ALL COURSES

1.5 hours/ General Law
In June 2022, The Board of Directors of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) approved new Guidelines for Parenting Plan Evaluations in Family Law Cases to replace the age … READ MORE

1.5 hours/ General Law
In June 2022, The Board of Directors of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) approved new Guidelines for Parenting Plan Evaluations in Family Law Cases to replace the aged Model Standards of Practice for CCE (2006).  In this webinar, the presenters, child custody evaluators with over 75 years of combined experience, will discuss finer points of the new Guidelines, outlining important differences from the previous Model Standards. They will discuss what makes for a “good” evaluation while sharing relevant examples of defective work. In explaining these and other evaluator missteps and errors, this discussion will assist you in performing your own critique of an evaluation work product. They will explain circumstances in which you may want to hire an expert to support or challenge an evaluator’s process.   Also included will be an update on remote evaluation practices and a discussion of what is being done by AFCC-CA to encourage new mental health professionals needed to replace the aging/phasing out of experienced evaluators.
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1.0 hour/Implicit Bias
Implicit bias refers to the unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions. These biases—which can encompass both favorable and unfavorable asse … READ MORE

1.0 hour/Implicit Bias
Implicit bias refers to the unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions. These biases—which can encompass both favorable and unfavorable assessments—manifest involuntarily without an individual’s awareness or intentional control. Though shorthand schemas of people may be helpful in some situations, they also can lead to discriminatory behaviors if we are not careful. Unconscious biases in the workplace can hinder diversity, recruiting, and retention efforts and can shape an organization’s culture in detrimental ways. Unconscious bias can skew talent and performance reviews. They can affect whom an organization hires, promotes, and develops—which unintentionally reinforces barriers to opportunity.  The focus of this event is to describe how implicit bias affects the legal profession and to offer recommendations on addressing implicit bias.
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1.5 hours/Legal Ethics
Knowing your ethical obligations in the daily practice of law is vital to a successful legal career.  Kyle will discuss the practical application of the Rules of Professional Conduct to the … READ MORE

1.5 hours/Legal Ethics
Knowing your ethical obligations in the daily practice of law is vital to a successful legal career.  Kyle will discuss the practical application of the Rules of Professional Conduct to the everyday practice of law.  Kyle’s presentation will be interactive and include best practices from retention through termination of the attorney client relationship.
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1.0 hours/Implicit Bias
Over the past few decades, having a criminal history, even one that may be considered to n … READ MORE

1.0 hours/Implicit Bias
Over the past few decades, having a criminal history, even one that may be considered to not be that serious, has had increasingly severe effects on immigration status.  During this hour event, we will hear about the effect of criminal convictions on noncitizens and review California’s legislation during the past three or four years that go to mitigating those effects.  This webinar will also cover an attorney’s ethical obligations in the criminal justice context.  Under Padilla v. Kentucky and California law, criminal defense counsel have an obligation to advise defendants of the immigration consequences of a guilty plea and prosecutors must consider immigration consequences when negotiating a guilty plea. Our speaker is Professor Evangeline “Vangie” G. Abriel.  She is a Clinical Professor of Law at Santa Clara University School of Law and also the Director of the Center for Social Justice and Public Service.  In addition to teaching Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing, she directs the Immigration Appellate Practice Clinic. Professor Abriel has received numerous honors and recognitions including being recognized as the 2019 Pro Bono Champion by the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Santa Clara Valley Chapter.  Professor Abriel speaks and writes regularly on immigration law matters, particularly on immigration relief for refugees and victims of abuse and crime.
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1.0 hours/Legal Ethics
Estates and trusts attorneys face unusual ethics issues in their practice.  This program, designed for newer lawyers, will cover issues like conflicts of interest, joint representation, the … READ MORE

1.0 hours/Legal Ethics
Estates and trusts attorneys face unusual ethics issues in their practice.  This program, designed for newer lawyers, will cover issues like conflicts of interest, joint representation, the attorney-client privilege, risk management and third party claims, and more, all in the estates and trusts context.  Alison and Laura will discuss some of these common issues, including practical solutions to address or avoid them altogether.
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1.0 hours/General Law credits
Victims of domestic violence have rights in criminal court.  This presentation clarifies what those rights are.  Specifically, attorneys will learn strategies and tactics designed to succe … READ MORE

1.0 hours/General Law credits
Victims of domestic violence have rights in criminal court.  This presentation clarifies what those rights are.  Specifically, attorneys will learn strategies and tactics designed to successfully represent domestic violence victims in criminal court.  The PowerPoint presentation is presented by two very experienced attorneys familiar with these matters, Carolyn Kim and Melissa Gibbs. Melissa Gibbs is the manager of legal services at CORA.  CORA (Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse) is San Mateo County’s only provider of comprehensive intimate partner abuse prevention services.  Ms. Gibbs is passionate about helping survivors navigate the complexities of the civil and criminal legal systems and empowering them to make informed decisions for themselves.
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1.5 hours/General Law credits
Hear from Harold DeBlander on an update regarding the current real estate market in the post-Covid, high inflation world, and relevant implications in Family Law.

