Virginia Live CLE Bundle 2021

The legal profession often requires attorneys to deal with high-stakes matters in a high-pressure environment. It’s, therefore, not surprising that so many attorneys suffer the consequences of too much stress and strain, which may show up as harmful habits, addictions of all sorts, burnout, anxiety, depression, and other mental wellness challenges. Various bar associations have surveyed these conditions, and are widely reported in the press and by legal commentators. Yet conditions remain unchanged.

Over an extensive 30+ legal career, Maureen Ruane served as a federal prosecutor, an equity partner in a major law firm, and a corporate legal executive, all while raising four now young adult children and caring for disabled parents. She witnessed first-hand and also experienced the negative consequences that result from overload and overwhelm. She’s learned that it doesn’t have to be that way. Real change is possible! This course will provide background and statistics on this most critical issue, discuss our ethical obligations as attorneys, and share powerful tools and resources to help guide you, your colleagues, and your employer on the pathways to improved attorney-life balance. The program will also cover litigation (criminal prosecution and defense, as well as civil litigation) involving individuals who may suffer from alcohol and other substance use disorders.

Attorneys will gain a deeper understanding of the prevalence of these issues in the legal profession, including what they can do to help address these problems in their own lives and those with whom they work and represent. Attendees will learn the consequences that may lie ahead if they fail to do so. This program will discuss game-changing exercises, tools, and steps so that real change happens through increased awareness, acceptance, and action.

All attorneys who may be feeling the effects of being overwhelmed, stressed, burnt out, or out of control – or who know other attorneys or have clients who seem to be experiencing some or all of these negative effects- are encouraged to attend this course.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore the prevalence of harmful habits and all forms of addictions (including alcohol or substance misuse, among others) in the legal profession as demonstrated and documented through bar association surveys and news reports
• Recognize the signs and symptoms of harmful habits, addictions, and mental health issues in yourself, your colleagues, your workplace, and/or your clients
• Discuss how these issues are addressed in attorney ethics rules and opinions
• Examine three powerful questions and understand three critical realities to help you assess your habits and determine if they are harmful and may need to be addressed
• Discover the tools, steps, and know-how that will allow you to take action to make fundamental changes to achieve attorney-life balance
• Understand the resources that are available both for attorneys and their clients
• Uncover preventative measures for you and your law firm, legal department, or workplace to reduce the risk of impairment and support well-being

Ongoing legislative and litigation battles, now in more than twenty states, are occurring over the use of ESG (environmental social governance) investment criteria for government funds, contracts, and pensions along with attempts to establish corporate disclosure requirements where ESG factors inform business choices. On one side stand ESG advocates who factor variables such as climate change into investment screens and supply chain decision-making. Their alleged ultimate goal is to mitigate the risks associated with environmental harm downstream and to create sustainable revenue flows. On the other hand, opponents view ESG investment risk screens as boycotts against specific industrial sectors such as nonrenewable energy. Both sides perceive the other as favoring undemocratic and unlawful constraints on free trade. Familiarity with the growing body of legislation and case law is increasingly necessary to effectively advise corporate clients and government entities.

ESG strategies such as divestment from the fossil fuel industry when required in negative investment screens for stock portfolios, partnership agreements, or government contracting have become associated with mitigating risks and enhancing corporate efficiencies on the one hand and targeted boycotts against excluded industries on the other. This has led to a raft of legislation across the country either strengthening ESG requirements such as in Oregon or laws that seek to undo ESG commitments such as in Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Idaho, and Utah. The latter often proceed by conditioning government contract awards on the removal of ESG scores thereby effectively banning the use of ESG criteria by recipients. Likewise, litigation is percolating in multiple states such as Oklahoma, Utah, Maryland, Texas, Louisiana, West Virginia, and Wisconsin asserting that government attempts to allow or require ESG factors in investment decision-making is ultra vires in contravention of federal law and free market principles.

This course is suitable to attorneys at any stage in their career who seek to better understand the burgeoning controversy regarding incorporating ESG risk factors into government contracts and corporate investment decision-making.

