Continuing Legal Education

 Your client receives notice that his or her house, car, boat or money is going to be taken by the Commonwealth. What can you do? In this course, you’ll get a practical overview of the entire process from initial seizure of property through motions, civil proceedings and through trial and appeals.

 Spoliation is the act of destroying or suppressing evidence and it can arise in almost any legal arena. As the obligation to preserve evidence continues to evolve, this brand-new, introductory seminar will explain the problems that can arise when evidence is destroyed. Focusing on the basics, you will discover how the duty to preserve can give rise to a claim against a non-party, the scope of the duty to preserve, the remedies available for spoliation and what the courts are saying in this far-reaching area.

 Is an employer in Pennsylvania really permitted to fire an employee at any time for any reason, good or bad, or even for no reason at all? Of course, it`s not that simple. Exceptions to Pennsylvania`s fire at-will doctrine abound, and they are ever expanding. How have the boundaries to the at-will doctrine been defined by case law and statutes? How can an employee separation be handled to avoid litigation? Our impressive faculty takes you through the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees so that you can help your clients navigate through the confusing laws governing the employment at-will doctrine. You will also hear numerous practical tips from both the employer`s and employee’s point of view in a “point/counterpoint” format.

 Attend and learn what you - and your staff - need to know to prevent and detect fraud in your law office. It is estimated that 5% of the annual revenue of a business is lost to fraud. The average work place loss caused by occupational fraud costs $160,000. (Source: 2010 Report to the Nations on Occupational Fraud and Abuse published by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners) Certified Fraud Examiners and CPAs Joseph P. Maloney and Susan L. Frawley will provide the keys to preventing economic losses and damage to your reputation due to fraud.

Employers are increasingly using independent contractors, casual employees, temporary workers and staffing agencies to augment their regular workforces in an effort to stretch budgets and maintain flexibility. These arrangements are being increasingly scrutinized by federal and state agencies and plaintiffs on a number of fronts. Last year, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) launched a three-year initiative to randomly audit 6,000 businesses for employee misclassifications. In September 2011, the IRS entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Department of Labor to share information to reduce incidences of employee misclassification. Pennsylvania also has stepped up its efforts to regulate independent contractor relationships following the February 2011 enactment of the Construction Workplace Misclassification Act. Any employer who uses independent contractors or contingent worker classifications must be prepared for legal challenge from governmental agencies and private litigants.

Every caring lawyer involved in litigation has experienced the stress (trauma?) of wondering and worrying about witness testimony. POWERFUL WITNESS PREPARATION provides a modern prescription for persuasive verbal and non-verbal witness communications from which EVERY LAWYER - regardless of their level of experience (or, inexperience) will benefit. Dan Small, a highly respected and experienced litigator ~ and witness expert ~ walks you through the methods, procedure and rules which result in making your witness a powerful and compelling communicator.
Dan has worked in large and small firm practice, as the General Counsel of a healthcare management firm, and as a prosecutor for the US Justice Department. Dan represents witnesses, plaintiffs and defendants in wide-ranging administrative proceedings and in both civil and criminal litigation. His incredible breadth of experience is reflected in the bottom-line practical counsel he offers in this highly-acclaimed seminar.
Developing expertise, or even modest success, in witness preparation takes many years of experience, and lots of trials. Dan Small’s objective is to rapidly increase the learning curve while minimizing the pain inherent in inadequate or improper witness preparation. Invest just one day to learn new tips, tactics and techniques that will make you a more effective advocate.