Mr. DeBlander, a Sotheby … READ MORE

1.5 hours/General Law credits
Hear from Harold DeBlander on an update regarding the current real estate market in the post-Covid, high inflation world, and relevant implications in Family Law.

Mr. DeBlander, a Sotheby’s International Realty agent, is a skilled professional with insightful local knowledge and extensive expertise in San Francisco Bay Area luxury real estate. His dedication to high-quality service, combined with the one-of-a-kind resources, reputation, have allowed Mr. DeBlander to help his clients successfully navigate the San Francisco Bay Area real estate market.

Having bought, fixed, and sold well over fifty properties for his own account, with his own money on the line, Mr. DeBlander knows the ins and outs of what makes a transaction successful: from acquisition, and how to find value in a property that others have overlooked, to getting an offer accepted in San Francisco’s very competitive environment, to resale and what strategic modifications will make a house irresistible to today’s discerning buyers.
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1.25 hour/credit
The “quasi-criminal” nature of Contempt proceedings confuse practitioners because they reside in the intersection of criminal and family law. This presentation clarifies how these procee … READ MORE

1.25 hour/credit
The “quasi-criminal” nature of Contempt proceedings confuse practitioners because they reside in the intersection of criminal and family law. This presentation clarifies how these proceedings work. Specifically, attorneys will learn strategies and tactics designed to successfully “prosecute” and defend Contempts. The webinar is presented by two very experienced attorneys who litigated these matters, and have taught CLEs on them for years.

Fredrick S. (Rick) Cohen is a Sacramento family law attorney, a Certified Family Law Specialist, a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Certified Family Law Specialists, a two-time Chair of the Family Law Section of the Sacramento Bar Association, and a frequent presenter in continuing legal education programs.

Tracy Duell-Cazes has been practicing family law in Northern California for over 32 years. For almost 20 years, she has been a Certified Family Law Specialist. Tracy is a member of the Association of Certified Family Law Specialists and is the Associate Chapter Director. She is also a member of the Santa Clara Bar Association Family Law Section (Family Law Section Chair 2018) and the San Mateo County Bar Association Family Law Section. She is on the Board of Directors for the ACFLS Charitable Foundation. She has written articles for the ACFLS Specialist publication and the State Bar Family Law News publication. She has taught various family law and contempt related seminars for multiple bar associations. She has handled almost 600 contempt of court matters. The Law Offices of Tracy Duell-Cazes (also known as TDC Family Law) home office is in San Jose, Santa Clara County where she handles family law cases. She also handles non-custody related cases in San Mateo County, and selected Family Law related contempt of court cases in San Mateo County and other counties in California. She also consults on contempt of court matters with attorneys throughout California.

It is hosted by David Nazzaro, the current co-chair of the Criminal Law Section, who was a court appointed attorney representing defendants on the Child Support Contempt calendar in Santa Clara County.
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1.0 hour/credit
For many lawyers, bankruptcy is an unknown and unfathomable mysterious black box into which claims and lawsuits fall into, never to be seen again. This presentation will provide a high leve … READ MORE

1.0 hour/credit
For many lawyers, bankruptcy is an unknown and unfathomable mysterious black box into which claims and lawsuits fall into, never to be seen again. This presentation will provide a high level overview of what happens if your client or the other side files for bankruptcy during your case. Our speaker will address what happens to the existing lawsuit? What options a lawyer has without violating the automatic stay? How the claim is treated? And what happens to your fees as counsel.

Our speaker, Brian Irion was admitted to the California bar in 1985. His practice includes business law & litigation, real estate law & litigation, collections, intellectual property litigation and bankruptcy. He has published a number of articles on unfair business practices related to hiring of employees, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Brown Act, and bankruptcy among other areas. He also has served as a judicial arbitrator, settlement judge pro tem for our municipal courts before consolidation, and since 1994 as a judge pro tem in unlawful detainers, small claims court, small claims appeals and other areas in San Mateo County. He established a debtor practice in 2007 and has filed hundreds of bankruptcy cases in the Northern and Central districts of California ever since.

You will receive one hour of General Law MCLE credit for attending this event. MCLE certificates will be made available in the week following the event.
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1.0 hour/credit
Please join the Family Law Section on Friday, October 8, 2021, for a presentation by three distinguished specialists, Robert Roth, Charles Kagay, and Susan Horst about family law writ petiti … READ MORE

1.0 hour/credit
Please join the Family Law Section on Friday, October 8, 2021, for a presentation by three distinguished specialists, Robert Roth, Charles Kagay, and Susan Horst about family law writ petitions. Writs can be confusing and mysterious and can set the stage for dramatic reversals in litigation. We are excited that the California Appellate Law Group is joining us to shed some light on this power pre-trial procedural option.

