Don't forget - All Continuing legal Education credits must be reported to the MCLE Commission by June 30th each year! If you are missing any credits, THIS is your opportunity to complete those requirements!!

Program Highlights

Thursday

Effective Representation in Evictions

10:45am-12:00pm | 1.0 credits + 0.5 ethics

• Hon. Christopher K. Smith, RI District Court
• Michael D. Crane, Esq., The Law Offices of Michael Crane, LLC
• Steven S. Flores, Esq., Rhode Island Legal Services, Inc.
• Jennifer L. Wood, Esq., RI Center for Justice

The program provides an overview of tenant protections, including protections due to COVID19. The panel also discusses successful negotiation strategies for advocates representing both tenants and landlords. Participants attending this session obtain an overview of current developments to better represent landlord and tenant clients. 

Overcoming Parent - Child Relationship Issues Incident to High Conflict Custody Cases: The Role of the Court, the Mental Health Professional, and the Guardian Ad Litem

1:30pm-2:45pm | 1.5 credits

• Hon. Sandra A. Lanni, RI Family Court
• David Medeiros, LICSW, Author of "A Return to Civility and a Path to Get There: An Exploration of Responsibility, Accountability and Compassion"
• Tia M. Priolo, Esq., Scungio & Priolo, Westerly Municipal Judge

An examination of child resistant parental relationships in the scope of Family Court cases and a discussion of therapeutic and legal interventions. This seminar is aimed at the family law practitioner handling more complex custody cases. It will discuss the different therapeutic processes such as individual, co-parent, and family therapy, as well as the ethical considerations of the therapist. It will also include a "from the bench" discussion and the considerations of the Family Court as well as strategies implemented by the Guardian Ad Litem.

Friday

The Senate's Discovery Task Force: Recommendations for a Comprehensive Approach to Improving Discovery Procedures in Criminal Cases

9:00am-10:15am | 1.5 credits

• J. Patrick Youngs III, Esq., RI Department of the Attorney General
• Michael A. DiLauro, Esq., Office of the Public Defender
• Chief Sid Wordell, Rhode Island Police Chief's Association
• Christine Crocker, Rhode Island Police Accreditation Commission

The Senate’s Discovery Task Force (SDTF), created by 2018-R 0328, brought together a diverse array of Rhode Island criminal justice stakeholders empowered to study and make recommendations to enhance the timely and complete disclosure of discoverable material in criminal cases. Its final report makes a series of recommendations applicable to all components of the state’s criminal justice system, including the defense, prosecution, the courts, and law enforcement. After attending this program, attendees will understand the SDTF report, recommendations, and implementation, as well as R.16/Brady/Giglio/Wyche/Beaumier, and the law enforcement accreditation process and electronic case management systems. 

A Progress Report on Lawyer Well-Being

10:45am-12:00pm | 1.5 ethics

• (Moderator) Nicholas Trott Long, Esq., Chair of the Lawyers Helping Lawyers Committee
• Stacie Collier, Esq., Nixon Peabody, LLP
• Cassandra L. Feeney, Esq., Hamel, Waxler, Allen & Collins, P.C.
• Charlene Elva Pratt, Esq., RI Public Defender

Following the publication in 2017 of the National Task Force Report on Lawyer Well-Being, Ms. Collier's firm was one of the first to take up the challenge to develop a meaningful program for lawyer well-being. She explains why her firm decided to take action, what problems they've experienced and what successes they've achieved. Ms. Feeney and Ms. Pratt will discuss how Lawyer Well-Being can work in small firms, individual practices and government offices. The panel will also discuss the new Institute for Well-Being in Law

Rhode Island State Court E-Filing Current Developments & Future Plans

2:00pm-3:00pm | 1.0 credit

• (Moderator) Michael M. Goldberg, Esq., M. Goldberg Law LLC
• Rhiannon S. Huffman, Esq., Strauss, Factor, Laing & Lyons
• Lauren E. Jones, Esq., Jones Associates
• Gail M. Valuk, Esq., Supreme Court of RI
• Peter Panciocco, Supreme Court of RI

Representatives from the Rhode Island State Judiciary and attorneys discuss the current developments and plans of the Rhode Island Odyssey File & Serve System and the Rhode Island Judiciary Public Portal.