MCLE London™ Programme 2024

32nd Annual International MCLE Program

Organiser: Rory Khilkoff-Boulding MA, Solicitor (EW), Attorney at Law (NY and CA)

Host and Chair: Tom Worner, Solicitor (EW); Director and General Counsel of MVF

AGENDA – Friday 19th January – Day 1

8.15 a.m. REGISTRATION – (Log In)

SESSION 1 – 9.00 a.m. to 10.30 am.

Post Brexit – Many Positive Developments in 2023.

1. Lord Cameron—making the Trade and Co-operation Agreement work.  The surprise appointment of the new Foreign Secretary sets the scene for the latest Brexit developments. This section will include updates on Lord Cameron’s statements about UK-EU in his initial Parliamentary appearances, which give a concrete view of the state of play. Government policy at present is “making the TCA work”. As ever, this means looking at the behind the scenes work of the TCA Specialised Committees.
2. Windsor Framework: As the set piece Brexit development of 2023, the Windsor Framework heralds a new chapter in UK-EU relations after years of acrimony around the Northern Ireland Protocol; details of the WF and how this new era of trust has unlocked further developments in UK-EU relations.
3. UK joins Horizon: A major development for UK-EU relations, made possible by the WF.
4. Extension of TCA rules of origin for EVs: another welcome example of improved relations and an example of how the TCA can be tweaked in discrete areas to build a better UK-EU relationship.
5. EU AI Act: The EU sets out its stall as a regulatory trailblazer, but the UK is taking a cautious approach to any regulation of AI; details of the proposed EU AI Act agreed by the co-legislators’ finalisation of the text is awaited.
6. Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023: Not quite the hot topic it used to be since the Government u-turned on the bonfire of all REUL initially proposed. The 2023 Act now revokes a discrete list of inconsequential REUL, with the majority still on the statute book. 

10.30 am to 10.55 am Coffee Break

SESSION 2 – 10:55 am to 1.00 pm

Terrorism financing, money laundering and cybercrimes: current business and Global legal risks posed by Russia, for Ukraine, the EU and the rest of the world.

1.00 p.m. to 2.00 pm Lunch 

SESSION 3 – 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm 

International Green Financing, “greenwashing”, and real and prospective environmental advances through green investment. 

3.00 pm to 3.30 pm Coffee break 

SESSION 4 – 3.30 p.m. to 5 pm

5 pm – End of Day 1

AGENDA – Saturday 20th January – Day 2

8.30 a.m. REGISTRATION – (Log In)

SESSION 5 – 9.00 a.m. to 10.00 a.m.

Competence (Substance Use): An Update on Current UK Issues.

Roz Gittins, MRPharmS (Hons) MSc CertPsychPharm MCMHP IP

Roz Gittins is the Chief Pharmacy Officer and Deputy Registrar, General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), Immediate Past President of CMHP Community, and National Clinical Advisor Chief Scientist Office. She has been Director of Care Standards and Practice Improvement for Westminster Drug Project (WDP), a UK charity with a focus on treatment for substance use, that is committed to reducing deprivation and exclusion and improving people’s well-being. As a registered pharmacist, she has worked in senior leadership roles in the third sector for several years and previously worked in NHS mental health and acute secondary care settings. Roz is also the President of the international College of Mental Health Pharmacy (CMHP) and a member of various panels and committees including Drug Science’s Scientific Committee. She has acted as an expert advisor for various organisations and contributed to online resources, national publications, textbook chapters and primary research. Her Doctorate in Pharmacy is focused on the misuse of over the counter and prescription medication.

SESSION 6 – 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m.

Elimination of Bias: How the proxies we use to decide merit, feed into bias in decision-making

Consideration and active discussion concerning how things like critical race theory provoke such strong feelings; as well as consideration of how we as lawyers (as all other people) tend to construct merit in ways that fit with our previous experiences and so have the tendency to benefit those like us rather more than those others – and what we can seek to do to counterbalance that in a positive and reflective way.

