2008 Program Descriptions
Program Descriptions
- Plenary Sessions
- Track 1: Substantive Law
- Track 2: Practice Management
- Track 3: Technology
- Track 4: Ethics/Quality of Life
Plenary Sessions
To Blog or Not to Blog that is the Question
Kevin O’Keefe
Thursday, October 23
1:00 -2:30 pm
Kevin will present a step by step analysis of the value of using the Internet and the Web to tell your story and level the playing field. This is a presentation you will need to approach with an open mind and a willingness to learn about the value you have and how it can effectively and efficiently be shared with clients you never knew you could serve. Kevin's presentation will give you the tools and the rules you will need to institute an effective web practice. The Rules of Professional Conduct to be considered when using the Internet and the World Wide Web will be explained in detail so you don't find yourself in ethical quicksand. At the same time you will be amazed by the potential of this 21st Century tool.
A Small Firm is not a Barrier to Leadership
Laurel Bellows
Friday, October 24
8:30 - 10:00 am
The current Chair of the ABA House of Delegates will lead a lively discussion on involvement and leadership. She will talk about the value of self-reliance and the strength a solo practitioner can bring to today’s challenges to the Rule of Law. This will be a program you won’t want to miss because it will definitely change the way you will look at the difference you can make as protector of the Rule of Law.
Your Financial Personality at Home and at Work
Connie Kilmark
Saturday, October 25
8:45 - 9:45 am
Small firms can be stressful on a relationship. Are you the risk taker or the safe and secure partner in the relationship? Learn the differences and gain the knowledge and vocabulary to negotiate financial stress at work and at home. Spouses and significant others are encouraged to attend.
Track 1
Substantive Law - Guava Room
Family Law Practitioner’s Guide to Practicing Law, Managing Business, and Enjoying Life: Part 2
Speaker: Gregg Herman, Loeb & Herman SC
Thursday, October 23
2:45 – 3:45 pm
This session is a continuation of last year’s successful discussion, but everyone can learn from it. If you think you already know all you need to about family law, think again. This session will inspire you to rethink how you approach your practice.
How to Sell Your Business at the Right Time for the Right Price
Speaker: Sandy Swartzberg, DeWitt Ross & Stevens SC
Thursday, October 23
4:00 – 5:00 pm
Selling any business takes planning. There are things you could be doing now to plan ahead. Learn what it takes to sell your business from beginning to end, and get a respectable price.
Flying Solo Doesn't Mean Flying Alone: Piloting Your Way Through Legal Turbulence
Speaker: Christine Harris Taylor, J.D., LL.M., Mediator and Arbitrator
Friday, October 24
10:30 – 11:30 am
Working across all subject matter and areas, this session provides a guide to navigating, negotiating and preparing a case and client for mediation. This session will discuss how small firms and business can utilize the mediation process to their advantage, and the dispute resolution tools available to effectively address and resolve such disputes.
The Latest Developments in Elder Law
Speaker: Margaret Hickey, Becker & Hickey SC
Friday, October 24
1:30 -2:30 pm
Elder law’s changing landscape requires constant attention. Get updates on trends, issues and changes that will help you succeed in this rapidly growing area of law.
Fundamentals of Intellectual Property for Small Firms and Solo Practitioners
Speaker: Jascha Walter, DeWitt Ross & Stevens SC
Friday, October 24
3:00 – 4:00 pm
Intellectual property issues are no longer just for big businesses. Copyrights, trademarks and patents play an increasing role in today’s world as more people find themselves in need of protection. Learn the keys to handling these cases and getting good results for your clients.
12 Things (at least) That Every Attorney Should Know About Foreclosure Defenses
Speaker: David Krekeler, Krekeler Strother SC
Friday, October 24
4:00 - 5:00 pm
With foreclosure rates escalating throughout Wisconsin, now is the time to get updates and accurate information on valid foreclosure defenses.
The Facts & Fiction of Field Sobriety Testing
Speaker: Andy Mishlove, Law Offices of Andrew Mishlove
Saturday, October 25
10:00 – 11:00 am
Your approach to field sobriety tests can be the key to winning an OWI offense.
The technology is constantly changing, so learn the facts and issues surrounding field sobriety tests from Wisconsin's only board certified drunk driving defense specialist.
