S Even Telephone Seminars

Best Practices in Networking and Referral Generation BenefitsReal estate is a relationship business. Without developing techniques to foster long-term business relationships, you cannot succeed in the new age of global competition. Studies conclude that effective networking both face-to-face or via the Internet is not easy even for the seasoned professional. This live audio conference will help you learn the strategies to guide you through the  more...

Best Practices in Networking and Referral Generation BenefitsReal estate is a relationship business. Without developing techniques to foster long-term business relationships, you cannot succeed in the new age of global competition. Studies conclude that effective networking both face-to-face or via the Internet is not easy even for the seasoned professional. This live audio conference will help you learn the strategies to guide you through the  more...

HIPAA Security Compliance Challenges after the HITECH Act BenefitsEveryone who handles any electronic patient information should attend this live audio conference on compliance with the HIPAA security regulation. All entities covered under HIPAA must take special care of electronic patient health information, including establishing policies and taking regular actions as part of a security management process. Under new regulations due to the HITECH Act  more...

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

Unrelated Business Income Tax BenefitsThe 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  more...

Ethical Considerations in Utilizing Social Media BenefitsSocial media, from law firm websites to online networking, has become both a preferred means of communication and an important marketing tool for lawyers and firms. But ethical traps abound for lawyers who use these tools to communicate with clients, potential clients, and even friends and family. State bar discipline, compromised cases and malpractice exposure, even job loss, has resulted  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...

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Records: What Can You Release? BenefitsDo you know that medical record custodians may be violating a patient's privacy protections without even knowing it in responding to requests for a patient's health information that contain substance abuse and mental health information? Do you know that you may need to withhold mental health and substance abuse records, even in responding to a records subpoena? Learn more about these  more...

Fair Labor Standards Act: Coverage and Compliance Issues BenefitsA major challenge is ensuring compliance with wage and hour laws. Those laws are extensive and complex, and claims against employers in virtually every industry are on the rise. In particular, employers often misunderstand the exemptions to overtime requirements and fail to properly classify their employees, resulting in potential back pay claims. Even where employees have been properly  more...

Best Practices to Modify Electronic Health Records While Maintaining Record Integrity BenefitsMoving to an electronic health record system can make it possible to work more efficiently and effectively by automating certain tasks and making information easier to locate. But sometimes, even electronic records must be modified by adding, amending, correcting or deleting information. In some ways, paper records were easier to deal with, as incorrectly filed documents could simply be  more...

How to Sell to the U.S. Government BenefitsMany business people want to sell their services and products to the federal government but find the process confusing and filled with dead ends and frustration. Competitors are winning contracts but it can seem impossible to get through to decision makers, or valuable time and resources are wasted responding to bids that fail. This live audio conference demystifies the federal contracting  more...

Advanced Applicant Tracking Strategies For Government Contractors: Effective Tools To Avoid Claims of Discrimination BenefitsFederal contractors and subcontractors are required to track applicant data for their affirmative action plans. However, even companies who properly track applicant data treat the process as a purely recordkeeping exercise. Failure to maintain proper and robust information regarding applicant disposition is the most common error employers can make which results in Office of Federal  more...

Contractor Guidance on Avoiding OSHA and Other Legal Problems BenefitsConstruction employment is at a record low and yet construction employers make up over 60% of the employers cited by OSHA and account for an even higher percentage of the unlucky employers placed on the OSHA Severe Violators Enforcement Program List. Even those contractors with national recognized safety management programs find themselves exposed to costly 'repeat' citations and unusual  more...

Smartphone Policies For The Health Care Industry BenefitsThe proliferation of smartphones in the workplace have created legal compliance issues for many employers, ranging from how to monitor and control usage during working hours, to how to protect company information being disseminated by such devices. Many of these issues are even more acute in the health care industry because of the 24/7 nature of the facilities, and the regulations  more...

Construction Payment Bond Fundamentals BenefitsIn a tight economy, more situations arise where someone in the line of project contracts, from the prime contractor down to a second- or lower-tier subcontractor, fails to pay its bills - or even goes out of business. Those who are unpaid must seek alternative means to ensure payment. And those who are higher on the project chain must take steps to assure the flow of funds all the way  more...

