| Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
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| Time |
Event |
| 12:00–1:00 p.m. |
SBM: State Bar of Michigan Commissioner Committees Meetings |
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| 12:00–2:00 p.m. |
SBM: Real Property Law Section Business Meeting & Lunch |
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| 12:00–4:00 p.m. |
SBM: Law Practice Management Section Business Meeting & Program
Business Meeting: 12:00-12:30 p.m.
Program:
Tips for Success and Survival During Tough Economic Times PDF |
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| 1:00–2:00 p.m. |
SBM: Senior Lawyers Section Business Meeting |
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| 1:00–4:00 p.m. |
SBM: Administrative Law Section Business Meeting and Program
Business Meeting: 1:00-2:00p.m.
Program: 2:30-4:00 p.m.
The Golden Minute and a Half: Arguing to the Bench |
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| 1:30–3:30 p.m. |
SBM: State Bar of Michigan Board of Commissioners Meeting |
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| 2:00–4:00 p.m. |
SBM: Michigan State Bar Foundation Members/Trustees Annual Business Meeting |
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| 2:00–5:00 p.m. |
SBM: Environmental Law Section Business Meeting and Program
Program: 2:00-4:30 p.m.
State of the Law
Business Meeting: 4:30-5:00 p.m. |
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| 4:00–5:00 p.m. |
SBM: New Board of Commissioners Meeting |
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| 4:15–4:30 p.m. |
SBM: Fellows of the Michigan State Bar Foundation Annual Business Meeting |
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| 4:30–6:00 p.m. |
SBM: Fellows of the Michigan State Bar Foundation Annual Reception (by invitation) |
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| 6:30–9:30 p.m. |
SBM: State Bar of Michigan Awards Banquet
Join us as we pay tribute to our members who have achieved the highest honors in areas of leadership, professional integrity, and community service.
Frank J. Kelley Distinguished Public Service Award
Dennis P. Grenkowicz
Lloyd E. Powell
Champion of Justice Award
Hon. Robert A Benson
E. Christopher Johnson
Hon. Leonia J. Lloyd
Paul D. Reingold
Kimberly M. Cahill Bar Leadership Award
Fair Housing Center of Metropolitan Detroit
John W. Cummiskey Pro Bono Award
Joseph C. Basta
Liberty Bell Award
Edna Kinsey, Monroe County Bar Association
Michigan State Bar Foundation Founders Award
Founders Award
Hon. Avern L. Cohn
Michigan Defense Trial Counsel–Respected Advocate Award
William F. Mills
Michigan Association for Justice–Respected Advocate Award
William W. Jack, Jr. |
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| Time |
Event |
| 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. |
Registration |
|
| 7:30–9:00 a.m. |
Starting a Law Practice—Hanging Out Your Shingle
(separate registration required)
John J. Conway, John J. Conway PC, Detroit
Heidi L. Salter-Ferris, Ferris & Salter PC, Ann Arbor |
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| 8:00–9:30 a.m. |
Continental Breakfast |
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| 8:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m. |
Vendor Showcase |
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| 8:30–12:00 p.m. |
SBM: International Law Section Business Meeting and Program
Business Meeting: 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Program: 9:30-12:00 p.m. International Legal Repercussions of the Financial Crisis |
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| 9:00–9:20 a.m. |
SSFI: Introduction and Welcome
Clark S. Davis, Chair, General Practice Section of the State Bar of Michigan, Pontiac |
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| 9:00–11:30 a.m. |
SBM: Family Law Section Business Meeting and Program |
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SBM: Young Lawyers Section Business Meeting |
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SBM: Litigation Section Business Meeting |
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| 9:20–9:30 a.m. |
SSFI: Report from the Executive Director
Janet K. Welch, Executive Director, State Bar of Michigan, Lansing |
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| 9:30–10:10 a.m. |
SSFI: Keynote Presentation: Project Management—Take Control of Your Workload and Find Relief!
