T Need Telephone Seminars

Litigation Support for Paralegals BenefitsNot every firm, corporation or agency has an in-house litigation support team. Often paralegals and legal assistants are held responsible for the work flow related to litigation support. Paralegal education has been changing over the years to include litigation support practices; although faculty applies direct professional lessons to the coursework and graduates are prepared to enter  more...

Boilerplate Contract Terms: Yes, They Really Matter BenefitsThis live audio conference will address the parts of a contract that often go overlooked and underappreciated: the boilerplate terms, the provisions toward the end of the contract that are often left to the lawyers, that are not heavily negotiated, but that matter most when things go wrong. The program will also discuss damages and warranty provisions, choice of law and forum clauses,  more...

Payroll Recordkeeping: What You Need to Know BenefitsIn recent years there has been an explosion in the number of lawsuits and claims for overtime and unpaid wages under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Did you realize that liability for FLSA violations can be enormous? Recent reports estimate that over the last few years companies have collectively paid out more than $1 billion annually to resolve FLSA claims! Learn the role of the FLSA and  more...

What You Need to Know About Section 404 Permits BenefitsAny 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  more...

Paralegal's Guide to Administrative Law Research BenefitsAdministrative law research can be complex given the procedures for creating and publishing rules that have the effect of law. This is true for researching federal and state rules. Agencies also adjudicate disputes that arise under the implementation of their rules and issue written decisions which can affect the interpretation of those rules. The Internet is a source for some of this  more...

Best Practices for Motivating Students ... Strategies will be offered for students who say they don't need school because they'll go on welfare, marry a wealthy man, win the lottery, play pro sports, or have their family take care of them. This live audio conference includes an extensive workbook of reproducible student worksheets and posters that help build students' motivation and interest in school. A special focus will be offered  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...

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...

Prevailing Wage Law: An Understanding of Davis-Bacon BenefitsAlleged violations of wage and hour laws have become a major source for the new wave of employment class actions, which often result in hundreds of thousands of dollars, and in many cases millions of dollars, of recoverable damages and attorneys' fees awarded to the successful litigants and their attorneys - in addition to the substantial amount of legal fees and administrative costs  more...

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

Utilizing Formulas in Microsoft Excel 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 a 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...

Divorce Taxation: Practical Issues BenefitsMost divorce cases have significant tax ramifications to your client. This live audio conference provides the skills to identify them before they create a problem for you and your client at settlement. We will begin with the recent changes to the tax law and provide a key road map in navigating the numerous pitfalls that may appear in your case. Whether it is when your client may qualify  more...

Understanding the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Employee Family Leave Laws and Return-to-Work Issues BenefitsThe Pregnancy Discrimination Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of 'pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions.' But what does this mean? The Family Medical Leave Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act may provide protections for employees with certain medical conditions due to pregnancy or who have recently given birth. But how do you know who is covered and what  more...

Weight Loss At the Workplace: Legal Issues For Employers Seeking To Reduce Health Care Costs BenefitsLearn the issues used to identify and address when formulating and implementing a corporate wellness program that is aimed at weight loss reduction. The number of potentially applicable federal and state laws requires careful consideration of the potential issues raised with drafting and managing a corporate wellness program. The multiple relevant laws and regulations only heighten the  more...

Are You Prepared for the Financial Institution Record Match Program? BenefitsThe State of California enacted legislation (California Revenue Tax Code 19266) that will impact virtually every bank, credit union, thrift and brokerage firm doing business in California. This new program will place a new burden on financial institutions in order to help the state collect delinquent taxes. Financial institutions should start consideration of the FIRM Agreement and how  more...

Telecommuting: The Next Wave of Wage and Hour Litigation BenefitsTechnological developments have resulted in a substantial increase over the last several years in the number of employers offering telecommuting as an alternative work arrangement, and the number of employees who choose it. Although telecommuting arrangements can be beneficial to employers and employees, many employers have failed to adequately meet many of the legal compliance and  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...

Extensive Green Roof Design BenefitsThe market for green roofs in North America has grown dramatically in the last 10 years. Green roofs, while still only a tiny fraction of the overall roofing and landscaping market have become increasingly important in the green building marketplace. As with many young markets there are common misconceptions, and like many other green building techniques there is a lot of hype surrounding  more...

Understanding LEED for Sustainable Building BenefitsMystified by the new LEED certification process? Concerned about whether you need a new approach for your next LEED project? Confused about the requirements for maintaining your existing AP status? This live audio conference provides the answers! By attending you will understand how the project certification and professional accreditation requirements have changed with the release of  more...

Mastering the Science of Cross Examination BenefitsIt has been called 'The greatest legal engine ever invented for the discovery of truth.' Nothing grabs the attention of the judge and jury like cross examination. Done well, it can lead to victory. Done poorly, it can lead to ruin. Listen to this program as two experienced trial lawyers cover the most important points that you need to know to become a master of cross examination. Whether  more...