Avoiding the Bad Personal Injury Case: How to Save Time and Money Through Proper Investigation and Evaluation of Personal Injury Claims.
Speaker: Dan Davis, Davis & Gelshenen LLP
Saturday, October 25
11:00 am -12:00 pm
Representing personal injury clients can be time consuming and expensive. Taking the wrong case can cost you more than you realize. This session will discuss tips for investigating and evaluating claims, and identify issues that should be considered before deciding whether to accept or reject a personal injury client.
Track 2
Practice Management - Tamarind Room
Getting Paid: Programs and Procedures for Accurately Capturing Your Time and Collecting Your Fees
Speakers: Michael Hart, Kohler & Hart LLP and
Brenda Majewski, Kohn Law Firm SC
Thursday, October 23
2:45 – 3:45 pm
Studies show that timekeepers often misjudge, fail to record, or under-bill their activity. The impact of missing just a few scraps of time a day over the course of a year can be substantial. This session will discuss tips on how to better record your time, provide information regarding alternative fee arrangements that don’t involve recording your time, and address methods of collecting of unpaid fees.
Hanging Your Shingle: A Practical Approach to Starting and Growing Your Own Law Firm
Speakers: Daniel S. Davis, Davis & Gelshenen LLP and
Jeffrey Krause, Krause Practice Management LLC
Thursday, October 23
4:00 – 5:00 pm
Whether you are thinking of taking the plunge or have already started your own firm, this session will address topics that will help you build a successful practice for the long haul. You will learn how to avoid the pitfalls that often accompany starting and growing a firm, and how to utilize technology to assist you with practice management and client relations.
What's Your Plan? The Framework for Developing an Effective Business Plan
Speakers: Nancy Roberts Linder, Nancy Roberts Linder Consulting
Friday, October 24
10:30 am – 11:30 am
Practicing law is not only a profession, it’s a business. Planning for the short term and long term future of that business is imperative to your success. This session will discuss why you need a business plan and provide information on how you can prepare a plan that will assist your business going forward.
Managing Growth: What You Should Know Before Adding Staff, Attorneys, Equipment, and Technology
Speakers: John J. Gelshenen, Davis & Gelshenen LLC and
Jeffrey Krause, Krause Practice Management, LLC
Friday, October 24
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Working too much but don’t want to turn away new business? Maybe it’s time to expand the firm. This session will address issues related to the growth and expansion of solo and small firms with an emphasis on technology and employment needs.
Avoiding the “M” Word: Managing Malpractice Risks
Speaker: Tom Watson, Wisconsin Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company
Panelists: Katja Kunzke,
Friday, October 24
3:00 – 4:00 pm
Learn about the common pitfalls in law practice and how missed deadlines, difficult attorney-client relationships, flawed office procedures, and other potential mistakes can result in claims. Get an in-depth look at what areas of practice produce the most claims and what activities increase your risk exposure.
Managing the Books: Preventing Theft or Mismanagement
Speaker: Tracy L. Coenen, Sequence Inc.
Friday, October 24
4:00 – 5:00 pm
As solo or small firm practitioners, you cannot afford mismanagement or theft of firm or client funds. In this session will you will learn how easily theft or mismanagement can occur, how to implement internal procedures and controls to prevent bookkeeping issues, and how to minimize the costs when errors or theft does occur.
Practice Killers: Six Things That Can Kill Your Practice
Speaker: Nerino Petro, State Bar of Wisconsin
Saturday, October 25
10:00 -11:00 am
Law school taught you about the practice of law, but it didn't teach you about the business of law. Any number of mistakes can take out your law practice, but there are six major mistakes that are made time and again which can be easily avoided. Learn about these six mistakes using real world examples and what you can do to avoid committing them yourself.
People, Pitfalls and the Practice of HR
Speakers: Lenor Coe, Godfrey, Leibsle, Blackbourn & Howarth S.C. and
Lori J. Kannenberg, Lawton & Cates
Saturday, October 25
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Are you new to human resources, or experienced but need help with developing policies and procedures for human resource functions? This hands-on session will cover topics such as how to hire good employees, how to do performance evaluations and how to write an employee handbook. You will leave the session with ideas, checklists and other resources to help you manage the "people" component of running your law firm.
