The UCC Article 9 Update BenefitsThe revisions to Article 9, which generally became effective in 2001, substantially changed the law. Now, with a few years of experience, the case law is beginning to emerge and develop, and practitioners are beginning to identify issues not contemplated by the drafting committee. The changes to the Article 9 filing system were significant and the prevalence of filing cases suggests that  more...

8 Issues When Doing Business or Contracting With Native American Tribes BenefitsThere are more than 500 federally-recognized American Indian tribes in the United States, each established under a constitution unique to the tribe. Each tribe, through its constitution and subsequent legislation, has developed its own laws and regulations addressing issues of contracting, jurisdiction and waivers, if any, of sovereign immunity. Individuals and entities seeking to do  more...

Jeopardizing Exempt Status: Top 10 Mistakes Employers Make and How to Avoid Them BenefitsOnce exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act, employees do not necessarily remain exempt for the duration of their employment. Actions taken (or not taken) by employers can and do jeopardize the exemptions claimed, leading unknowing employers down the path to potentially ruinous liability for unpaid minimum wages and overtime. This teleconference is designed to help you identify issues  more...

Water Supply and Groundwater Well Design BenefitsThe demand for reliable clean water continues to grow across the country and one of the most common sources is ground water. The most important component in a ground water based supply system is the wells used to extract water from underground aquifers. Maintaining the long term performance of wells requires an understanding of the factors that effect well performance. Problems with well  more...

Revenue Recognition Standards and Policies BenefitsThe teleconference is intended to accomplish two things: 1. To review current accounting guidance for revenue recognition with an emphasis on, in my experience, two contentious revenue recognition issues - multiple element arrangements and accounting for sales incentives; and 2. An introduction to two new standards on revenue recognition that will affect the accounting for multiple element  more...

Foreclosing on Real and Personal Property Collateral: What You Need to Know BenefitsLoan defaults are rising and secured creditors are once again having to think about enforcing their rights through foreclosure of real and personal property collateral. This can be a complicated process that requires a good deal of planning in order to reach a successful outcome. This teleconference will help the people responsible for loan workout and enforcement evaluate their positions  more...

Setting the Stage for Rehiring: Logistic and Liability Issues BenefitsWith the ongoing economic crisis, employers across the country have undertaken unprecedented workforce reductions. However, eventually the economic pendulum will swing the other way and employers will be faced with the task of re-staffing their depleted workforce. Smart employers plan and prepare for that day so they can quickly identify and rehire the key talent necessary to meet their  more...

Form-Based Coding: An Alternative to Conventional Zoning BenefitsThis teleconference will provide a basic understanding of form-based codes: how they are different, how they can be applied and how they can help implement more sustainable communities. Lessons learned and steps toward beginning the process will provide you with a clear path toward a successful form-based code. Legal and practical considerations associated with adopting form-based zoning  more...

Mental Illness and the ADA BenefitsManaging employees with claimed mental conditions creates unique challenges for employers attempting to comply with the ADA. What mental impairments does the ADA protect? How does the employer know of these often invisible disabilities and of the employee's need to accommodate the condition? How does an employer accommodate conditions that cause employees to violate work rules or request  more...

Legal Traps of Internet Activities for Nonprofits BenefitsThe Internet is essential to the functioning of virtually every nonprofit organization, yet it is fraught with a host of legal pitfalls. This teleconference will focus on the legal traps of Internet activity: the tax impact of web-based advertising and related activities, the potential issues involved in fundraising through the Internet and the risks of utilizing emerging social media to  more...

Loan Modifications: Available Programs, Issues and Fundamentals BenefitsIn this economic downturn with the mortgage loan default rate at unprecedented highs, lenders, investors and servicers are in a quandary as to how best to deal with their loan portfolios. Facing workouts or foreclosures, the mortgage industry must weigh its options to determine how to maximize its return. With likely foreclosure moratoriums, decreasing home values and governmental  more...

Ethical Issues in Effective Settlement Negotiations BenefitsThis teleconference will outline the key ethical rules and parameters faced by lawyers during negotiations of litigated matters, and emphasize the recent guidance from the ABA and various state and federal courts on matters ranging from basic duties of disclosure to the often murky rules affecting class actions and the settlement of complex litigation affecting numerous parties. This  more...

Commercial Ground Leases: A Conceptual Framework BenefitsEven well-seasoned real estate attorneys may not have enough direct experience with ground leases to negotiate them effectively. Indeed, lessons learned in negotiating ordinary leases often mislead lawyers handling ground leases into taking negotiating positions that are fundamentally incompatible with the economic basis for ground lease transactions and the requirements of leasehold  more...

Current Issues in CEQA BenefitsWhile others chose to fight over the reality of climate change, those of us who work on new development or projects in California only have time to fight to keep up with the enormous changes in California law and jurisprudence concerning climate change. This teleconference will provide an update on the proposed changes to the California Environmental Quality Act guidelines for mitigation  more...

Commercial Foreclosure Due Diligence Checklist: What to Do Before, During and After Foreclosure BenefitsWhen a commercial mortgage loan becomes troubled, even before it goes into default, the parties must quickly confront a number of issues. For the lender, it is imperative that it conduct a due diligence review of its file, the loan and the collateral as soon as possible. Should the default not be cured or the parties not be able to restructure the loan, the lender faces the options of  more...

Subleasing Issues In A Down and Recovering Market BenefitsBrokers and property owners agree: The subprime mortgage meltdown has finally reached the office market, bringing with it a flood of subleases as the economy continues its downward trend, and even as it recovers. It is time to dust off the practices and procedures lessons first learned in 1991 and 1992 when the savings and loan industry collapsed, and then again in 2000 and 2001 when the  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...

Legal Issues Surrounding the Utilization and Maintenance of Computerized Medical Records BenefitsWith the federal government's prioritization of health information technology and evidence that electronic health record systems can reduce medical errors and lead to more efficient delivery of care, many hospitals and providers are beginning to implement EHRs in their facilities and practices. Despite federal regulations that permit certain donations of EHR technology, the implementation  more...