Irwin D. Karp, Productive Time, Sacramento, CA |
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| 9:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
SBM: Representative Assembly Business Meeting |
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| 10:00–11:30 a.m. |
SBM: Insurance & Indemnity Law Section Program and Business Meeting
Program: 10:00-11:00 a.m. Risk Management Using Indemnity and Additional Insured Provisions
Business Meeting: 11:00-11:30 a.m. |
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| 10:10–10:30 a.m. |
Vendor Showcase Break |
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| 10:30–11:10 a.m. |
SSFI: Substantive Law Track: Turning Out the Lights: Succession Planning for Your Retirement, Disability, or Worse
The legal profession is aging. Do you have a plan for who will run your office and receive the revenue if you should become ill, disabled, or pass away? What about preserving client confidentiality? One of Michigan’s premier business succession planners helps you do the right thing for yourself and your clients.
Robert E. Kass, Barris Sott Denn & Driker PLLC, Detroit |
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SSFI: Law Practice Management: Effective Communication with Clients, Associates, and Staff
In a profession that requires effective communication in litigation, delegation, deal-making, and advice to clients, lawyers often don’t communicate very well with each other, with clients, or with staff. Cryptic notes, assignments without context, unclear instructions, failure to plan time to complete tasks, and hoarding tasks until the last minute cause wasted time, rush jobs, stress, and frustration. Take home the essentials of communication, from clarity to listening skills and feedback.
Irwin D. Karp, Productive Time, Sacramento, CA |
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SSFI: Technology Track: Don’t Get Caught in a Blackberry Jam: Time Management and Productivity Strategies for Blackberry Users, Part One of Two
Maximize usability and functionality in your Blackberry. Attend part one of this double-session to increase personal and professional effectiveness. Set up your task list for prioritized project/client action. Increase the capability of “memo pad.” Manage your calendar strategically, your address book smartly to leverage capability and relationships. Integrate your Blackberry into your office systems. If you bought a Blackberry and aren’t using it to the fullest, you’re wasting your money!
Randall F. Dean, Randall Dean Consulting & Training LLC, East Lansing |
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SSFI: Paperless Office Track: Is Your Office Drowning in Paper? Now There’s a Way Out!
Technology is fundamentally changing the way lawyers draft documents, conduct research, communicate, and render services. Despite the improvements brought by technology, reliance upon paper continues to clog our offices. It’s time to change all that. Take home a complete road-map and begin reducing the paper covering your desk and filling up your files. We’ll show you how it all works.
Barron K. Henley, Henley March & Unger Consulting Inc, Columbus, OH |
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| 11:15 a.m.–12:00 p.m. |
SSFI: Substantive Law Track: Family Law Update
For most solo and small firm practitioners, family law cases provide the backbone of office revenues. Stay up to date. Don’t miss a single new development in the caselaw. Presented by a family practice lawyer who does it every day, this presentation will ensure you’re on top of all the latest developments.
Elizabeth A. Silverman, Elizabeth A. Silverman PC, Farmington Hills |
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SSFI: Law Practice Management Track: Overcoming Procrastination—How to Kick the Habit
Procrastination creates undue stress as lawyers rush to finish documents at the last minute. Delaying work can be a form of self-sabotage, affect productivity, and cause errors. Learn to complete your work with more control and less management by crisis. Recognize your individual procrastination “style” and what to do about it! Start on projects sooner rather than later, and focus on what you really need to accomplish. Attend now. Don’t put it off!
Irwin D. Karp, Productive Time, Sacramento, CA |
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SSFI: Technology Track: Don’t Get Caught in a Blackberry Jam: Time Management and Productivity Strategies for Blackberry Users, Part Two of Two
Maximize usability and functionality in your Blackberry. Attend part two of this double session to increase personal and professional effectiveness. Set up your task list for prioritized project/client action. Increase the capability of “memo pad.” Manage your calendar strategically, your address book smartly to leverage capability and relationships. Integrate your Blackberry into your office systems. If you bought a Blackberry and aren’t using it to the fullest, you’re wasting your money!
