IMLA

Legal Departments in Transformation Webinar - Free Live & Not For CLE
2024-05-23 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Legal Departments in Transformation: Navigating Success, Access to Justice, and Technological Change in 2024
This is a sponsored webinar and CLE will not be offered.
Join Thomson Reuters and learn about the evolving landscape of government legal departments in 2024. This webinar will explore how government legal departments define and measure success, the strategic approaches to overcoming ongoing challenges in the public sector, and the efforts to improve access to justice in an era of technological advancement. Discover how legal professionals confidently employ current technologies and understand the vital role of AI in shaping the future of government legal departments.
Speakers: Rabihah Butler & Christie Weidemann

Implicit Bias Webinar
2024-05-28 13:00 - 14:00
Me? Biased? How Biology and Psychology Affect Our Opinions and Actions
So much of the practice of law involves decision-making, and convincing others to make better decisions based upon fact rather than emotion. This course is intended to guide the attendees to appreciate how they involuntarily make decisions and guide them to recognize and prevent bias, and to know how to effectively communicate with persons whose bias affects others.
Speaker: Claude E. Ducloux

Code Enforcement Webinar
2024-06-11 13:00 - 14:00
Administrative Warrants: Getting the Code Officer’s Foot in the Door
This webinar will discuss administrative warrants as a necessity for code enforcement inspections. We will discuss the differences between an administrative warrant as opposed to criminal warrants. Followed by a review of the case law requiring code enforcement officers to obtain one, the process, and scenarios.
Speaker: Savita Rai & Samuel Adams

Police Misconduct Webinar
2024-06-18 13:00 - 14:00
Navigating the Conflicts of Interest facing the Municipal Attorney Responsible for Police Misconduct Litigation
In cases involving alleged police misconduct, civil suits seeking damages are usually brought against individual officers under Title 42, United States Code, section 1983, though sometimes units of local government employing the officers are also named as defendants. The unit of government that employs the officer is usually obligated to provide a defense for the officer-defendant, and to indemnify the officer for legal costs, including the payment of judgments and settlements of actions arising from the scope of employment. Individual officers named as defendants accordingly are represented by attorneys whose fiduciary obligations run to the officer, not the municipality or other governmental entity that employs the officer. These attorneys have an ethical obligation to keep evidence of their clients’ misconduct from their clients’ employers, even if this leads to expensive settlements paid by the employer. Thus, there is a serious potential conflict of interest between the interests of the individual officer named as a defendant that the officer’s employer, raising important issues of both ethics and public policy. This presentation will outline those conflicts and suggest how they may be best navigated by municipal attorneys, even when they must hire or supervise attorneys representing individual officers entitled to indemnity, while also protecting the interests of their governmental client.
Speaker: Lawrence Rosenthal

Short Term Rentals Webinar
2024-06-27 13:00 - 14:00
What Happens Next: Enforcing (And Litigating) Short-Term Rental Regulations
This webinar is a follow-up to a previous session on drafting enforceable short-term rental regulations. After the often rigorous procedure of adopting comprehensive short-term rental regulations, navigating the new enforcement landscape – and any resulting legal challenges – presents a new set of difficulties, particularly in light of the ever-changing nature of short-term rental operations and the continuing lack of definitive case law on key short-term rental issues. This presentation will discuss suggested approaches to enforcement, including coordination with code enforcement and prosecutors; options for neutralizing threats of litigation; and strategies for responding to common claims raised in short-term rental litigation.
Speaker: Rachel Raggio

Well-Being Webinar
2024-07-02 13:00 - 14:00
Wellness in Law: Finding Harmony Between Personal and Professional Performance
This session will tentatively cover the following topics:

Explain the importance of attorney well-being as an integral aspect of fulfilling the duty of competence
Define the dimensions of Well-Being in Law
Provide recommendations for positive change in attorney well-being
Analyze a case study of a law firm as one of the best places to work
Promote resources available to attorneys

Speaker: Ken Nourse

LGLC Supreme Court Review for Local Governments: 2023-2024 Term Webinar - This is not an IMLA Webinar
2024-07-08 13:00 - 14:30
Supreme Court Review for Local Governments: 2023-2024 Term

This is NOT an IMLA webinar and CLE will not be offered by IMLA.
Hosted by the Local Government Legal Center (LGLC), join legal experts in a discussion of the Supreme Court’s important decisions of the term impacting local governments. The Supreme Court heard several monumental cases this term, including cases related to:

Homeless encampments
First Amendment social media for government employees and officials
An employment standard for transfers under Title VII
Impact fees and more!

