Illinois CLE Course Catalog

What is storytelling and why is it so important for all lawyers – litigators, transactional and in-house lawyers – to do it well in service of their clients? Experienced appellate lawyer and advocacy teacher at the UC Irvine School of Law Peter Afrasiabi shares the secrets of storytelling that you can help make you an even more compelling and credible advocate for your clients in any fora and when it matters most.

They say that love is blind, but it is also unethical? Recently, many states have enacted legal ethics rules that expressly prohibit dating a client, while in others, lawyers remain free to date a client unless the romantic relationship adversely affects the lawyer’s representation of the client. In this topical and engaging program, Andrew Struve examines the legal, ethical and practical implications when lawyers choose to date clients and other lawyers.

As an in-house lawyer, you may be expected to manage litigation involving your company, but if you lack experience in this area, what can you do to ensure that you manage your litigation matters and outside counsel most effectively and efficiently? In this program, experienced law firm litigator Andrew Struve gives you the advice you need to identify the key issues, ask the right questions and make the best decisions when managing your next litigation.

Did the TV series “Battlestar Galactica” infringe on the copyrights owned by Lucasfilm in the movie “Star Wars”? Experienced intellectual property litigator Peter Afrasiabi reviews this famous case and several others where the copyright, trademark and right of publicity interests in “Star Wars” were litigated. Along the way, Peter provides an expert overview of copyright, trademark and right of publicity law that will be useful for all practitioners.

On a diving trip, you find and recover a treasure chest in the wreckage of an ancient ship. Does the playground doctrine of “finders, keepers” apply or is legal title to your “booty” governed by international or domestic law? In the latest installment of this popular series, Peter Afrasiabi reviews the laws that apply to the recovery of antiquities, including coins, artifacts, artwork and even human remains.

Experienced First Amendment litigator Peter Afrasiabi uses the facts of the notorious Johnny Depp/Amber Heard trial to provide an expert overview of the tort of defamation, including the elements, defenses and damages. This program includes several critical pieces of advice for practitioners who may be considering filing a defamation claim on behalf of a client to avoid the many traps for the unwary that lie in wait in cases where allegedly defamatory statements are placed in issue.

Did you know that the Eighth Amendment – which prohibits excessive bail, excessive fines and cruel and unusual punishments – has been used to challenge not only the death penalty, but also the imposition of solitary confinement and the even requirement of cash bail? In the latest installment of “The Curious Lawyer” series, Peter Afrasiabi takes a deep dive into each of the ten amendments in the Bill of Rights, reminding us what each amendment protects and illustrating its impact on the other constitutional protections we enjoy. Whether you are a budding constitutional scholar or simply looking for interesting facts to share at a cocktail party, the Bill of Rights series is for you.

Did you know that the Seventh Amendment – which guarantees the right to a trial by jury in certain cases – does not require jury trials in civil cases in state courts? In the latest installment of “The Curious Lawyer” series, Peter Afrasiabi takes a deep dive into each of the ten amendments in the Bill of Rights, reminding us what each amendment protects and illustrating its impact on the other constitutional protections we enjoy. Whether you are a budding constitutional scholar or simply looking for interesting facts to share at a cocktail party, the Bill of Rights series is for you.

In this installment of our Double Play series, our two, thirty-minute programs cover winning on appeal and how to know if your litigator is failing you. Whether you’ve won or lost in the trial court, pivoting successfully from trial court to appellate litigator can make the difference between losing and winning your appeal.

This program guides you through the strategic decisions you need to make and the practical steps you need to follow to brief, argue and win your next appeal. Just because very few cases end up going to trial doesn't mean you don't need to prepare for trial in every case. Successfully defending claims in litigation requires your company to tell a compelling story to the judge and jury, and trial lawyers are highly skilled at developing and telling those stories. This program provides valuable insights and advice for in-house counsel selecting outside litigators and managing litigation from commencement through to settlement or trial.