Previous Events & CLE Programs
May 13, 2008
Section Meeing
The FBI and the Mob
Sponsors
Senior Lawyers Section
Litigation Section
Civil Rights & Civil Liberties Section
Solo & Small Firm Section
Please join Juliane Balliro, WolfBlock, and Victor Garo, two of the attorneys who secured a $101.75 million judgment against the federal government in the malicious prosecution case of Limone v. United States, 497 F. Supp. 2d 143 (D. Mass. 2007), appeal pending, as they discuss the legal and personal issues that they confronted in litigating it.
Background:
Nearly 40 years ago, four alleged organized crime figures were convicted of murder based upon the false testimony of an FBI informant. Of the four of them, two were sentenced to death. Two died in prison, and two others lived long enough to see their convictions vacated. After a decades-long effort and a 22-day bench trial before the Honorable Nancy Gertner, their attorneys obtained civil relief for them.
May 8, 2008
Section Meeing
Using Microsoft Outlook or an Integrated Client Management System in Your Office
Sponsors
Solo & Small Firm Section
Litigation Section
Criminal Law Section
Trusts & Estates Section
New Lawyers Section
Nancy Brush, Just Solutions, Inc., Jo Ann Citron, Citron Law, and Stephen G. Viegas, Law Offices of Stephen G. Viegas, will offer insight on making educated decisions regarding existing software. Gain control of your calendar and docket to prevent missed deadlines and double-booking your schedule. Our presenters will speak about how you can use either an integrated client management system like TimeMatters, Amicus, Abacus, PracticeMaster, or PCLaw to gain control of your life, or, in the alternative, how to use your existing Microsoft products, Outlook, Excel and Word to accomplish those goals.
April 29, 2008
Section Meeing
Intellectual Property Primer for Non-IP Lawyers
Sponsors
Solo & Small Firm Section
Intellectual Property Law Section
Robert Plotkin, Robert Plotkin, P.C. and Zick Rubin, The Law Office of Zick Rubin, will provide an overview of the patent, copyright, trademark, and trade secret-related issues that non-IP lawyers are most likely to encounter. Specifically they will discuss how to spot those issues, how to avoid the most common mistakes, and when to seek assistance from an IP specialist.
Intellectual property (IP) law carries with it many pitfalls for all lawyers who represent businesses, employers, employees, and non-profit organizations. IP lawyers will also benefit from this session, which will review the differences between different branches of IP law -- such as the different steps necessary to secure ownership of a patent versus a copyright.
Topics covered will include:
- Patent, copyright, trademark, and trade secret: overview and key differences,
- IP in employment, independent contractor, and other agreements,
- When and how to apply for copyrights, trademarks, and patents, and
- International protection.
March 26, 2008
Section Meeing
Home office, Shared office: Operations, Ethics and Tax Consequences
Sponsors
Solo & Small Firm Section
Criminal Law Section
Labor & Employment Law Section
New Lawyers Section
Don Lassman, Connie Rudnick, and Morris Robinson, will discuss how to deal with practical issues related to establishing a practice in a home office, a shared office, and ethical issues related to sharing an office with unaffiliated attorneys. Mr. Robinson will then discuss tax considerations of practicing in a home office and shared office space, issues related to choice of entity, and calculating tax liabilities and estimated tax payments associated with being a solo practitioner or partner.
February 12, 2008
Section Meeing
Facebook, MySpace & Family Law
Sponsors
Family Law Section
Solo & Small Firm Section
Join Mark D. Robbins, Nixon Peabody LLP, and other fellow practitioners in an open discussion regarding FaceBook, Myspace and other social-networking sites and how such sites have been used in our practice. Specific topics to be discussed include:
- What role can participation in sites such as MySpace and FaceBook play in 209A Orders and custody cases?
- How does one even get on such sites?
- How can “pages” from these sites be entered into evidence?
- How and when can visits to pornographic sites be used?
If you have experience with online social sites, whether positive or negative, please come and share your insights. This topic will be relevant for all practitioners, even if you practice outside Family Law. If you are interested in joining the panel of presenters, please feel free to contact the program organizer, Laura Unflat at Laura@unflatlaw.com.
February 7, 2008
Section Meeing
Time Management: Tips for Powering up Productivity and Powering Down Stress
Sponsors
Solo & Small Firm Section
New Lawyers Section
Bankruptcy Law Section
Criminal Law Section
Environmental Law Section
Anne Braudy, Braudy Legal Consulting, and Dr. Jeffery Fortgang, Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, Inc., will offer specific recommendations on how to run your practice more efficiently. Goals are to:
- increase productivity
- free up time for what's missing in your practice
- complete more projects, and
- have more time away from the office.
