Virginia Live CLE Bundle 2022-23

Forum selection plays a part in every lawsuit, in every jurisdiction. In addition to detailing the federal statutes and rules that affect venue and forum, this course explores the strategic and legal considerations that enable litigators to make informed decisions about which forum presents the best chance of success for their clients. This course is not limited to civil litigation, however. Forum selection is a standard part of every contract, although it is often an afterthought, if addressed at all. Once a dispute arises, however, the forum selection clause (or rather, lack thereof) may become one of the most essential terms in the contract.

This course will provide a comprehensive review of the applicable federal statutes and procedural rules governing subject matter and personal jurisdiction, as well as venue. It will also address seminal cases that have impacted forum selection and venue, as well as provide a review of key concepts, including those embodied in the Erie and Rooker-Feldman doctrines. With this foundation laid, the course will then explore modern developments in choice-of-law litigation, such as how developments in video conferencing affect claims of forum non conveniens, and what the Supreme Court’s decision in Trump v. CASA, Inc., means for litigators looking to challenge federal action writ large.

The seminar will also address how the concepts and caselaw discussed above affect the languages used by a transactional attorney who wants to ensure that, if a dispute arises, the client is placed in the best possible position to enforce the contract to their benefit. This includes drafting provisions that codify the client’s choices about where a dispute will be heard and what law will apply.

This program is designed for attorneys with moderate litigation experience. Transactional attorneys, civil attorneys, and other litigators are encouraged to attend.

Learning Objectives:

1. Review basic concepts related to venue and jurisdiction, including a refresher on foundational cases and doctrines that every practitioner should know. 
2. Identify modern trends in caselaw across various jurisdictions as they relate to forum and choice of law. 
3. Examine the impact of recent Supreme Court decisions on a litigator’s choice of forum.
4. Explore contract language that affects where a dispute over the contract is heard, which court or other authority has jurisdiction over the dispute, and what law applies.

Corporations may approach diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives via more analytically driven recruitment and retention efforts that employ indirect, race neutral, proxy measures to build a diverse workforce while avoiding legal challenges of discrimination. This assessment considers how anti-bias training practices and promotion policies to senior executive or board positions might satisfy measurable DEI outcomes without implementing diversity quotas or triggering an anti-DEI backlash from employees. Ultimately, the intent is to survive the strict scrutiny commands of the Equal Protection Clause and thereby avoid “pernicious stereotype[s]” or “race . . . used as a negative.”.

The challenges corporations must overcome to develop legally defensible DEI metrics and goals that satisfy the Supreme Court’s recent call for “metric[s] of meaningful representation” that are not based upon “proportional representation” or “racial balancing” while still preserving the litigation shield to claims of discrimination and attaining measurable DEI goals. This issue is timely given calls for enhanced corporate disclosure legislation in tune with the SEC’s approval in August 2021 of a diversity disclosures mandate for boards of Nasdaq-listed companies, along with the ongoing litigation challenging those rules in Alliance for Fair Board Recruitment, National Center for Public Policy Research v. SEC, 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 3805.

Attorneys at any level who seek greater clarity on how to best serve legally mindful and socially responsible corporations that wish to prioritize progress on DEI goals without alienating segments of the workforce or engaging in mere virtue signaling. This includes preserving the litigation shield of corporate clients from claims of either discrimination based on Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or concerns of reverse discrimination based on the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

Learning Objectives:

• Introduce core concepts in the diversity, equity, and inclusion DEI space such as equality versus equity, opinion or belief formation, stereotypes versus prejudice and discrimination
• Canvass recent legal developments in DEI at the federal and state levels in the educational context to the extent they are precursors of or predictors for ongoing legal developments in the corporate context
• Explore the possible reasons for inefficacy of DEI trainings and elusiveness of longitudinal goals to shift corporate culture and achieve greater diversity in the workplace
• Connect corporate social responsibility (CSR) praxis in the environmental social governance (ESG) context with DEI initiatives and illustrate the linkage between trends towards hard and soft information regulation
• Evaluate the vulnerability to discrimination litigation of corporations with ambiguous metrics and goals underlying DEI initiatives (e.g., trainings and long-term workforce diversity balancing goals)
• Assess “show and tell” disclosure requirements on corporate board diversity and whether soft information regulation of this variety is likely to move the needle on achieving DEI outcomes

