Texas’ Super Preemption Legislation: The End of Home-Rule Authority in the State? CLE available to Kitchen Sink Subscribers and in some cases to others but fees may apply. In 2023, the Texas Legislature passed the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act, more commonly known as the super preemption bill, which purports to preempt municipalities and counties from regulating a broad range of conduct. This webinar will provide an overview of the law, discuss its legal and policy implications, and review the pending...

Supreme Court Preview for Local Governments: 2024-2025 Term This is NOT an IMLA webinar and CLE will not be offered. Hosted by the Local Government Legal Center (LGLC), join legal experts in a discussion of the new Supreme Court term and what decisions local governments should watch. The Supreme Court will rule on several major cases this term, including issues related to: The Clean Water Act So-called "ghost guns" Title VII Claims and "majority discrimination" Fourth Amendment claims and the...

Drafting, Editing, and AI This workshop gives you a chance to learn about the perils--and promise--of AI-assisted writing. Speaker: Patrick Barry

FRE 702 Update and Sampling of Experienced Law Enforcement Expert Utilization Strategies Challenges, limitations, and exclusions of law enforcement operations experts have been increasing. Some federal circuits have been increasing scrutiny of expert testimony admission. The Federal Rules of Evidence (FRE) Rule 702: Testimony by Expert Witnesses was updated on December 1, 2023. This program includes: (1) review of FRE 702, (2) common grounds for law enforcement expert limitation and exclusion, and (3) strategies identified and experienced over several decades...

Regulating Pickleball Noise: Legal Strategies to Avoid Controversy in City Hall and the Community CLE available to Kitchen Sink Subscribers and in some cases to others but fees may apply. Too often cities are becoming embroiled in raucous public meetings, adverse publicity, and lawsuits due to conflict between pickleball players and residential neighbors.  We will review the rapid growth and genuine benefits of pickleball as a recreation for your city.  We give a brief introduction to acoustic sciences and why...

Cybersecurity Essentials for City Attorneys: Protecting Your Municipality in the Digital Age CLE available to Kitchen Sink Subscribers and in some cases to others but fees may apply. Join us for an in-depth look at the cybersecurity landscape facing municipalities today. This webinar will break down complex concepts into actionable insights, covering everything from the basics of the “CIA Triad” to real-life case studies of cyber incidents in cities. Participants will gain a clear understanding of their role in mitigating...

Quantifying the Unseen: Scientific Evaluation of Mental Anguish and Emotional Distress In today’s complex legal landscape, accurately evaluating mental anguish and emotional distress is essential. This talk will delve into scientific methodologies for assessing emotional suffering, focusing on the Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALY) metric. This approach, grounded in medical and behavioral science research, provides a robust, science-based framework that meets the rigorous Daubert standard for admissible evidence. Key topics include defining mental anguish, overcoming subjective evaluation challenges, and seamlessly integrating...

Ethical Considerations for the Use of Gen AI in Municipal Practice Sponsored by Thomson Reuters. CLE available to Kitchen Sink Subscribers and in some cases to others but fees may apply. Join us for a virtual CLE course exploring the ethical considerations of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the practice of law. In this course, we will delve into the evolving role of AI in the legal landscape and explore practical applications for implementing AI responsibly. In addition, this engaging...

An Overview of Voir Dire in a Criminal Trial: Tips To Overcome Some of The Challenges a Prosecutor Faces Prosecutors typically handle a large jury trial docket, with very little time to prepare for voir dire prior to trial. However, voir dire is one of the most important parts of a criminal trial. This presentation will focus on a general overview of the process of voir dire in a criminal trial. It may touch upon some processes that are specific...

When City Hall is a House Divided: Ethical Challenges Municipal Lawyers typically represent local government organizations but sometimes have individual public officials as clients. Internal Investigations, Lawsuits, Grievances, Complaints, Code Enforcement, and Politics can create factions in city leadership and raise ethical tension for attorneys. The presentation will cover ABA Rules 1.2: Scope of Representation, 1.4: Communications, 1.6: Confidentiality, 1.7: Duty to Current Clients (Conflicts of Interest), 1.9: Duty to Former Clients, 1.10: Imputation of Conflicts of Interest, and 1.13:...