Learning Objectives:

• Review the origins and expanding meaning of “ESG” (i.e., “environmental social governance”) including the ongoing debate over whether ESG represents a threat to free market principles via the move away from shareholder theory to stakeholder theory
• Evaluate recent trends marked by legislation introduced in 37 states in 2023 to either prevent or encourage companies to consider ESG risk factors such as climate change preparedness and diversity of management/workforce in investment decisions along with litigation by investors directly against corporations
• Analyze the practical challenges of creating positive or negative investment screens for particular categories of stocks held in portfolios such as for those in the energy sector
• Comparatively assess controversies over ESG (environmental, social, governance) on the one hand and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) on the other
• Analyze multiple cases across at least seven states in the past two years seeking to prevent retirement plan administrators from considering ESG factors when making investments on behalf of plan beneficiaries
• Forecast the efficacy of legislation and/or litigation whether favoring or disfavoring ESG criteria in changing actual corporate practices

Course Time Schedule:

Eastern Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Central Time: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Mountain Time: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Pacific Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Alaska Time: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Hawaii-Aleutian Time: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

This course is also being presented on the following dates:

Friday, September 5, 2025
Friday, September 26, 2025
Friday, October 17, 2025
Sunday, October 26, 2025
Friday, November 14, 2025

Blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies are being increasingly adopted by various industries, such as financial services, healthcare, supply chain management, and the legal profession, due to the ability to increase transparency, reduce costs, and improve security. Multiple studies predict the blockchain technology market will be worth over 1400 Billion by 2023. Blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies are creating a new area of law, much like the internet, which created a new area of law in the 1990s. As such, legal professionals must learn about the legal issues in blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies. 

Legal professionals will learn about Bitcoin and updates to blockchain technology, as well as legal issues, including recent case decisions, enforcement actions, and proposed and passed legislation. Attendees will also learn about new topics, including non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and the Metaverse, and the legal issues for both topics. Finally, attendees will learn updated best practices for incorporating blockchain technology into their legal practice.

This course suits attorneys and legal professionals (paralegals, legal researchers, regulators, and legislators) at any level who want to learn more about blockchain technology and its impact on the legal world.

Learning Objectives:

• Review cryptocurrency and blockchain basics
• Evaluate legal applications to intelligent contracts and decentralized autonomous organizations
• Analyze case law, regulatory enforcement actions, and proposed/enacted legislation
• Introduce new areas of blockchain technology, including NFTs and the Metaverse, and the legal implications for both new regions
• Discuss updated best practices to incorporate blockchain technology into your legal practice

Course Time Schedule:

Eastern Time: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Central Time: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Mountain Time: 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Pacific Time: 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Alaska Time: 7:00 AM - 8:30 AM
Hawaii-Aleutian Time: 6:00 AM - 7:30 AM

This course is also being presented on the following dates:

Friday, September 26, 2025
Friday, October 24, 2025
Friday, November 21, 2025
Friday, December 26, 2025

In this interactive seminar, attendees will review decisions by the United States Supreme Court concerning police stops of motor vehicles. Discussion areas include the legal standards for stopping cars, police pursuits, and the lawful duration of traffic stops. The course will also cover special considerations with DWI checkpoints and whether Miranda warnings must be read to motorists. 

Identifying common issues surrounding vehicle stops by law enforcement is a key skill for prosecutors and defense attorneys nationwide. By understanding the constitutional standards for vehicle stops and searches, attorneys may become better equipped to represent their clients in criminal proceedings. 

This course is designed for attorneys who litigate criminal cases at all levels and for attorneys interested in constitutional law and criminal procedure issues. 

Learning Objectives: 

• Identify the legal standards for stopping vehicles, including stops at no suspicion and reasonable suspicion
• Recognize the objective standard for stopping motorists
• Identify the requirements of a lawful traffic/DWI checkpoint
• Explain the law of police pursuits, including exigent circumstances
• Explore whether Miranda warnings must be administered to vehicle occupants

Course Time Schedule:

Eastern Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Central Time: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Mountain Time: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Pacific Time: 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Alaska Time: 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Hawaii-Aleutian Time: 6:00 AM - 7:00 AM

This course is also being presented on the following dates:

Saturday, September 13, 2025
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Saturday, October 11, 2025
Saturday, October 25, 2025
Saturday, November 8, 2025