Problems and Risks Associated With Green Construction ...an present unique new challenges in risk and liability that need to be well understood in order to reduce potential for failure or under performance, and litigation that may result from unforeseen problems. The lack of proper preparation to address risk and liability in a building project may cause a developer to confront problems in the form of red-tape, job site interruptions and negative  more...

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

Making Friends: Social Understanding for Students with Autism and Asperger's BenefitsThis live audio conference describes the social challenges that children with Asperger's Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorder may encounter while in the classroom. As the speaker notes, 'Play is work for a child with ASD' and children with ASD typically do not become 'social butterflies.' Dr. Norall would like to give teachers the resources to help a child with Asperger's Syndrome or ASD  more...

IRS Guidelines for Good Governance for 501(c)(3) Organizations BenefitsGiven continued congressional scrutiny of whether tax-exemption is a worthy federal subsidy for any type of tax-exempt organization, proper governance and accountability to the local community are key factors that may distinguish the tax-exempt sector from the taxable sector. The Internal Revenue Service, the press and others have linked the need for good governance to the quest for  more...

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

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

Construction Management At-Risk Fundamentals BenefitsProject delivery systems continue to evolve as owners and contractors continue to look for better ways to manage the risks associated with the time and money it takes to get from project concept to project completion. The adversarial nature of the traditional design-bid-build approach has led many to look for ways to create more collaborative approaches. Construction management at-risk is  more...

Cold Calling Tips and Scripts ...nd sales people who never before had to make an appointment need to learn these skills NOW! You will learn how to get the proper person on the phone, explain the reason for the appointment, handle the objections, and close on the appointment date and time. We will cover selling tips as well as appointment tips. This live audio conference is designed for sales managers, directors, account  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...

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...

Financial Statement Preparation and Analysis for Nonprofits BenefitsThis live audio conference will provide you with an overview of nonprofit financial statements and both external and internal nonprofit financial reporting concepts. We will focus on the primary users of nonprofit financial statements and the key differences between nonprofit and for-profit financial statements and reporting. This program will explore the fundamental accounting concepts  more...

Drafting a Green Ordinance: Case Study BenefitsHigh energy costs and increased public support for sustainable initiatives are driving local governments to respond affirmatively with the adoption of green codes - local ordinances that mandate and incentivize more efficient forms of development. Unfortunately, there are few good models to follow and little operating experience to judge what works and what will not. There is an obvious  more...

All You Need to Know About the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act but Didn't Know to Ask BenefitsAs the economy falters and the credit crisis continues help keep your business out of a lawsuit by better understanding and learning more about the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, who is affected, what debts are covered, who enforces it and how you can collect more money while following the law. Failing to properly train collectors is a top reason companies get sued. Don't let this  more...

Self-Auditing Your Employee Benefits:A Guide to What May Need Fixing BenefitsStaying in compliance with the numerous complex requirements and the specific terms of your employee benefits plans is a monumental task. It is easy to have your time consumed by the day-to-day issues and questions that arise under your benefit plans and the typical annual processes and compliance requirements already in place. It is difficult to take the time to step back and ask what  more...

Construction Project Accounting BenefitsThe euphoria of being awarded a contract often overshadows the real work behind the scenes required to make the project successful. Join us for a 'tour of the bases' as we use a baseball analogy for construction project accounting. Learn to identify up-front issues and procedures needed to have a successful bid, assure yourself you are prepared once you get 'up to bat' by pinpointing the  more...

Changes to Cafeteria Plans: What You Need to Know to Prepare BenefitsThe IRS recently issued new rules which replaced portions of the old regulations. These new rules are exciting but require you to review and act on your old documents. The information provided in this live audio conference will assist you in decisions for the upcoming plan year and how to prepare for the changes. This live audio conference is designed for human resources and benefits  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...

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

Closing Budget Gaps With Asset Sales BenefitsThe lingering Great Recession and slow recovery have diminished the growth of state and local government revenues while expenses continue their increase causing structural budget gaps. A new source of revenue is the sale or conversion of government assets into revenues. These revenues may be one-time proceeds of asset sales, leases and franchise fees, redevelopment of existing buildings,  more...

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

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...

Ethical Settlement Negotiations BenefitsThis audio conference will outline the key ethical rules and parameters faced by lawyers during negotiations of litigated matters. This program will also emphasize the recent guidance from the American Bar Association 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  more...

How Can End-of-Life Planning Resources Benefit Your Workplace? BenefitsEnd-of-life issues can be a major distraction for employees. MetLife estimates that U.S. businesses lose between $17 billion and $33 billion per year in productivity of full-time workers with caregiving responsibilities. Employers need to place a priority on addressing end-of-life issues. These issues affect their employees who serve as caregivers to aging parents, children and other  more...

Behavioral Based Interviewing: The Next Evolution BenefitsBecause your organization can never be greater than the sum of its parts, your success is determined by one key decision: Who gets hired? Yet fewer than 30 percent of hiring managers nationwide have had any real training in applicant interviewing skills (a fact supported by a University of Chicago research study concluding that basing a hiring decision on an interview is only 8 percent  more...