Randall F. Dean, Randall Dean Consulting & Training LLC, East Lansing |
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SSFI: Paperless Office Track: PDFing for Lawyers Using Adobe Acrobat
PDFs are everywhere, and Adobe Acrobat is the gold standard for creating and managing them. This session covers PDF creation, manipulation, security, and distribution; plus legal-specific features such as redaction, Bates numbering, and metadata removal. If you’re already using PDFs, this session will be invaluable. If you’re not, this is a must-attend. You can’t afford to be in the dark!
Barron K. Henley, Henley March & Unger Consulting Inc, Columbus, OH |
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| 12:00–2:00 p.m. |
Lunch and Annual Meeting Functions |
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| 12:00–2:00 p.m. |
State Bar of Michigan Inaugural Luncheon |
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| 1:00–4:00 p.m. |
SBM: American Indian Law Section Business Meeting and Program
Business Meeting: 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Program: 2:00-4:00 p.m. Panel Discussion on the Implementation of the Indian Child Welfare Act in Michigan |
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| 2:00–2:45 p.m. |
SSFI: Substantive Law Track: Drafting a Financial Durable Power of Attorney—The 10 Essentials Revealed
Powers of Attorney are critical components of every well prepared estate plan. Help your clients be ready for disability and incapacity before it’s too late and a conservatorship becomes necessary through the probate court. A highly regarded estate planner shares the 10 most critical elements of her financial durable power of attorney with specific sample language.
Michele C. Marquardt, DeMent and Marquardt PLC, Kalamazoo |
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SSFI: Law Practice Management Track: Overcoming Procrastination—How to Kick the Habit (Repeat Session)
Procrastination creates undue stress as lawyers rush to finish documents at the last minute. Delaying work can be a form of self-sabotage, affect productivity, and cause errors. Learn to complete your work with more control and less management by crisis. Recognize your individual procrastination “style” and what to do about it! Start on projects sooner rather than later, and focus on what you really need to accomplish. Attend now. Don’t put it off!
Irwin D. Karp, Productive Time, Sacramento, CA |
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SSFI: Technology Track: Taming the e-Mail and Information Overload Beasts! Part One of Two
Your own habits may make e-mail and information overload even worse. Find out why and what you need to do to change. One simple procedure alone will clear 80-90% of the “little” stuff out of your inbox. Set up a productive e-mail organization system that works for you! Create a routine to get your e-mail under control so it’s not a constant interrupter. Get clean and controlled!
Randall F. Dean, Randall Dean Consulting & Training LLC, East Lansing |
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SSFI: Paperless Office Track: Essential Hardware and Software for the Paperless Office
By scanning incoming and existing documents, you can make every document searchable, viewable, editable and printable on demand, but the array of scanning hardware and software is overwhelming. Get Barron’s recommendations for outfitting your office, and see live demonstrations of the best hardware and software combinations.
Barron K. Henley, Henley March & Unger Consulting Inc, Columbus, OH |
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| 2:00–3:00 p.m. |
SBM: General Practice Section Business Meeting |
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| 2:00–4:00 p.m. |
SBM: Consumer Law Section Business Meeting and Program
Business Meeting: 2:00-2:30 p.m.
Program: 2:30-4:00 p.m. Arbitration Update and Trends |
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SBM: Information Technology Law Section Business Meeting and Program
Business Meeting: 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Program: 3:00-4:00 p.m. An Introduction to Cloud Computing |
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SBM: Michigan Retired Judges Association Business Meeting |
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2:00–5:00 p.m. |
SBM: Labor & Employment Law Section Business Meeting and Program
Business Meeting: 2:00-2:15 p.m.
