NOVEMBER 2021 E-NEWSLETTER |
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Recent Developments in the Law 2021 |
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9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., 6.0 credits
RI Law Center, Cranston (Limited attendance)
Have you registered for the fall favorite Recent Developments in the Law seminar? In this convenient one-day, hybrid format, you will receive an update on rule changes and legal trends related to recent cases, and new legislation in seven key areas of the law!
Faculty members have been preparing for several months, watching legislation, and researching this year’s hot cases to present the latest information to you. They will choose two or three of the most significant cases from the past year for their presentation and provide access to case summaries of additional developments for electronic materials that will become an invaluable reference in your law library. The areas to be covered include probate and trust, receiverships and bankruptcy law, criminal law, real estate, civil procedure, torts and insurance issues, and family law.
Your registration fee includes the seminar, electronic version of written case summaries, and six CLE credits! And, new to this year, you’ll have the option of attending in-person OR via live webinar from the comfort of your home or office! Register today and take advantage of this program where all the research has been done for you!
Please note, in person seating is limited.
Moderators
Eric B. DiMario Esq.
Kiernan, Plunkett & Redihan
Lynn E. Riley Esq.
Cameron & Mittleman, LLP
Speakers
Leon C. Boghossian III, Esq.
Hinckley Allen & Snyder LLP
Thomas M. Dickinson Esq.
Law Offices of Thomas M. Dickinson
Jane Fearing Howlett Esq.
Howlett Law, Inc.
Christopher J. Montalbano Esq.
Pilgrim Title Insurance Co.
Steven J. Boyajian Esq.
Robinson & Cole, LLP
Nicole J. Benjamin Esq.
Adler Pollock & Sheehan P.C.
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There are so many great CLE programs being offered this November! Here are just a few:
Coping with Daily Life Post-Pandemic
12:30 – 1:30 p.m., 1.0 ethics
Live Webinar Only
Auto Accident Crash Course – Just the Basics
2:00 – 4:00 p.m., 1.0 credit + 0.5 ethics
Live Webinar Only
Succession Planning for Lawyer: How to Value + Sell a Practice
1:00 – 2:00 p.m., 0.5 credit + 0.5 ethics
Live Webinar Only
December CLE registration is now open! Topics include gender-identity harassment & discrimination, real estate conveyance tax changes, and tips for how to hire the best employees. Be sure to check out the CLE calendar for all of our program offerings!
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2022 Annual Meeting Survey
The 2022 Annual Meeting will once again be held in person at the Rhode Island Convention Center on Thursday, June 23rd and Friday, June 24th. In order to help the Annual Meeting Planning Committee plan the best program for all attendees, please click here to respond to a very brief survey. We appreciate your input! |
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Annual Meeting Workshop Proposals Due November 10! |
Do you have a workshop suggestion for the 2022 Annual Meeting? How about ideas for speakers? The Annual Meeting Planning Committee is looking for your input!
The 2022 Annual Meeting will once again be held in person at the Rhode Island Convention Center on Thursday, June 23rd and Friday, June 24th. Each year, the Annual Meeting Planning committee’s goal is to develop two days of legal education that will meet the diverse needs of Rhode Island practitioners at many levels of experience and areas of legal practice.
Please consider submitting one or more workshops for consideration to help us plan a program that will meet the needs of the bar membership. Initial proposals consisting of a brief description of the proposed workshop are due by November 10, 2021.
To access the 2022 Annual Meeting workshop proposal form please click here, or visit the Bar’s website at ribar.com and click on the Continuing Legal Education dropdown menu and select the 2022 AM Proposal Form. Please contact CLE Director Tanya Nieves at 401-421-5740 or [email protected] if you have any questions.
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Remembering our Veterans on November 11 |
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Thursday, November 11 is Veterans Day and an opportune time to remember the sacrifice of those who serve and have served our nation. The Bar Association’s US Armed Forces Legal Services Project receives constant inquiries for legal assistance from our military in all areas of civil law. Also, periodically we receive requests from the Rhode Island Veterans Home in Bristol for elderly Veterans requesting wills. Please let us know if you would be interested in learning more about the Bar’s legal assistance for our military and how you can help! Please contact Elisa King via email at [email protected] or call her at 401-521-5040.
