C Program 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...

Drafting Document Retention Policies BenefitsThere can be little question in today's world that a thoughtful, well-designed document retention policy is a must for every corporation. Yet many have failed to take this important step to protect their companies. And many more have failed to effectively implement their document retention policies after they have been adopted. The cost of these shortcomings is significant. A corporation  more...

Understanding LEED for Sustainable Building BenefitsThis teleconference will help you better understand the U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program, as it was significantly revised in 2009. The comprehensive introductory materials will prepare you for additional training to receive your LEED credential as an accredited professional or LEED AP. In January 2009, the U.S. Green Building Council  more...

Traffic Management for Construction Work Zones: Unique Challenges and Solutions BenefitsThe hazards encountered at construction zones vary by project and by project phases. To address these hazards, certain program elements must be completed before work begins, while additional elements must be addressed on-site and on an on-going basis. Many contractors who are required to prepare and implement traffic control plans often do not understand how to process the approval and  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...

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...

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...

Document Retention and Destruction Policies for Financial Institutions BenefitsFinancial institutions too often rely on recommended document retention guidelines without understanding the risks of inconsistent or antiquated practices. While Sarbanes-Oxley has clarified the responsibilities of certain financial institutions, Sarbanes-Oxley is only a portion of the document universe. This teleconference will help you navigate the complex universe of document retention  more...

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

EPA's Rules on Compensatory Mitigation for Impact on Wetlands, Streams and Other Waters BenefitsIn 2008, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers adopted new rules that dramatically changed its approach to mitigation under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, which regulates fill in wetlands and other waters of the United States. The new rules adopt a mitigation hierarchy that moves away from the prior preference for on-site, in-kind mitigation in favor of mitigation banks and watershed-based  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...

Recent Trends in CPA Technology BenefitsTechnology has totally transformed the way CPA's do business. In this teleconference, we will highlight recent trends in the technologies that play an important role in how we do business today. Whether you practice in public, private, education, government or in any other role, this program will give you some insight as to where technology is at and where it will be tomorrow. This  more...

Opportunities for Recycling Construction Waste and Demolition Debris BenefitsNationally and internationally, sustainable building is taking hold. One part of sustainable building is reusing and recycling materials during construction and demolition. More and more projects are requiring the recycling of materials during construction and demolition, and contractors and others will need to know how to potentially meet this requirement. This 90-minute teleconference  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...

Avoiding the Pitfalls of GMP Contracting BenefitsAs owners have searched for project delivery systems that reduce the duration from project conception to project completion, one of the most common approaches has included the use of guaranteed maximum price, or GMP, contracts. However, as the use of these contract formats has proliferated, so have disputes that strongly suggest that the parties using them do not fully understand: (a) the  more...

Noncompetition Agreements for the HR Professional: Protecting the Company's Business Resources? BenefitsNow more than ever, employers are seeing former employees trying to jump start their career moves - voluntarily or involuntarily - by cashing in on the employer's investment in relationships and information. Quite simply, the most effective way to protect your company's resources against the actions of departing employees is the noncompete agreement. But effectively using noncompetes  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...

Curing Title Exceptions BenefitsTitles are often subject to outstanding interests and claims, some genuine but others unsubstantial or baseless. What types of defects, liens and encumbrances impair the title to real estate? When, as the result of tangible matters revealed by a search and examination of the title, is the title unmarketable? Learn what to look for when reviewing the title commitment, and what endorsements  more...

IRA and Qualified Plan Distributions BenefitsThis teleconference is specially designed for those who advise their clients on IRA and qualified plan distributions. This program will focus on the required minimum distribution rules and how one can have an IRA payable to a trust and still have it qualify as a designated beneficiary. This teleconference can help you spot and avoid some of the common mistakes taxpayers make with their  more...

Recent Updates to the EPA's Brownfields Program BenefitsThis teleconference will provide you with an update on the current status of the Federal Brownfields Program. You will learn about benefits you can obtain under the Federal Brownfields Program, the status of the program and some of the risks to brownfields development resulting from a recent Supreme Court case and environmental risks associated with vapor intrusion. Learning Objectives -  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...

Bankruptcy Retention and Disclosures: Knowing When and What to Say BenefitsBankruptcy is a specialized practice quite different than typical litigation. In general litigation, secrecy and limited disclosures are the norm. However, the filing of a bankruptcy and one's involvement in it, either as a debtor, professional or even creditor, requires specific and often extensive disclosures to protect the interests of the estate and the integrity of the bankruptcy  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...