Program: 2:15-5:00 p.m. Navigating Treacherous Labor and Employment Waters in the Economic Downturn |
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SBM: Appellate Practice Section Program and Business Meeting
Program: 2:00-4:00 p.m. No More Pencils, No More Books: A Practical Guide to E-filing in the Court of Appeals and the Technology You Need to Be on the Cutting Edge
Business Meeting: 4:00-5:00 p.m. |
|
| 2:00–7:30 p.m. |
SBM: Taxation Section Annual Meeting, Council Meeting, Dinner, and Program
Council Meeting: 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Annual Meeting: 5:00-5:30 p.m.
Dinner and Program: 5:30-7:30 p.m. |
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|
| 2:50–3:40 p.m. |
SSFI: Substantive Law Track: 10 Tips for Successfully Defending the Misdemeanor Case
General practitioners are frequently called on to defend their clients in petty scrapes, minor brushes with the law, and the occasional criminal prosecution. Join a skilled practitioner who shares her 10 favorite tactics and tips for mounting a successful defense.
Catherine D. Hoort, Law Office of Catherine D. Hoort, Portland |
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SSFI: Law Practice Management Track: You’ve Earned Those Fees—You Should Be Able to Collect Them!
You worked long and hard but you’re still waiting to be paid. Deserving your fee is one thing; getting paid quite another. Join the presenter who “wrote the book” on collection cases in Michigan for insight and advice to collect those hard earned fees without putting yourself behind the eight ball!
Steven A. Harms, Muller Muller Richmond Harms & Myers PC, Birmingham |
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SSFI: Technology Track: Taming the E-mail and Information Overload Beasts! Part Two of Two
Randy Dean continues assisting you in processing e-mail without neglecting other matters and channels of communication. Incorporate disciplined strategies, increase efficiency, learn the appropriate use of “cc” and “bcc,” and stop annoying e-mail “loops.”
Randall F. Dean, Randall Dean Consulting & Training LLC, East Lansing |
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SSFI: Paperless Office Track: My Office, My iPhone
Learn how you can put your whole law office on an iPhone—from integrating your calendar, contacts, and e-mail to accessing your favorite Web sites and dictating your documents. Plus, learn which of the thousands of iPhone Apps really work for your law practice.
Randy Arden Musbach, Musbach & Ritter, Chelsea |
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| 3:40–4:00 p.m. |
Vendor Showcase Break |
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| 4:00–4:45 p.m. |
SSFI: Substantive Law Track: A Practitioner’s Guide to Tax Deductions and Tax Credits for Small Law Firms
Don’t overlook the tax deductions and credits you’re entitled to as you manage your solo practice or small firm. Join an outstanding tax expert who shows you how to take advantage of all the tax breaks and benefits available to the operation of your law firm. Learn which returns you should be filing, what you must do when setting up your own independent office, and what the Michigan Business Tax means to you.
George W. Gregory, George W. Gregory PLLC, Birmingham |
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SSFI: Law Practice Management Track: A Practitioner’s Guide to Marketing Your Services: Tips from the Field
Forget about marketing gurus. Hear it directly from practitioners in the field. What are savvy practitioners doing to market their services and themselves, leverage their specialties, increase referrals, develop new business, stay in public view, and get the word out. Take home practical, field tested, INEXPENSIVE suggestions to increase your revenues.
Shelley A. Kester, Wilson Kester PLC, Traverse City
Julie I. Fershtman, Zausmer Kaufman August Caldwell & Tayler PC, Farmington Hills
Vincent A. Romano, Attorney Services Marketing, Grosse Pointe Park |
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SSFI: Technology Track: The $6000 Law Office—Champagne Technology on a Beer Budget
Don’t miss Barron’s specific recommendations and thorough descriptions of all the hardware and software technology you need to outfit a first class law office, all within a detailed $6000 budget. From computers and printers suitable for lawyers to case management software; from billing and accounting software to smartphones, search and faxing software; from backup systems to word processor/office suite; and most important—training. Also included: finding the best deals on law office technology.