The LGLC is a coalition of national local government organizations formed in 2023 by the National Association of Counties (NACo), National League of Cities (NLC) and International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA) to provide education to local governments regarding the Supreme Court and its impact on local governments and local officials and to advocate for local government positions at the Supreme Court in appropriate cases. Visit the Local Government Legal Center to learn more.
Speakers: Theane Evangelis, John Korzen & Amanda Karras

Public Information Acts Webinar
2024-07-09 13:00 - 14:00
Current Challenges and Trending Topics in Public Information Acts
This CLE will focus on the current challenges faced by government lawyers assisting their clients in navigating their state’s public information act laws. It will discuss trends and best practices for navigating this ever-changing field.
Speaker: Hilary Ruley

Telecom Webinar
2024-07-11 13:00 - 14:00
Modern Franchising – Authority, Revenue, & Digital Equality
This CLE will show how cable franchises are still important contracts for local governments, discuss the impact of streaming video on these contracts, and review recent litigation and legislation. We will discuss how modern broadband franchising could be used to best ensure equal access to broadband, including a review of current litigation, legislation, the BEAD program, the Internet Tax Freedom Act (ITFA), and FCC advocacy. We will also review the FCC’s Digital Discrimination Order, municipal participation in the docket, and its appeal to the Eighth Circuit.
Speaker: Michael “Mike” Bradley

Service Animals Webinar
2024-07-16 13:00 - 14:00
IT’S A ZOO HERE! A practical guide on permitting Service Animals into the Workplace
It is important to accommodate wherever possible any employee with a disability who needs the accommodation of a service animal. As an employer, you need to understand what a service animal is, what is a reasonable expectation and request from you, and how to blend all of that. Not always easy, but we have some suggestions. Join us for the answers!
Speaker: Joanie Winters

Construction Webinar
2024-07-18 13:00 - 14:00
Critical Construction Contract Clauses and the Disputes that Often Arise from Them
Construction contracts can be hundreds of pages. This presentation will identify and explain the handful of key clauses that are frequently central to disputes and litigation between contractors and public owners. The speakers will provide typical language, describe the intended purpose, give real world examples, and offer key take-aways for the following important contract provisions: differing site conditions, quantity variations, scheduling, time extensions, and compensation for delay.
Speaker: Greg Holness, P.E., Esq. & Haswanth Venkatavijayan

Environmental Webinar
2024-08-01 13:00 - 14:00
Water, Water everywhere in a Municipality; US v. Sackett, the Maui case and the EPA/ACOE WOTUS Rule
Join experienced environmental law practitioner Rich Glaze in this webinar as he explores the impacts of recent Supreme Court interpretations of what constitutes a “water of the United States,” how the EPA/ACOE WOTUS rule reflects these rulings and how (or if) these rulings affect municipalities.
Speaker: Rich Glaze

Diversity Webinar
2024-08-06 13:00 - 14:00
How to Advise Councilmembers Regarding DEI Initiatives (Even When They Are Against Them)
Join Jeannine Williams, Chief Assistant City Attorney for St. Petersburg, Florida, for an insightful discussion on advising council members on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. In this presentation, Jeannine will delve into the principles of accountable government and share strategies for tailoring your advice to council members while maintaining objectivity.
Attendees will also gain valuable insights into the various DEI initiatives successfully implemented by the City of St. Petersburg. These initiatives include conducting a structural racism study and a disparity study, undertaking affordable housing projects, and redeveloping the Historic Gas Plant District.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from Jeannine’s expertise and learn how you can effectively guide your council members when implementing DEI initiatives within your community.
Speaker: Jeannine S. Williams