GSA Price Reduction Clauses (PRC) in Contracts BenefitsGSA Federal Supply Schedule contracting is a convenient way for companies to sell their products to the federal government. However, doing business under GSA FSS contracts presents a number of compliance issues, with one of the most important being the price reduction clause. This clause is included in all of the GSA Multiple Award Schedule schedules and essentially it guarantees that GSA  more...

Immigration Compliance for the HR Professional: Employment Authorization Issues and Beyond BenefitsAll United States employers must comply with employment authorization and verification laws, regardless of the size or composition of their workforce. This teleconference will supply you with the information you need to ensure your company is in compliance with employment authorization rules and regulations. Detailed guidance on employment verification procedures, Social Security number  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...

A Privacy Law Primer: What Every Attorney, Compliance and Security Officer Should Know BenefitsPrivacy and information security legislation, standards and case law are having an ever-larger impact on your relationships with your customers, clients and employees, as well as on your company's management of personal information. Issue-spotting in this area requires some familiarity with the complex state, federal and international regulatory patchwork and nongovernmental standards that  more...

Workers' Compensation Handbook Best Practices BenefitsMinimizing workers' compensation abuse and controlling the costs of legitimate claims is a daunting task. In this difficult economy, it is essential that all employers take every step they can to reduce their workers' compensation exposure and costs. This 90-minute teleconference is geared to provide you with the best handbook practices - policies, procedures and techniques - for staying  more...

Curbing FMLA Abuse: How to Manage Manipulative Employees BenefitsEmployers are often the victims of FMLA abuse. The regulations are employee friendly and many employees have figured out how to play the FMLA game to avoid working and being held accountable for their absences. These issues can wreak havoc on productivity in the workplace. This teleconference will help you understand what you can do to use the FMLA regulations to curb FMLA abuse. This  more...

How to Legally Handle Travel Pay BenefitsMany companies do not understand how to compensate an employee properly for time spent traveling to destinations other than a regular work site. Many companies send employees to conferences and other work sites using commercial travel and personal vehicles. This teleconference will enable you to understand how and when to compensate an employee for travel time away from a work site. You'll  more...

Handling Your Post-Judgment Files BenefitsObtaining a judgment may seem easier than keeping it, effectively enforcing it and collecting your money. The effective use of judgments and developing a strategy toward effective enforcement can be confusing. In this teleconference, you will learn how to assure that your judgment is effective and can be enforced in and out of the jurisdiction where the judgment was entered. You will learn  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...

Ethics for Paralegals BenefitsThe responsibilities and professional obligations of paralegals are impacted by various ethical considerations and rules. Since paralegals face the same ethical issues that attorneys encounter, paralegals should have an understanding of the appropriate, professional and ethical requirements of attorneys. The more paralegals know about the ethical responsibilities of attorneys, the more  more...

Restructuring the Commercial Loan BenefitsA commercial loan restructuring requires a working knowledge of a number of commercial law aspects, e.g., bankruptcy, transactional and litigation issues. This teleconference will help provide you with an understanding of these issues from inception through the end of the commercial loan restructuring process. Listen to our panel of experienced counsel provide seasoned advice so that you  more...

Completing and Submitting the EEO-1 Report By September 30 BenefitsIn this interactive teleconference, you will learn the EEO-1 reporting requirements as well as practical, easy to use approaches to completing and submitting the EEO-1 report by the filing deadline. This engaging teleconference will also explain the EEOC's and OFCCP's systemic discrimination enforcement initiatives. From understanding the EEOC's and OFCCP's new focus on these issues to  more...

The Dilemma of Dealing With Bad Plans and Specs: Key Legal Concepts and Tips for Pro-actively Managing Design Errors, Omissions BenefitsPlans and specifications are, without question, critical to the success of any construction project. When the plans and specifications are clear and without significant errors or omissions, the project is much more likely to be on time and within budget. But what happens when plans are riddled with errors, conflicts or omissions? This teleconference will provide you with valuable tips for  more...

Fair Housing Act: 2009 Hot Topics BenefitsThis teleconference will focus primarily on the areas of the Fair Housing Act that are, and have been, receiving the most attention in the courts in the past several years: disability rights and familial status. The program, which focuses on multifamily dwellings, both rental and condominium-type ownership, is intended to provide information to those performing acquisition due diligence,  more...

Multifamily Project Finance and Development BenefitsAlthough generally performing better than single family, the multifamily credit markets continue to be in turmoil, and raising necessary debt and equity for acquisition, refinancing and development continues to be a challenge, even for well-capitalized owner/developers with good track records and performing or well conceived new projects. The looming 'refinance crisis' for multifamily  more...

Gift Acceptance Policies for Public Charities and Tax-Exempt Organizations BenefitsFundraising is hard enough without running into the legal, accounting and practical pitfalls inherent in some types of gifts! A comprehensive gift acceptance policy can help an organization avoid these pitfalls, enhance its donor relationships and run a more successful development program. This teleconference will address the issues that should be covered in a basic gift acceptance policy  more...

Director and Officer Liability: A Focus on Creditor Issues BenefitsLearn the new theories of director and officer liability and what can be done to protect directors and officers from personal liability. The world of director and officer liability is changing. Creditors and trustees are the new plaintiffs asserting new and evolving theories of liability. The causes of action range from failing to take action to avoid insolvency to failing to implement  more...

Taxation Issues Related to Debt Restructuring, Modifications and Bankruptcies BenefitsThe current market climate has created opportunities for investors or debtors themselves to acquire outstanding debt at remarkable discounts. Unfortunately, it also has left many companies struggling and in need to modify their outstanding debt. Many large, well know companies have dissolved or declared bankruptcy. Debt modifications, repurchases and bankruptcy can have a profound tax  more...

Federal Flood Plain Regulation BenefitsSafety and environmental issues are the most significant issues in flood plain development today. Practitioners continue to struggle with jurisdictional issues under the Clean Water Act regarding wetlands regulation, with new EPA and USACE guidance following the Rapanos decision offering limited relief. In the post-Hurricane Katrina era, FEMA is proposing sweeping changes to flood plain  more...