Barron K. Henley, Henley March & Unger Consulting Inc, Columbus, OH |
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SSFI: Paperless Office Track: The Perils of Going Paperless—There’s Always a Catch!
There’s no question about it: going paperless is the way to go. But, there are issues. Find out the perils of not having an adequate search engine, or failing to develop a docketing process. What policies do you need? When should you scan? What is your naming rights convention? Who is in charge? What do you know about metadata and encryption? Go paperless, but avoid the perils. Get it right, and you’ll agree. You don’t want to get it wrong.
JoAnn L. Hathaway, Practice Management Advisor, State Bar of Michigan, Lansing |
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| 4:30–6:00 p.m. |
SBM: Law School Receptions
Michigan State University
Thomas M. Cooley
University of Detroit Mercy
University of Michigan
University of Toledo
Wayne State University |
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| 4:50–5:30 p.m. |
SSFI: Substantive Law Track: Operating in an Economic Downturn: Reducing the Size of Your Office Staff Without Getting Sued!
In most offices, payroll is your single largest expense. To cut costs enough to make a difference in this challenging economy, you may be forced to terminate members of your staff. There’s a right way and a wrong way. The right way helps you cope with a financial crisis. The wrong way leads to litigation, heartache, and attorney fees! Learn the keys to successfully reducing your staff from an employment law expert.
Rebecca Simkins, Barris Sott Denn & Driker PLLC, Detroit |
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SSFI: Law Practice Management Track: Starting a Virtual Law Practice in 2009
You’re fresh out of school or you’ve just quit your job in a firm. You’re ready to hang your own shingle. Learn to keep your overhead at hundreds of dollars a month versus thousands! Take home a step-by-step recipe for starting a virtual practice without burdening yourself with more debt than you created when you went to law school!
William A. McNeil, McNeil Law Office PLC, Portage |
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SSFI: Technology Track: Remote Access—Working From Home or On the Road
You’re on the road more and more. Learn the options for remote access that don’t cost a fortune and the issues relevant to setting up a system. Discussion covers everything from Terminal Services to VPNs to Windows Remote Desktop to web-based remote access tools like www.gotomypc.com. Costs, benefits, headaches, and practical implications will all be addressed.
Barron K. Henley, Henley March & Unger Consulting Inc, Columbus, OH |
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SSFI: Paperless Office Track: E-Filing in the Bankruptcy Court
There’s no more paper filing in the Bankruptcy Court; e-filing is mandatory. Join the clerk of the Bankruptcy Court and find out what the judges are looking for from you. Take home a list of tips and best practices from an inside source. Get help with the challenges you face. Bring your support staff to learn basic bankruptcy so they know what they’re filing and why. Get your office up to speed and reduce stress!
Katherine B. Gullo, Clerk of the Court, United States Bankruptcy Court Eastern District of Michigan, Detroit |
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| 6:30–8:30 p.m. |
SBM: Celebrating Common Ground Reception
Successful Bench & Bar Partnerships
Judges set the standards for the way law is practiced in a community and have a special place in bar associations where they stay connected to lawyers and maintain a dialogue on professionalism, continuing legal education, access to justice, and community service. This reception will showcase bar associations that have partnered with the bench to increase professionalism and engage members toward success in the practice of law. More Information
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| Time |
Event |
| 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. |
Registration |
|
| 7:30–9:00 a.m. |
Starting a Law Practice—Hanging Out Your Shingle (Repeat Session) (separate registration required)
John J. Conway, John J. Conway PC, Detroit
Heidi L. Salter-Ferris, Ferris & Salter PC, Ann Arbor |
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| 7:30–9:30 a.m. |
Continental Breakfast |
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| 7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. |
Vendor Showcase |
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| 9:00–10:05 a.m. |
SSFI: Keynote Presentation: How to Survive the Crash! Critical Tools for Succeeding in Crisis Times
The traditional law firm model isn’t going to work in the current economic environment. It’s time to focus on efficiencies and innovation. In this keynote presentation, a nationally renowned expert introduces his approach to identifying what’s essential and how to safely eliminate what is not; how to restructure, increase staff efficiency and flexibility, utilize technology, identify true profitability and how to compete better, build more referrals, collaborate, and improve your marketing.