Robert A. Roth has over 30 years’ experience as an appellate practitioner and more than 25 published appellate opinions that bear his name, and is widely regarded as one of the leading family law appellate specialists in California. He has won twice in the California Supreme Court, and represented the successful respondent in In re Marriage of Ostler and Smith (1990) 223 Cal.App.3d 33, which established the method California courts use to calculate division of bonus income. Mr. Roth was one of the first attorneys in California certified as an appellate specialist by the State Bar, and he has remained a certified appellate specialist for more than two decades. Mr. Roth frequently gives CLE presentations on appellate issues, and writes articles on matters related to appellate practice and family law. He also has extensive experience as an appellate mediator.

Charles Kagay has decades of appellate experience in both California and federal courts. He frequently handles appeals involving complex or novel legal questions, and his cases have addressed first-impression questions of civil procedure and statutory interpretation, including issues related to antitrust law, administrative law, physician credentialing, and anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) motions. He also handles trial court actions of an appellate nature, such as petitions for writs of administrative mandamus and bankruptcy appeals. Mr. Kagay has been certified as California appellate specialist by the Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California for the past 14 years.

Susan Horst is a specialist in writs of mandamus and prohibition in the California appellate courts. For more than 31 years, Ms. Horst served as the writ attorney for the California Court of Appeal for the First District, Division One, in San Francisco. Ms. Horst is one of the only practicing attorneys in California to have devoted virtually her entire career to appellate writs. As writ attorney in the First District, Susan evaluated thousands of pre- and post- trial writ petitions in all types of civil and criminal matters. In the process, she learned precisely what the justices on the Court of Appeal look for before taking the extraordinary step of granting writ relief — and what an opposing party needs to highlight to have the best shot at getting a petition denied. Ms. Horst’s three decades at the Court of Appeal gave her both extensive writing experience and a wide-ranging knowledge of substantive law.

One hour of MCLE Credit will be provided for attendance. Please log in on the SMCBA website to print out your MCLE certificate after the event.
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1.5 hours/credits
San Mateo Bar Association partners with DLC Consulting Services, LLC to bring practice man … READ MORE

1.5 hours/credits
San Mateo Bar Association partners with DLC Consulting Services, LLC to bring practice management information to solo and small firms. This presentation will cover best practices for inserting language in the insurance section of contracts, appropriate processes for potential client disputes, and how to protect your firm from Cyber Risks, Malpractice Allegations, and Workers Compensation / COVID issues.

Speaker, Joe DeLucchi, is the President/CEO of the insurance advisory firm, CAL Insurance. CAL was established in 1927 and designs insurance solutions for businesses, schools/nonprofits, real estate investment group and successful families from Coast to Coast. Joe joined CAL in 1998 shortly after graduating from Santa Clara University. Joe worked his way up through the company ranks and eventually purchased CAL from the Hauge family in 2016.
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1.5 hours/credits
Please join the Family Law Section for a presentation by Drs. Kenneth Perlmutter and Robin … READ MORE

1.5 hours/credits
Please join the Family Law Section for a presentation by Drs. Kenneth Perlmutter and Robin Press.  This presentation will focus on the post-Covid world of Child Custody Evaluations (“CCE’s”) and the current state of the art of Remote-CCE’s which rely on Videoconferencing techniques.  Extensive discussion and work has been done by mental health professionals exploring, understanding and refining the validity and reliability of these methods.  Dr. Perlmutter and Dr. Press will provide an overview of these methods and their applicability to CCE’s.  They will explain key changes to the evaluation process which will help you best prepare your client for these new processes and discuss what has changed and what remains the same.  They will explain how they and you can prepare your clients on many matters including the process of the evaluation, consents, selecting evaluators, length of evaluation processes and more.  Dr. Press will focus of the importance of psychological testing in the evaluation process.  She will explain basic and advanced concepts about psychological testing including how it is done both in and out of the evaluator’s office.  They will provide many helpful handouts.
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1.5 hours/credits
San Mateo Bar Association partners with DLC Consulting Services, LLC to bring practice management information about trust accounting and finances to solo and small firms. The speakers will b … READ MORE

1.5 hours/credits
San Mateo Bar Association partners with DLC Consulting Services, LLC to bring practice management information about trust accounting and finances to solo and small firms. The speakers will be Diane L. Camacho and Suzanne Lawler of DLC Consulting Services, LLC.
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1.00 hour
Professor Ronald Tyler will discuss the concept of secondary trauma and burnout, which he describes as being a type of prolonged response to chronic work-related stressors.  He will discuss … READ MORE

1.00 hour
Professor Ronald Tyler will discuss the concept of secondary trauma and burnout, which he describes as being a type of prolonged response to chronic work-related stressors.  He will discuss concepts of identifying and dealing with secondary trauma and burnout through self-care.  He will speak about this through the lens of being a clinical director of a criminal defense clinic at Stanford Law School.
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