Funding Trusts in Estate Planning BenefitsIt is all too common for clients who go through the time and expense of creating a revocable trust to not properly fund the trust. Failing to fund a revocable trust will often defeat the very purpose for creating such a trust, i.e., avoiding probate and the public disclosure of assets. This teleconference will provide an overview of the mechanics of contributing property to revocable  more...

Current ERISA Fiduciary Issues for Financial Institutions BenefitsFinancial institutions have long been faced with difficult and complicated issues under ERISA's fiduciary rules. The current economic downturn has given rise to a new round of legislative and regulatory initiatives regarding ERISA's fiduciary rules and has more generally affected the manner in which ERISA may affect financial institutions. In addition, the regulatory environment continues  more...

Lighting Design and Control for Commercial Buildings: Increase Sales, Increase Productivity and Save Energy BenefitsWhatever your business is, the proper illumination can provide paybacks that far exceed the energy saved. Studies have confirmed findings. This topic will be presented in a fast paced teleconference with many real life examples. System efficiencies, impact on other architectural systems and integrated controls will all be discussed. We will discuss daylighting, a 100 year old feature that  more...

Current Issues in Right-of-Way: Joint Ventures, Corridors and the Use of Eminent Domain BenefitsRight-of-way corridors and the use of joint ventures between private and public entities for the development of infrastructure are two of the hottest issues facing the right-of-way industry today. In this teleconference, you will learn about both of these issues and how they affect the right-of-way professional. You will also learn about the use of eminent domain to acquire right-of-way  more...

Medical Records 101: Responding to Requests for Patient Information BenefitsRegister for this teleconference and get an overview of medical management issues faced by health care providers in responding to requests for patient information for litigation purposes. The conference speaker, who has extensive experience in civil litigation, including the representation of large medical institutions, will provide guidance in avoiding mistakes in disseminating patient  more...

Due Diligence Considerations for Participation Loans BenefitsAn increasing number of commercial loans are syndicated or participated, and an increasing number of lenders sell interests in loans they originate or acquire interests in loans originated by other lenders. This teleconference will explore loan assignment and participation transactions from the perspective of both the originating lender and the assignee or participant. You'll learn about  more...

Reductions in Force Litigation Update BenefitsWith the continued recession, employers have been faced with significant challenges to reduce costs. Since personnel accounts for a major proportion of overhead, one possible area of consideration is that of a reduction in the workforce. While reaching and implementing such a decision will, in optimum circumstances, involve significant input from counsel experienced in both employment and  more...

Tax Treatment of Gift Card and Certificate Sales BenefitsThe IRS is aware that the popularity of gift cards has increased at a remarkable rate in recent years. Gift card sales by retailers raise a variety of interesting and complicated tax issues. The IRS has announced that certain gift card issues are Tier II issues; some of which must be raised during an examination and some of which should be raised during an examination. The IRS announced,  more...

Protecting Attorney Work Product in Communications With Testifying and Consulting Experts BenefitsTechnology has rendered communications with critical expert witnesses as easy as an email, a text message or a voice mail. Many attorneys fall into the trap of engaging in informal communications with experts that are later revealed through discovery. Experts also create materials or communicate in a way that is subject to disclosure. These communications and materials can undercut the  more...

Dress Code Liabilities BenefitsIn this teleconference, you will learn how to deal with complicated and sensitive issues involving how employees dress, the number and type of jewelry worn by employees, and the number and type of tattoos visible on employees while at work. This teleconference will explore the pros and cons of different options in written policies and discuss different approaches in dealing with these  more...

Managing Post-Construction Claims BenefitsClaims that arise after project completion can ruin a previously successful job. Such claims arise from a host of problems, such as physical failures, unpaid lower tier contractors, undiscovered defects of design and construction, and personal injuries. Taking steps to avoid such claims is prudent but companies also need strategies to deal with claims that inevitably arise. This  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...

Dealing with Employee Gambling in the Workplace BenefitsGambling is a billion dollar pastime that is enjoyed by millions of Americans, including groups of employees in the average workplace. The NCAA or Super Bowl office pool can increase morale, create camaraderie among co-workers and generally be a fun and exciting event, especially with the prospect for a lucky employee of a substantial monetary payout. Workplace gambling, however, also has  more...

Understanding the Complexities of OCIPs and CCIPs Insurance Programs BenefitsOwner-controlled insurance programs and contractor-controlled insurance programs, sometimes referred to as wrap-ups, are becoming more popular, as they can result in significant savings if properly structured and managed. While historically available only on the largest of projects, more recently these programs have been used on projects as small as $25 million in construction costs.  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...

Current Issues in Attributional and Agency Nexus BenefitsA state's ability to impose taxes on a multistate business is limited by nexus standards rooted in the U.S. Constitution. In 1992, the U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed its longstanding rule and held in Quill Corp. v. North Dakota that nexus requires some form of physical presence in the taxing state. However, physical presence is not limited only to direct presence. It may also be established  more...

Making Revisions to Closed Medical Records BenefitsMedical records contain some of the most sensitive and personal information that exists about individuals in modern society, and some closed records may need revision because of new information received or because of the requests of individuals to correct or modify existing information. When is it appropriate to make revisions, how and under what circumstances, and at whose request? This  more...

Legal Construction Issues in Connection With Office Condominiums BenefitsWhat you don't know could hurt you - stay updated on issues concerning office condominiums. Join us for this innovative teleconference and get up to speed on the construction of condominiums. Get a handle on complicated issues surrounding the construction of a condominium association. Avoid problems down the road by protecting yourself and your company - find out exactly what the critical  more...

Purchasing Law: Breach, Repudiation and Excuse BenefitsYou have survived the battle of the forms or signed a supply agreement but there is a problem - your supplier hasn't delivered, the goods don't work the way they should or you have reason to think that they won't be delivered. This teleconference will provide you a basic understanding about what you can do when your purchase contract goes bad. You will receive a primer on the steps you  more...

Implications of Scott v. Harris on Police Vehicle Pursuits and Beyond BenefitsThe Supreme Court has historically recognized that analyzing and ultimately judging the conduct of police officers requires an acknowledgment and appreciation that, particularly in the context of the use of force, the court and trier of fact must take into account the circumstances under which police officers must make such decisions. The Court has also historically emphasized that  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...

