I don't usually like using teaser headline to draw you in but I couldn't think of a better way of telling our readers and listeners that The Settlement Channel and The Legal Broadcast Network are going to be conducting a first annual CLE event here in Scottsdale on November 1-3. I've purposely low keyed it here on The Settlement Channel as this is a limited capacity event, most of the attendees are from the Wyoming Trial Lawyers or are attorneys from around the country who work in Mass Tort Cases.
However, what I do want everyone to be aware of is that we are going to produce over 14 hours of CLE on DVD and for online viewing after this event, all of it produced by LBN for the Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association. You can go to their site and starting the week after the event put in your order for this incredible 14 hours of CLE.
What is going to make this event so unique is that it is 180 degrees different from most convention and continuing educational events. It is purposely small, with attendance capped at 70, and is being held in a setting that allows the Legal Broadcast Network team to build a set that will create a unique talk show, or actors theatre, look and feel to the CLE, with each expert being interviewed by one of the LBN affiliated hosts. This is truly going to look and sound like nothing you've ever seen out of a CLE before and for the attendees it is going to be a wonderful contrast. A chance to meet nationally known attorneys face to face and network with them over meals, on the golf course or at any of the other wonderful settings available in a resort community like Scottsdale, AZ. You simply can't get that at a big event and it's one of the chief complaints that attendee's have when they go to these events.
However, we also realize that time and money are valuable commodities to attorneys and others from around the country so LBN is going to be producing 14 hours of unique, high quality video CLE with guests such as the following:
Attorney Zoe Littlepage. Attorney Littlepage is widely regarded as one of the nations leading trial lawyers with her expertise being HRT, or hormone replacement therapy, litigation. Just this month Attorney Littlepage was part of the trial team that obtained a verdict of $134.5 million against Wyeth in a case involving 3 plaintiffs who alleged that Prempro and Premarin, the two hormone or estrogen therapy products marketed by that firm had caused the breast cancer they suffered. Attorney Littlepage and her legal partner, Rainey Booth, will be interviewed as one of the CLE hours on the issues surrounding HRT litigation, what to expect on Prempro and Premarin cases over the coming months and years, and what are the facts surrounding this massive pharmaceutical litigation. This verdict is one of the very few mass tort cases that has been tried to a successful jury conclusion in 2007 and there is little doubt that trial lawyers, settlement professionals and others are going to be keenly interested in this interview and CLE after the event. You can contact the Wyoming Trial Lawyers to reserve a copy now.
However, this is not the only headliner we have at this event. Take a look at the rest of the hours that are going to be available after we film this amazing group of attorneys and litigation experts.
Attorney Christina Fountain on Federal Rule 26 Protective Orders. If you are an attorney working in Mass Tort litigation or federal court cases you know how vitally important it is to know your rights under Federal Rule 26. Christina is one of the nations experts and this hour of CLE is worth the price of the entire package. You will not want to miss this segment.
Attorney Angel Reyes on Mass Tort cases and managing your practice to handle mass tort work. As one of the named partners at one of the nations premier mass tort firms, Heygood, Orr, Reyes and Bartolimei, Angel Reyes is frequently on national legal shows, panels and news casts as an expert commentator. If you are currently working in Mass Torts or considering adding that to your practice you absolutely will not want to miss this segment.
Attorney Jim Orr on the Fentanyl litigation. He and his partner Angel Reyes were part of the team that one a major verdict in Florida in this emerging area of drug litigation in which the Duragetic/Duragesic patch was defective and led to the death of their client. You'll get to learn how they tried that case and how they obtained that verdict.
Attorney Matt Garretson on lien resolution and responsibilities. No one knows this topic like Matt and you will receive a full hour on what you need to know under current law and post Alhborn decision. This area of the law is one of the least understood, but far reaching, as nothing slows down or complicates cases the way governmental and private medical liens do. It's a mine field for the attorney and Matt will guide you through it.
Attorney Rex Burch, the nations leading expert on FLSA cases and wage and hourly litigation. This is an area that more trial lawyers, and settlement professionals, need to know about and you will learn all about this interesting and growing area of litigation.
Attorney Eric Oliver, a frequent guest at ATLA and state trial lawyer organizations who speaks on effective communication strategies for trial lawyers. How to craft your case from start to finish and have a consistent theme and method of communicating your clients case.
Attorney Rob Wood, a full hour discussion on the issue of 468b trusts and their use in taxable damage cases such as Qui Tam litigation, environmental claims or sex abuse cases. Rob is the acknowledged expert in the US in this area of the law and you won't want to miss his discussion on Murphy v IRS, taxable damage implications and how 468b trusts can and should be used to manage potential tax issues.
Attorney Matt Bracy, a full hour on the ethical and legal implications of factoring for attorneys. Virtually every trial lawyer of any experience has had a client ask them about factoring a structured settlement or annuity at one time or another. What are the responsibilities of the trial lawyer, what do the state laws require and what are the ethical and legal issues facing trial lawyers nationwide as regards factoring.
Mark Wahlstrom and Kenneth Winthrop will do an entire hour on structured legal fees and their use to fund secured retirement programs for trial lawyers. Amazingly most trial lawyers still do not understand that their fee's are able to be structured, income taxes deferred and as we will illustrate in this CLE can be used to fund your retirement plan and convert your taxable income into tax deductible cash flows. The qualified plan creates the ability to protect assets from creditors, defer taxation, reduce taxes now and in some cases purchase life insurance inside your plan.
Micheal Blum, President of Law Finance will do a full hour CLE on the ethical issues surrounding legal financing by trial lawyers. The questions of whether or not interest income can be allocated as a client expense, how to properly document that legal financing was used for business or case purposes, the importance of proper record keeping and allocation, as well as a primer on the types of case financing available to trial lawyers will be the featured element of this CLE.
All of this will be hosted by LBN with the interviews conducted by Rick Kuykendall of the Murphy Law Firm in Baltimore MD, or Attorney Jan Schlichtmann, the Civil Action attorney and the host of Civil Action TV.
Be watching the blog for more on this unique event and we will be releasing video highlights on each speaker, guest and sponsor so that you can get a sense for the quality of each hour prior to purchasing it from WTLA. Obviously next week I won't be blogging other then to reveal a major announcement about the future of the Legal Broadcast Network and The Settlement Channel.