Avoiding Waiver of the Attorney-Client Privilege BenefitsThis teleconference will discuss the doctrine of attorney-client privilege: the scope of the privilege, exceptions to the privilege, procedural aspects of asserting the privilege, waiver of the privilege and the related but distinguishable doctrine of attorney work product. It should be useful for attorneys who represent individuals and organizations who are concerned about asserting and  more...

A Primer on Social Security Disability Law BenefitsThe Social Security law encompasses the Social Security regulations which span nearly a full volume of the Code of Federal Regulations, many volumes of law reporters, dozens of separately issued Social Security rulings and many volumes of internal regulations. This is why most lawyers do not want to develop an expertise in this area. This teleconference is designed to give you a broad  more...

White-Collar Defense Strategies and Developments BenefitsWhite-collar criminal defense is very different from the defense of other criminal cases. It must be approached uniquely from the time an attorney first learns of a client's target status in an investigation through trial. Failure to understand these differences and nuances can be fatal. This teleconference will examine some of these most important distinctions, and discuss the proper  more...

New Federal Rule of Evidence 502 - Preservation or Waiver of the Attorney Client Privilege and Work Product Protection in Federa BenefitsKnowing and preserving the attorney-client privilege and work product protection is a fundamental for most litigators. Rule 502 of the Federal Rules of Evidence has been adopted to clarify and resolve a common dispute regarding the effects of certain disclosures otherwise protected by the privilege or work product, including inadvertent disclosures and the agreement of the parties  more...

Complying With OSHA Recordkeeping Requirements BenefitsThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration plans to get tough on workplace safety enforcement. OSHA has received more than $50 million in additional funding, plans to hire between 130 and 160 new inspectors, has suspended certain voluntary compliance programs in order to free up resources for enforcement efforts, and has introduced a new program, the Severe Violators Inspection  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...

Updated Best Practices for Legal Holds In Civil, Criminal & Business Contexts BenefitsThis teleconference will teach you how to avoid the devastating problems that your clients may face if they do not plan for effective legal holds in anticipation of legal proceedings. Specifically, you will learn how courts and government investigators are interpreting the basic requirement to preserve information in 'reasonable anticipation' of litigation or other formal proceedings. You  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...

Taking and Defending Effective Depositions BenefitsIn the legal world where the use of mediation and arbitration has increased dramatically in recent years, the deposition of opposing parties and key witnesses often takes the place of the trial. Cases are evaluated and often settled based on information obtained at depositions. You will learn the fundamental concepts involved in taking and defending depositions. Included in this  more...

Trucking Litigation BenefitsLitigation involving trucking and bus companies seems straightforward. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. Come hear how to negotiate the waters and learn how the myriad of confusing federal and state regulations could torpedo your case. Hear from the former top U.S. D.O.T. trucking lawyer on how to utilize federal and state information to help bolster your case. You  more...

Utilizing Spendthrift Trusts in Estate Plans BenefitsA spendthrift trust is an invaluable tool in protecting assets for the beneficiary. This teleconference will introduce you to the use and purpose of spendthrift trusts. Additionally, this program will provide specific guidance of drafting an effective spendthrift trust and highlight drafting pitfalls. Attorneys, estate planners, accountants, presidents, vice presidents, CFOs, controllers,  more...

Low Quality Asphalt: How to Avoid Problems Down the Road BenefitsLow quality asphalt is a facility owner's or manager's nightmare. How to turn it into a high quality asset can be a difficult question. That's what this teleconference is about. Reconstruction of asphalt pavements, whether a roadway, commercial parking lot or large distribution center, can be time consuming and very expensive. Costs associated with loss of use can easily exceed costs of  more...

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

LEED Tax Incentives and Credits for Green Buildings BenefitsLEED is a certification program for green buildings. Key elements of the program are water conservation, energy conservation and a reduction in waste going to landfill. Federal, state and local jurisdictions are looking for ways to incentivize improved performance in these key areas. The President is working with Congress to pass comprehensive legislation to protect our nation from the  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...

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

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...

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...

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...

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

Preparing for Medicaid Audits BenefitsThe current and future state of Medicaid audits - are you and your clients adequately prepared? The Medicaid program is a state's most significant health care expense and, in many instances, one of its largest budgetary items. It is the health insurer of last resort for children and the economically disadvantaged. The recent economic downturn has caused shortfalls to many states' overall  more...

Substance Abuse and the State Bar Disciplinary Process BenefitsThis teleconference will give an insider's view of the state bar and how it handles matters that have substance abuse as an element of a case. The program will also discuss the scientific basis for addiction and how it can impact your law practice. This program is primarily designed for attorneys. Other legal professionals may also benefit from attending.  more...