Metadata Scrubbing and Mining - Legal, Ethical and Practical Implications BenefitsMetadata lurks in every electronic document each of us creates and edits. Every computer application and platform we use also generates metadata. The consequences of human error are greatly magnified in the 21st century by the prevalence of electronic communication and the ability of anyone with a web browser to download - for only $0.08 per page - a copy of any document electronically  more...

ALTA Policy, Endorsements and Transaction Strategies with Title Insurance BenefitsThis teleconference will examine the role of title insurance in real estate transactions and review policy forms, with an emphasis on the 2006 ALTA Policy. Using the commitment for title insurance, the course will discuss how counsel, investors and lenders can avoid title pitfalls and coverage gaps, expedite a pre-closing response to coverage requests, and ultimately enhance coverage.  more...

When Worlds Collide - Bankruptcy and Probate BenefitsUntil the U. S. Supreme Court's 2006 decision in Marshall v. Marshall, 547 U.S. 293 (2006), there was a common belief among many bankruptcy and probate practitioners that the so-called probate exception to federal jurisdiction served to prevent bankruptcy courts from adjudicating any matters that were related, even only slightly, to a probate estate. In giving a very narrow interpretation  more...

Social Networking in the Workplace: Policies, Monitoring and Discipline Issues BenefitsSocial networking via online tools such as MySpace , Facebook and Twitter has exploded in popularity over the last few years. According to an October 2008 survey, 51 percent of employees accessed social networks at least once per day at work; many of them did so for an hour or more per week. Despite these numbers and the risks inherent in employees using social networking tools, such as  more...

Effective UCC Search Strategies to Minimize Risk BenefitsLenders and other creditors need to know where they stand if a debtor becomes bankrupt. Primarily, this is a function of whether they have a lien or security interest and if so, whether anyone else has a prior lien or security interest. Liens generally must be made public in some way - usually by a filing in a public office - in order to enjoy priority, so prospective lenders and creditors  more...

Buying and Selling Partnerships, LLCs and Other Similar Entities BenefitsCorporations and alternative entities have distinctly different frameworks for defining the tax, economic and management rights and obligations of their equity owners. But oftentimes business people and their advisors structure and negotiate purchases and sales of equity interests in alternative entities using concepts from the corporate model. Failing to account for the differences  more...

Creating a Payroll Manual: Putting Your Procedures into Writing BenefitsPayroll has always been complicated due to compliance issues but with addition of technology, payroll processes have become more involved. This has put payroll professionals in a position to get stuck in the 'get the payroll out' each week rut. This teleconference is going to help you create and write complete process documentation that would allow any associate in your department be able  more...

Valuation and Reporting of Gifts and Service Donations BenefitsAs not-for-profits continue to face challenges related to raising money, they are becoming more creative in soliciting donations, resulting in more donations of noncash assets and greater restrictions on contributions received. This is occurring at the same time that there is a higher focus on the definition of fair value. Contributions of gifts and services should be measured at the fair  more...

Collection Issues for Attorneys: Practical and Ethical Considerations BenefitsYou have worked many hours on your client's matter and obtained a good result, only to find yourself in a dispute with your client over the payment of your fee. The client may complain about the quality of the service or may claim that they cannot pay your fees. Whatever the excuse, it is a problem that can be lessened. This teleconference is designed to provide you with practical and  more...

ADA Update: Overview of Americans with Disabilities Act and Practical Implications for Employers BenefitsThe ADA Amendments Act of 2008 takes effect January 1, 2009. The new amendments substantially alter and expand the definition of disabled under the ADA and who might be protected. This teleconference will review the ADA amendments and related issues, provide you with practical advice on how to comply with the ADA, and address common ADA and employment issues that may be impacted by the new  more...

Managing External Health Information BenefitsMany health care providers remain frustrated and uncertain about how to handle external health information. This information may come in the form of unsolicited health information - i.e., information that is volunteered by patients or by other health care providers, either at the time the patient arrives for treatment or thereafter - and in some cases even after the patient has been  more...

Dynamic Tips for Effective E-Discovery BenefitsElectronic discovery is one of the most important and prominent issues confronting the legal industry today. E-Discovery is the buzzword in litigation and it certainly has earned this status, but its notoriety can at times belie the legal community's tender grasp of its many complexities and implications. Paralegals and legal assistants - the 'case managers' during discovery - are perhaps  more...

Storm Water Best Management Practice (BMP) Inspection and Maintenance BenefitsAvoid costly permit violations and problems meeting storm water discharge benchmark criteria with proper inspection and maintenance of BMPs. Storm water best management practices require regular inspections and maintenance to ensure long-term proper function. Inspections are the most effective way to detect and avoid potential problems before they become a liability. This teleconference  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...

Terminating a Construction Contract: Legal Issues and Considerations BenefitsAn unstable economy causes owners and contractors to increasingly consider the last resort of terminating their construction contracts. It is important to fully appreciate and understand the law governing termination in order to avoid causing even more economic damage. This teleconference will provide the basic concepts of termination and will provide some examples of the right and wrong  more...

Value Engineering Change Proposals in Government Contracting BenefitsMany federal contractors are greatly focused on achieving cost reductions in their production processes, such as through lean manufacturing and Six Sigma programs, to become more competitive and increase profits. However, few contractors take advantage of a contractual tool, the Value Engineering ('VE') contract clause, which was established specifically to provide increased profits from  more...

Introduction to New ICD-10 Coding: Preparing for Implementation nThe International Classification of Disease and Operations, Ninth Edition has out-lived its usefulness for capturing morbidity and mortality amongst the world population. Most developed nations transitioned to ICD-10 several years ago, but because of the tie of ICD-9-CM to payments in the United States there have been a series of delays in the US implementation. As the US moves a lightening speed  more...

Building Information Modeling: Planning, Design and Legal Considerations nWhether you are an owner, a designer or a builder, you need information about building information modeling. The good news is that there is lots of information out there; the bad news is that much of it is not useful. No one knows everything about BIM but we can start by talking about authoritative sources for BIM information, then sprinkle in some basic BIM concepts. Information will be  more...