Dustin A. Cole, Attorneys Master Class, Longwood, FL |
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| 9:00–11:00 a.m. |
SBM: Negligence Law Section Business Meeting & Program |
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| 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. |
SBM: Michigan Association of Bar Executives Business Meeting |
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SBM: Criminal Law Section Business Meeting and Program |
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SBM: Michigan Lawyers Auxiliary Business Meeting |
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| 10:00–11:00 a.m. |
SBM: Antitrust, Franchising, and Trade Regulation Section Business Meeting |
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| 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. |
SBM: Children’s Law Section Business Meeting & Program
Business Meeting: 10:00-10:30 a.m.
Program: 10:30-12:00 p.m. Children's Law in 2009 – Statute & Case Law Update |
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SBM: Law Student Section Business Meeting |
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| 10:05–10:50 a.m. |
SSFI: Substantive Law Track: 10 Things Every Lawyer Should Know About Defending Foreclosure Procedures
Representing clients facing the loss of their home requires a thorough understanding of the foreclosure process in Michigan. Who has standing to initiate the process? What defenses are available to challenge foreclosure? An experienced lawyer and a housing counselor share their approach to loss mitigation and negotiation strategies to help you advise clients seeking to hang on to the family homestead in a tough economic environment.
Lorray S.C. Brown, Michigan Foreclosure Prevention Project Director, Michigan Poverty Law Program, Ann Arbor
Tracie Coffman, Home Repair Services, Grand Rapids |
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SSFI: Economic Survival Track: Critical Tools for Succeeding in Crisis Times: Firm Operations, Focusing, Right Sizing and Innovating, Part One of Three
Drill down to the details, figure out what is right and what can be improved in your office operation. This session starts the process of identifying essential elements of your operation and eliminating the non-essential. Explore cost savings by re-structuring your employees and staff; utilize technology to innovate how the work gets done; identify realistic potential business you’ve left untapped or underappreciated; and create collaborations for back-office support and production. You can be better organized, more efficient, and less costly. Learn how!
Dustin A. Cole, Attorneys Master Class, Longwood, FL |
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SSFI: Technology Track: Time Billing and Accounting Software for the Small Firm
Learn why Word and Excel just won’t get the job done; what programs are available for the solo and small firm and how much they cost; using an all-in-one billing AND accounting program, including trust accounting and management reporting; what questions to ask yourself before meeting with a vendor; and what questions to ask the vendor during the meeting.
Barron K. Henley, Henley March & Unger Consulting Inc, Columbus, OH |
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10:50–11:10 a.m. |
Vendor Showcase Break |
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| 11:10 a.m.–12:00 p.m. |
SSFI: Substantive Law Track: Drunk Driving Update
Get updates on all the latest developments in this fast paced area of law from one of the state’s experts in drunk driving defense.
David G. Butler, Butler, Toweson & Payseno, Parchment |
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SSFI: Economic Survival Track: Critical Tools for Succeeding in Crisis Times: Firm Operations, Focusing, Right Sizing and Innovating, Part Two of Three
Dustin A. Cole, Attorneys Master Class, Longwood, FL |
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SSFI: Technology Track: Anatomy of a Google-fied Law Practice
Make Google the lifeblood of your practice. From managing your documents to marketing your services; from legal research to communicating by e-mail; from sharing calendars to building an office intranet, Google has moved far beyond Web searching. Best of all, everything is accessible from office, home, or smartphone. You’re the brains; learn how Google can be the backbone of your practice.