Covenants Not to Compete and Trade Secrets BenefitsThis teleconference will provide an overview and general principles of the law and legal theories related to protecting competitive business interests and confidential business information - one of the fastest growing areas of intellectual property law outside of traditional patent, copyright and trademark concerns. You'll learn about covenants not to compete, nonsolicitation agreements,  more...

Impact of Confidentiality Rules in Bankruptcy Proceedings BenefitsDistressed companies struggle to protect their proprietary and strategic information against the assumption that a bankrupt's financial affairs are public. Since 2005, creditor committees have similarly confronted their statutory obligation to share information with creditors with their practical duties in working through a Chapter 11. This teleconference will provide both a relevant  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...

Developing a Community Nonemergency Response System BenefitsCitizens are demanding fast, easy access to government services in an efficient manner that optimizes their investment. Municipal executives are consistently seeking government solutions to improve service without increasing budgets. Elected officials know the quality of services can mean the difference between re-election and defeat. This teleconference will provide municipal leaders the  more...

Drafting Clear and Enforceable Contracts BenefitsCommercial contracts have become increasingly complex in our litigious society. Why can't contracts just be written in plain language with the common words (and sentence structures) we use in everyday conversation? The truth is - they can! This teleconference is an introductory course on drafting clear and enforceable contracts in a business environment - using language that everyone can  more...

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

Executory Contracts in Bankruptcy: What Every Attorney Needs to Know BenefitsBankruptcy filings can unexpectedly disrupt the expectations, rights and remedies of contract counterparties. This teleconference seeks to demystify the idiosyncrasies of Bankruptcy Code Section 365. You'll hear strategies for avoiding traps for the unwary and protecting the value of contract rights from the perspectives of both the debtor and the nondebtor counterparties. This program is  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...

Commodity Risks: How to Identify and Implement a Corporate Hedging Program BenefitsMany firms are unprepared to manage the risks associated with changes in commodity prices and their effect on the bottom line. Such firms often wonder if there is a way to manage the risk differently - could they identify the risk in advance, anticipate the impact and mitigate the changes such that their bottom line is preserved? Yes. This teleconference will help you identify the risks of  more...

Fundamentals of SBA Lending: Documenting, Closing and Funding the SBA Loan BenefitsSBA lending affords banks and other lending institutions with the opportunity to finance commercial loans to small businesses and, at the same time, secure a 50 to 90 percent loan guarantee from the federal government. While the program can be quite profitable, it's not without its risks. Compliance with SBA regulations is mandatory to ensure success and profitability. With seismic changes  more...

Daubert Motions: Challenging Expert Opinions BenefitsSince the U.S. Supreme Court decided Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals in 1993, the federal law governing expert testimony has undergone a radical transformation. The courts of most states have also now adopted Daubert to some extent. Every litigator needs to understand the impact of Daubert and its progeny. Used properly, Daubert can be a powerful tool for excluding expert evidence.  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...

Conducting Effective Safety Audits BenefitsAudits are a key component of an effective safety program. Just as periodic physicals can help you check how healthy you are, periodic safety audits can help evaluate the health of your safety program. This teleconference will outline the four steps you should consider in order to conduct effective safety audits. Manufacturing engineers, presidents, vice presidents, plant managers,  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...

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...

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...

Workers' Compensation Metrics: Assessing and Reporting on the Success of Your Program BenefitsIn today's economy, it is especially critical to be able to assess the success of your workers' compensation program and provide meaningful reports to the C-Suite. In this teleconference, you will learn about the key metrics that can be used, where the data for these metrics may be found, sources of benchmarking information and how to most effectively present your success story to  more...

Obtaining a Portion of the Stimulus Grant Funding BenefitsThis past year the federal government has provided a significant economic stimulus program that has been primarily implemented through grant funding. The Recovery Act (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 signed by President Obama on February 16, 2009) is the economic stimulus package of $787 billion. Because of the national scope of the economic situation, stimulus money has  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...

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...

Excel Formulas and Functions De-Mystified: Manage Your Excel Worksheets With Power and Confidence as You Master Formulas and Fun BenefitsAnyone using Excel invariably needs to create and understand how to use formulas and functions. For some Excel users, it is the centerpiece of what they do on daily basis. Many Excel formulas involve simple mathematical constructions using addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, but sometimes you need more complex formulas to reach an answer. Excel has more than 300 built-in  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...

Effective Management of Off-Site Employees BenefitsHaving employees telecommute has evolved from being a personal convenience to a good business strategy, and now taking our current economic challenges it is a business necessity. It has become an imperative to effectively manage employees who are not reporting daily to the normal work site. This 90-minute teleconference will discuss how to properly manage off-site employees, the pitfalls  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...

