NEWS & UPCOMING PROGRAMS

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Greater Newburyport Bar Association

2021 Schedule

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4th Annual CLE by the Sea: NE Solo and Small Law Firm Conference, Blue Ocean Event Center, Salisbury

Thursday, August 12

Greater Newburyport Bar Association with

The Maine State Bar Association; New Hampshire Bar Association; Massachusetts Bar Association; Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys; MA Woman’s Bar Association; Starting Out Solo; LOMAP-MA

Maine CLE Credits: 7.0 with potential to earn 2.5 Ethics Credits and 1.0 H&D Credit.

New Hampshire credits indicated on agenda

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SCHEDULE/AGENDA

 

7:30-8:30    Continental Breakfast

 

8:30-9:30    How Cybersecurity Can Impact Your Business 

    (1 Maine ethics credit, NH 60 minutes general)

Corey Tapper, President, Techevolution Sponsored by Techevolution

• Types of Cybersecurity (Cloud Security, Network Security and Application Security)

• The Rise of Cyber Crime

• Targeted Cyber Attacks

  • Identity Theft, Hacking and Other Cybersecurity Attacks

• How to Avoid a Security Breach at your Company

• The Biggest Risk to a Business

• Processes the Best Practices

  • How to protect your network devices and data from attack, damage or unauthorized access

 

Concurrent Sessions

9:30-10:30    A.    Practicing Family Law on the Borders (NH 60 minutes general)

Demetra Pontsiakos, MA, Catherine Shanelaris, NH & Dana Prescott, ME

• Substantive differences in child support/parenting/alimony

• Enforcement and modification standards in three states.

• UIFSA basics.

    •    UCCJEA basics vs. UCCJA basics (MA only).

• How to record a foreign judgment and what does it mean?

 

9:30-10:30    B.    Marketing with Limited Resources

Susan Letterman White, Letterman White Consulting LLC

• What does the most recent research data say about how prospective clients choose lawyers today

• What should you do to get noticed with limited resources?

• What can you do to improve your chances of being selected?

 

10:30-10:50    Networking Break

 

Concurrent Sessions

 

10:50-11:50 C.    COVID and Employer Liability Claims (NH 60 minutes general)

Maureen Pomeroy, MA, Debra Dyleski-Najjar NH & Laura H. White, ME, Don Pitman, Moderator

• COVID Vaccinations and Accommodations

• Leaves of Absence/ADA Rules

• Working from Home Now and in Future

 

10:50-11:50 D.    State of the Legal Market and Profession (NH 60 minutes             general)

Damian Turco, TurcoLegal

• Case and attorney trends through COVID pandemic;

• Closer look at Eviction, Debt Collection, and Family Law Cases;

• The Justice Gap and how the industry has addressed it;

• Established and emerging legal tech and what lawyers will need to do to remain competitive.

 

Marc Moccia, Kazarosian Costello LLP

• Lawyer WellBeing

• Diversity

• Civility

 

11:50-1:00 Lunch (included)

 

1:00-2:00    How to Build a Virtual Law Practice (NH 60 minutes general)

Rio Peterson, CLIO Sponsored by CLIO

• What a virtual law firm is, and how it works

• Why you should consider starting a virtual practice

• How to get started on your firm’s virtual path

 

Concurrent Sessions

2:00-3:00    E.    Practicing Elder Law on the Borders: Different Approaches and     Current Topics (NH 60 minutes general)

Margot Birke, MA, Jennifer Frank, ME and Joy Riddell, NH Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts; Annuities/Name on Check; Pooled Trusts; Elective Share; Testamentary Trusts; Transfer on Death Deeds

 

2:00-3:00    F.    Encryption (1 Maine ethics credit, NH 60 minutes general)

Laura Keeler, LOMAP

• Gain a basic understanding of encrypted communications

• Learn how to protect confidential client information.

• Learn about some best practices and examples of encryption tools that are applicable for use in a small law office.

 

3:00-3:15    Networking Break

 

Concurrent Sessions

3:15-4:15    G.    Inside Out: How to Manage Lead and Client Communications in a Brave New World (.5 Maine ethics credit, NH 60 minutes general)

Jared D. Correia, Red Cave Consulting Co.

• What are the technology applications that can assist client communications

• How to modernize your lead management and client communications to convert more clients

• How to improve your relationships with the clients you already have

    •    What are the practical applications and ethical considerations that enable you to stay on top of, and paper, every transaction across the client lifecycle

 

3:15-4:15    H.    Business Ownership: Is It an Asset or Is It a Job? 

        (NH 60 minutes general)

Marc Bello, Edelstein & Co. and Don Pitman, Pitman Law Office Sponsored by Edelstein & Co.

• Identify attributes which create value to a business

• Identify attributes correlated to a business owners efforts

• How to distinguish when a business goes from a job to an asset

• Why does it matter for valuation purposes

• If you can’t sell it, can it still be an asset?