Reading and Understanding Soil Reports BenefitsJust because you have hired a consultant to provide a soils report does not necessarily mean it will be put to good use. Many of the terms and even the recommendations given in soils reports could use some explanation. This live audio conference will help you understand what type of soils report you may need, the technical terms found within the soils report, what is really the important  more...

But It's Only Our Opinion:The Legal Opinion In Commercial Transactions BenefitsA client is about to borrow $10,000,000 for acquisition of a new project and a copy of the bank's loan commitment and its 'standard form' of borrower's counsel legal opinion letter have just been received. Even for those who have dealt with such third-party legal opinions in the past, it's important to make sure everyone understands the applicable standards and the diligence expectations  more...

Effective Use of the Internet in Criminal Investigations BenefitsToday's increasingly-connected society relies more and more upon the Internet. As these connections grow, criminals are conducting a larger number of activities online. They use the Internet to communicate, store data, and even perpetrate a new class of digital crime. This live audio conference will cover several recent case studies along with the methods used to track the offenders, cover  more...

Effective Quality Control and Quality Assurance BenefitsDelivering quality in building design and construction faces two major challenges. The first is that buildings are becoming ever more complex and less resilient against normal use. HVAC, Controls, and Lighting systems in even simple buildings can be quite challenging and innovative. Building enclosure technology is rapidly changing with new ideas such as rainscreen walls and air barriers.  more...

Use of Terms and Conditions in Purchase Agreements BenefitsThis live audio conference will discuss various provisions commonly found in the terms and conditions of agreements for the purchase and sale of goods. How many times do you get boilerplate agreements without truly reading the small print? When is small print even acceptable? What do these terms and conditions mean? How do I go about negotiating the terms? Do they really matter? This audio  more...

Energy Efficiency Tax Incentives for Residential Builders and Commercial Building Owners BenefitsThere are a number of energy incentives available for builders and owners of residential and commercial real estate. These federal tax incentives are available for projects ranging from relatively simple building upgrades to the implementation of new electrical systems. The types of tax incentives available to taxpayers include tax deductions, tax credits, and payments of cash grants in  more...

Legal Implications of Doing Business on the Internet BenefitsThe Internet is the modern day Wild Wild West. Digital pirates, copyright trolls, cybersquatters, website hijackers, hackers, and scammers are only a few of the nasty breed of outlaws that prowl the Internet. Online threats from unscrupulous competitors, Internet activists, and disenchanted employees may be even more damaging to a business. Legal claims such as false advertising, unfair  more...

Screening Unemployed Job Applicants: Pros and Cons to Consider Benefits(Problem) Many employers struggle to balance their need for information about potential applicants, given the high costs of even a single 'bad hire,' with understanding their legal obligations and the risks of using certain available tools to screen job applicants. Unemployed applicants pose unique issues and are more likely to bring a failure to hire discrimination claim. (Solution) This  more...

Shop Drawings and Other Construction Submittals: Legal and Architectural Perspectives BenefitsThere is perhaps no aspect of construction which is more misunderstood and more fraught with the potential for confusion, than the shop drawing submittal process. When the process breaks down, the result can be deficient work, economic loss and even disastrous collapse. This live audio conference will help you understand your responsibility and risks in the shop drawings submittal process,  more...

Giving and Receiving Employment References: Successfully Negotiating the Maze BenefitsMany employers still do not put the necessary amount of thought into requests for references - whether they are on the requesting or responding end. Responding to such requests can be fraught with potential pitfalls and could expose an employer to legal liability from both ends (i.e., from the current/former employee and from the requesting entity). On the other hand, given these issues,  more...

Commercial Tenant Notifications: Priorities and Pitfalls BenefitsTenant notifications are a necessary aspect of all commercial leases and are being increasingly scrutinized by courts and legislative assemblies across the country. Indeed, a failure to correctly notify a tenant can jeopardize the landlord's right to collect amounts due and owing under the lease, prolong the right to evict a defaulting tenant and even expose an innocent landlord to civil  more...

