Tennessee CLE Course Catalog

Civility is often viewed as something "nice but not necessary" in the practice of law; in fact, many attorneys will argue that it is counter to zealous representation of their clients. Others will see it as something required in order to properly focus on the legal merits of a case.

Artificial Intelligence has the power to transform industries and drive innovation; however it also raises ethical concerns, particularly around data protection. Data can impact an organization’s decision-making, compliance and strategy, placing data governance at the forefront of in-house legal professionals' concerns. Our esteemed panel of AI experts will discuss the importance of managing data retention appropriately in order to maintain data integrity, and will provide practical strategies for ensuring compliance with data protection regulations and mitigating the risks of bias and discrimination in AI systems. In this session, we will dive deep into the complexities of data governance, addressing the unique challenges faced by in-house legal teams and offering practical solutions to harness the power of data effectively and securely.

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming the workplace, presenting both opportunities and challenges for employers and employees. It has never been more important to properly prepare your workforce for the use of AI in a way that is safe for your organization. Our panel of experts will discuss the legal and regulatory considerations for AI use in the workplace, and will also share insights and practical advice in regards to addressing potential job displacement concerns, ensuring fair and ethical AI use, and compliance with labor laws.

From allegations to violations and everything in between, lawsuits between organizations and their employees are an ever-present threat for businesses today. In order to mitigate potential litigation risks, a strategic and proactive approach is required by in-house counsel teams. Join as our expert speakers share insights on taking preventative measures including creating robust policies and procedures, identifying potential issues before they escalate, and effectively managing communications and documentation.

As today’s workplaces become increasingly diverse in terms of age, organizations must adapt their strategies to effectively motivate, recruit, and retain these dynamic generations and foster a harmonious work environment. Understanding how to bridge the gap and best manage the unique characteristics, expectations, and communication styles of various generations on your legal team is crucial for collaboration and innovation. Join this session to gain valuable perspectives and practical strategies for leveraging the strengths of the different generational cohorts, creating a multi-generational workplace that thrives with enhanced collaboration and productivity.

Implicit bias is assessed here by looking at our three major areas of IP law—copyright, patent and trademark—and discussing the required issues of implicit bias through the lens of a survey of our IP laws. In this program, intellectual property lawyer Peter Afrasiabi takes you on a fun, interesting journey asking these questions: Does copyright law and fair use as it collides with modern AI technologies require us to assess, where implicit bias in the stock of material that AI is learning on, whether fair use and copyright law need to take that into account in deciding the AI fair use questions being litigated? Do the large differentials in male to female inventor patent grant rates, and the differential in male to female patent examiners, create implicit bias in the patent system, especially where we have elastic patentability concepts on abstract ideas? Do our trademark laws’ central focus on the archetypal “consumer” create their own bias issues by not seeing the “consumer” as an actual person? These and other interesting implicit bias issues, with strategies to combat implicit bias, are addressed.

Fighting lawyers, fighting witnesses (literally), threats, put downs and other improper behavior – these are just a few of the deposition disasters that have been caught on camera, including infamous celebrity deponents Justin Bieber and Lil Wayne. In this entertaining program, veteran litigator Peter Afrasiabi chronicles some of the worst deposition disasters and the lessons that can be gleaned from the improper behavior of the lawyers and witnesses involved. This program will be useful for litigators of all levels and highly entertaining for lawyers of every stripe.

From revolutionizing industries and increasing productivity to displacing jobs and increasing bias, the rapid progression of Artificial Intelligence is impacting society and brings with it a host of ethical considerations and challenges. This session will explore the ethical implications of using AI in legal decision-making, including issues related to bias, privacy, and transparency. Our expert panelists will share best practices to use AI tools ethically and responsibly, and will provide valuable insight on how legal departments are navigating the risks.

As a present-day legal leader, it may feel like you are facing one crisis after another and while you have become adept at handling these situations, it's important for in-house counsel to take a proactive approach to prevent future crisis rather than believing their value lies in the quality of their response to the crisis. This panel will focus on strategies leaders should implement to help their teams get ahead of a crisis, minimize its impact and avoid it as much as possible overall. While you can't always predict what's coming around the corner for your organization, you will walk away from this session with tools that help leaders shift to rewarding efforts in preparing for and minimizing future crises.