NSBA News
NSBA Establishes New On-Demand CLE Portal
The NSBA provides more than 85 live CLE seminars each year. And while we feel that nothing beats participation in a live seminar, we recognize that live participation is not always possible. Therefore, we are excited to announce that beginning August 18, 2016, the NSBA will begin offering on-demand CLE webinars at www.nebarondemand.com.
What is the difference between a live webcast and an on-demand webinar? Live webcasts are offered on a specific date and time, while on-demand webinars can be downloaded and watched at any time.
The on-demand webinar portal provides seminar materials and the ability to submit questions to the speaker. It will track your progress in completing courses and provide you with a record of the credits you’ve earned. In addition to making distance-learning options more convenient, the on-demand webinar portal will allow lawyers better access to seminars related to their practice areas. For example, if you wanted to attend a seminar sponsored by the NSBA’s Intellectual Property Section, but the date didn’t work into your schedule, you can still participate by viewing the program at your convenience. The NSBA on-demand webinar portal will offer seminars related to most practice areas and will also help you satisfy your requirements for ethics/professional responsibility CLE. For those practicing as guardians ad litem, on-demand programs will also be available to help you meet your requisite hours.
You can view the on-demand library by visiting the NSBA’s website (www.nebar.com) and following the appropriate links or by going directly to www.nebarondemand.com. New programs will be added every month. You will be required to sign-in to the portal. Your log in credentials are the same as those you use to access the main NSBA website.
2016 NSBA Annual Meeting Brochure - Coming Soon to a Mailbox Near You!
The 2016 NSBA Annual Meeting brochure is being mailed to our voluntary dues members this week. Online registration will be activated on Wednesday, August 24 and will be available only to NSBA Voluntary Dues members until September 7. Complete information on the 2016 NSBA Annual Meeting can be found on the NSBA Calendar: http://www.nebar.com/event/NSBAAnnualMeeting_16.
Rural Practice Initiative Associate and Summer Clerkship Placement Program
In an effort to connect law students and attorneys with firms looking to hire associates or law clerks in greater Nebraska, the Nebraska State Bar Association is conducting a Rural Practice Initiative Interview Event in Norfolk on September 30th. In-person interviews for the clerkship program or associate employment will take place at the Norfolk Country Club on Friday, September 30th from noon - 5:00 pm. The goal is to provide 15-20 minutes for each interview. We estimate that each attorney will have the opportunity to interview at least six attorney/students. Attorneys, students and representatives from law firms will have an additional opportunity to meet and converse at a reception following the formal interviewing session.
If you are interested in hiring and would like to interview at the event, email Sam Clinch at sclinch@nebar.com If you are interested in interviewing for an associate position or a law clerkship for the summer of 2017, please complete this form and return to Sam Clinch, 635 S 14th St. #200, Lincoln, NE 68508. Please respond by September 16, 2016.
Opportunities for Dues-Paying Members to Use Their 2 Free Hours of Ethics CLE
Legal Diversity Summit September 2nd (3.5 Hours of CLE, including 2.0 hours of Ethics, Lunch and a Networking Event for only $75).
The 2016 Annual Legal Diversity Summit scheduled for Friday September 2nd, 2016 at the Creighton Harper Center from 12:00 to 5:00. This year, the Summit will be include the following topis:
- The Changing Landscape: Recent U.S. Supreme Court Decisions and their Impact on Education’s and the Legal Profession’s Ability to Diversify (Luncheon Presentation)
- Accidental Racists and Other Elephants in the Room: The Impact of Subtle Forms of Bias on Access to Justice
- The Minority Law Student and Attorney Experience: Lessons for Law Schools, Employers, and Bars (and Humans, In General)
The event includes lunch, qualifies for 3.5 Hours of CLE, including 2.0 hours of Ethics and will be followed by a free networking event-- All made possible by the contributions of our generous event sponsors including: the University of Nebraska College of Law; Kutak Rock; Creighton University School of Law; Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather, LLP; Stinson Leonard Street, LLP; Baird Holm, LLP; Fraser Stryker and Legal Aid of Nebraska! Register Today!
New Times Two
NSBA Sections are offering two new CLE events in coming weeks. First, the new Appellate Practice Section is celebrating the opening of the new court term with a 2-hour CLE seminar and reception next Tuesday, Aug 30. The program includes a tour and comments by Chief Justice Heavican, the Supreme Court Clerk’s office on avoiding common errors, and how to create a record that assures proper appellate review. Details and registration are online. The Business Law Section is offering a full day of business law topics such as the model business corporation act, unregistered security offerings, ADA requirements for websites, partner compensation, and more. Register now for this excellent seminar on Friday, Sep 16. Both sections are hoping to make these seminars annual events.
Pro Bono Online Starts October 4 Nebraska Free Legal Answers Online
VLP is facilitating a new, online pro bono opportunity for Nebraska lawyers, including transactional, in house, corporate and government lawyers. Nebraska Free Legal Answers is part of an American Bar Association National Website that allows lawyers to provide limited scope civil legal advice to low-income Nebraskans who post questions on the Website.