Design Codes and Standards for Noise Control nAcoustics strongly affects the human response to our environment and yet noise rises to the top of any list of user complaints in buildings. Complaints relate to poor hearing conditions, annoyance from neighbors, inadequate privacy, noisy mechanical equipment and a plethora of other issues. This teleconference will provide you with information on how to use building design to control sound and  more...

Commercial Tenant Defaults: Practical Issues and Legal Remedies nIn what some have described as the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, landlords, property owners, and property management companies have found or will find themselves facing an increasing number of tenant defaults as well as incredible pressure to fill vacancies resulting from defaults and non-renewals of leases. Managing risk associated with tenants and efficiently handling  more...

Tax Implications of Generation-Skipping Techniques - Planning to Minimize the Generation-Skipping Transfer (GST) Tax nBy attending this teleconference, you will learn key elements of the GST tax rules, including the rules for automatic allocation of GST tax exemption. Benefits and differences between different types of basic GST tax planning techniques, including various lifetime planning and post-mortem planning along with the implications of leveraging GST tax planning with discounted assets will also be  more...

Staying Compliant with the Medicare Incident-To Rules nAt a time when every medical practice dollar counts, the Medicare incident-to billing rules can enable physicians to capture revenue from common services performed by office staff. The incident-to rules, while simple on their face, can be complex in their application and failing to follow each element of the rules can result in overpayments and even false claims liability. Knowing the rules and  more...

An Introduction to Contract Basics nContracts govern the basic business and commercial relationships of most of us, yet for many the basics of contract law remain a mystery. There is often misinformation about such simple questions as "Is a handshake enough?" or "Do all the boilerplate terms of a contract really matter?" This teleconference will address these and many more issues surrounding the formation and enforcement of  more...

California Employment Law Update nCompanies with employees in California face a bewildering and complicated set of employment laws, which are often inconsistent with federal law. This three-hour teleconference will address the most important and current issues facing California employers (or out-of-state companies with employees in California), including wage and hour compliance and litigation trends, California's unique  more...

Drafting Trusts in Estate Planning nEstate tax laws keep changing. Did you know that even though the estate tax exemption is predicted to stay at $3.5 million the lifetime gift tax exemption will stay at $1 million, leaving the door open to reduce the estate tax exemption back down to $1 million when Congress tries to balance the budget in a few years? In addition to estate taxes, clients' families need protection from probate, bad  more...

Crisis Intervention Team Training for Law Enforcement for the 21st Century nEstimates run as high as 1 in 5 (20%) of 911 emergency calls to law enforcement involve some component of mental illness component and many reach crisis level. Typical law enforcement training is focused on projecting authoritative persona, command and control, and follow my directions or else. These tactics often lead to use of force and injury for all involved parties. Some lead to litigation  more...

Navigating the Troubled Construction Project: Recognizing, Analyzing and Handling the Risks nThe current economic downturn has given rise to a massive increase in the number of troubled construction projects. Whether trouble arises from the withdraw or lack of funding or a failure in performance of the contractors, subcontractors and suppliers to perform, the reality is that each project represents unique challenges that must be met head on. This teleconference presents the issues  more...

Supplemental Wage Payments: Common Withholding Guidelines nThis teleconference will assist you in evaluating your current income tax withholding practices to facilitate compliance with IRS regulatory changes and will offer practical tips to help ease administrative burdens. The program will educate you with respect to the issues involved in determining when wage payments should be classified as supplemental wages or regular wages, and the applicable  more...

Understanding the Language of Mold Assessment Reports nLaymen and professionals who do not deal with mold assessment reports on a regular basis are likely to struggle with understanding the language presented in a mold assessment report. They may be prone to accepting the written word of the consultant at face value, without question. This would be a mistake for anyone. For others it could be considered negligent and result in liability. Far too many  more...

Understanding Legal Issues with Construction Subcontracts nThis teleconference will provide you with information and knowledge on legal and contractual issues affecting subcontracts that are commonly encountered, such as changes and extras, pricing, termination, dispute resolution, risk allocation, pay to be paid provisions and other common clauses. The information obtained through this will assist you in fully comprehending the risk you are assuming in  more...

Presenteeism: Measurement and Intervention Issues for Employers and Health Plans nProductivity is fast becoming an even more vital issue to the business world. Presenteeism, or work loss due to underlying health conditions when individuals remain at work, is one important facet of productivity. One study found that approximately 6 percent of a global company's total compensation (salaries, wages and all benefit costs) were lost due to presenteeism. Work site wellness programs  more...

AIA Document A312 Payment Bond Forms nMany owners require contractors to obtain payment and performance bonds using the American Institute of Architect's A312 bond forms, but those bond forms require contractors, owners and sureties to contend with a number of challenges - the most recent of which is the surety industry's refusal to issue such bonds without modification because of the so-called 45-Day Rule. This teleconference is  more...

Tenancies in Common - Legal and Practical Issues nDuring the last five years, the tenant-in-common offering industry has grown to approximately $5 billion in annual equity raised. While specific data is hard to find, industry experts estimate that between $10 billion and $12 billion has been raised and spread across more than 2,000 offerings. In the last year, the number of materially under-performing TIC transactions has increased. As the  more...

Understanding Pregnancy Leave and Return to Work Issues nUnder federal and state law, employers must not treat pregnant employees any differently from other employees. But, what exactly does this mean? Questions often arise as to how much leave a woman may take, what her rights are when she is on leave and what rights does she have when she returns to work. Employers often times are unwittingly violating the law. This teleconference will help you avoid  more...

Tax Law Research Best Practices nResearching tax issues involves an understanding of a complex system of legislation, regulations, and administrative document and decisions. Each of these elements of tax law has a different precedential value to the practitioner. Moreover, tax law is an area that changes constantly. Congress and the states regularly amend tax laws, and the Internal Revenue Service adds or amends its regulations  more...

An Overview of Maritime Law Torts nAdmiralty law is expansive in its reach covering operations in brown water, blue water and offshore industries. The issues are complex and often involve federal and state law conflicts. An overview of maritime law torts addresses the primary and secondary issues arising out of Jones Act, USL&H and OCSLA claims. This teleconference is of practical interest to the occasional and experienced  more...