In addition to time management tips, strategies will be provided to help combat the internal obstacles that get in the way of applying these time-tested methods in your practice.
December 6, 2007
Section Meeing
Electronic Marketing: Using E-Mail Newsletters & Blogs to Enhance your Practice
Sponsors
Solo & Small Firm Section
New Lawyers Section
The panelists will share their experience and perspectives on how to make the best use of electronic marketing tools, in particular e-mail newsletters and blogs, to enhance and promote a small law practice.
Speakers include:
- Zak Barron, Constant Contact®, Inc. Zak is Regional Development Director for Constant Contact in New England. Constant Contact, which went public in October 2007, offers email marketing and survey products to help small businesses and nonprofits create quality e-newsletters and online surveys.
- David Harlow, The Harlow Group LLC. David Harlow is the principal of The Harlow Group LLC in Newton. He represents a range of health care organizations in such areas as business structuring, licensure, fraud and abuse prevention, and regulatory compliance. David maintains “HealthBlawg,” an active health care law blog (http://healthblawg.typepad.com).
- Edward Wiest, Edward R. Wiest, PC. Ed Wiest has a solo practice in Cambridge, where he focuses on business litigation and ADR, including securities arbitration. Ed has experience running a blog but does not maintain one at present.
November 9, 2007
Section Meeing
Approaches to Billing How and When to Banish the Billable Hour
Sponsors
Solo & Small Firm Section
Labor & Employment Law Section
Jay Shepherd, Shepherd Law Group, and Nina Kimball, Kimball Brousseau LLP, will discuss different approaches to billing, including how and when to banish the billable hour.
Mr. Shepherd is the principal of Shepherd Law Group, a small management-side employment law firm that has abandoned hourly billing for “Up-Front Pricing.” The firm’s approach to billing was recently featured in the Boston Globe. Nina Kimball is founding partner of Kimball Brousseau LLP, where she represents employers and employees in a wide range of employment matters.
September 21, 2007
Section Meeting
Insurance 101: What Insurance Does Your Practice Need?
Jack Kukowski of Bertholon-Rowland will address the basic insurance coverage that each practitioner should have to protect your business. Specifically he will discuss:
- different malpractice coverage options;
- business protection plans which include general liability, business income loss, business overhead, and workers’ compensation coverage;
- key endorsements for each type of policy;
- and the difference between a claims made policy and an occurrence based policy.
This program will benefit individuals considering a move to the small practice and help existing practices evaluate their current policies and gaps in coverage.
June 21, 2007
CLE Program
Managing the Client relationship
Sponsors
Solo & Small Firm Section
New Lawyers Section
Click here to register online
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Click here to use our fax-back registration form
This program will provide practical advice you will need in order to address the many issues, from ethical to practical, when working with clients. The seminar will cover the best practices for managing client relationships from initial contact through the conclusion of the case.
Click here for complete program description.
June 7, 2007
Section Meeting
Space Odyssey 2007: Choosing Office Space
Sponsors
Solo & Small Firm Section
Family Law Section
Have you struggled to decide where you can be most effective and satisfied with your practice, while getting the most for your money? This program is designed to address your “space” concerns and connect you with other lawyers dealing with these issues. The program will feature:
- John R. Peterson, Corporate Vice President and Partner of Arakelian Real Estate, Inc., who is a real estate broker and will give an overview of the greater Boston office space scene (rentals, condos, building ownership);
- Roger Glovsky, Indigo Venture LLC, who has worked as in-house counsel for start up ventures, making full use of cyber space and emerging technology; and
- Roy J. Watson, Jr., Watson Law Offices, who has spent nearly twenty-eight years renting and sharing office space but has finally purchased his own building.
Join us as our panelists discuss their unique experiences. Audience questions and discussion are encouraged Coffee & pastries will be served.
May 2, 2007
Section Meeting
How to Work a Room
Sponsors
Solo & Small Firm Section
New Lawyers Section
Litigation Section
Immigration Law Committee
Please join attorney B.J. Krintzman for an expert lesson on "how to work a room" (or "the 37 things you need to know to network like a pro"). B.J. Krintzman has a solo general practice with offices in Newton and on Cape Cod, and frequently lectures on how to run a successful law practice. B.J.’s talk will be followed by a wine and hors d’oeuvres reception so attendees can put their new knowledge into practice right away.