Jeffrey E. Kirkey, Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Ann Arbor |
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| 12:00–2:00 p.m. |
Lunch and Annual Meeting Functions |
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| 12:00–2:00 p.m. |
SBM: Keynote Luncheon
If you watched ABC World News during the ’80s and ’90s, you are familiar with attorney and award-winning journalist Tim O’Brien. Mr. O’Brien covered the United States Supreme Court for more than 20 years and he knows the stories behind the stories. Join Tim O’Brien as he discusses the Court, the cases, and the impact that President Obama will have on the Court.
Mr. O’Brien is a member of the District of Columbia Bar and the Bar of the United States Supreme Court. He is an elected member of the American Law Institute, a former director of the American Judicature Society, and sits on the Advisory Board of the National Legal Center for the Public Interest. He is a “Distinguished Alumnus” of Michigan State University and a member of the Board of Visitors of the Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans. Mr. O’Brien is currently Distinguished Visiting Professor of Law at the Shepard-Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale.
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| 1:30–4:00 p.m. |
SBM: Animal Law Section Business Meeting |
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| 1:30–4:30 p.m. |
SBM: Paralegal/Legal Assistant Section Luncheon, Business Meeting, and Program
Luncheon: 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Business Meeting: 2:30-3:00 p.m.
Program: 3:00-4:30 p.m. Paralegals and Computers |
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| 2:00–2:50 p.m. |
SSFI: Substantive Law Track: 10 Top Tips for Dealing with a Family Business in Transition
These are challenging economic times, which means family businesses face both threats and opportunities. This is especially true if they are (or should be) planning to transition their business to family, employees, or third parties. Help your clients get ready to sell or pass the family business on to the next generation. Take home great tips for how to coordinate estate planning, business matters, and post-death management of the business in a down environment. Also discover how to help clients take advantage of the economic downturn to pass on tremendous value at low gift tax costs.
Cynthia L. Umphrey, Kemp Klein Law Firm, Troy |
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SSFI: Economic Survival Track: Critical Tools for Succeeding in Crisis Times: Firm Operations, Focusing, Right Sizing and Innovating, Part Three of Three
Dustin A. Cole, Attorneys Master Class, Longwood, FL |
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SSFI: Technology Track: Legal Technology Tips, Tricks, Gadgets and Cool Stuff
We’ve brought back one of Barron’s most popular segments with all new stuff to share! Fast and entertaining, you’re guaranteed to learn something new and discover that amazing legal technology does not have to cost a fortune. We’ll show you free software, tools for protecting yourself from hackers and spyware, remote control and Web meeting tools, great Web sites you’ve probably never heard of, tips for getting the best deals, where to get technical advice for free, and gadgets you didn’t realize you needed (until now!).
Barron K. Henley, Henley March & Unger Consulting Inc, Columbus, OH |
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| 2:00–4:00 p.m. |
SBM: Aviation Law Section Business Meeting |
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SBM: Justice Initiative Open House
Justice Initiatives at the State Bar of Michigan supports many projects and programs that help make high-quality legal services available to all Michigan citizens. Make sure to stop by this informal gathering before leaving the Annual Meeting. Stay for a few minutes or as long as you'd like. Enjoy complimentary wines, cheeses, and other refreshments, as well as a chance to win one of a variety of prizes, including a gift certificate redeemable for specified 2010 Annual Meeting events. View the Flyer
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| 2:50–3:40 p.m. |
SSFI: Substantive Law Track: Top 10 Things You Absolutely Must Know About Medicaid
In an aging population, elder law has become an increasingly important and growing area of law. Knowledge of Medicaid is essential. Learn 10 essential elements of Medicaid planning before you interview your next client and save you and your client time, money, and frustration!
