Virginia (VA) Ethics CLE Course Catalog

This program uses a hypothetical negotiation between lawyers representing a writer seeking to sell a script and a film studio seeking to buy it to illustrate how the ethics rules apply when lawyers act as negotiators. Participants will walk away with concrete, practical advice, including: What you can and cannot misrepresent or conceal in a negotiation and why; wow to handle tricky issues such as estimates of price or value, willingness to compromise, bottom lines and settlement authority; what statements of law or fact may be considered “material” in negotiations; and when puffing, posturing and exaggerating cross the line.

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.

Everyone knows that Taylor Swift is a music genius. But she’s made some pretty smart moves in the courtroom too. Join the CLE Performer, Stuart Teicher, Esq., as he talks about how the ethics rules are invoked in some of Taylor Swift’s run ins with the legal system. You don’t have to be a Swiftie to watch the program…but you might end up one when you’re done!

Why do we have so many cat sayings? What do they mean? And do they really teach anything about attorney ethics? In this program, Stuart will explain it all. We’ll talk about the origins of these cat sayings and the ethics lessons beneath each.