MCLE London™ Programme 2012

January 2012 – 20th Annual Mandatory/Minimum Continuing Legal Education Course

• HISTORY/PRESENT/FUTURE OF LEGAL PROFESSION
  George Brown, Member, Reed Smith LLP – London 
  Ruth Steinholtz, Managing Partner, Arete’ Works LLP – London 
  Colin Joseph, Partner, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP – London 
  Hilary Heilbron, Q.C., Barrister, Brick Court Chambers – London

• FINANCIAL REGULATION
  Ida Levine, The Capital Group Companies – London
  Lindsay Thomas, Sustainable Risks – London

• LITIGATION FUNDING/JACKSON REFORM
  John Bryne, Therium Capital plc – London 
  Neil Purslow, Therium Capital plc – London 
  Matthew Williams, AmTrust Management Services Limited – London

• ELIMINATION OF BIAS IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION: Unconscious Gender Bias – How to Spot it and Stop it.
  Ellen Ostrow, Ph.D., Lawyers Life Coach – Washington DC

• DEMYSTIFYING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT – The Elephant in the Room or in your Mind
  Peter Alfandary, Member, Reed Smith LLP – London

• SPORTS DISCIPLINARY AND OLYMPICS LAW
  Sam Magee, The Chambers of William Clegg – London 
  Jim Sturman Q.C., The Chambers of William Clegg – London

• SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION: Substance misuse: Lessons from the Legal, Medical and Financial Sectors.
  Jonathan Goodliffe – Moderator, Solicitor – London
  Hilary Tilby, Chief Executive, Law Care – London 
  Dr. Michael Wilks, Chairman, Sick Doctors Trust – London
  Dr. Padraic Ryan, Accredited Consulltant in Occpational Medicine – London
• LEGAL ETHICS/PROFESSIONALISM
  Richard Diebold  Lee, International Consultant – San Francisco 
  Susan Martyn, Stoepler Professor of Law and Values, University of Toledo College of Law – Toledo, Ohio
  
  

HISTORY/PRESENT/FUTURE OF LEGAL PROFESSION:  The facilitators of this session will lead the group in identifying and discussing the sea of changes in the size, shape and globalization experienced by the legal profession since 1992. They will also discuss current trends and forecast the state of the profession and the law in 20 years.

FINANCIAL REGULATION: We have witnessed turmoil in the banking world in the past couple years. The speakers will discuss those changes and how they came to be. In addition, they will contrast the current banking situation with the banking system as we knew it 20 years ago and, based on the history and current trends, they will predict what we might expect twenty years in the future.

LITIGATION FUNDING/JACKSON REFORM: This presentation will cover the history of litigation funding over the last 20 years, culminating with the final Jackson report on litigation costs, changing insurance coverage and the increase in funding options. The speakers will discuss what they see as the short-term significance and trends and will predict what they anticipate in the long haul – say in the next 20 years.

DEMYSTIFYING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT – The Elephant in the Room or in Your Mind: The speaker will cover current trends in the profession and the shifting balance of power; the importance of business development and role of partners/associates/ managers as Ambassadors of the Firm; common obstacles to action; reasons for apathy and fear of rejection amongst professionals and how to overcome these obstacles; successfully moving out of one’s “comfort zone;” the true meaning of “cross selling” both between practice groups, offices and with clients; the power of relationships and the importance of deepening client relationships; what clients, general counsel, CEO’s and CFO’s really want; What makes up the service element; keys to successful demystification and empowerment; and a brief look 20 years back, the present and 20 years forward.

ELIMINATION OF BIAS IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION: Unconscious Gender Bias – How to Spot It and Stop it. In gender bias the real culprit isn’t the blatant actions that are easily identified and corrected. It is rather the subtle omissions or exclusions from decision making positions or opportunities to pitch business or gain influence in the firm that are restriciting advancement of women in the legal profession. The speaker will identify forms of unconscious gender bias and offer training in ways to correct these situations and stop unintended gender bias in the legal profession.

SPORTS DISCIPLINARY AND OLYMPICS LAW: With the Olympics coming to London, seems fitting to include a session on Olympics law and sports disciplinary law.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN LEGAL PROFESSION Lessons from the Legal, Medical and Financial Sectors: “What the legal, medical and financial services sectors can learn from each other about alcohol and drug misuse” is the focus of this session. The moderator will begin with an introduction to the topic, focusing on the professional environment and covering evidence of alcohol related harm in each of the three environments. For instance the handling of client money, financial crime and medical malpractice are alcohol related sources of problems in each of the legal, financial and medical sectors. Mr. Tilby of LawCare, the charity which specializes in helping lawyers with substance problems, will cover the evidence based approach to discovery, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of alcohol and drug abuse in the legal profession and will describe the resources allocated within the legal profession to help addicted professionals. Dr. Wilkes will cover discovery, diagnosis, treatment and prevention in the medical sector. The moderator and Dr. Ryan will discuss application to the financial services sector. These speakers will participate along with the moderator in extended discussion with the audience, making this an interactive session.

LEGAL ETHICS & PROFESSIONALISM The presenters have taken a serious look at legal ethics over the past twenty years, focusing on changes between the ethical world then and now. Topics to be covered include:

1. Identify Your Client(s): To whom do you owe professional obligations? How to avoid accidental client-lawyer relationships.
2. Clarifying Your Fee
3. Attending to Fiduciary Duty:  Lawyers assume five fiduciary duties (the 5 C’s) when an actual or implied client-lawyer relationship is established.
   The 5 C’s are: Control, Communication, Competence, Confidentiality, Conflicts of Interest.
4. Observe the Limits of the Law: Neither client nor lawyer may violate the limits or bounds of the law and remain responsible for the consequences of illegal conduct.
5. The Emerging Scope and Organization Law Practice.