Online CLE Course Catalog

Is there a part of Yellowstone National Park where no one may be charged with any crime? Peter Afrasiabi traces the history of Yellowstone and examines relevant provisions of the U.S. Constitution and federal law to provide an answer to this fascinating legal question.

When does ethical witness preparation cross over into unethical witness coaching? The ABA Ethics Committee recently issued Formal Opinion No. 508 that attempts to draw this line with special attention to the unique issues that case arise in remote proceedings. Having spent more than twenty-five years as a law firm and in-house litigator, Zach McGee distills the ABA’s guidance into actionable advice on how best to navigate both traditional and new settings where deposition and trial testimony are being taken. This program also reviews the many benefits of using a deposition prep video with witnesses to help prepare them to testify.

Rules covered include: ABA Model Rules 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 3.3, 3.4, 4.4 & 8.4.

Can you believe there have been judges who searched a party’s home and seized property, had sex in chambers with former interns and lawyers, jailed a woman for a year for unpaid parking tickets, went on vacation with the prosecutor after a guilty verdict and took bribes to render not guilty verdicts? In these cases, the truth is stranger than fiction and Peter Afrasiabi reviews these unbelievable cases while discussing how these judges flagrantly violated the canons of judicial ethics that govern the conduct of federal and state court judges in the United States. Rules covered include: Code of Conduct for United States Judges, Canons 1, 2A, 3 & 4; Federal Ethics in Government Act, 28 U.S.C. Section 455.

Can lawyers be held liable for the actions of private investigators engaged by the law firm? In one famous example, Harvey Weinstein directed his lawyers to hire a PI firm to gather dirt on actor Rose McGowan who had accused him of sexual misconduct. After it was revealed that the PI firm had staged an elaborate ruse designed to gain Ms. McGowan’s trust, can Weinstein’s lawyers be held liable for the actions of the PI firm? Peter Afrasiabi answers this and other key questions for lawyers while reviewing the myriad federal, state, criminal and civil laws that govern the conduct of private investigators. Don’t hire a private investigator without watching this program!

How well do you know that rules that govern transactions with your clients? This course gives a comprehensive overview of issues relating to common scenarios in attorney-client transactions, including all of the factors to consider vividly illustrated through the use of real-world examples. The tripwires are serious with massive consequences, and very easy to trip over, so it's a very practical and useful presentation to make sure you stay within the boundaries.

In this introductory program, Zach McGee discusses the California Attorney Guidelines of Civility and Professionalism, which reflect how the California State Bar thinks that lawyers should practice law. But the Guidelines are voluntary, do not create standards of conduct or care, do not supplant any rules or laws that govern attorney conduct and cannot be an independent basis for imposition of discipline or a finding of malpractice. In light of these limitations, how should attorneys think about the Guidelines and should we commit to following them? Rules covered include: ABA Model Rules 1.4, 4.1 & 8.4; California Bus. and Prof. Code ? 6068 (d); and California Attorney Guidelines of Civility and Professionalism (2007).

In this program, Peter Afrasiabi takes on a difficult topic: what standards govern bias by judges and if you believe your judge is biased against you or your client, what can and should you do about it? As you might expect, the answers to these questions involve thorny legal, tactical and ethical issues, and this program gives you the guidance you need should you come face-to-face with a judge whose fairness and impartiality reasonably might be questioned.

Drawing upon the timeless insights of Aristotle, Cicero and modern practitioners like Bono, Peter Afrasiabi reveals the secrets of persuasion that you can start using today in your practice (and your life) to make you a compelling advocate for the people and the causes you champion.

Did you know that authors have “moral rights” that allow them to exercise some measure of control over their works even after those works are sold? In the United States, moral rights are codified in the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990 (“VARA”) and subsequent case law. Experienced intellectual property litigator Peter Afrasiabi provides an introduction to moral rights while discussing key cases interpreting VARA in the context of various works of art including murals, sculptures, street graffiti, “living art” such as gardens, and other interesting examples.