Short Term Rentals Webinar
2024-08-08 13:00 - 14:00
Regulating Short-term Rentals at the Local Level
The proliferation of the short-term rental industry has left local governments throughout the country contemplating how to balance protecting the character and integrity of their municipality while providing the necessary services resulting from increased traffic and tourism, among other things. This course will provide an overview of the tools available at the local level to regulate short-term rentals, as well as a case law overview analyzing how different jurisdictions treat short-term rentals. The session will conclude with tips on drafting local legislation that will survive court scrutiny (of course, results are not guaranteed).
Speaker: Katie Hodgdon

Ethics Webinar
2024-08-20 13:00 - 14:00
AI: The Future of Humanity or the End of Civilization
AI is more than a movie starring Haley Joel Osment from 2001, it’s a force that has the potential to drastically change the practice of municipal law. This session would examine the various ways A.I. can impact attorneys representing local government. Or, as AI put it: The presentation will explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the legal profession and the justice system, by providing examples of current and emerging applications of AI in law, as well as discussing the ethical, legal, and social implications of AI in law.
Speaker: Darren Shulman

Section 1983 Webinar
2024-08-27 13:00 - 14:00
Section 1983 Update: What You Need to Know in 2024
This presentation will provide a case law update on Section 1983 cases in the last year and what to expect in 2024. The presentation will also serve as an overview of Circuit cases covering hot-button issues in today’s legal landscape. From COVID-19 mandates to wrongful conviction, the Section 1983 Update will cover what municipal lawyers and lawyers who represent municipalities should know and expect when facing Section 1983 cases in 2024.
Speaker: Staci J. Miller

Warrantless Searches Webinar
2024-10-22 13:00 - 14:00
Exceptions to the Fourth Amendment’s Warrant Requirement: Searches in Businesses and Schools
The Fourth Amendment generally requires law enforcement officials to obtain a warrant supported by probable cause before entering or searching a person’s private property. The Supreme Court has carved exceptions to this rule to allow warrantless searches in certain contexts, including regulated businesses and schools. This presentation will discuss the evolving contours of the warrantless search doctrine and offer tips for government lawyers to keep their law enforcement clients on the correct side of the law.
Speaker: Brandon Moulard & Bennett Bryan

Public Property Webinar – Free Live For IMLA Members
2024-10-24 13:00 - 14:00
Removing Individuals from Public Property
CLE available to Kitchen Sink Subscribers and in some cases to others but fees may apply.
Municipalities often must deal with members of the public who disrupt meetings, harass employees, or even threaten to harm elected officials. In such instances, officials may seek to temporarily remove that person from public property or ban them from re-entering the property. This presentation will cover the legal considerations for municipalities when removing or banning individuals from public property, including First Amendment implications, content-neutral justifications for removal, the importance of providing due process, and policy recommendations. Special focus will be given to removing disruptive individuals from administrative facilities and nonpublic forums.
Speaker: Michael Koss & Kirk T. Ridgway

Preemption Webinar – Free Live For IMLA Members
2024-10-29 13:00 - 14:00
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 lawsuit challenging it on the ground that it violates the State constitution’s grant of home-rule authority.
Speaker: Mary Marrero

LGLC Supreme Court Preview for Local Governments: 2024-2025 Term Webinar - This is not an IMLA Webinar
2024-10-31 14:00 - 15:00
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 “Moment of Threat” doctrine
The Fair Labor Standards Act, and
ADA claims involving post-retirement health benefits

Several other cases on the Court’s docket may impact local governments’ finances and obligations under various federal statutes.
The LGLC is a coalition of national local government organizations formed in 2023 by the National Association of Counties (NACo), National League of Cities (NLC) and International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA) to provide education to local governments regarding the Supreme Court and its impact on local governments and local officials and to advocate for local government positions at the Supreme Court in appropriate cases. Visit the Local Government Legal Center to learn more.
Speakers: Amanda Karras, Meaghan VerGow & Aileen McGrath

Legal Writing Webinar
2024-11-05 13:00 - 14:00
Drafting, Editing, and AI
This workshop gives you a chance to learn about the perils–and promise–of AI-assisted writing.
Speaker: Patrick Barry

Evidence Webinar
2024-11-07 13:00 - 14:00
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 to help optimize appropriate use of and neutralization of law enforcement operational experts.
Speaker: Michael Brave, M.S., Esq.