Dustin S. Foster, Visiting Professor, Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Auburn Hills
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SSFI: Economic Survival Track: Critical Tools for Succeeding in Crisis Times: Maximizing Your Income Stream, Part One of Two
It isn’t enough to cut costs and restructure your office. You want to increase—or at least maintain—revenues too. Learn five ways to maintain client loyalty and business, strategies to combat competition and fee resistance, the four core principles of building more referrals, and pricing and payment techniques that attract more clients.
Dustin A. Cole, Attorneys Master Class, Longwood, FL |
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SSFI: Technology Track: Web Sites Are Wonderful
Among all the tools for marketing a practice, improving services and becoming more efficient, hardly anything compares to a good Web site. No matter what your current Web site situation, this course will deliver valuable tips on search engines, design concepts, content, functionality, and trends so that you can see new possibilities, make informed decisions, and ultimately realize that in law practice, Web sites can really be wonderful.
Brendan B. Chard, The Modern Firm LLC, Brighton |
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| 3:40–4:00 p.m. |
Networking and Telephone Break |
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| 4:00–4:45 p.m. |
SSFI: Law Practice Management Track: Dealing with Clients Who Make You Crazy
Some clients know how to push your buttons, frustrate your staff, and cause you endless trouble and anxiety. Learn how to identify them before you become their lawyer; and, if that fails, what to do once you represent them! A forensic mental health practitioner provides insight into the psychological makeup of your worst nightmare clients and strategies for coping if you can’t say “no.”
Sharon R. Hobbs, Ph.D., Abbott Road Center for the Family, East Lansing |
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SSFI: Economic Survival Track: Critical Tools for Succeeding in Crisis Times: Maximizing Your Income Stream, Part Two of Two
Dustin A. Cole, Attorneys Master Class, Longwood, FL |
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SSFI: Technology Track: 25 Ways to Make Your Word Processor More Productive
One of the single most important things you can do to increase your productivity is to understand how your word processor works, and how to use it in the most efficient manner possible. In this session, we will cover 25 tips to help you gain significant productivity with Microsoft Word.
Barron K. Henley, Henley March & Unger Consulting Inc, Columbus, OH |
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| 4:50–5:30 p.m. |
SSFI: Law Practice Management Track: 15 Tips for Marketing Your Practice on a “Shoestring” Budget
Continuing our efforts to help lawyers develop new and better sources of referrals and business, this session lays out one practitioner’s 15 keys to successfully generating new and enhanced revenues: from networking fundamentals to using your contacts from your pre-lawyer life; from creative uses for and purchasing of business cards to developing a business plan; from using other attorneys and former clients as referral sources to actual advertising—what’s effective and what’s not. Whether it’s expanding the geographic area in which you operate or developing a Web site that draws new interest, this session will provide you with tips you can put to use tomorrow!
Timothy P. Flynn, Karlstrom Cooney LLP, Clarkston |
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SSFI: Economic Survival Track: Outsourcing Your Business Practice Needs
You’ve heard how the “big guys” have outsourced their business needs to places like India. Find out whether outsourcing will work for your law practice. Can you save money on overtime? Can you get service on demand 24/7? Can you take advantage of inexpensive accounting services? Is outsourcing the answer to your electronic backup needs? All this and more as we continually search for ways to help you cut overhead and enhance revenues.
Diane Ebersole, Practice Management Advisor, State Bar of Michigan, Lansing
J.R. Maddox, Director of Intellectual Property Services, Lexadigm Solutions LLC, Minneapolis, MN |
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SSFI: Technology Track: Disaster Planning and Recovery—Surviving Digital Tech Meltdowns
Disasters happen in many shapes and sizes—viruses, worms, electrical storms, fires, power outages, surges and leaks, spilled water, theft, employee error, or mischief and hackers. Take the steps necessary to protect yourself against foreseeable and unforeseeable perils. Make sure your data is safe, and if the worst happens, ensure you can get your office up and running with minimal down-time. Session reviews all the mistakes and disasters to avoid. Get precise information in plain English!
Barron K. Henley, Henley March & Unger Consulting Inc, Columbus, OH |
