Litigation Institute 2015 Schedule Announced

Dear CATA Members:

Please join CATA for the 2015 Litigation Institute on Friday, April 24, 2015, from 8:00 am – 4:20 pm.  This year’s program is entitled “Hot Topics & Persuasive Techniques,” with a line-up of great topics and speakers.  See the Litigation Institute 2015 Brochure for the lineup and signup.

 Our morning topics include:

“Does the Affordable Care Act Affect or Limit Future Damages?”

The Affordable Care Act’s promise of universal health care has caused some defense attorneys to move to limit future damages to the cost of annual premiums.  Is there merit to these and related arguments defendants are starting to make in catastrophic injury cases?  Brenda M. Johnson, Esq. explores these and related arguments and provides tips for opposing them.

“Shhhh… Confidentiality Clauses in Settlement Agreements”

Can a defense attorney ethically stop you from talking about your recent, humongous settlement?  Can you at least get paid for your silence?  Brian N. Eisen, Esq. tackles these and other questions raised by confidentiality provisions in settlement agreements.

“Fighting Arbitration Clauses in Nursing Home Cases”

In the wake of Marmet Health Care Center, Inc. v. Brown, 132 S.Ct. 1201 (2012) and Hayes v. Oakridge Home, 122 Ohio St.3d 63 (2009, are arbitration clauses in nursing home contracts still assailable?  Nancy C. Iler, Esq. explores ways to defeat arbitration agreements signed by patients or their family members upon admitting the patient to the nursing home.

“College Athletes’ Rights to their Names, Images, and Likenesses and the O’Bannon v. NCAA Class Action Litigation”

The NCAA’s rules prohibit college athletes from receiving financial remuneration from their names, images, and likenesses (NILs).  Yet billions of dollars are made every year by the NCAA and its member bowls, colleges, and universities, who sell these NILs even though they never gain title to them.  Richard G. Johnson, Esq. discusses the O’Bannon v. NCAA class action litigation contesting this paradigm and provides insight as to the direction future litigation might take, as a slew of class actions are lining up to contest the exploitation of college athletes.

Our afternoon topic consists of a three hour interactive presentation:

Ben Sachs of The Landing Group is presenting on advanced communication techniques for managing clients & witnesses.

Ben Sachs of The Landing Group is presenting on advanced communication techniques for managing clients & witnesses.

By special guest speaker, Ben Sachs, Esq., of The Landing Group, who is an adjunct professor at the University of Viriginia Law School.  His 3 hour interactive presentation is called:  “Adaptive Influence for Lawyers:  Advanced Communication Techniques for Managing Clients & Witnesses.”

Traditional public speaking focuses on crafting a message of broad appeal to a diverse audience; however, these principles start to break down when applied to an audience of one.  When managing a critical client or key witness, a skilled attorney must move beyond generic principles of persuasion and instead adopt a strategy of Adaptive Influence, carefully reading the other person and adapting the message and the delivery to land the point.

This seminar will teach you how to get inside the mind of another person and reach a deeper level of influence.  Ben Sachs will lead an interactive presentation exploring psychological, rhetorical, and behavioral models that explain how individuals connect with others and process information, allowing you to become a more persuasive, adaptable communicator.

You can earn 6 CLE credit hours for attending the full day seminar, which includes a Continental Breakfast and Buffet Lunch.  This year’s program will be held at the Club at Key Center in downtown Cleveland.  Members pay a flat rate of $199.00 — which, for 6 CLE credits and two meals is a fantastic deal!!! Non-members pay $249.00.

Here is the Litigation Institute 2015 Brochure with a registration form.  You can detach the form and mail it in, or fill it in on-line, or just email me with your registration information.

Hope to see you there!