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...

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

Effective Use of Medical Records in Personal Injury Litigation BenefitsPersonal injury litigation requires the effective and efficient use of medical records. In order to present your case persuasively, you must have an understanding of how to collect medical records, how to use them during discovery and how to present them to a jury. This teleconference discusses both plaintiff and defendant perspectives, and it will explain the role of medical evidence in  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...

Effective Auditing of Physicians' Notes BenefitsPhysician documentation and subsequent charge capture of physician services is becoming more complex and scrutinized than ever before. Join us for this teleconference during which we will teach you how to audit physician notes from your own practice. We will cover all aspects of coding for evaluation and management services, and the appropriate documentation of these services. We will  more...

Voir Dire: Effective Techniques for Getting and Using the Information You Need nVoir dire is one of the most important phases of a jury trial. However, the rules and procedures governing the jury selection process are often informal, subject to the broad discretion of the trial court, and can vary widely between jurisdictions, judges and even different cases before the same judge. A trial lawyer's strike decisions are some of the most important strategic decisions made in  more...

Benchmarking your Health Benefit Program: How Do You Stack Up? nInformation is power. You can increase your competitiveness by knowing the kinds and the quality of health insurance other employers are offering. Measuring your health plan against meaningful benchmarks will help fuel your strategies not only for reducing cost, but also for recruiting, employee retention and health plan design. n nThis teleconference will work through several methods to  more...

Paid Sick Leave Update: Policies and Procedures in an Evolving Workplace nMany employers voluntarily provide their employees with paid sick leave. Increasingly, however, states and localities are dictating that employers allow employees to use these voluntarily-provided paid sick leave benefits for reasons beyond those covered by the employer's program. In some cases, states and localities have begun to mandate that employers provide employees with a minimum paid sick  more...

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

Construction Site Hazard Prevention nSerious injuries, fatalities and citations issued by OSHA tend to involve the same violations over and over again. Penalties can be quite severe and may also result in lost business. Although most companies have detailed safety programs, translation of requirements to field activities may not be consistent. The most difficult aspect of establishing an effective safety plan involves the  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...

Demand-Side Water Conservation Initiatives nMany water utilities are having to prepare conservation, drought preparedness and diverse water supply plans to meet existing and future water demands. Internal and external factors are causing water shortages, rate impacts, conflicts among neighboring water users, and both real and perceived unreliable water supplies. These circumstances are impacting businesses, homeowners, and the health and  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...

Writing to Win: The Fundamentals of Legal Writing nLawyers and other legal professionals are paid to communicate. Your success depends on your words - and now, more than ever, on our written words. This teleconference, taught by a litigator, novelist and screenwriter, will provide you with the insights, skills and confidence needed to write with clarity and precision. Douglas E. Winter's practical, easy-to-implement strategies will improve your  more...

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

Successful Strategies for Controlling Workers' Compensation Costs nMaintaining workers' compensation insurance is a necessary cost of business, but how do you stop the costs from spinning out of control? An effective workers' compensation program will utilize the available remedies to achieve the goals of reducing injuries, reducing benefit payment and reducing unsuccessful litigation results. This 90-minute teleconference will review the myths and  more...

Brownfield Redevelopment and LEED. in 2009 - What Happens When You Mix Green and Brown? nThis teleconference will help you understand the contributing factors to ROI of the maturing green building practices on brownfields. Many professionals in the real estate investment business have witnessed how the redevelopment of brownfields has increased over time due to the market realizing the ability to make a return on investment on contaminated properties. In effect, the value of a  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...

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...

Key Components of an Effective Mentor Program nSchool districts, communities, youth serving agencies, corporations and the federal government are working to provide solutions to the most pressing problems facing school aged youth today. The challenges include improving attitudes about school, reducing absenteeism, keeping youth away from risky behavior (e.g., drugs, alcohol and gang activity) and improving their academic performance. n nIt  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...

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...

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...

Floodproofing Fundamentals: Design Methods to Reduce Flood Damages nProblem: Floods are the most common natural disaster in the United States. According to the National Flood Insurance Program, more than 80 percent of the natural disaster losses in the United States are caused by flooding. Over the past 10 years, the National Weather Service estimates that flood losses have averaged more than $4 billion a year nationwide. Various government and insurance groups  more...

Stemming the Tide: 10 Best Practices for Litigation Expense Management nNew rules governing e-discovery, a continued increase in corporate reliance on electronic data and growing sophistication of plaintiffs' counsel have all combined to result in skyrocketing litigation costs with no end to this growth in sight. This comes at a time when pressure from business clients to reduce the cost of legal services is at an all time high. This teleconference will suggest 10  more...