Zoning Webinar – Free Live For IMLA Members
2024-11-12 13:00 - 14:00
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 this noise is different from tennis and genuinely annoying to the neighbors. The shortfalls in the typical noise enforcement ordinances are explained, as well as why pickleball noise is so difficult to quantify with a decibel meter. We will review litigation examples around the county as municipalities defend themselves from poor planning choices. We discuss the range of costly and difficult after-the-fact mitigation solutions such as noise barrier walls, limiting hours of play, and attempts to mandate quiet equipment. We review some of the zoning, planning and permitting ordinances adopted in recent years as cities learn to avoid a problem that is so difficult to correct once the mistake has been made.
Speaker: Charles Leahy, Rob Mastroianni & Kathleen Romito

Cybersecurity Webinar – Free Live For IMLA Members
2024-11-14 13:00 - 14:00
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 cyber risks, including legal and ethical considerations, and practical steps to enhance their city’s cybersecurity posture.
Speaker: Ravinder Singh Arneja & Bryan Singh Arneja

Evaluating Emotional Distress Webinar
2024-11-19 13:00 - 14:00
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 quantitative and qualitative data. Through compelling real-world examples and case studies, attendees will see these concepts in action. For lawyers, this approach translates to more precise, objective, and defensible evaluations of mental distress, ensuring fairer outcomes in court. By adopting QALY, legal professionals can argue for just compensation with greater authority and confidence. Join us to enhance your practice, impress judges and juries, and better serve your clients with cutting-edge, scientifically validated tools. If you would like to get post-training resources from the trainer Dr. Geb Tsipursky, go to https://tinyurl.com/daeevent
Speaker: Dr. Gleb Tsipursky

Ethics and AI for Local Government Webinar - Free Live
2024-12-04 13:00 - 14:00
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 session will cover the following key areas:

Foundational understanding of Large Language Models (LLMs) and generative AI
Inherent risk within the use of generative AI
Understanding appropriate times to deploy AI, as well as situations where ethically, AI requires supervision or may not be the ideal tool
Considerations of the use of generative AI regarding the ABA Model Rules
Thomson Reuters’ approach to artificial intelligence in the legal landscape

Speaker: Christie Weidemann, Esq.

Trial Procedure Webinar
2024-12-05 13:00 - 14:00
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 to a particular state, but much of the overview and tips can apply across all jurisdictions.
Speaker: Robyn Katz

Ethics in Local Government Webinar
2024-12-06 13:00 - 14:00
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: Organization as Client.
Speaker: Alan Bojorquez

Affordable Housing Webinar – Free Live For IMLA Members
2024-12-10 13:00 - 14:00
Creating Affordable Housing: Madison’s Experience
CLE available to Kitchen Sink Subscribers and in some cases to others but fees may apply.
Creating affordable housing is a major challenge for municipalities everywhere. In addition to the politics, financing affordable housing deals requires combinations of lending programs and creative solutions to fill financing gaps. This presentation will discuss the problems in creating and financing affordable housing for families and students, and methods the City of Madison, Wisconsin has been using to solve these issues including tax incremental financing, the creation of an affordable housing fund, and permitting density in exchange for affordability.
Speaker: Kevin Ramakrishna

RLUIPA Webinar
2024-12-12 13:00 - 14:00
Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act
The presentation will focus on the nuts and bolts of RLUIPA, including its prohibition on substantial burden, unequal treatment, discrimination, unreasonably limiting or totally excluding religious exercise, the definition of religious exercise, the types of regulations covered by RLUIPA, and other topics. Mr. Sacks will discuss real cases examples and his experiences with RLUIPA cases. Participants will be invited to ask questions at the end.
Speaker: Noah Sacks