 

Concurrent Sessions--4:15-5:15

    I.      Unconscious Bias (1 Maine H & D credit, NH 60 minutes general)

Susan Letterman White, Letterman White Consulting

• How do systemic “isms” lead to inadvertent harassment and discriminatory communication and conduct in the practice of law?

• What’s the role of feelings in all of this?

• What can we do to recognize and repair the problem?    

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   J.      Legal Marketing Tactics & Benchmarks of Top Ranking Law Firms

Nick Paul & Dax Greener, NIFTY

 

• Discover what marketing tactics are working for top law firms

• Benchmarking data to measure against your own law firm

• Actionable marketing strategies to improve your firm's Google presence and visibility

• Deep dive into Google Local Services Ads

            

Reception  Oceanside

All Invited—Sponsored by the GNBA

 

INFORMATION

Tuition: $175.00 | After July 12, $200.00

Tuition includes, continental breakfast, lunch, and reception. Also included are course materials. Parking is free in Blue Ocean lot.

To Register: firm-conference

 

For More Information on Blue Ocean visit www.BlueOceanEventCenter.com

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For More Information about Blue Ocean Music Hall visit www.BlueOceanHall.com

 

Questions? Contact cwagan@greaternewburyportbar association.org

 

 

 

We thank our sponsors for their generosity and support!

 

Speaker Sponsors

Clio is the world’s leading cloud-based technology platform that prides itself in simplifying operations, growing businesses, and allowing legal professionals like you to work remotely from anywhere. Let Clio focus on the business side of running your firm while you spend more time doing what you do best — practicing law.

Learn more at www.clio.com

 

 

Techevolution 

Techevolution specializes in a wide range of services, including cyber security and IT solutions for small and medium businesses. Every aspect of running a business takes time. Let us manage your IT services so that you have the time to focus on your business. Techevolution combines our multifaceted IT experience and expertise to define the best solution to meet your company’s needs. We keep your IT systems running smooth, while ensuring your electronic assets are optimized, maintained, secured and protected.

Learn more at https://www.techevolutionmsp.com

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NIFTY

At Nifty we believe there is a right way to do marketing for law firms. We live and breathe legal marketing and travel the country talking about it. It is our goal to help lawyers get back in the “lawyer seat” and do what they are best at. To accomplish this we become a true partner and friend with the law firms that join the Nifty team. We become an integral member of the team and thrive on the success of the lawyers we work with. We take pride in being insanely transparent and honest in everything we do. We are a bunch of passionate marketers in a small farming community with good values and even better work ethics.

 

 

Table Sponsors

 

Edelstein & Company LLP is a full-services regional CPA firm located in Boston’s financial district. We’re comprised of over 100 employees serving primarily privately held businesses and high net worth individuals spanning a variety of industries including healthcare, real estate & construction, food & beverage, start up and emerging companies, nonprofit organizations, PE and hedge funds to mention a few. We provide tax, audit, accounting, business valuation and consulting services to our clients. In 2018, we proudly celebrated our 50th anniversary. Learn more at ://edelsteincpa.com

    

8 Waves Creative is a full-service marketing agency located on the north shore of Boston. We define, architect, build, and deliver uniquely designed and tailored marketing solutions that separate you from the crowd. We are able to manage your company’s entire marketing operation, or simply just assist in the areas where you need it most. Learn more at www.8wavescreative.com 

 

The Institution for Savings. Since 1820, the Institution for Savings has played an integral role in supporting the communities we serve. With 15 retail locations throughout the North Shore, we offer a full menu of uncomplicated personal and business products and services to help our customers build financial security. As a mutual savings bank, our true commitment to our communities extends far beyond profits. From our trustees and officers to our employees, we are all committed to constantly do what we can to improve the lives of those around us every day. 

 

Gretchen Maguire, Realty One Group

At Realty ONE Group - NEST, we believe in Community, Family and building a life by design and not by default. We pride ourselves on our thriving, forward-thinking environment & unique COOLture! As a Residential Real Estate Salesperson since 1989 you will find that Gretchen Maguire's focus on customer satisfaction, communication, and passion for this business exceeds industry standards. When you’re ready to buy or sell a home, Gretchen Maguire can provide you with results you can count on.

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McWalter Volunteer, Insurance Agency, Jillian Lukegord, VP

Your property and casualty independent agent since 1907. Ensuring that you have the correct coverage for your business or personal accounts can be both confusing and overwhelming. At McWalter Volunteer, we work with you to select the best strategy to minimize risk. When we examine your insurance program, we recommend the best ways to update your insurance, whether eliminating unnecessary coverage, consolidating multiple programs, or indicating areas where coverage is insufficient. At McWalter Volunteer, we believe that our clients deserve peace of mind, knowing that we have secured for them the proper protection at the best price.