Sales and Use Tax Determination Headaches BenefitsSales and use tax professionals are faced with the legal and practical challenges of learning as many as 50 different state sales and use tax laws and regulations. No one could possibly learn all of the different state requirements and yet our jobs demand it! The purpose of this audio conference is to reveal the secrets to working in a multistate environment. You will learn about the four  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...

Microsoft Project Best Practices: What's New on the Desktop BenefitsOver the past two decades, Microsoft Project has evolved into the industry leading desktop project management tool. With each new release, Microsoft Project provides new and enhanced features designed to assist with managing construction projects and in a manner that allows more time for managing projects and less time working Microsoft Project. Over the past few years, the Microsoft  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 audio conference and gain critical information on  more...

Construction Substitutions: Current Issues and Complexities BenefitsSubstitution requests on construction projects have been around since the first contractor had to competitively bid for the work. In today's market, winning a contract for the provision of construction products has become even more competitive. This audio conference will help you understand the steps in the process and what the important considerations are in reviewing a substitution  more...

Positive Strategies For Dealing With Problem Performers ...s even though you've tried progressive discipline? Is your company still using punishment as a means to discipline employees? Are you wondering why your disciplinary strategies don't seem to work? If you have these questions, attend this audio conference and learn about more positive strategies and approaches in dealing with problem performers. We will examine the power of commitment through  more...

Avoiding Legal Pitfalls on Construction Projects: The Three Ds (Dollars, Delay and Defects) BenefitsConstruction projects are notoriously fecund areas for legal disputes, most of which can be categorized according to the Three Ds: dollars, delay and defects. Is it inevitable that all construction projects will at some point be labeled troubled, or is it possible to avoid the chronic and recurring bugbears? This audio conference will help you anticipate and maybe even avoid the classic  more...

EPA Requirements for Underground Storage Tanks: Recent Changes and Cleaning Up Contamination ...ly remediate a property of contamination. Making such tasks even more difficult is the ever-changing body of law regarding underground storage tanks. Whether you possess property contaminated by USTs or you are interested in purchasing such properties, this audio conference will help you recognize the risks, understand the requirements, create the best possible remediation plan, and select the  more...

Current Hot Topics in Lease Escalations: Avoid Theft by Additional Rentals BenefitsThe two costliest line item component issues in a killer commercial lease are fixed rentals and additional rentals. By far, the most expensive and least understood and budgeted for are the hidden costs of additional rentals. The killer lease forms in aggressive money market center cities can take the traditional incremental increases in operating expenses, real estate taxes and utility  more...

Illinois Leave Laws: Navigating a Minefield BenefitsAlthough the economy may have been stagnate, the legislature has not. Over the past couple of years, Illinois has passed or expanded numerous leave laws presenting even more obligations for employers. The interaction of these laws can be complex and difficult to institute. This teleconference will assist you in understanding their obligations in implementation and compliance. Leaves  more...

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

Reengineering Revenue in Today's Market BenefitsThe days of simplicity in bank income have long past. Recently, staying on top of noninterest income has become even more complex with the migration to electronic transactions, changes to Reg E and current economic conditions. As bankers adjust to these changes, they have to be more creative with how to oversee NII. This teleconference helps you understand the exact impact the current  more...

State of the Estate Tax: Where We Stand Today and What Practitioners Can Do BenefitsThis teleconference will present a practical, action-oriented analysis of the estate and GST tax in 2010 focusing on the repeal of the estate tax and subsequent developments. The focus will be on how the client advisor team, consisting of the estate planning attorney, insurance consultant, accountant and wealth manager, can take practical and coordinated steps to best serve their clients  more...

Are Email Negotiation Blunders Costing You Money? How to Negotiate and Influence With Email BenefitsIn our age of ever expanding communication possibilities, what is the best way to negotiate? Should it be face to face, over the phone or via the Internet? The answer? It depends. Are you using the right tool at the right time? Do you negotiate and persuade for a living (and everyone does) or realize how much your success, business and income depend on your ability to persuade, motivate  more...

Handling Paid Leave Requests in New Jersey BenefitsIn January 2009, New Jersey became one of only a handful of states mandating that certain kinds of family leave be paid leave. Paid leave brings with it new employer compliance questions. For example, what must an employer do when an employee makes a paid leave request? Who pays for such paid leave? What laws are implicated by such a request and who decides whether an employee is eligible  more...