SBA Loan Guarantees: Current Purchase Issues and Complexities BenefitsIn the current economy, many lenders are looking to the credit enhancement offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration's government guaranteed lending programs to keep capital flowing to America's small businesses. While the many benefits of the programs may be appealing to lenders an understanding of the guaranty purchase process and the pitfalls which lenders fall victim to,  more...

HR Time Lines: The Complex Integration of FMLA, WC, Disability and COBRA BenefitsHow do workers' compensation, FMLA, disability and COBRA laws work - together, independently or concurrently? What can run together? What cannot? When can we cancel the health plan, for what reason and is it a COBRA qualifying event? During this audio conference we will pull all of these together to explain the employer's liability. When can coverage be canceled? What laws protect  more...

Form 5500 Reporting Update BenefitsEmployers who offer an employee benefit plan must file an annual report regarding the plan's financial condition, investments and operations, unless specifically exempt by law. Filing the Form 5500 will satisfy this requirement. This audio conference will help you understand when you need to file a Form 5500 and what you need to file, and will focus on some recent changes that may impact  more...

Skip Tracing vs. Cyber Tracing BenefitsIt's true that anyone can do skip tracing ... but to do it properly, you need to know more than the raw mechanics. At this audio conference, you'll learn the practical techniques you can use to finally find who you're looking for. Learn how to profile your skip with old-school skip tracing and new age cybertracking. You'll get insider secrets from a renowned skip tracing expert. Become an  more...

LEED Documentation and Recordkeeping Requirements BenefitsAn important step in achieving LEED certification for a project is both an understanding of the need for and implementing a plan of recordkeeping and documentation that makes filling out the submittal templates easy to perform. This audio conference will help you understand not only what recordkeeping and documentation is required, but how to compile it and what is needed to be submitted  more...

Trust Situs and State Taxation: Practical Planning Implications BenefitsState tax departments are becoming more aggressive at collecting revenues and the trend is likely to continue in light of state fiscal issues. Trusts are no exceptions. The rules under which a state can tax a trust are complex and changing in more aggressive ways. How can a state tax a trust? What planning steps can be taken? What must you understand when preparing tax returns? Each rule  more...

Purchasing Contract Remedies BenefitsAccording to the old proverb, 'When things get tough, the tough get going.' A corollary might be, 'When things go wrong, call the lawyers.' At which point a headache could easily become a nightmare. Is there a better way? Of course there is. Litigation can, and should be, a last resort. After all, litigation takes time and our business clients typically need something NOW: the steel for  more...

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

Roadway Rights of Way: Understanding the Legal and Practical Issues BenefitsThis teleconference will provide comprehensive and useful information about rights of way, easements and issues related to their creation, use and liability. If you are a land surveyor responsible for determining property boundaries, an engineer involved in highway and roadway design, a governmental official affected by route location and selection, or an attorney involved in real estate  more...

Understanding Fiduciary Investment Duties for Trusts: Be Prudent and Diversify BenefitsIn the current volatile and uncertain economic climate, estate planning advisors and their clients need to re-examine conventional estate planning wisdom, better understand how fiduciary performance will be tested and evaluated, and how fiduciary risk can be managed by proper conduct. This audio conference is designed for attorneys, estate planners, accountants, trust administrators,  more...

New Features and Functions in Updating to Excel 2007 BenefitsAny Excel user who is making the transition into Excel 2007 needs to get up to speed and needs help in locating familiar features that have been redesigned or relocated. Version 2007 is the biggest change in Excel's history and without a road map to its new features, you will waste a lot of time and be inefficient - you need this teleconference! We will give you indispensable tips for  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...

Social Media and Law Enforcement: Applications and Liabilities BenefitsAs law enforcement agencies are begining to integrate social media tools into their environments, they're grappling with lack of understanding regarding what they can accomplish, getting started, how to implement the tools and how to write a policy governing it all. There are literally hundreds of social media platforms and younger generations are using them. Law enforcement commanders are  more...

Real Estate and Land Valuation in Depressed Markets BenefitsThis teleconference will guide professionals depending upon reliable estimates of market value to identify viable and reliable market data using methods available in the market but not commonly applied during active real estate markets. The teleconference will explain underlying valuation theory for these alternative applications using relevant information during the current real estate  more...

Public Disclosure and Transparency: The New Form 990 BenefitsExempt organizations are subject to a variety of restrictions under the Internal Revenue Code regarding their lobbying and advocacy efforts. The new and redesigned Form 990 is intended to capture the level of these activities by exempt organizations. With the increased focus and disclosure of the activities of exempt organizations, organizations need to understand the limitations on these  more...

Strategies to Utilize Web 2.0 BenefitsIn an era where Web 2.0 is revolutionizing the social dynamics of our society, the HR professional must respond to the changes this new technology is bringing to the workplace. This teleconference will present a practical framework for understanding Web 2.0 and provide insight into a number of best practices that explore a variety of strategies for leveraging the power of this technology  more...