Track 3
Technology - Portia Room
Ways to Reduce Costs when Dealing with Technology Consultants
Speakers: Jeffrey Krause, Krause Practice Management LLC and
Sarit Singhal, Superior Support Resources Inc.,
Thursday, October 23
2:45 – 3:45 pm
Have you ever wondered why technology is so expensive or doesn't "fit" your practice requirements? It may be the technology; but on the other hand, it may be your communication skills. This session will feature two consultants who will discuss the communication needed to provide a cost effective technology solution without wasting your time, or emptying your wallet. Learn how advance planning can reduce their fees and allow them to better understand your needs.
Operating a Home Office/Starting Up a New Office: Technology to Make It Work.
Speakers: Martin Ditkof, Martin Ditkof Attorney-at-Law and
Peter Grosskopf, Grosskopf Black LLC and
Anne Ertel-Sawasky, Sawasky Law, LLC
Thursday, October 23
4:00 - 5:00 pm
Have you ever thought about leaving that regular paycheck received from a law firm or corporation and striking out on your own or with a small group of partners? This session will deal with the technology challenges that you will face and how you can use technology to smooth the transition, reduce your overhead expenses, bring efficiencies to your practice, and increase how your clients perceive your responsiveness. One presentation will be on starting a solo practice from a home office while a second presentation will involve splitting off from a firm with a small group of partners. Learn what can fail miserably if you are not careful - or even if you are.
OpenOffice – A Low-Cost Alternative to Microsoft Office
Speaker: Ron Phillips, Phillips Law Group
Friday, October 24
10:30 – 11:30 am
Starting or expanding a practice involves a number of considerable expenditures, but your software doesn't have to be one of those. This session will introduce you to OpenOffice, an open source alternative to Microsoft Office. In this session you will learn the fundamentals of the OpenOffice tools, which are freely available for download, and has industrial-strength tools for word processing, presentation graphics, publishing, database and spreadsheet solutions.
Talk to the Hand: Digital Dictation and Voice Recognition that Works
Speaker: Nerino Petro, State Bar of Wisconsin
Friday, October 24
1:30 - 2:30 pm
In this day and age, law firms are looking for ways to provide their clients with better and faster service, while meeting the demands of their clients and keeping costs down. The most effective way accomplish this is to use technology to increase efficiency and reduce overall expense.
Voice recognition and digital dictation are two of the technologies used by some of today’s law firms in working to achieve this goal. This presentation will help explain the various products available to you, and how they can help transform your practice into a technically efficient one.
Protecting Client Confidences in a Digitally Scary World: How NOT to Commit Malpractice with Your Computer
Speaker: Ross Kodner, Microlaw, Inc.
Friday, October 24
3:00 - 4:00 pm
This new version of a very popular program addresses how computers have made it possible to commit malpractice virtually at the speed of light - technology "enhanced" errors and omissions are magnified and potentially, client confidences are at risk, and worse! This session explores the pitfalls and traps that the unwary practitioner can fall into using the latest technology tools. We cover it all: e-mail security, client confidentiality issues, Internet use/abuse policies, protecting irreplaceable client information from hardware and software catastrophes as well as from hacker intrusion and damage from computer viruses. This techno-ethics program is a must for every lawyer today . . . it's time to "practice safe computing" in your firm and we'll show you how!
Blogs, Podcasts and the Internet: What you need to know to get started with viral marketing to further business development
Speakers: Chris Moander, Moander Law Firm and
Rob Teuber, Weiss Berzowski Brady LLP and
Jon Groth, Pitman, Kyle & Sicula, S.C.
Friday, October 24
4:00 - 5:00 pm
Would you like a marketing tool that (1) does not cost you any marketing dollars, (2) allows you to showcase your knowledge and skills on a regular basis, and (3) is loved by Google? Welcome to blogging and podcasts. We'll examine blogging platforms, ways to skyrocket to the #1 position on Google, how to podcast, and the direct and indirect benefits of viral marketing, among other essential tools information to get you started.
Free and Low Cost Online Resources for Legal Research
Speaker: Terry Dunst, Bakke Norman SC
Saturday, October 25
10:00 – 11:00 am
This presentation will focus on free and low cost Internet resources for doing legal research. (This presentation will not discuss Westlaw of LexisNexis or other “for profit” legal research providers). It will focus on three main areas of transactional practice: real estate, estate planning, and probate. We will discuss what is available, and give demonstrations on how to go about finding information.