No more set schedules, long training, or travel to do pro bono work. You can log in anytime from home or the office—anywhere you have Internet access. This is an exciting, convenient, and rewarding pro bono opportunity where you:
- decide the days and times you want to do pro bono work
- select the questions you want to answer
- give limited scope advice only
- earn pro bono credit for researching/answering questions
- track your pro bono hours
- have NLADA malpractice insurance coverage
VLP needs volunteers from all Nebraska counties to be ready when the Website launches Tuesday, October 4. Contact Carol Cleaver at (402) 742-8127 or VLP@nebar.com to register or obtain more information or to schedule a presentation at your firm or office. Watch an 8-minute YouTube video overview of the Website to see how easy it is to do pro bono online.
Volunteer Lawyers Project Activities
Please visit the VLP Attorney Portal to view all VLP-sponsored pro bono opportunities. Find out how you can make a difference in the lives of low-income Nebraskans, who, without your help, are struggling to navigate a complex court system on their own.
Recent Supreme Court Opinions
Week of August 19, 2016
Week of August 12, 2016
For a complete listing of recent opinions, visit the Nebraska Judicial Branch Website.
Articles
Young Lawyers Transitioning Out of Big Law
By Nicholas Gaffney, Originally Published in ABA Law Practice Today
Lawyers leave Big Law for many reasons—both personal and professional. Some get frustrated with Big Law bureaucracy. Others pursue what they believe are more entrepreneurial paths. Still others realize that small firm life is a better fit. And then there are those for whom Big Law was never a fit, and began their transition out the minute the ink dried on their offer letter.
Whatever the reason, something usually triggers self-reflection and then an assessment of one’s options. This month’s roundtable explores why lawyers decide to leave, how they did it, and the strategies they employed. Full Article
Five Ways for Law Firms to Support Health and Wellness
By Jamie Spannhake, Originally Published in Attorney at Work
We all know the practice of law is high stress. Law firms can be challenging places: client demands mean working beyond business hours, issues are real, stakes are high and tight deadlines abound.
“Lawyers, similar to those who work in the mental health or medical field, work with clients who are suffering,” says lawyer Jeena Cho, co-author of “The Anxious Lawyer.” “Let’s face it, rarely do clients come to visit a lawyer with happy news.” Unfortunately, lawyers are not generally trained to handle the negative impacts of this working environment. Full Article
Walking in Your Client’s Shoes
By Sally J. Schmidt, Originally Published in Attorney at Work
I heard a lawyer tell a joke once that went something like this: “If you’re having trouble with a client, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, you will have a one-mile head start and he won’t have any shoes.”
I know there are times that kind of attitude can be tempting. Clients can be challenging, demanding and frustrating. It can be easy to dismiss their complaints and easier yet to stay in your comfort zone doing business as usual. But when you think about your own experiences as a client or customer, it becomes easier to empathize with a client’s situation. Full Article
50-year Story of the Miranda Warning Has the Twists of a Cop Show
By Victor Li, Originally Published in ABA Journal
One has to believe that Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist had been waiting for decades for an opportunity to overrule Miranda v. Arizona. To him, the famous, extremely controversial decision handed down in 1966 was one of the worst from Earl Warren and the liberal majority he had commanded as chief justice for the better part of 16 years.
In Miranda, the Warren court had ruled that statements made by a suspect during the course of a custodial interrogation by the police could not be used in court unless the suspect had been warned of his or her right to remain silent and to have counsel present during the questioning.
In 1969, Rehnquist, then an assistant U.S. attorney general during the Nixon administration, laid bare his views on the Warren court and its jurisprudence regarding criminal defendants. Full Article
Resources
Casemaker Weekly Update: Tips and Tricks
- Need to keep track of time spent doing online research for a client? Utilizing the Client and Session Summary features of Casemaker can help. Simply create a Client and select the client each time you begin to conduct research for that client. Once you have finished, click the Sign Out link to sign out of Casemaker and view the Session Summary. The Session Summary contains date, time and client for each search, which can be used to keep track of billable hours for the client. Please remember to print this information as it cannot be retrieved after closing the Session Summary.
- Become a Casemaker Power User! Sign up for free live webinar training. Visit https://casemakerlegal.com/registerwebinar.aspx or click the webinar link in the upper right hand corner while you are in Casemaker. You can participate in the webinar training sessions as often as you like and they are always free.
- Rather type than call? You can get help from Casemaker Support by clicking on the Live Chat link in the upper right of the screen from 8am - 8pm EST Monday - Friday. You can also email Casemaker at support@casemakerlegal.com
ABA Retirement Funds*: Solo & Small Firm Plans
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No Firm is too Small... One person is enough to have a 401(k) plan. Over 60% of the Program’s clients are solo or small firms2. Get more program information here.
*ABA Retirement Funds is a NSBA Endorsed Member Benefit
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