IRS Form 8928: Health Plan Reporting and Excise Tax Update BenefitsEmployers who sponsor group health plans now have a duty to self-report certain regulatory plan failures and pay excise taxes where such failures are not corrected in a timely fashion once discovered, or are due to willful neglect. You need to know the Internal Revenue Code rules or risk expensive excise taxes for failure to comply with COBRA, HIPAA and other federal group health plan  more...

Drafting Clear and Enforceable Contracts ...one can understand. It will cover the critical details that need to be in every contract and the language that can be used to simply express these details to achieve the legal result desired by both parties. It also will provide you with an appreciation of how what is included (and what is omitted) in a commercial contract affects how the contract will be interpreted should a dispute arise.  more...

Navigating Form 1041 BenefitsWith more individuals using trusts in estate planning, knowing how to prepare an accurate Form 1041 is becoming more important than ever. Properly computing taxable income and correctly allocating taxable income between the entity and its beneficiaries can avoid not only challenges by the IRS but also disgruntled beneficiaries. This teleconference will help you understand the main rules on  more...

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

Illinois Accessibility Codes BenefitsIn order to address the needs of constituents with disabilities throughout the state, Illinois developed their own accessibility code. This is required to be enforced by all municipalities. While there are a number of applicable accessibility codes that may need to be addressed, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the International  more...

Long-Term Care Insurance in Estate Plans BenefitsClients spend a lifetime building financial security for their retirement, often with the desire to pass the assets on to their family or charity rather than loose it to the cost of long-term care. Whether at home, assisted living or nursing home care, the cost can be staggering. When is the purchase of long-term care insurance appropriate for a client? How can the client control the  more...

Assessing and Avoiding Lender Liability Claims: Don't Let Borrowers or Guarantors Turn the Tables BenefitsContinued economic uncertainty and unrest in the credit markets has resulted in a dramatic increase in loan defaults and corporate bankruptcy filings. These events have precipitated a resurgence of lender liability claims as borrowers, guarantors and bankruptcy trustees have become more aggressive in asserting such claims in an effort to increase their leverage in workout negotiations and  more...

Developing a Policy for Employee Use of Mobile Devices BenefitsThe paperless office is not yet here for most, but the vast amount of electronic information coursing through the average organization is bringing us closer and closer each day. Along with all the electronic information and use of mobile devices comes great opportunities, complex challenges and dangerous pitfalls. This teleconference will address employment issues as they pertain to  more...

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

Condition Assessments and Structural Evaluation of Existing Buildings BenefitsCondition assessment and structural evaluation of existing buildings is not a course that is taught in most engineering colleges. However, this is a task that many engineers are asked to do by their clients and not all of them have had the experience to take on this seemingly simple task but which has several pitfalls. The client's reasons for requesting this service could be due to  more...

Using and Challenging Statistical Evidence: An Essential Training for Litigators BenefitsThe use of statistics frequently plays a critical role in the litigation arena, from evaluating cases for your clients, to resolving disputes and possibly taking a matter to trial. Lawyers often shy away from using statisticians, quite frankly because understanding this world can seem overwhelming and confusing. In this 90-minute teleconference, you will have an opportunity to hear (in a  more...

Evaluating Your Third-Party Administrator: Are You Getting What You're Paying For? BenefitsUsing a third-party administrator is ubiquitous with health and welfare, and retirement plans. However, proper administration by TPAs should not be taken for granted. As with all facets of employee benefit plans, TPAs need to be monitored and evaluated to ensure proper plan administration and fulfillment of a plan sponsor's fiduciary responsibility. This teleconference explores the key  more...

Mortgage Foreclosures in Illinois BenefitsAn Illinois mortgage foreclosure is a complicated process that requires strict adherence to its statutory requirements. Failure to follow the correct procedure can add time and expense for lenders. For borrowers, understanding the nuts and bolts is critical to protecting their rights. Given the increased activity in the purchase of distressed assets, potential investors and buyers also  more...

Planning Fundamentals for Illiquid Assets BenefitsPlanning for illiquid assets presents unique and difficult problems for clients, estates and the assets/business involved. Practitioners advising clients with substantial liquid assets need to identify the unique problems and provide guidance and solutions to deal with them. This teleconference will review a broad range of issues and planning opportunities affecting illiquid assets,  more...

Forums for Resolving Construction Disputes BenefitsWhen the parties to a construction contract are unable to resolve a change order request, the decision to pursue the matter beyond the administrative remedies defined in the contract can turn out to be a worthwhile investment or throwing good money after bad. Often the difference is related to the forum that has been chosen to resolve the dispute. As a result, contractors and owners, and  more...

Utilizing RFID Technology in Inventory Management BenefitsMany companies have struggled for years with inventory management. Bar codes and wireless networks have helped, but they have not come close to solving the problem. Companies don't know precisely what or where inventory is, which leads to inefficiencies from the manufacturing floor to the retail store. This teleconference will explain how radio frequency identification technologies are  more...

Easement Valuations: Common Pitfalls and Principles BenefitsMany state and local governments are acquiring a variety of preservation easements for a broad variety of reasons and it is important that property owners understand the proper method of valuing these easements to insure they are receiving just compensation. Further, condemnors are increasingly recharacterizing temporary construction easements as noneasements to avoid paying compensation.  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...