Labor Law Update: Preparing for Upcoming Regulations nAttend this teleconference and learn the new laws and strategies regarding a variety of employment-related laws that are in effect or are expected to be in effect for 2009. From the new COBRA rules, FMLA regulations, EFCA and union initiatives, issues involving wage and hour and independent contractors, the latest drug and alcohol testing, confidentiality and security of personnel data,  more...

Form I-9: Updates and Compliance Strategies for Employers nThe Department of Homeland Security recently issued new employment verification rules and Form I-9. Join us as we examine these changes. A wide range of Form I-9 issues and compliance tips will be addressed, including E-Verify program considerations.  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...

Understanding Warranties and Guarantees in the Standard AIA Contract nUnderstanding the interplay between warranties and call-back periods and the limitations on each is critical to both successful negotiation of a construction contract and the successful completion of a construction project. This teleconference will help you understand the issues concerning warranties and call-back periods, including the legal limitations on them, which will in turn allow you to  more...

Understanding LEED. for Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance nThe U.S. Green Building Councils' LEED® for Existing Buildings' program goal is obtaining higher performance in buildings that have already been constructed and are currently in operation. LEED® EB emphasizes maximizing operational service and efficiency while minimizing environmental impacts. The system addresses whole-building energy and water use, indoor comfort and air quality, cleaning and  more...

Utilizing Congestion Pricing to Reduce Traffic Congestion and Generate Infrastructure Revenue nMany states and metropolitan areas are faced with increasing traffic congestion along with inadequate sources of transportation revenue to address transportation investment needs. After completing this teleconference, you will improve your understanding of the ability of congestion pricing to address both congestion reduction and revenue generation objectives. You will be able to describe some of  more...

Preparing for the International Financial Reporting Standard nOn November 14, 2008, the SEC released its proposed road map for the adoption of IFRS in the United States. At about the same time, leaders from the G20 countries at a financial summit in the United States issued a statement which, among other things, confirmed the leaders' support for developing a single set of high-quality global accounting standards. n nBoth of these events represent progress  more...

Doing Business in Texas? An Overview of the Texas Margin Tax nFor decades, the Texas Franchise Tax remained virtually unchanged. Once equipped with the knowledge that Texas limited partnerships were not taxable, many companies saw little need to delve further into the details of the tax. Beginning with reports due in 2008 all this has changed with the revised Texas Franchise Tax, known as the Texas Margin Tax by everyone but the Texas Comptroller's Office.  more...

Managing And Disciplining Unsafe Employees - A Cornerstone Of An Effective Safety Program nThis teleconference will examine the importance of managing and disciplining unsafe employees on the success of any business. Part of the discussion will examine the potential detrimental impact of ignoring unsafe employees can have on a company and the possible civil and criminal liability that can occur. This teleconference will examine the policies and procedures that need to be in place to  more...

The New HIPAA Special Enrollment Rules and Related Disclosure Issues nRecently enacted legislation expands the special enrollment rights currently applicable to group health plans and imposes new notice and disclosure obligations for employers that maintain such plans. While many of these obligations are not effective until after 2009, the special enrollment changes are effective April 1, 2009. In addition, the new law imposes civil penalties of up to $100 a day  more...

Cumulative Impact Claims nCumulative impact claims may be one of the more common occurrences on projects with multiple changes over the course of the project. However, cumulative impact claims may be one of the most difficult claims to present and prove at trial or in arbitration. Evidentiary issues, logistics of proving what the cumulative impact was and proving damages can prove to be very difficult. Defenses to  more...

Responding to an EEO Charge nThe most effective way to avoid an EEOC charge is to make sure you have appropriate anti-discriminatory policies in place and that all employees understand those policies. Prevention and awareness are areas employers should focus on when dealing with employee discrimination issues. If the worst case scenario happens, this teleconference will tell you how to protect your company when an EEOC  more...

Differing Site Conditions nThe advent of and increasing use of 3-D building information modeling is taking much of the guess work out of a variety of different types of construction. For example, through BIM, the structural steel, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, fire sprinkler and communications subtrades can all determine whether the new and existing utilities, beams, piping and conduits are going to run into each other or  more...

Preparing for and Properly Reacting To Legal and Illegal Drug and Alcohol Use in the Workplace nDrug and alcohol abuse continues to have a huge impact on employee productivity and safety. At the same time, recognizing drug and alcohol abuse is outside the expertise of most managers and human resource personnel, while dealing with the problem improperly can lead to significant liability under federal and law, including the Americans With Disabilities Act and employee privacy laws. This  more...

Unrelated Business Income Tax - Tax Information for Charities and Other Nonprofits nThe recent activity in the charitable sector by federal and state regulatory agencies has mandated that professionals take a proactive approach into all aspects of this important and very diverse sector. The tax-exempt community is under a microscope. Problems that a few years ago might have gone unnoticed now get picked up and widely broadcast. Recent IRS compliance initiatives in governance,  more...

Client Rights Issues: Informed Consent and Confidentiality nBoth state and federal laws contain myriad requirements intended to protect client rights. Most importantly are those that relate to rights regarding providing informed consent and privacy of health information. However, many health care providers do not understand the complex intersections of regulatory and common law requirements for obtaining consent and protecting client privacy. Failure to  more...

Effective Exit Interviews nMost employers are always looking for ways to improve employee relations, attract new employees and retain the ones they have. But how do you know what to do to improve if you don't know what employees are looking for or why they are leaving? n nImplemented properly, a good exit interview program can provide an employer with a host of valuable information that can be used to improve its employee  more...

Green Leases: Negotiating Renewals and Direct Leases Under Sustainability Mandates nA steadily increasing number of tenants, along with state pension funds and other institutional partners of commercial landlords, and state and local legislators are combining forces to press commercial landlords into moving forward with green buildings and the greening of existing buildings. The LEED® movement for green building leases started with encouraging energy efficiency and then  more...