Utilizing Data in Microsoft Access BenefitsOriginally released in 1992, Microsoft Access is part of the Microsoft Office Suite. Microsoft Access is the most popular Windows desktop database used by most organizations around the world, from small to large businesses, government agencies, nonprofits, etc. Microsoft Access fits a unique space between the skills of the information worker and professional developers. It's a database  more...

Collection Disputes: A Good Defense Is the Best Offense BenefitsTiming is often everything when attempting to collect debts and delinquent accounts. A collection dispute can cause prejudicial delays that may severely impair your ability to collect a debt, or worse, may result in the debtor filing a lawsuit against your firm or agency. Collection disputes may take the form of a dispute about the debt itself, whether the debt is owed by the person upon  more...

International Employment Assignments: Understanding the Compliance Risks BenefitsWhether a company is sending employees to the U.S. to work in its U.S. branches, subsidiaries or affiliates, or sending U.S. citizen employees abroad to work in foreign entities, the risks of failing to comply with U.S. and foreign employment and immigration laws are enormous. Attorneys who counsel these companies and human resource executives who implement company policy must be aware of  more...

Perpetual Pavement Design and Sustainability BenefitsEnvironmental sustainability in road construction is becoming increasingly important as the public demands more sustainable practices and economic considerations make sustainable solutions more attractive. Asphalt pavements are widely recognized as being sustainable because they can be recycled easily and effectively, but an even more sustainable practice is to ensure the long life of a  more...

Land Banking, Off-Balance-Sheet Financing and Joint Ventures in Residential Development BenefitsLand banking, off-balance-sheet financing and joint ventures have become an even more important means for the home-building industry to mitigate the risk of land ownership, control capital requirements, and avoid the negative impact of carrying acquisition assets and liabilities on balance sheets. This teleconference is intended to provide those involved with the residential real estate  more...

Avoiding Exposure Under The Illinois Wage Payment And Collection Act BenefitsAre you paying your employees correctly? Maintaining proper pay practices has always been challenging due to the highly technical and often changing regulations in this area. Unfortunately, as the number of wage and hour lawsuits continues to spiral out of control, keeping abreast of the current rules and legal developments regarding pay practices has now become a matter of basic survival.  more...

Development Challenges for Small Commercial Sites BenefitsDevelopment constraints are present in all building construction projects, with small site commercial development presenting unique challenges in regards to matching the existing character of the area, conformity with local zoning, land use and environmental regulations, and if all approvals and permitting are ultimately obtained, construction-related challenges and end-user occupancy  more...

Common Clauses and Pitfalls of Homeowners Insurance BenefitsHomeowners' insurance is routinely purchased but rarely examined by the homeowner at that time. Buyers simply assume that in exchange for their monthly premiums they are guaranteed the insurer's protection. But when calamity strikes, these homeowners may be surprised to learn that their policies contain provisions that work to reduce or even eliminate that protection. We will offer our  more...

Protecting Assets for Long-Term Care Medi-Cal Benefits BenefitsFamilies with relatively substantial assets can often access California's Medi-Cal program to pay for long-term care. Attentive planning is required, however, to avoid the minefields of government rules and potentially disastrous consequences. Each family's needs beyond Medi-Cal and other government benefits must also be considered. Further complexity has been added to the planning process  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...

Efficiency Estimations and Payback Periods for New Equipment BenefitsEnergy savings is possible for nearly every electric motor application but there are obstacles to buying and installing a higher efficiency motor. Practical considerations of the real world such as initial purchase, accounting system roadblocks, and installation and operating cost, must be part of the decision process. This teleconference will explain basic principles of electric motor  more...

An Introduction to L3Cs: Low-Profit Limited Liability Companies BenefitsThe current state of the economy has left many charities and businesses, all with great intentions, struggling for financial support. These organizations need to re-evaluate their business models to successfully adapt in this economic climate. This teleconference will provide advisors and business owners with a broad overview of a new hybrid for-profit/nonprofit business model: the  more...