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...

Current Issues Facing Real Estate Lenders: Managing Through the Tidal Wave of Distressed Properties BenefitsThis is a unique time in the cycle of real estate financing. The economy is at risk in a way not experienced since the Great Depression. Credit markets are frozen and financial institutions are under severe distress. Real estate assets are suffering from deflation in value and illiquidity. Tenant distress, soon followed by landlord challenges, will create further deep disruptions. It is  more...

Advanced Microsoft Excel Formulas and Functions ...as the time to explore all of them (and of course you don't need to know them all)? This teleconference gives you exposure to those 'hidden' functions and gives you new and powerful tools, such as array formulas, that will make your usage of Excel even more powerful and efficient. Also included are some of those valuable tips that you may have picked up in the previous teleconference,  more...

Air Rights in Development: Current Trends and Legal Concerns BenefitsA principal axiom of real estate law is cujus est solum ejus est usque ad coelum et ad inferos- 'to whomsoever the soil belongs, he owns also to the sky and to the depths.' Traditionally, soil, sky and depths were conveyed as a single parcel, and parcels were separated by vertical boundaries. Today, parcels that do not touch the soil, and have both horizontal and vertical boundaries, exist  more...

Best Practices in Technical Writing and User-Centered Documentation BenefitsThe bad news is that most technical writers don't have time to document everything; the good news is that most users don't have time to read everything. This teleconference puts these two facts together and shows how to focus on documenting only the things that real users need to know. You will learn how to make the most of the limited time you can devote to documentation while making that  more...

Meeting Your Fiduciary Responsibilities Under ERISA BenefitsMaintaining an employee benefit plan subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 requires that people managing the plan or investing plan assets become fiduciaries. You need to know when they might become an ERISA plan fiduciary. You must understand your legal obligations to plan participants and beneficiaries. This teleconference will provide you with an overview of the  more...

Statutory Research and Legislative History for Paralegals BenefitsWhenever a case or issue is covered by statutory authority, there may be questions as to what the language of the statute means and how it can be applied to a given situation. Attorneys often need to research the legislative history of the applicable statute to create a viable argument as to what was the intention of the legislative body that passed a particular law. Courts have different  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...

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...

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...

Easement Valuations: Common Pitfalls and Principles BenefitsMany state and local governments are acquiring a variety of preservation easements for a broad variety of reasons and it is important that property owners understand the proper method of valuing these easements to insure they are receiving just compensation. Further, condemnors are increasingly recharacterizing temporary construction easements as noneasements to avoid paying compensation.  more...

Pervious Concrete - The Pavement That Drinks! BenefitsPervious concrete is an innovative building material with many environmental, economic and structural advantages. The proper use of pervious concrete is a recognized best management practice by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for providing first-flush pollution control and storm water management. Property owners and developers can also reduce fees and enhance the bottom line by  more...

Discover the Secrets of Microsoft(R) Excel Pivot Tables BenefitsAny Excel user who maintains database-like data invariably needs tools to manage and analyze the data beyond mere sorting and filtering. Excel 's pivot table feature gives you a quick and powerful way to create summary cross-totals combined with an enormous flexibility to restructure your results with simple dragging of fields. Whether you need the ability to create a quick look at the  more...

Electronic Record Retention: Mistakes HR Professionals Can Avoid BenefitsLearn the facts and get advice on cutting your dependence on paper records. According to the Association of Information and Image Management, more than half of organizations that attempt to implement paperless records management systems fail. Don't be one of them. This teleconference will help HR managers and anyone attempting to implement paperless records management to go paperless  more...

Talent Management: Best Practices to Retain Top Employees BenefitsDesigned for leaders, managers and front line leaders, this teleconference will build a solid understanding of what it takes to engage and retain talent, and demonstrate the pivotal role managers play in this process. See how some of the best organizations deliver engagement and retention results year after year. You will leave knowing what you need to do to equip managers to take action  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...

Green Leases: Sustainable Alternatives to Traditional Agreements BenefitsA steadily increasing number of tenants, along with state pension funds and other institutional partners of commercial landlords, and state and local legislators are combining forces to press commercial landlords into moving forward with green buildings and the greening of existing buildings. The LEED movement for green building leases started with encouraging energy efficiency and then  more...

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...

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

Stark Act Update: Recent Changes and Operational Challenges BenefitsThe Stark Act is a very technical law that prohibits several common financial arrangements between physicians and entities to which they refer, including hospitals. If a physician has a financial arrangement with an entity that bills for or performs 'designated health services,' the financial arrangement will need to meet all components of an applicable exception. If the Stark Act is  more...

Employee Expense Reimbursement Best Practices BenefitsMany employers spend significant sums on employee expense reimbursement and need to prepare and enforce robust policies to adequately support and monitor reimbursable expenses. In today's economy, establishment of best practices and ensuring compliance is crucial to minimize the cost and legal risk of inappropriate practices. This teleconference will explore the legal landscape governing  more...