April 5, 2007
Section Meeting
Health Reform: Impacts on Solo Practitioners and Small Firm Owners
Join us as we discuss the impacts of the 2006 Massachusetts Health Reform Act. Clare McGorrian will discuss how the Health Reform Act may affect the small firm owner and Patricia Metzer of Vacovec Mayotte & Singer will address how to establish a Section 125 plan.
The Act creates new rules that apply to Massachusetts employers with more than 10 employees. Specifically, these include:
- a "fair share" contribution for employers that do not offer health coverage
- a requirement to set up a "Section 125" plan so employees can pay for health care on a pre-tax basis
- a requirement that all adult residents obtain health insurance this year
March 29, 2007
CLE Program
Referral Marketing: The Key to a Profitable Practice
This program will focus specifically on the needs unique to solo and small firm attorneys who do not have access to large marketing budgets or marketing staff. Attendees will have a valuable opportunity to get workable, practical answers to their questions about referrals: how to become referral worthy, who to ask for referrals, how to ask for referrals, and what to do when you receive a referral.
Joseph A. Hernandez, of Referrals to Riches, Inc. will demonstrate the steps involved in implementing your own Referral Generation System customized to your unique practice. He will also provide insight on business management practices through specific case studies or “hot seats.”
Click here for complete program description
March 29, 2007
Section Presentation
The BBA Welcomes Attorney General Martha Coakley
Sponsors
Civil Rights & Civil Liberties Section
Criminal Law Section
Environmental Law Section
Intellectual Property Law Section
Litigation Section
Solo & Small Firm Section
Attorney General Martha Coakley will outline her priorities for her administration, with specific emphasis on criminal matters. Please join us for this unique opportunity to hear from and speak with the Attorney General about her plans.
A reception will follow the program.
February 22, 2007
Section Meeting
Residential Purchase and Sale Agreements for the New Associate
Sponsors
New Lawyers Section
Solo & Small Firm Section
Title & Conveyancing Committee
Stephen D. Silveri, Law Office of Stephen D. Silveri, will provide a paragraph-by-paragraph explanation of the standard form Purchase and Sale Agreement as well as critical modifications that must be made in order to protect both buyer and seller clients. This program is targeted toward the new associate, or anyone who is unfamiliar with residential real estate transactions and who is interested in gaining a better understanding.
February 6, 2007
Section Meeting
Tales from the Frontlines: Crisis Communications in the New Business Environment
Sponsors
Solo & Small Firm Section
Litigation Section
Intellectual Property Section
Paul Andrew of Weber Shandwick Worldwide will discuss how communications can complement and enhance legal strategy. Specifically, he will teach you:
- how to handle late-day, on-deadline media calls that threaten to undermine your client’s case and reputation
- what to do and not do based on how organizations have handled and mishandled crisis communications
January 18, 2007
Section Meeting
Spotting Tax Issues
**This meeting is co-sponsored with the New Lawyers Section**
Although many solo and small firm attorneys do not practice tax law, taxation issues often are an important, and sometimes unrecognized, aspect of a comprehensive strategy to best serve the client in other areas of law including litigation, family law, business transactions, and trusts and estates.
Learn how to spot lurking tax issues and recognize the need for expert tax law assistance in your everyday practice from experienced tax practitioner Patricia Ann Metzer of Vacovec, Mayotte & Singer, LLP.
December 7, 2006
Section Meeting
Tax-Deferred Savings
As a solo or small firm practitioner, you are no doubt interested in ways to save as much as possible for your retirement. Paula Lynch, a financial advisor at UBS Financial Services Inc., will discuss a range of tax-deferred savings vehicles for both incorporated and unincorporated businesses.
October 24, 2006
Section Meeting
Pricing, Billing and Collecting for Solo & Small Firm Practitioners
B. J. Krintzman, a solo practitioner with offices in Newton and Cape Cod, will discuss setting fees, choosing a fee arrangement, and best billing practices. The presentation will provide a better understanding of how solo and small firm practitioners can improve their practice by managing these challenges.
September 7, 2006
Section Meeting
Office Equipment: What’s Affordable and Reliable?
Solo and small firm practitioners need affordable and reliable office equipment to effectively compete with big budget firms. Join us for an open forum on office equipment including computer systems, copiers, printers, phones and other gadgets, as well as where to find the best deals.
June 29, 2006
CLE Program
Managing the Client Relationship
Sponsored by: Solo & Small Firm Section and New Lawyer Section
Full program description
This program will provide pragmatic advice you will need in order to address the many issues, from ethical to practical, you face when working with clients. The seminar will cover the best practices for managing client relationships from initial contact through the conclusion of the case.