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Rhode Island Law Day is scheduled for Friday, May 6, 2022. The classroom program topic will be Toward a More Perfect Union: The Constitution in Times of Change. The Constitution is a dynamic document, that not only outlines a blueprint for government, but also delegates power, articulates rights, and offers mechanisms for change. It is neither perfect, nor exhaustive, as our nation’s history makes clear. Legislation, court rulings, amendments, lawyers, and “we the people” have built upon those original words across generations to attempt to make the “more perfect Union” more perfect. That effort continues today, as contemporary leaders and everyday citizens raise their voices as loud as ever to fulfill the promise of the Constitution and create a more perfect Union.
There is still time to volunteer to participate if you have not done so already! Bar members interested in volunteering for Rhode Island Law Day and the Bar’s other Law Related Education (LRE) programs are asked to contact Erin Cute by telephone: (401) 421-5740 or email: [email protected].
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The editors of the Rhode Island Bar Journal are requesting articles from our members for possible publication in the Bar Journal. Having your article published in the Journal gives you visibility and establishes you as an expert in your field! We seek articles that present ideas that will help lawyers better practice law and operate their firms more efficiently, review specific case law, as well as historical pieces or tech-related pieces. The Journal seeks original articles, written expressly for the first publication in the Bar Journal, by members of the Rhode Island Bar Association.
Please click here to review the Rhode Island Bar Journal Article Selection Criteria, which also appears on page 4 of every Rhode Island Bar Journal. All issues of the Bar Journal since 2009 are located in the Bar Journal Archive on our website or by clicking here. To view the most recent issues of the Bar Journal, please click here or visit the Bar Journal Homepage. If you have any questions concerning Bar Journal article or news item submissions, please contact Rhode Island Bar Journal Editor Erin R. Cute by telephone: (401) 421-5740 or email: [email protected]
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Attorneys Advantage Advice |
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With 2021 wrapping up, it’s time to start thinking about your firm’s risk management protocols. Due to the constantly changing regulatory environment and speed of technological innovation, law practices are subject to the ever-growing list of potential risks. To mitigate risk, you should periodically review your risk management strategy.
These best practices can help reduce your exposure to legal malpractice claims:
- Draft detailed engagement letters setting out the scope of the services you will be providing
- Consider writing disengagement and non-engagement letters where appropriate
- Inform clients of the status of their matters regularly and promptly
- Keep a written record of all client communications
- Confirm all strategy decisions in writing, especially if a client instructs you to go down an unadvisable or risky route
- Periodically review and update your risk management strategy to help keep potential liabilities to a minimum
At Aon Attorneys Advantage insureds receive access to our risk education program, designed to help law firms adopt a proactive approach to risk management that may help reduce professional liability exposures. This program offers free CLE hours, a library of letter templates, and a risk management hotline (providing policyholders with assistance on a vast array of legal issues, including pre-claim counseling and contract provision reviews).
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Follow Us on Social Media So You Never Miss an Update! |
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The Bar is going paperless! As a reminder, the Rhode Island Bar Journal is now being distributed to members in a digital format via email, as well as our monthly CLE seminar brochures. Make sure you are following us on all our social media accounts, so you never miss an update!
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We are so Grateful for you!
Happy Thanksgiving!
The generous gift of your expertise made it possible for thousands of Rhode Islanders who contacted the Bar Association’s public service/pro bono programs in 2021 navigate the legal system. You protected the rights of those who without you would have likely gone unrepresented. We can’t thank you enough during these very difficult times.
In 2022 there will be thousands more in our communities with crucial legal assistance needs. They will contact the Lawyer Referral Service, Volunteer Lawyer Program, Elderly Pro Bono Program, and US Armed Forces Legal Services Project. For those of you who are already members, we know we can depend on you. Your longstanding support allows us to continue to provide legal assistance to your fellow Rhode Islanders.
If you are not a member of one or more of our excellent public service programs and want to participate, please know there are many different areas and levels of need. Please contact Susan Fontaine, for any questions you may have about the different opportunities. You may contact her by email at [email protected], or call her at 401-421-7758.
LRS Renewal
Please note the quickest and easiest way to renew your Lawyer Referral Service membership is on your Rhode Island Bar Association Membership Dues Invoice. Simply check off the box for the Lawyer Referral Service and include your $100.00 LRS annual membership fee. If you prefer, you may send your check directly to the LRS, 41 Sharpe Drive, Cranston, RI 02920 to the attention of Caitlin Poland. If you have any questions on the renewal or joining, please email [email protected] or phone 401-421-7799.