Internet and Email: Monitoring Employee Conduct BenefitsTechnology has made privacy issues a hot bed of legal, moral and ethical debate. The development of new technology in recent years has created the ability to access seemingly limitless information resources and has changed irrevocably the way business is conducted. Companies literally have the world at their fingertips. The ever increasing developments in technology will only add to the  more...

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

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...

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

Product Development Metrics for Manufacturers: Measuring Your Productivity BenefitsR D and product development organizations are behind transaction processing and operations functions in their understanding of measurement and its place in the organization. Six Sigma and Lean initiatives have facilitated great improvements in corporations without significantly benefiting most marketing, R D and product development organizations. Inventive professionals resist measurement  more...

Fundamentals of Writing RFPs BenefitsVendors cannot possibly offer an intelligent, thoughtful proposal solution if your RFP is unclear, unorganized and disjointed. This engaging teleconference will provide proven methods for drafting RFPs that are clear, precise and produce desired results. Learn 10 writing tips that will guide you in creating an effective RFP. Learn how to format your RFP to lead vendors toward answering  more...

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

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

Promoting Wellness and Recovery of People With Mental Illness Through Strengths-Based, Person-Centered Practice BenefitsThis topic is important for all levels of the human service and community corrections fields. Policy-makers and funders must develop policies and procedures that support and promote evidence-based practice with this challenging group of service participants. Service organizations must become more outcome-focused in their helping efforts. Direct practitioners, therapists, case managers and  more...

Providing Investment Advice to Retirement Plan Participants Without Triggering Liability BenefitsThe current recession and volatile financial markets highlight the importance of financial literacy. Until recently, retirement plan sponsors have been constrained in the types of investment advice that can be provided to plan participants. Plan sponsors have long wanted to provide the investment advice their participants desire, but without incurring liability for advice given in good  more...

Form 709: Gift Tax Fundamentals BenefitsTransfer taxes are imposed on the gratuitous transfer of property. When property is transferred during lifetime, a gift tax may be imposed. While the most ignored tax, failure to properly comply with the gift tax laws during life may cause estate tax problems at death. During this teleconference, you will learn when a gift tax return should be filed, what type of gifts need to be reported,  more...

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

New Regulations for the Credit Card Industry: Prepare Now and Avoid Penalties BenefitsOn May 22, 2009, President Obama signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 to regulate several aspects of the credit card industry. This is one of the most sweeping changes to hit the industry for quite some time. This new legislation amends the Truth in Lending Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act, and places a  more...

Effective Sales Management: Short and Long-term Planning, Forecasting, and Expense Budgeting BenefitsThis teleconference helps the individuals responsible for planning and updating budgets, with a focus on maintaining effective sales activities. In an uncertain economy, performing long-term budget planning is often viewed as a luxury, rather than as an essential business practice. In every kind of economy, however, the need to anticipate financial boundaries is essential to ongoing  more...

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

From TV to Twitter: Working With the Media During a Crisis BenefitsIn today's media-intensive world, how leaders communicate 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  more...

Practical Transportation Design and Solutions: Concepts and Implementation BenefitsDue to the increasing age of our nation's transportation infrastructure, in conjunction with the increasing demand for travel, the need for ongoing road preservation, safety and mobility projects has continually increased. However, the long term availability of funds for such improvements continues to diminish. Typical planning and design approaches may prioritize projects at the planning  more...

Medical Identity Theft: Why You Must Prevent and How to Minimize Its Occurrence BenefitsMore and more patient information is being captured electronically, both within the provider setting and remotely from the patients themselves. Additionally, an increasing number of myriad touches of this data occur on a daily basis by various known and unknown entities, not all of whom are authorized or have a specific need to know. In this environment, ample opportunity exists for  more...

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

Transitioning Special Needs Students: It Doesn't Start at 21! BenefitsWhile most professionals working in special education want the best possible outcomes for their students it is often unclear what that might be for any given student, how to find out what the student will best succeed in, and how to best prepare them for the 'real world'. This teleconference is designed to provide professionals with the information they need to enhance their students'  more...

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

15- Minute Expert Adult Patient Assessments: Practical Strategies, Tips, and Updates for Health Care Professionals ...rom head to toe, identifies areas of concern and those that need immediate intervention, and will give you helpful tips for common special patient needs. Whether you are a new or seasoned health care professional, this 90-minute teleconference is a practical and comprehensive refresher of how to perform a quick, yet effective physical examination for adults. Apply these practical strategies and  more...

Enterprise Resource Planning - Getting the Payback From Your ERP System BenefitsYou will get an overview of the planning hierarchy in world class businesses and how the planning process utilizes the ERP system. You will better understand the need for robust metrics and an accountability infrastructure, and will become more aware of the power the ERP discipline has in getting the most return for the effort invested. It will become apparent that there is a lot of  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...

Assignments for the Benefit of Creditors: What You Need to Know About ABC's BenefitsThis teleconference will give you an overview of the basics to general assignments for the benefit of creditors, a state law alternative for the liquidation of a distressed business that while long available under state laws, has had little use outside of states such as California, Illinois, Florida and Massachusetts. The fiduciary nature and responsibilities of the assignee will be  more...