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Raven Consultancy and Community Services

Raven Consulting and Community Services provides a variety of resources and workshops for professionals in law, psychology, mental health, social work, and education, among other fields. RCCS offers guidance through individual and organizational litigation support concerning expert and forensic roles, professional ethics, Guardian ad litem best practices, and risk management. We also equip parents with education and resources for parenting and co-parenting after separation, including child custody conflict and family court matters.

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Business Sponsors

 

LEAP is the #1 legal practice management software for New England law firms. Simplify  your IT infrastructure, reduce overhead costs, and enable your law firm to work from anywhere, at any time. Law firms earn 30% more profit within the first year of switching to LEAP by getting rid of servers, billing more hours with instant time-recording, and getting paid faster with secure, online billing and payments. Learn more at www.leap.us

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Martha Bagley, BagleyLaw,

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Don Pitman, The Pitman Law Offices, LLC, Newburyport, 

https://www.pitmanlawofficesllc.com

 

Thomas J. Taranto, Law Office of Thomas J. Taranto, Salem                                   www.Tarantolaw.com

 

Gary Todd, Todd & Weld, Boston, http://www.toddweld.com/

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The Annual John C. Stevens Symposium on Family Law: Benched II

 

Rescheduled, Thursday, September 9, 2021, 5:00-7:00 p.m.

Firehouse Center for the Arts, Market Square, Newburyport

 

Back by popular demand is “Benched”. This year’s symposium features the following, all of whom will share their thoughts and tips for more effective advocacy.

 

Judges

Honorable Theresa Bisenius

Honorable Mary Black

Honorable Abbe Ross

Honorable ElizabethTeixiera

Honorable Jennifer Rivera Ulwick

Attorneys Judith Cowan & Donald Pitman, Moderators

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Topics include

• Motion Practice—Emergencies; Contempt; DCF Cases

• Pretrials—Preparation; Pro Se; Exhibit Books

• Discovery—GAL Reports; DCF Records, Executive Compensation

• Trials—Evidentiary Mistakes, Preserving Objections

• Appeals—Interlocutory; Credibility; Exhibits

 

Tuition: $50 for GNBA Members/$100 for Nonmembers

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Dissecting Nuanced Trust Issues

Thursday, September 23, 3-5:30, The Screening Room, 82 State Street, Newburyport

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We never anticipate that the trust we drafted will be at the crux of litigation. Drafting around unforeseeable risk and unknowable nuance is nearly impossible. What are the strategic drafting issues that you must know and understand for particular types of trusts and various real life circumstances that may arise long after the trust is established and funded? What legal solutions exist to bolster a trust that we later realize has vulnerabilities and exposures based on changes in family circumstances, legislation, the tax code, and the evolution of case law?

 Attend this program and learn:

• When is an irrevocable trust the right solution and when is it not

• What are the provisions in a revocable trust that need scrutiny

• The dangers of utilizing boilerplate language

• Under what circumstances are family trust assets vulnerable in a divorce, whether with or without a prenuptial agreement

• How, when and for what purpose should we use decanting to protect a trust for prenuptial planning and pre-divorce strategic planning

• What is a Trust Protector and how is a Trust Protector used 

 

The Faculty

 Margot G. Birke, Esq., Chair, Elder Law Solutions, Newburyport

Susan A. Atlas, Esq., LL.M., Boston, Chelmsford and Nashua NH and Professor

Lisa M. Cukier, Esq., Burns & Levinson, Boston and Wellesley

Anne Katsas, Esq., Port Estate Planning, Newburyport

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To Register:

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Social Media Evidence: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly

Thursday, October 7, 4-6:00 p.m. , The Screening Room, 82 State Street, Newburyport 

                        

Social media plays a key role in many family law, civil and criminal cases. Although social media is now ubiquitous in society and the law, the evolving nature of operating systems and apps creates challenges for your clients and cases. And the ugly? The potential criminal consequences.  

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It is critical for all lawyers to know:

• How to find social media platforms

• How to conduct discovery to find social media evidence

• How to establish a chain of custody

• What evidence is admissible and what is exclusionary and how to properly authenticate evidence in court

• What are the potential civil and criminal consequences of using social media evidence

• What should you do if your client has unlawfully recorded a conversation

• How do you avoid ethical traps

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This program brings together litigation experts to discuss the ways these discovery issues play out in different courts and different states. Attend and learn about the latest developments and decisions.

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The Faculty

Gary Todd, Todd & Weld, Boston, Moderator

Hon. Eric Neyman, Appeals Court

Hon. Robert Brennan, RAJ, Essex County District Court

Daniel K. Gelb, Gelb & Gelb, Beverly 

Richard Novitch, Todd & Weld, Boston

Nicole Reilly, Reilly & Rosnov, Danvers

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To Register:

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