Course Time Schedule:

Eastern Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Central Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Mountain Time: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Pacific Time: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Alaska Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Hawaii-Aleutian Time: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

This course is also being presented on the following dates:

Sunday, August 31, 2025
Friday, September 19, 2025
Friday, October 10, 2025
Saturday, October 25, 2025
Friday, November 7, 2025

Custody disputes are among the most challenging and emotionally charged cases in family law. These disputes require a comprehensive and nuanced approach that considers the diverse and often conflicting needs of all involved family members. Attorneys who practice in this area must be equipped to navigate the complex landscape of custody law, recognizing that each family is unique, with its own set of dynamics, needs, and identities that must be carefully balanced.

This course offers an in-depth exploration of the various factors that can influence custody disputes, providing attorneys with the tools they need to develop new perspectives and strategies for effective negotiation and advocacy. The course delves into the importance of understanding and addressing the specific needs of families, particularly those facing additional challenges such as disabilities, mental health issues, and other vulnerabilities. Participants will learn how to advocate for these families with empathy and precision, ensuring that their unique circumstances are fully considered in the resolution of custody matters.

Additionally, the course will provide critical insights into the pervasive issue of racial bias within family courts and its detrimental impact on the pursuit of justice. Attorneys will be encouraged to adopt an intersectional approach, recognizing how race, gender, socioeconomic status, and other factors intersect to create complex realities for families involved in custody disputes. The course will also cover advanced techniques in mediation and negotiation, equipping attorneys with the skills to reach fair and equitable resolutions that honor the diverse experiences and identities of all parties involved.

This program is designed for attorneys at all stages of their careers who are committed to integrating principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion into their practice. Whether you are a seasoned practitioner or new to family law, this course will provide valuable insights and practical tools for navigating custody disputes in a manner that is both just and compassionate. By the end of the program, attorneys will be better prepared to advocate for families in a way that acknowledges and respects the full spectrum of human diversity. 

Learning Objectives: 

• Evaluate how to support family members with different special needs through a custody dispute
• Explore how we can use intermediaries and advocates through the process
• Identify the different aspects of a person’s identity which could be the key to understanding that person’s situation
• Examine how mediation can be shaped to accommodate family diversity and enhance equality
• Discover an anti-racist approach in family court

Course Time Schedule:

Eastern Time: 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Central Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Mountain Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Pacific Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Alaska Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Hawaii-Aleutian Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

This course is also being presented on the following dates:

Saturday, September 27, 2025
Saturday, October 11, 2025
Saturday, October 18, 2025
Saturday, November 22, 2025
Saturday, December 20, 2025

This course serves as a refresher for attorneys on avoiding basic ethical issues that may arise in their practice, from properly handling client funds to maintaining the right social media presence. Attendees will review real examples and governing rules to learn how to avoid common ethical complaints from clients.

Ethical practice is a key part of legal practice and is even strictly governed by some state bars. In the age of social media, many new ethical issues arise that attorneys may not have been equipped to navigate in law school. This course has everything from basic reminders to things practicing attorneys may have yet to consider. 

This program is ideal for attorneys in any field of law. It is specifically beneficial for attorneys who frequently interact with clients.

Learning Objectives: 

• Preserve client confidence
• Protect attorney-client privilege
• Navigate new issues created by social media, such as negative online reviews
• Properly handle client funds in either dedicated client trusts or in pooled accounts
• Avoid client complaints for lack of diligence
• Avoid client complaints for failure to communicate
• Properly handle mistakes in client interfacing
• Avoid making public or online comments about pending matters
• Stay mindful of basic ethical principles so one’s judgment is not clouded by ambition, greed, or fame
• Recognize and properly respond to mental health, substance abuse, and personal finance issues

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:

Sunday, August 31, 2025
Sunday, September 14, 2025
Sunday, October 12, 2025
Sunday, October 19, 2025
Sunday, November 9, 2025