Revitalizing Vacant Commercial Properties BenefitsWith the tremendous turmoil in the commercial real estate market, there will plenty of potential opportunities for owner-users and investors to purchase vacant properties at pennies on the dollar. The question is how? The ability to acquire these properties and bring them back to a viable place to do business or to investment status will require a plan and know how. This teleconference  more...

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

Managing Benefit Options for Part-Time Employees BenefitsAs the U.S. economy recovers and restructures, many employers find themselves employing more of their workforce on a part time basis. Additionally, in hard to recruit fields such as health care, or with entry level employers such as retailers, part-time employment is the norm and may account for more than 50% of the workforce. Employers struggle with how to design a program that will  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...

Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits Update BenefitsOn July 1, 2007, the rules governing letters of credit, the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, changed for the first time in over 12 years. The objective of this change is to clarify the rules, reduce discrepancies and disputes, and encourage renewed usage of letters of credit. Significant revisions include a change in the amount of time banks are allowed to examine  more...

Simplifying PPE Program Implementation BenefitsThe implementation of a PPE program can be a difficult and time-consuming process. Multiple OSHA standards have sections that have PPE requirements, causing confusion regarding which standards apply to a particular situation. New provisions regarding the payment for PPE have been published by OSHA and you need to have this knowledge to be compliant. This teleconference will provide the  more...

Can Medical Tourism Lower Your Healthcare Costs? BenefitsThis teleconference will address a myriad of legal issues associated with persons traveling abroad for their medical care. Medical travel, or medical tourism, has become a major focus of interest as a potential means for helping to mitigate the high cost of health care in the United States. It is no longer really about tourism but substantially more about the nature of medical care that  more...

Board Governance BenefitsWith increased scrutiny from legislators, the press and the public, it is imperative that tax-exempt organizations meet the best practices and requirements in terms of their organization and operation. Those involved with governing, guiding and counseling tax-exempt organizations need to be fully informed of the complex rules and operating requirements pertaining to them. This  more...

Understanding the Development Approval Process ...program that will lead you through the essential steps that need to be taken in preparing for and completing the approval process for the development of land with county and municipal authorities, permitting authorities, surrounding property owners and other interest groups. The teleconference will explain the pre application analysis and preparation which is necessary for the process, and the  more...

Best Practices in Budget Development and Analysis BenefitsIn difficult fiscal times many budget officers and municipal managers begin the process by a rather simple approach: 'Revenues are down 10%, we need to cut the budget by 10%'. Then they wait for the battles to begin, internally with department heads, externally with council members and other public stakeholders. This teleconference will provide budget preparers with a comprehensive  more...

A Primer on Land Surveys BenefitsThe land survey is a critical part of real estate practice. All parties involved need to be knowledgeable of the survey process so a proper survey can be assured instead of assumed. With this knowledge, a thoroughly researched, accurate and clear representation of the property can be achieved. Minor discrepancies can be resolved without the devastating effects that oftentimes result.  more...

Google Wave(TM): Effective Uses and Applications for Businesses BenefitsGoogle Wave : Is it a social platform? A replacement for email? Is it the new app businesses need to survive in the next decade? Google Wave is none of these, all of these and just about anything you want it to be. Wave is a platform for development. This 90 minute teleconference will show you how everything from corporations to collegiate blogs are using Google Wave to save time, save  more...

Doing Business in Mexico: What You Need to Know BenefitsThis teleconference will focus on legal issues commonly encountered by American companies doing business in Mexico. We will highlight key differences in conducting business in the U.S. and Mexico, both from a business and legal point of view. Typical issues will be analyzed from an American legal perspective, the Mexican legal viewpoint will be outlined and we will give potential solutions  more...

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Procedures: What You Need to Know BenefitsBankruptcies are a fact of life and with the new bankruptcy amendments, Chapter 13s are taking a bigger slice of the consumer bankruptcy pie. This teleconference will discuss the Chapter 13 process and how it differs from Chapter 7 bankruptcies. It details the structure of the typical Chapter 13 case and presents pointers on maximizing the recovery of you and your client. This  more...

Best Practices to Manage Your Multistate Payroll BenefitsPayroll personnel are continually faced with legal and practical challenges associated with employee benefits, overtime, nonexempt employee requirements, employee bonus payments, confusing payroll forms, etc. Not only do you have to know your own state laws but often times neighboring state laws if you have employees across state lines. The taxability of employee benefits is confusing and  more...

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

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

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...

Increasing the Effectiveness and Efficiency of Manufacturing Logistics nIn manufacturing logistics, the first priority is providing the right support to make production flow smoothly and put out the goods the company sells. This is effectiveness. The second priority is to provide this support without wasting human, technical or financial resources. This is efficiency. What most companies do in logistics is pursue efficiency at the expense of effectiveness, curtailing  more...