Strategies and Techniques for International Debt Recovery BenefitsGlobalization has taken business and industry to new levels of competition. To stay in the game, successful organizations need to adjust to the demands of an international market. Most foreign buyers expect to receive credit terms. However, once popular tools, like the letter of credit, are becoming too expensive and complicated for the quick pace of today's international business  more...

Working With Challenging Parents: Strategies and Techniques BenefitsProfessionals are often confronted with parents who seem to resist our best efforts to help their children. When tensions between you and a parent escalate and are not resolved, all parties lose out. Valuable time, resources and reputations can be snagged in a spiraling power struggle or in seemingly endless efforts to engage the demanding or avoidant parent. Staff can become demoralized,  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...

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...

Mortgage Fraud: An Epidemic BenefitsThe FBI recognized 2008 as the worst year ever for mortgage fraud. 2009 has seen the mortgage fraud epidemic spread even wider and deeper. This teleconference will focus on the most prevalent forms of mortgage fraud. Best practices for detection and prevention are outlined, with industry-specific recommendations for bankers, lawyers and mortgage professionals. We will conclude with a  more...

Advanced Microsoft Excel Formulas and Functions BenefitsEven if you are fairly comfortable with building formulas and functions in Excel , you might still be missing out by having overlooked some powerful functions or just not be aware of special capabilities, like array formulas. There's no question that Excel's 300+ functions give you tremendous capabilities to tackle a myriad of statistical, mathematical and financial challenges, not to  more...

How to Succeed at Selling to Difficult Customers BenefitsCustomers today are more demanding than ever. Some will bully you to get price concessions. Others will put off decisions until you cave in. A few will even embellish the truth. Many won't think twice to take their business elsewhere if you can't acquiesce to their demands. Learn how to pro-actively manage your most difficult customer relationships and turn them into thriving and  more...

Protect and Collect - The Effective Use of Engagement Letters BenefitsToday's economy finds companies in every industry, including professional service firms, looking at best practices to keep revenues steady and to decrease liability. The collection process has become more burdensome as cash flow tightens across the country. With more and more lawsuits arising against professional service providers and their firms, law firms, accounting firms and even  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...

Minimizing Credit Card Processing Fees BenefitsFor most retailers, payment processing costs represent more than 2 percent of sales. Effective management can reduce these costs by one-third or more and the savings can be even more dramatic for retailers selling through direct marketing channels such as e-commerce, mail and telephone orders, and infomercials where processing costs can run 50 percent higher. But direct cost savings aren't  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...

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...

Emerging Trends in Infrastructure Finance - The Stimulus and Beyond BenefitsOur nation's competitiveness has long relied on an efficient, effective and affordable infrastructure network. Over time, both private and public sector investors have played roles in developing our infrastructure. Unfortunately, as the era of government-led and government-financed infrastructure comes to an end because of diminishing resources, alternatives must be explored. Governments  more...

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

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...

Pitfalls of Participant Loans in Retirement Plans BenefitsParticipant loans in a qualified employee benefit plan are a common problem area due to their complex administration. Plan sponsors of qualified employee benefit plans need to be aware of many pitfalls to avoid tax consequences. Even worse than tax consequences is the possibility of the entire plan losing its preferred tax status. This teleconference will explain the regulations of  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...

FEMA's Critical Flood Plain Regulation BenefitsFEMA's National Flood Insurance Program plays a very important role in protecting communities and their residents and businesses from the disaster caused by flooding. It publicizes the areas of greatest flood risk, restricts construction with high flood risk, and provides insurance for the flood losses that are excluded from most homeowners and general business policies. These activities  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...

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...

From TV to Twitter: Working With the Media During a Crisis ...nicate during a crisis can be just as important - sometimes even more important - than how they manage the problem itself. Whether it's a natural disaster, accident, sensational crime or political controversy, the public and the media demand answers and information now, whether through traditional or new social media channels. Managing and surviving a crisis depends on your ability to respond  more...

Eichleay Damages and Delay Claims BenefitsThe latest issue in Eichleay debates is whether Eichleay damages are dead or just dying. Eichleay damages are only recoverable upon certain elements being met, but the elements continue to get stricter interpretation. Entitlement to Eichleay damages requires proof of three elements: 1) an owner imposed delay; 2) there is standby; and 3) while on standby the contractor cannot take on  more...

