Program Details
2026-10-27 14:30:00
Over 1,000+ webinars
Course Overview
2026-10-27 14:30:00
2h CLE Credits
Intermediate
2
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm ESTThe wave of court sanctions and bar referrals triggered by AI-generated citations to nonexistent cases has put a sharp spotlight on the daily ethical obligations new associates carry the moment they enter practice — obligations that courts and disciplinary bodies are now enforcing with increasing seriousness. This program addresses those obligations directly, equipping junior lawyers with the practical skills and concrete habits needed to navigate two of the highest-risk areas of early-career practice: filing verification and client billing. Attendees will learn how federal court rules, including Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and 28 U.S.C. § 1927, and the American Bar Association’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct intersect in real disciplinary outcomes, why personal certification responsibility cannot be delegated upward, and how to make sound judgment calls on billing and client communication even when firm culture provides little active guidance. The program produces usable, practice-ready deliverables — verification checklists, billing judgment frameworks, defensible time-entry language, and trust account protocols — rather than abstract doctrine.
John B. Sullivan 3:40 pm - 4:40 pm ESTThis session covers the ethical obligations new associates encounter at every stage of the billing and client communication lifecycle—from drafting the first time entry and engagement letter through responding to fee disputes and trust account obligations. Attorneys will learn how Model Rules 1.4 and 1.5 apply to daily practice decisions, where disciplinary risk concentrates for junior lawyers, and how to exercise billing judgment in a firm culture that may not actively reinforce it. Attendees leave with concrete, judgment-level skills for writing defensible time entries, structuring fee agreements, managing client communication cadence, and avoiding the trust account errors that produce the most serious sanctions.
Cari L. SheehanCari L. Sheehan’s primary research focus is the ethics of artificial intelligence and its effect on the legal and business communities. As Assistant General Counsel at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP in Indianapolis, she counsels the firm’s attorneys on ethics compliance, risk prevention, and conflicts of interest, and helps train the firm’s attorneys and staff on their ethical obligations.
John Sullivan’s extensive experience in representing law firms of all sizes allows him to understand claims raised by aggrieved clients and work with firms to respond to and resolve those claims informally or, when necessary, through litigation. He has been recognized by the Daily Journal as one of the top professional responsibility lawyers in California.
Cari L. Sheehan’s primary research focus is the ethics of artificial intelligence and its effect on the legal and business communities. As Assistant General Counsel at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP in Indianapolis, she counsels the firm’s attorneys on ethics compliance, risk prevention, and conflicts of interest, and helps train the firm’s attorneys and staff on their ethical obligations.
John Sullivan’s extensive experience in representing law firms of all sizes allows him to understand claims raised by aggrieved clients and work with firms to respond to and resolve those claims informally or, when necessary, through litigation. He has been recognized by the Daily Journal as one of the top professional responsibility lawyers in California.
Requirements
The Alabama State Bar MCLE Commission requires attorneys to complete 12 credits, including 1 ethics, by December 31 of each year. All credits must be reported by February 15 of the following year. A maximum of 12 credits, including 1 ethics credit, may be carried over for 1 year only.
Formats