Construction Contract Accounting: A Three-Dimensional Look at the Numbers nFinancial reports do more than help you comply with the terms of the contract. Financial reporting can help you become more profitable by giving you the information you need to make smart management decisions. This teleconference will discuss three types of accounting - financial, tax and internal/management. Learn how to combine the different methods to get a three-dimensional view of your  more...

Utilizing Settlement and Severance Packages Properly nFor HR professionals and CFOs, this teleconference is a must. As companies face ongoing reductions in force, mass layoffs and performance-based terminations, this teleconference will tell you what you need to do in planning terminations both as reductions in force and other terminations. You will learn how to decide the appropriate severance and what should be contained in the severance agreement  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...

FDIC's Role When a Financial Institution Fails: What Businesses and Bankers Need to Know nThe FDIC is modernizing its current business processes and procedures for determining deposit insurance coverage in the event of a failure of one of the largest insured depository institutions. This teleconference will provide you with information on the complex rules governing FDIC insurance coverage and how to maximize FDIC coverage. The coverage rules, the new rules recently passed and  more...

Convergence of Estate Planning, Trust Administration and Financial Advice nIn the current volatile and uncertain economic climate, estate planning advisors and their clients need to re-examine conventional estate planning wisdom, better understand how fiduciary performance will be tested and evaluated, and more carefully assess the perceived benefits and actual risks of a variety of investment types within planning structures.  more...

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

Writing Construction Specifications: Formats and Practices nAfter a facility's design is complete and construction products have been selected, construction specifications must be prepared that are clear, correct, complete and concise. Specifications also need to conform to recognized standards for formats in order to be expediently produced and used. This teleconference is an overview of current construction specification formats and writing practices,  more...

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

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

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

Payment Fraud nAs a business owner, how do you know your customers are who they say they are? How do you know if the payments they are making to you, using credit cards or ACH, are good? Fraud is on the rise, with a tough economy and the abundance of malware in the market today, it is only a matter of time before your company becomes a target. As a business owner you need to understand the signs to look for  more...

Supply Chain Strategies in a Down Economy nOrganizations of all sizes and across all industries are struggling to meet earning targets in this down economy. Hardly a day goes by when you don't read about layoffs or other drastic measures that companies are taking to cope during the current economic downturn. What can companies do to help weather the storm? Taking an aggressive look at supplier costs can be a key strategy for shoring up  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...

Paycheck Calculation Basics nThis is an excellent teleconference for those new at withholding payroll taxes or for those who need a refresher course. You will learn tips on how and why to determine if the worker is exempt or nonexempt. We will cover the calculation of and the maximum deductions for Social Security and Medicare taxes in 2009. n nThere are multiple methods of calculating federal withholding, which one should  more...

Designing Effective Interest Rate Risk Management in Turbulent Times nThe current market has created challenges in managing risks while making a profit. Our tools for risk measurement were in place to help us take action to avoid as much of the impact as possible; yet a review of bank interest margins in the wake of massive rate reductions shows that bankers have a ways to go when using the interest rate risk information to make decisions. n nDuring this  more...

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

Begin With the Brain: Three Things Educators Need to Know! nThis engaging teleconference will provide valuable information about three key elements of brain-compatible teaching and learning. Recent research about how student's brains grow, develop and respond to the environment should influence our classroom practices. Understanding some brain basics can give you guidelines to help you design truly brain-compatible classrooms and school environments. When  more...

On-Site Power Generation: Challenges, Opportunities and New Developments ... n nMission critical actually refers to any enterprise that needs total continuity of operations regardless of any disruptions due to loss of grid power, severe weather, equipment failure or even routine matters such as equipment maintenance and upgrades. This teleconference will help you to ensure appropriate power reliability through an understanding of proper design and safe operations of  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...

Restructuring: Changing Your Choice of Business Entity nEach business goes through various stages of its life cycle as it grows. The plans of its owners change, and management succession and exit strategies become more immediate concerns. As a result, initial tax and state law decisions need to be revisited, and when warranted, consideration of changes to a company's tax and legal structure may be advisable or necessary. This teleconference will  more...

Pitfalls with Lean Implementation nAre you (or about to be) in the 90% lean failure group? In implementing lean, the cards are stacked against your success. The sad truth is this: eight or nine organizations of 10 who embark on implementing an improvement initiative like lean, Six Sigma or Lean Six Sigma FAIL to get the benefits they should. This wastes time and money, and disenfranchises the workforce. In extreme cases, it can  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...

Toxic Properties: Mold, Meth Labs and Beyond nAre you 100% sure that property is safe? Don't guess - know the history of the property and the risks that history presents to potential buyers. Sign up for this teleconference and you'll get the up-to-date information you need to recognize the most pressing toxic property concerns in the country. n nYou'll hear from expert speakers about mold, meth labs, asbestos and - most importantly -  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...

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

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...

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

Curbing Unauthorized Overtime Benefits Year after year, one of the most challenging tasks employers face is keeping track of the hours their nonexempt employees work and correctly paying any required overtime premium. When unauthorized overtime occurs, labor costs skyrocket, and businesses face a budgeting nightmare. And when employees perform compensable work off the clock, the potential overtime liability for an employer  more...