Writing to Win: The fundamentals of legal writing (including 1 hr. ethics – navigating conflicts of interest, a legal ethics guide)

Howard S. Suskin | Jenner & Block LLP

Partner in Jenner & Block LLP’s litigation department Substantial first-chair experience representing individuals and business entities in civil and criminal securities matters. Co-chair of Jenner & Block LLP’s class action and securities litigation practices.

Members of the Leading Lawyers Network have consistently recognized his work in several areas, including class actions, commercial litigation, alternative dispute resolution, and securities and venture financing law.

Been named one of the Best Lawyers in America for commercial litigation and recognized by Chambers for achievement in Securities Litigation. Illinois Super Lawyer named him a Top 100 Illinois Super Lawyer ten times.

He is on the faculty of Practicing Law Institute; and has lectured extensively; instructed legal writing at the University of Michigan Law School; and has published numerous treatises and articles on issues relating to arbitrations, class actions and securities law, including serving as editor and co-writer of the West Publishing Illinois Civil Litigation Guide, Moore’s Federal Civil Motion Practice and Pretrial Civil Litigation, the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education Treatise on Class Actions, and the ABA’s Annual Survey of State Class Action Litigation.

J.D. degree, with honors, University of Michigan Law School; graduate, with distinction, elected to Phi Beta Kappa, Northwestern University.

Cari Sheehan | Barnes & Thornburg LLP

Cari Sheehan serves as a Professional Responsibility Counsel at Barnes & Thornburg, LLP. She focuses her practice on legal ethics, professional accountability, and loss prevention. Cari is dedicated to guiding attorneys through the challenges they face when managing and growing their legal practices. She is a problem solver and consensus builder for all types of ethical situations. Cari regularly drafts and reviews conflict waivers, engagement letters, outside counsel guidelines and other documents to ensure ethical compliance.

Cari counsels attorneys on bar admission, licensure and continuing legal education. She is a frequent seminar speaker on legal ethics for myLawCLE and the Indiana State Bar Association. In addition, Cari teaches legal and ethical courses at Butler University and IU Robert H. McKinney School of Law. Regardless of the audience or challenge at hand, Cari performs her duties with tact in handling complicated issues, trustworthiness, sensitivity in stressful situations and honed skill in resolving ethical situations.

Session l – Writing to Win: The fundamentals of legal writing | 1:00pm – 2:00pm

1. Structure of Briefs | 1:00pm – 1:20pm
2. Making Briefs Clear | 1:20pm – 1:40pm
3. Rules and Tips for Drafting | 1:40pm -2:00pm

Break | 2:00pm – 2:10pm

Session ll – Navigating conflicts of interest, a legal ethics guide | 2:10pm – 3:10pm

1. Discuss Model Rule 1.7, current client conflicts | 2:10pm – 2:20pm
2. Understand how to utilize consent letters to resolve conflicts | 2:20pm – 2:30pm
3. Joint representation | 2:30pm – 2:35pm
4. Discuss Model Rule 1.9, former client conflicts | 2:35pm – 2:45pm
5. Discuss Model Rule 1.10, imputation of conflicts and lateral Hires | 2:45pm- 2:55pm
6. Discuss Model Rule 1.11, government conflicts | 2:55pm – 3:05pm
7. Real life scenarios and tips/tricks | 3:05pm – 3:10pm