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Spotlight on Pro Bono Cases |
Highlighted below are two cases in need of placement through one or more of your Bar Association’s pro bono programs including the Volunteer Lawyer Program, Pro Bono Program for the Elderly and/or US Armed Forces Legal Services Project. Please take a moment and review the case summaries below. Whether you are already a member or may be interested in joining, we are in dire need of your expertise and assistance. Mentors are available through the programs. For further details, please contact Susan Fontaine, [email protected] or 401-421-7758.
Program for the Elderly
Woonsocket, VGP Guardianship – The VGP Program at the Office of Healthy Aging has requested a volunteer attorney to put through two guardianships. The wards are both located at Trinity Health and Rehabilitation in Woonsocket, we have a current DMAT and a volunteer guardian has been found. These guardianships are of the person only.
Volunteer Lawyer Program
Custody, December 7th, 10:30, Providence - Client is the mother of a 1-year-old child. Father filed to establish placement with him, joint custody, visitation for client, and child support. The current verbal agreement is that client has the child 4 days a week and the father has the child 3 days a week. The client would like to continue with this agreement and would like legal assistance to help her accomplish that.
If you are interested in taking one of the cases listed above, please contact Elisa King for the Elderly program, [email protected] and John Ellis for VLP, [email protected]. You may also contact them via phone at 401-421-7758.
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8 Tips for a Healthy Holiday Season
While the holiday season can be a fun and joyous time, it can also be very hectic. The combined effort of shopping, attending social events, and entertaining guests can quickly become too much to handle. Here are a few quick tips to help minimize holiday stress and how to stay healthy this holiday season.
Wash Hands Often: Since most people will be attending more gatherings with friends and family this holiday season, remember to wash your hands frequently to help prevent the spread of germs. Wash your hands with soap and clean running water for at least 20 seconds.
Start Healthy Traditions: Consider starting healthy holiday traditions with the whole family. Go for a walk after Thanksgiving dinner, plan an annual Black Friday hike, throw a football in the back yard, go for a group bike ride, or walk around the neighborhood and sing carols.
Add More vegetables: Increase the number of vegetable dishes on the dinner table and try finding small twists to dress them up without making them unhealthy. Another option is to serve vegetables first — like a salad before dinner or a vegetable-based appetizer earlier in the afternoon. This will help everyone make sure they get the vegetables they need instead of filling up on buttery mashed potatoes.
It’s all about moderation: There’s nothing wrong with enjoying an indulgent, festive dinner — but you’ll want to make sure that your meals surrounding it are healthy and nutrient-dense. Have a light lunch
before the big dinner and opt for a healthy breakfast the next morning. By eating healthy during the holiday season, you can afford to go all out for a few big events.
Take Time for Yourself: The holidays are full of family and friends, and while this can be a great thing, it can also be draining and stressful. Setting aside time just for you, can help you cope with the chaos of the holiday season. Do some yoga, take a relaxing walk, schedule a personal spa day by yourself, or simply take some time to catch up on some reading.
Set a Spending Budget: Although spending money during the holiday season may be unavoidable, you can control how much you spend. To help prevent stress over money, plan ahead, review your finances, and come up with a realistic budget for gifts.
Stay Active: When you’re running around during the holiday season, exercise might be the last thing on your mind. What you may not realize is that being active can elevate your mood and help you cope with stress. Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity a minimum of three times each week.
Keep It Simple: The holiday season can be stressful when you have too much on your plate. This might be the case if you're welcoming out-of-town guests and hosting family festivities. You don’t have to cancel your plans, but make sure you’re not setting unrealistic expectations for yourself. Everything doesn’t have to be perfect, and you don’t have to do everything yourself!
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Having trouble plumbing the depths of your finances? Traditional accounting tools offer basic reporting, that most law firms ignore, even if their accountants might suggest otherwise. But, a new software, called Fathom, allows businesses, including law firms, to access consolidated reporting from multiple softwares, cashflow forecasting and in-depth data insights, that combine to allow you to make better financial decisions about your law firm.
This tech tip is brought to you by the Bar Association’s Law Practice Management Consultant, Jared Correia, of Red Cave Law Firm Consulting. If you need help with billing, client relations, data management, financial management, marketing, office technology, time management, disaster prevention & recovery, or any other area related to managing your practice, Red Cave Law Firm Consulting will provide Rhode Island Bar Association members with unlimited virtual consulting services (email, telephone, chat, video) FREE OF CHARGE. To get started, visit the Bar’s LPM page here, or just email Jared directly at [email protected]. |
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Rhode Island Bar Association
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