What Every Business Person Needs to Know About Legal Issues in Contracts nMost businesses enter into contracts thinking they know precisely what they want to accomplish and what they have agreed to. All too often this is not actually the case. Written agreements may not reflect what a business believes it negotiated. Parties may later recall terms different from what seems to be reflected in the initial agreement. And all too often, the legal boilerplate terms turn out  more...

Roundabouts: Planning, Design Principles and Current Practices nAlthough roundabouts have proven safety and operational benefits, proper planning and engineering design is essential for roundabouts to function correctly. This brief, yet practical, teleconference is your opportunity to better understand modern roundabouts and their installation, learn specific design skills and current practices, and apply roundabout design principles to projects in your  more...

Purchasing Contract Disputes nBad economic times inevitably result in serious business disputes. This teleconference will help you plan and implement a practical strategy to minimize the business interruptions (and costs) that can occur when purchasing contract disputes occur - and turn potential career-limiting purchasing disasters in 2009 into success stories. This introductory course will help you understand how such  more...

Commercial Lease Negotiations and Due Diligence nIn this informative teleconference, our speaker will take the key lease provisions and go back to the basics with respect to commercial leases. This program is ideal for beginners and experts alike, since each provision will start at the simplest level and go to the most sophisticated level. You'll learn about the critical due diligence issues and developments that impact you, whether you work on  more...

401(k) Plan Costs Including Recent Update on Supreme Court Rule LaRue v. DeWolff, Boberg & Associates Inc. nUnhappy employees, U.S. Department of Labor investigations, IRS investigations, massive class action lawsuits - an ever-expanding list of factors bombards sponsors of 401(k) plans and places companies and their management potentially in the cross hairs. From Enron, Worldcom and Sarbanes-Oxley, to the more recent massive class actions filed against Fortune 500 companies regarding 401(k) plan  more...

Clean Water Act Jurisdiction Guidance Under the New Administration - Rapanos or Oberstar? nThe federal regulatory landscape affecting development in and around waters of the United States was significantly altered by the Rapanos decision. Indeed, that landscape continues to shift as the Army Corps and the courts respond in new ways to a perceived loss of jurisdiction. This teleconference will help you understand the ever-changing jurisdictional landscape and navigate a course to  more...

Retirement Benefit Solutions For Nonprofit Organizations and Government Entities nNonprofit organizations face many of the same issues regarding use of retirement benefits to attract and retain employees and executives as for-profit companies, but the tools available to them are often more limited. This teleconference will explore both broad-based retirement programs and executive deferred compensation available to nonprofit organizations. It will highlight new rules for  more...

Multistate Sales Tax Issues for Contractors nAttendance at this teleconference will assist you in understanding who and what is subject to sales and use taxes, including who is responsible for collecting the sales tax or paying the use tax, e.g., who is the ultimate consumer, the differences between real and personal property, the taxation of repairs and repair services, and the taxation of intangibles such as warranties. Without an  more...

Updating and Maintaining Wills, Trusts and Estate Plans for the Evolving Client nThis teleconference has two primary focuses. The first part will highlight issues and opportunities for a drafting attorney to revisit and update an existing client's estate plan or prepare an update for a new client with existing documents. This part will focus on when and why clients need to review and revisit their estate plans and how to spot those issues for existing and potential clients.  more...

Current Issues in Construction Lending nIn view of the downturn in construction lending activity nationwide and the inability to sell developed lots, completed homes, condominiums and to lease-up commercial buildings, the focus of bankers has shifted to portfolio management as opposed to new business development. With this in mind, this teleconference will review loan portfolio techniques and strategies required to stay on top of  more...

Best Practices in Purchasing Software nNegotiating software licenses can be frustrating for the business owner. Once you get past the 10-point, double column format of most vendors' license forms, you begin to understand that there are no standard terms and conditions for licensing software - each deal is unique. This teleconference will help the person responsible for evaluating, purchasing and maintaining enterprise-wide software  more...

Avoid Wrongful Termination Lawsuits: Strategies to Keep Your Managers Out of Legal Trouble nThis teleconference will review tried-and-true methods for eliminating employment litigation risks, will build managers' confidence in dealing with a range of common-place employee issues, and sharpen their understanding of workplace practices and policies which will dramatically reduce exposure to litigation risks for themselves and their companies.  more...

Hot Topics for 501(c)(3) Organizations nThere has been a lot of talk about the revised Form 990 and it's finally here! Whether you love it or loathe it, you can't put it off any longer. We will spend a majority of the time talking about some of the hot-button issues that the new form raises both in terms of simple compliance and in communicating with and involving your board. But wait, there's more! After this teleconference, you'll  more...

Lease vs. Buy: Choosing the Best Option nThe decision to finance business equipment through lease programs or by purchases is one of the most difficult and important decisions faced by businesses every day. Making the wrong choice can not only result in economic loss but significant disruption of business, loss of time and opportunity. This teleconference will provide you with a comparison of the benefits and pitfalls of financing  more...

Employee Retaliation: Supreme Court Update nThe mere mention of retaliation in the workplace today sends waves of concern throughout an employer's organization. Most recent court decisions recognize retaliation claims in nearly all areas of employment law and find adverse actions in a variety of circumstances, beyond demotion and termination, for purposes of upholding such claims. Most significantly, the U.S. Supreme Court recently  more...

Investing IRAs and Qualified Plan Rollovers in Real Estate, Franchises, Start-Ups and Other Private Investments - Techniques and nA growing number of IRA owners and recipients of qualified plan rollovers have sought to take control of their own investments by investing directly in real estate and small businesses that they may intend to manage or otherwise be personally involved in. This trend has accelerated in recent years as syndicators, entrepreneurs, private fund managers and franchisors have come to view IRAs and  more...

Recent Developments With Loan Syndications nAttend this teleconference and stay abreast of the latest issues relating to the loan syndication process. Our seasoned faculty will provide practical answers to your most pressing questions about loan documentation. You'll get an inside look at how to respond to confusing post-Lehman bankruptcy issues and other new developments. n nRegister now and you'll learn how to overcome any obstacles you  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...

Using Medical Certifications to Minimize Employer Liability: FMLA, ADA and Workers' Comp nSince the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990, proactive and proper use of medical certifications has proven to be a valuable tool to protect employers from liability under the ADA, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1994, and state workers' compensation statutes. But the legal landscape for managing employee health issues has had many changes in recent months. Amendments to the  more...