Developing a Community Nonemergency Response System ...efit analysis and calculating return on investment which is even more critical in these lean times. In addition, we will focus on how to develop a change management program to help ensure that changes enabled by a new call center are adhered to and results in a tangible ROI by more efficiently managing and balancing non-emergency calls, tracking citizen interactions at the enterprise and  more...

Ground Failures and Other Groundwater-Related Property Damage BenefitsOne ground failure can destroy your professional reputation or decimate your life savings. A ground failure doesn't have to make the national news to be a catastrophic loss to a property owner. Ground failure mechanisms come in many forms - landslides, sinkholes, soil expansion, bedrock heave, soil collapse, erosion - all of which typically include water as a major contributing factor.  more...

Legal Overview of Financial Records: Obtaining and Understanding the Information BenefitsMany offices today make use of paralegals or legal assistants not only in preparing documents but in reviewing them. Many attorneys rely on elementary representations of income such as the income stated on an income tax return for determining the available funds for child support and maintenance. In many cases, this may be sufficient, such as that of a W-2 wage earner. However, in those  more...

Planning to Avoid Estate Litigation BenefitsEvery estate plan, no matter how well-intentioned, can be challenged and in today's litigious society, those challenges are even more commonplace (and costly) than ever. This teleconference helps you recognize potential issues, learn techniques to diffuse future hotspots and protect yourself from common mistakes that leave plans susceptible to challenge. Through true-life examples, the  more...

Preliminary Project Description Fundamentals BenefitsAre you ready for the new PPD and UniFormat? In 2010, the Construction Specifications Institute will issue a new Preliminary Project Description Guide and a new consensus-based UniFormat. Organized according to UniFormat, Preliminary Project Descriptions are the most effective way to describe a project during the schematic design phase of a project. PPDs organized according to UniFormat  more...

Estate Planning for Non-Traditional Couples BenefitsThe arena of estate planning for non-traditional couples is a growing field laden with opportunities and land mines. Whether it be a gay or lesbian couple, or a heterosexual couple living together but simply choosing not to get married, the need to be proactive in their planning is essential. Two primary issues arise when it comes to planning for non-traditional couples: (1) Unlike  more...

Understanding and Troubleshooting Copyright Law BenefitsCopyright is one of the most complex, confusing and broadly applicable areas of law. Copyright protection vests in even the smallest amount of creativity, and with the proliferation of electronic media, your employees and clients have unprecedented access to these protected works. As a result, it is easier than ever for you, your clients or your company's employees to infringe the  more...

Stormwater Management for TMDLs BenefitsTotal Maximum Daily Loads are increasingly identifying stormwater as a significant or even major source of loading to impaired waters. Stormwater loading is difficult to identify and quantify even when regulated stormwater dischargers exist in the system. Often, TMDLs that include stormwater loading allocations give target reductions in loading, but give little guidance as to how to obtain  more...

Preparing for an Unemployment Compensation Hearing BenefitsBeyond just the cost of unemployment compensation claims, an unemployment compensation proceeding is often the first confrontation with a future litigant. How the defense of unemployment claims is handled can often have a significant impact on the success of future litigation, and even whether such litigation occurs. This teleconference is designed to give employers a better understanding  more...

Medical Professionals and Social Media: Privacy and Security Issues ...NKEDIN is a registered trademark of LinkedIn, Ltd. and this event is not sponsored by or affiliated with LinkedIn. FACEBOOK is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc. and this event is not sponsored by or affiliated with Facebook. Medical records directors, health information directors, coders, business managers, office managers, nurses, hospital administrators, billing managers, social  more...

Understanding the Bridging Project Delivery Method BenefitsMany project owners who have elected to employ the Bridging method or their owner's design consultant (sometimes referred to as the bridging architect, design architect or lead architect) fail to fully understand or follow the details of what really makes bridging work for the project owner. A common misunderstanding that almost always leads to less-than-good results is using traditional  more...

Creating a Powerful Capability Statement: Required Tool for Government Contracting Success BenefitsMany business people still use folders, flyers, brochures and line cards when trying to sell to government agencies and have found that all of these standard documents are ineffective because government agencies are now requiring a specific document called a Capability Statement. Some creative business people have used PowerPoint, CDs, mini-CDs, flash drives and DVDs to tell their story  more...

