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In the latest installment of “The Curious Lawyer” series, Peter Afrasiabi considers some fundamental questions about travel such as: Do you have a constitutional right to travel and can that right be suspended in emergencies? Why does the TSA have the right to search you and your luggage when you board a flight without a warrant or even probable cause? In this entertaining and informative program, Peter takes you on a world tour of the law as it relates to travel.

What is the difference between a design patent and a utility patent and which receives more protection under federal law? Peter Afrasiabi answers this question while explaining the key aspects of patent law, common defenses to patent claims including functionality, obviousness, invalidity/prior art and potential damages in the context of famous patent cases involving Apple, LA Gear, Crocs, Nike and Columbia Sportswear. Peter also shares valuable practice pointers for lawyers grappling with patent issues and claims.

Veteran litigators Andrew Struve and Susan Page White walk step-by-step through the key actions and decisions every litigator must take at the outset of a matter to ensure a smooth start and that nothing is missed. Overlooking even one of these critical steps could lead to at best an unhappy client, and at worst to claims of legal malpractice. The speakers also share an easy-to-follow checklist that all litigators – from the most junior to the more experienced – will find highly valuable to use for every matter that comes in the door.

In the latest installment in the popular “Negotiation Ethics for Lawyers” series, Zach McGee switches gears to show how negotiations are portrayed in some popular films. In part one, the subject is the remarkable film “Hotel Rwanda” where the main character, Paul Rusesabagina, played by Don Cheadle, pulls out every negotiation “dirty trick” in the book while he literally negotiates for his life and the lives of his family during the Rwandan genocide. Zach draws lessons from these examples that you can use in your next real world negotiation and illustrates the legal ethics rules that apply to lawyers when we negotiate. Rules covered includes: ABA Model Rules 1.7 4.1 & 8.4; Cal. Business & Professions Code Sec. 6068.

In the next installment of this popular series, grab a beer and a box of Cracker Jack as Peter Afrasiabi walks you through the unique legal position that America’s pastime occupies in the United States. From the first pitch -- when the Supreme Court initially conferred regulatory immunity upon the sport – through to what may be the final out – more recent decisions such as NCAA v. Alston that have opened the door for amateur athletes to profit from their names and likenesses, Peter will make you a legal expert on baseball in nine innings or less.

Generative AI has taken the legal world by storm in recent months and with its capabilities and sophistication advancing at a rapid pace, many are wondering how this powerful tool can be applied to the legal profession.

Stuart Teicher, Esq., doesn’t call them “virtual assistants”,  he calls them “virtual career killers.” That’s because the use of these devices are fraught with serious ethics issues. Join the CLE Performer Stuart Teicher, Esq., as he explores the never-ending problems with virtual assistants and related technologies. Rule 1.1 and Rule 1.6 discussed.

E-signatures have become a part of the practice, but there are ethical concerns with that. Join the CLE Performer Stuart Teicher, Esq., as he talks about digital signatures and a few other new ethics issues with technology.