Detention Pond Design: Water Storage Solutions nYou will learn design tips for both dry and wet storm water management ponds. You will understand the relationship between variables in hydrologic and hydraulic runoff models and their impact on pond design. You will learn about the impact of USEPA Phase II storm water regulation. n nLearning objectives: n- The attendee will be able to differentiate wet vs. dry ponds. n- The attendee will be able  more...

E-Verify Mandates and Mechanisms for Compliance nE-Verify is an online system that allows participating employers to check the work status of new hires by comparing information from an employee's Form I-9 against Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security databases. Although initially implemented as a voluntary program, many states now require the use of E-Verify. Additionally, as a result of a presidential executive  more...

Intermittent Leave Under FMLA nThis teleconference is designed to assist you in effectively managing FMLA leave taken on an intermittent or reduced-schedule basis. You'll learn the basics of intermittent and reduced-schedule leave, including the circumstances under which such leave must be made available to employees and how you should track these leaves. The teleconference will also address notice and certification issues as  more...

Challenges and Contractual Issues With Sub-Subcontractors nA subcontractor in today's construction industry faces unique challenges and concerns - from dealing with a bid process that can lock in a bidding subcontractor without any written agreement, to subcontractor form contracts that are written largely, if not entirely, in favor of the general contractor. In addition to concerns in bidding and contract formation, a subcontractor must constantly  more...

Real Estate Income Tax Issues nThis teleconference will address valuable planning techniques and recent developments concerning the income taxation of real estate, including issues applicable to partnerships and LLCs holding real property. You'll learn about capital gains strategies, like-kind exchanges, tenancies in common, how to structure transactions when some partners want cash and others want tax deferral, and recent  more...

Liability Issues for Design Professionals nIt is critical that design professionals keep up with the major issues affecting their profession. These issues range from the more traditional ones such as standard of care, indemnity, and ownership and use of documents to the more recent issues such as electronic media, building information modeling and limitation of liability. The effect on the design profession of these issues is even more  more...

Fitness for Duty Psychological Evaluations nThis teleconference will help you make decisions when requesting and evaluating risk and fitness for duty evaluations. You'll hear a discussion of common reasons to refer an employee for a FFDE, information initially needed by the evaluating doctor and how to write appropriate questions for the psychologist or psychiatrist to answer. You will also learn about evaluating doctors' credentials,  more...

Medical Privacy Rights of Minors nMedical providers and others who come into contact with medical or health records are often subjected to complex and conflicting requirements to maintain the confidentiality and restrict the use of the information. When those providers and others deal with minors, the complexity increases dramatically. When the right of an individual to privacy and security with regard to his or her medical  more...

Advanced Records Management: The Intersection of Good Records Management and eDiscovery Preparedness nEffective records management can have an enormous impact on e-discovery preparedness and a corporation's bottom line. While many corporations have established policies related to paper records, many of those same corporations have failed to update those policies to account for their rapidly increasing volumes of electronically stored information. No form of ESI demonstrates these complex issues  more...

Noise Control Design for Condominium and Multifamily Dwellings nToday's condominium buyers have become much more sophisticated with respect to acoustical issues, largely because of the horror stories related to them by the media and their acquaintances. Buyers not only want a condominium unit that is quiet when the building is complete, but they also want assurance during the design and sales process that footfall noise from above and airborne noise from  more...

Issues Surrounding Student Discipline nStudent discipline impacts a student's civil and contractual rights, and it remains an area of potential liability for school districts relative to those rights. Of course, a failure to observe proper procedures and processes could also result in a reviewing body, reversing the discipline imposed in a particular case, thereby causing a substantial disruption of the educational process. Developing  more...

Religious Accommodations in the Workplace nTo avoid lawsuits, contain costs and keep good employee morale, U.S. companies must effectively meet their legal duty to properly accommodate religion in the workplace. This is particularly true because of the rapid growth of religious cultures in the U.S. and the increasing awareness of religious workplace accommodation rights by employees. This teleconference is designed not only to update  more...

Occupational Noise Induced Hearing Loss nThis teleconference will bring you up to speed on issues related to hazardous occupational noise. Understand the intricacies of the effects noise exposure have on hearing. Get a handle on complicated issues surrounding the calculation of hearing impairment. Avoid problems down the road by getting to know state-specific workers' compensation issues. You'll gain the practical insight you need to  more...

Effective Contract Negotiations: The Fusion of Law, Relationships and Project Expectations Benefits Complex contract negotiations create a relationship and lead to a written agreement that defines expectations. Purchasing law and other aspects of the legal environment affect the negotiation and the eventual performance of the contract. Effective contract negotiation integrates the legal requirements, clarifies expectations on both sides and fosters constructive relationships.  more...

Current Issues in Revocable Living Trusts Benefits Revocable living trusts are a foundation of many estate plans. The use of a revocable living trust generally provides for a confidential distribution of family wealth without required court interference and also allows for assets to avoid probate in most jurisdictions. Using a revocable living trust allows for planning in the event of incapacity without having to formally declare a  more...

Environmental Issues in Commercial Leases Benefits Environmental issues impact myriad provisions in a commercial lease and can have not only a material legal effect, but a material economic effect on the rights, duties and risk allocation between the landlord and the tenant. From pre-delivery site and building assessment to operational risks, insurance and indemnification obligations to premises surrender, restoration and abatement,  more...

State Income Tax Apportionment-The Sales Factor and The Throwback Rule Benefits This teleconference will provide an in-depth analysis of the sales factor used in state and local income tax apportionment. You'll learn all about the sourcing of sales of tangible personal property and services, including the dock sales test and market-based sourcing. Find out what you need to know about the throwback rule and the throw-out rule. Get expert advice on handling issues  more...

Successful PTO Programs Benefits This teleconference will explore the various options that you face regarding time off issues, including vacations and absences due to illness. The legal obligations that such policies implicate will be explored. You will come away with an understanding of the kinds of programs that have proved successful, how to design one that meets your needs and satisfies your legal obligations, and  more...