Professor Lisa Webley, former Dean of the University of Birmingham Law School, currently Professor of Legal Education and Research, University of Birmingham. She has carried out funded empirical research for several public bodies and organisations including: the European Commission; the Ministry of Justice (formerly the Department for Constitutional Affairs); the Department for Trade and Industry; the Law Society of England and Wales; the Legal Services Commission; the Legal Services Board; and the Victoria Law Foundation Australia. She also undertakes academic and professional consultancy work, including consultancy for City law firms and for legal regulators.

11.00 – 11.30 coffee break

SESSION 7 –13.00 – 12.30

Mental Health and Wellness / Stress Management 

Mindfulness meditation is highly recommended as an effective stress management tool. It is based on neurological research as well as practical applications in various cultures throughout history and is a modern secular psychological approach to mental wellness and stress management. 

Julia R. Lofts is an experienced mindfulness teacher. She has a degree in Clinical Psychology, an MA in Supervision, and is a member of the British Association of Mindfulness-Based Approaches as well as a Breathworks Associate Teacher. She is an Accredited Psychotherapist (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) and provides Mindfulness training and sessions both to individuals and groups. She has a separate psychotherapy practice for individuals. 

12.30 p.m. to 1.30 p.m. – lunch break

SESSION 8 – 1.30 p.m. to 2.30 p.m.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW 

Recent Developments in Legal Ethics; Trends to be aware of when considering one’s current and suture practice issues.

New California statutes, rules and cases; compared and contrasted with ABA jurisdictions;

Ellen Peck, Attorney (CA), Director Legal Division Florida Bar, supervising lawyer regulation and professionalism efforts – former Chair of ABA’s professionalism Committee (2003-2006); award-winning expert in judicial education, ethics and professionalism.

2.30 p.m. to 2.45 p.m. – coffee break

SESSION 9 – 2.45.pm to 3.50 pm

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW 

Truth or Confidential? What should/would you do when these circumstances arise?

A. Statements to legislators, prosecutors and others concerning a client’s actions to protect the lawyer’s liability–Confidential or not under CA or ABA jurisdictions
B. What can an ex-lawyer say about a former client to the press or public? Confidential or not; do the statements violate the ABA or CA RPC on press statements.

Ellen Peck, Attorney (CA), Director Legal Division Florida Bar, supervising lawyer regulation and professionalism efforts – former Chair of ABA’s professionalism Committee (2003-2006); award-winning expert in judicial education, ethics and professionalism.

Diane Karpman, Attorney (CA) of Karpman & Associates, Beverley Hills, practitioner and educator in Legal Ethics and professional responsibility in California; Award winning lecturer and author.

3.50 pm to 4.00pm – short break 

SESSION 10 – 4.00 pm, to 5.00pm

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW

Ethics Quandaries: Ripped From The Headlines.

(Contemporary issues and how well members of the profession are serving the practice of law in the USA, and its justice system) 

Diane Karpman, Attorney (CA) of Karpman & Associates, Beverley Hills, practitioner and educator in Legal Ethics and professional responsibility in California; Award winning lecturer and author

5.00 p.m. Closing Remarks and Finish

Rory Khilkoff-Boulding, Solicitor, Attorney and Counsellor at Law dba MCLE London is recognised as a CLE provider by the Florida Bar (140982N) and the 2024 32nd Annual International MCLE Fair is duly accredited by the Florida Bar, course accreditation number 2400626N. 651 E. Jefferson Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399 website: www.floridabar.org Florida Attorneys may report their MCLE Credits online at www.floridabar.org

Florida is an authorised jurisdiction for CLE purposes for most other US States – where this may not be the case, usually accreditation ex post facto can be obtained by express application to the relevant State Bar in accordance with local rules. Note that there are US jurisdictions which still restrict or do not permit some or all CLE sessions which are not attended in person.