June 8, 2006
Section Event
Open House and Cocktail Reception at the Social Law Library
Sponsored by Solo & Small Firm Section and New Lawyers Section
Special Guest Judge Andrew R. Grainger, Massachusetts Appeals Court.
Come celebrate the end of the year with the Solo & Small Firm Section and the New Lawyers Section. This will be a chance to tour the beautifully renovated John Adams Courthouse, learn more about the Social Law Library and enjoy a networking reception with your colleagues from the Boston Bar Association.
June 1, 2006
Section Meeting
Mental Health Law Triage
Co-sponsors: Solo & Small Firm Section, Criminial Law Section, New Lawyers Section, Health Law Section
Gary S. Zalkin and Stephen G. Viegas, both solo practitioners, will address mental health and treatment issues that may arise regarding psychiatric commitments, guardianships and health care proxies for families. They will also discuss what lawyers should know and do when a client has mental health issues.
May 2, 2006
Section Meeting
Engagement Letters - The Nuts and Bolts
Evan Slavitt, of Bodoff & Slavitt LLP, and Lori Yarvis, of Law Offices of Lori Yarvis, will discuss the basics of the engagement letter. The program will review example letters to address the case law, ethical issues and the specific types of clauses.
April 6, 2006
Section Meeting
Understanding Conflicts of Interest
Constance V. Vecchione, First Assistant Bar Counsel, Office of the Bar Counsel, will discuss recognizing and avoiding conflicts of interest. Staying alert to potential conflicts of interest under the Rules of Professional Conduct is a basic touchstone for every practicing attorney.
March 2, 2006
Section Event
Health Benefits for Solo & Small Firm Practitioners
Clare D. McGorrian, a solo health law practitioner in Arlington, MA and Adjunct Law Professor at Suffolk University Law School, will address health benefits for solo and small practices. She will discuss key compliance issues and "consumer-driven" options, such as High Deductible Health Plans and Health Savings Accounts.
February 9, 2006
Section EVent
Marketing Yourself and Your Firm as a Young Associate
Don't know where to begin with marketing? Not sure if you need to market yourself, your firm, or even what marketing really is? If you're curious about marketing or want to improve your marketing and networking skills, please join us for an exciting panel discussion and networking reception. Our diverse panel will provide you with tips and strategies to successfully market yourself and your firm as a young associate.
Specific Topics to Include:
- Marketing activities anyone can do
- The Do’s and Don’ts of marketing and networking
- What potential clients really want to hear
- How to leverage existing relationships
Panelists to include:
- Janet B. Fierman, Founding Partner, Cohen &
Fierman, LLP
- Dana M. Gordon, Ph.D., Partner, Foley Hoag LLP
- Stephen E. Seckler, Managing Director, BCG
Attorney Search and formerly of Seckler
Legal Consulting
- Stephen D. Silveri, Solo practitioner, Law
Offices of Stephen D. Silveri
January 12, 2006
CLE Program
Creating a Lifetime of Referrals: A Practical Workshop
Full Program Description
Whether you’re an associate, a partner at a law firm or an individual practitioner, the key to success will be attracting referral business. Please join the Boston Bar Association for a hands-on workshop where you’ll learn:
- How to generate referrals and revenue;
- How to identify the most promising referral sources;
- How to make it easy for others to refer business to you; and
- How to optimize the time that you spend networking in order to generate lifetime referrals.
January 5, 2006
Section Meeting
Open Forum: Using Websites for Legal Research and Information
An open roundtable discussion of the most helpful websites for legal research and information, led by several experienced lawyers. All are welcome to attend.
November 3, 2005
Section Meeting
Formation and Dissolution of a Law Firm
Patricia Ann Metzer, of Vacovec, Mayotte & Singer, LLP will discuss how to choose among the types of legal structures that a law firm can use.
She will also discuss:
- Cost and profit sharing formulas
- Planning for retirement
- Considerations regarding dissolution
- Tax factors
October 6 , 2005
Section Meeting
Management, Retention and Discovery of Documents in Today’s Regulatory and Litigation Environment
Co-sponsored by the Litigation Section, Corporate Law Committee and Banking & Financial Services Committee
Join us for an overview of the numerous statutory and regulatory requirements governing corporations’ obligations to retain documents, including real life perspectives on how to comply. The panelists will highlight recent court decisions on the subject of civil litigants’ obligations to produce documents in pretrial discovery, with special emphasis on strategies for effective communication between lawyer and client and certification of the client’s due diligence efforts to the court. Remarks will include forensic insights on how to discover and recover electronic data.
This program is aimed at a broad cross-section of practitioners including litigators, corporate lawyers and in-house counsel.
Panelists:
Moderator:
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