Work-Related Stress Claims: Overview, the Law and Strategies for Defense BenefitsPerhaps the most nebulous and ill-defined workplace injury involves the claim of mental disability as the result of stressful working conditions. Unlike the garden variety orthopedic injury and even pulmonary injury, there is no objective medical evidence that can unequivocally establish psychiatric disability, let alone its relationship to workplace stress. This teleconference will solely  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...

Managing External Health Information ...ent arrives for treatment or thereafter - and in some cases even after the patient has been discharged. It may also come in the form of information deliberately requested from outside parties but the receiving provider is unsure about whether to incorporate that information into its legal patient record. Customarily, many providers have felt compelled to accept such information but they have  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...

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...

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...

Smoking Discrimination in the Workplace: On and Off the Clock nDriven by reports that smokers file more health insurance claims and are absent more frequently than nonsmokers, a growing number of employers have implemented programs to minimize the number of smokers in its workforce. These employer programs range from offering quit smoking programs to refusing to hire smokers and even terminating smokers. Privacy advocates argue an employer's interest in the  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...

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...

IRS Form 1040 - Schedule D Update nUnited States taxpayers are experiencing many challenges in our current economic environment that will have major effects on their tax returns. The collapse of the housing market, home foreclosures and worthless securities has affected most taxpayers. Preparing the 1040 Schedule D is challenging for even the most efficient tax professional. By attending this teleconference, you will be reminded  more...

Getting to the Root of Root Cause Analysis nFailures are a fact of life. In every industry and occupation we are faced with failures. Failures of products, processes, systems and services abound. n nSome of us are tasked with fixing the processes that lead to failures. The customer wants "faster, better, cheaper" but we are delivering "slower, worse and costly." Failure can mean not meeting a customer requirement. It can relate to form,  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...

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...

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...

On-Site Power Generation: Challenges, Opportunities and New Developments nMission critical operations include electronic trading operations; semiconductor manufacturing (clean rooms); pharmaceutical plants; hazardous biological or chemical labs; military, defense and government facilities; certain security or public safety related projects, including 911 call centers, emergency or disaster response centers; airport air traffic control towers; and other critical  more...

Preparing a Winning Closing Argument ...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 even today lawyers seeking guidance are forced to rely on the conventional wisdom and time-worn adages passed down from generation to generation. n nNow we are  more...

Overcome Your Competition: Stand Out in a Crowded Marketplace nYear in and year out, sales professionals invest their time and their organizations' money along with leveraging high-priced resources in sales pursuits, but walk away with no fruit for their labor. This percentage varies from company to company, but on average the percentage of opportunities pursued and not closed is well over 50 percent! Extensive studies have proven this excessively high  more...

Liability Issues for Design Professionals ...ity. The effect on the design profession of these issues is even more complex now because of the release of the 2007 AIA documents. Register for this teleconference and get detailed information on AIA documents' effect on design professionals and the changes to those documents on the important issues affecting design professionals. Don't miss this critical opportunity for design professionals  more...

Grant Applications From Beginning to End nGrants are highly competitive. With the down turn in today's market they are becoming even more competitive as business and investors are looking at grants to leverage their position. Grants that are easy to find are the most competitive and most difficult to receive. Grant money is free money, in the sense that it does not have to be repaid like a loan. Getting grant funding takes skill,  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...

AIA and ConsensusDOCS Contract Documents: Comparison and Contrast nHardly a business day goes by in the construction industry when the parties involved in the construction contracting process encounter standard form contract documents. Two of the principal sources of such standard form construction contract documents have both recently issued the 2007 editions of their respective families of contract forms. The long established family of documents published by  more...

From Contact to Contract: The Ladder Approach to Managing a Sale nMost salespeople follow a chaos theory of managing a sale - whatever happens, happens. Consequently, after leaving an initial meeting with a prospect they wonder how, when and why they should reconnect with the prospect. Not only does this lead to lost opportunities, even with prospects who do become clients the process is difficult, fraught with worry and uncertainty, and wastes a great deal of  more...