This presentation will also provide an overview of available resources for finding legal authority such as statutes, cases, and attorney general opinions. Finally, we will discuss good sources of secondary legal information such as online law libraries and useful websites from other public or private organizations.
The Paperless Office: A View from the Trenches by a Firm that Has Taken the Steps to Go Paperless
Speakers: Jim Statz and Monica Hansen, Solheim Billing & Grimmer SC
Saturday, October 25
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Thinking outside-of-the typical law firm box has lead to some creative and innovative processes, the latest of which is a push to reduce the volume of paper that their firm generates and stores. Come learn about the firm’s road to the creation of a policy on electronic file storage of client files, discuss procedures that were established and share a practical analysis of the “project’s success”.
Track 4
Ethics/Quality of Life - Wist
Financial and Retirement Planning for Solo and Small Firms
Speakers: Tom Sweet and Wade Ullsperger, New England Financial
Thursday, October 23
2:45 – 3:45 pm
Discover information and ideas to promote the importance of financial planning for the future. Challenge your traditional way of thinking about money and get motivated to make a commitment to yourself and your family.
Ethical Challenges Uniquely Confronting Wisconsin Solo and Small Firm Practitioners
Speaker: Dan Shneidman
Thursday, October 23
4:00 – 5:00 pm
This program will introduce factual situations more likely to occur to solo and small firm practitioners and the ethical implications and challenges presented. The discussion will include, inter alia, why over ninety percent of Wisconsin lawyers who have been publicly disciplined by the Supreme Court are solo or small firm practitioners, and what can be about it.
Are We Chasing the Wind? The Daily Mystery of Happiness (and the Law!)
Speaker: Dr. Greg Van Rybroek, Mendota Mental Health Institute
Friday, October 24
10:30 am -11:30 am
This presentation combines the speaker's personal reflections about happiness with the known research in the area of life satisfaction. The presenter does not offer platitudes, secrets, directions or answers to the tricky issue of the human search for happiness. Instead, the presentation is geared toward informing attendees about what is known based on happiness research. Attendees may be catalyzed to consider their own life circumstance in light of the information presented. On the other hand, they may not!
Fees, Fee Agreements and Trust Accounts
Tim Pierce, State Bar of Wisconsin, and Dean Dietrich, Ruder Ware
Friday, October 24
1:30 - 2:30 pm
A discussion of what lawyers need to have in their fee agreements and what steps to take in order to comply with the Professional Rules of Conduct.
Addiction and Attorneys: Practical Insight for the Solo Practitioner
Speaker: Timothy Edwards, Axley Brynlson, LLP
Friday, October 24
3:00 - 4:00 pm
Popular media often portrays addiction in the most severe terms imaginable. What about an attorney who has a relationship with alcohol because it numbs the stress and anxiety associated with her work? What about an attorney who uses pain killers to self medicate because of the loss of a loved one? In this personal story of recovery, WisLAP Chairperson Timothy Edwards shares valuable information about addiction, its extraordinary power and its impact on our profession.
Ethics and Technology: The Impact and Implications of the Rules of Professional Conduct on the Use of Technology
Speakers: Tim Pierce, State Bar of Wisconsin and
Dean Dietrich, Ruder Ware
Friday, October 24
4:00 - 5:00 pm
This presentation addresses some of the most interesting and frequently asked questions about how the Rules of Professional Conduct for Attorneys affect a lawyer’s ability to use technology in law offices.
Solo & Small Firm Ethics Issues
Speakers: Tim Pierce, State Bar of Wisconsin and Dean Dietrich, Ruder Ware
Saturday, October 25
10:00 – 11:00 am
This discussion focuses on ethical issues commonly arising for attorneys in solo and small firm practices.
Conflict? I Didn’t Know There Was Any Conflict!”
Speaker: Steven Sorenson, Sorenson Law Office
Saturday, October 25
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Conflict is inevitable, but there are solid techniques for resolving client conflicts and avoiding malpractice. Learn the tools and resources for avoiding the inadvertent client, when to say “no”, and how to set up conflict checking systems.