Form 706: Estate Tax Return Fundamentals nAmericans have been able to accumulate wealth. It is estimated more than $10 trillion dollars in wealth will be transferred over the next 15 years. If a person has been fortunate to amass significant wealth, the government imposes a tax when the person transfers their wealth at death. In 2009, if a person's gross estate plus adjusted taxable gifts equals or exceeds $3.5 million in value, a Form  more...

Effective Fundraising Techniques for Nonprofit Organizations nNonprofit organizations always need to diversify their revenue from earned income, government grants with philanthropic fundraising. Now, in tough economic times, you must determine how to maximize the effectiveness of your fundraising program. This teleconference will cover the basic elements of a complete fundraising program for annual operating support as well as ways every organization can  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...

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...

Maximizing Innovation and Design Process Credits for LEED. Certification nThis teleconference will help you understand how to gain credits for advanced green building practices, including both system technologies and design innovations, which may qualify under the Innovation and Design Process section. The IDP section and qualifications policy has been reworked under the 2009 revisions to the LEED® program. n nThe information in this teleconference is important to  more...

The Streamlined Sales Tax Project - How and Why It Affects Your Business nThe Streamlined Sales Tax Project is an effort by state representatives to implement a national uniform, simplified system of sales and use tax compliance. After more than five years of their efforts, the Simplified Sales and Use Tax Agreement came into effect on October 1, 2005. The SSTP now includes 19 full member states and three associate member states. Although initially taking effect as a  more...

How to Get Your Prospect to Move From "I ll Think It Over" to Yes! nDoes it drive you crazy when you hear the following responses from customers: "I'll think it over" or "Get back with me" or "Let me get back with you on this?" n nOften these phrases can be the kiss of death to your deal or project. Let's face the truth - when you hear someone give those replies, most of the time they're not moving in a positive direction. This teleconference will tell you  more...

What You Need to Know About Section 404 Permits nAny proposed project involving wetlands or other waters of the United States is likely to require some type of permit issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. As the federal agency responsible for regulating impacts to wetlands, the Corps' regulations and the permit process can represent a significant part of a project's development. The identification of wetlands or other waters on a project  more...

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

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...

Compliance With the PCI/CISP Credit Card Security Standards nThe Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard is now in its third year of existence and iteration. Derived from the original VISA Cardholder Information Security Program and MasterCard Site Data Protection program, PCI-DSS's now 245 distinct requirements have troubled merchants and financial institutions alike for years. This teleconference will help you understand how PCI-DSS applies to your  more...

Preparing a Winning Closing Argument n"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, we will now hear closing arguments." Even the most experienced trial lawyer may inwardly quake when the judge utters these fateful words. But what makes for an effective closing? Do closings even matter? When should you object? Should you really start preparing your closing the day you get a new case? These are questions that are not addressed in law school, and  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...

Sustainable Development and Land Use: The Future is Here and it is Green nBuilding green was for years entirely voluntary. The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED® program and other high performance building rating systems are not legislated by any governmental entity and they are not designed to be mandatory. But thanks to an explosion of state legislation and local ordinances across the country, green building methods and requirements have now been given the force of  more...

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

Multiplaintiff Settlement Negotiations nMultiplaintiff, class and collective actions continue to increase. More and more employers are facing wage and hour cases and collective actions under the FLSA. Plaintiffs' counsel increasingly are relying on the benefits of Rule 23 certification to bring their wage and hour claims under applicable state wage and hour laws, bypassing the more restrictive FLSA collective action "opt-in" process.  more...

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

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

Defining Electronic Data Terminology and Concepts nElectronic discovery has fundamentally altered both the corporate and legal worlds. The discovery and production of electronic records is now expected by litigants and courts alike. Attend this session and learn how to determine what is "electronically stored information" and proven methods for litigation readiness in the e-discovery era.  more...

A Tax Primer on Real Estate Investment Trusts nMore than $375 billion are invested in approximately 180 publicly traded real estate investment trusts (or REITs). In addition, billions more are invested in privately held REITs. This teleconference will provide an introductory summary of the tax requirements REITs face in their formation and ongoing operations. You will develop a basic understanding of REITs through this program. The  more...

Construction Project Closeout: Is Your Customer Satisfied? nMake sure your customer is satisfied at project completion - register for this thorough teleconference today. You'll learn the proactive strategies you need to make sure project closeout goes smoothly and you're not spending the final days dealing with claims and complaints. n nOur expert will give you tips on establishing a bulletproof closeout checklist, handling move coordination and dealing  more...