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#2410 No Safe Place: Recognizing & Responding to Intimate Partner Violence & Technology-Facilitated Abuse

#2410 No Safe Place: Recognizing & Responding to Intimate Partner Violence & Technology-Facilitated Abuse

Presented on September 22, 2021 (expires 9/22/26)

2.0 CLE credits: 1.0 Areas of Professional Practice, 1.0 Diversity, Inclusion & Elimination of Bias
Appropriate for Experienced Attorneys only

This program, organized under the POWER Act by the Federal Court, WDNY, and led by Chief Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford, WDNY convenes an array of speakers and perspectives to discuss intimate partner violence in atypical settings. The speakers will also explore technology facilitated abuse and the resulting harm to victims of intimate partner violence. This program is designed for legal practitioners, social workers, and attorneys.

Welcome and Introduction/Moderator
Amy Schwartz-Wallace, Esq., Empire Justice Center
Welcome from Chief Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford, WDNY

Part One: Expect the Unexpected: When Intimate Partner Violence Arises in Your Area of Law
Lisa Nolan, Willow Domestic Violence Center
Remla Parthasarathy, Project Leader, Crime Victims Legal Network

  • What is intimate partner violence – overview of power and control dynamics of abusive relationships (including LGBTQ+ communities, people with disabilities, and other marginalized communities)
  • How intimate partner violence arises in federal court cases (i.e. financial abuse and tax/bankruptcy, fair housing, discrimination, criminal cases, and more)
  • What can you do if you suspect there is intimate partner violence —representing the victim or the perpetrator.
  •  Overview of local resources, including pro bono assistance.

Part Two: Technology-Facilitated Abuse (TFA): A High-Risk Reality
Aurore DeCarlo, Esq., C.A. Goldberg
Craig R. Gestring, Esq., U.S. Attorney’s Office
Melissa M. Marangola, Esq., U.S. Attorney’s Office
Andrew Sta. Ana, Esq., Director of Law and Policy, Day One

Although emerging technologies bring advancements, they can also be twisted into tools for stalking, threats, intimidation, humiliation, and privacy invasion. Cyber-abuse and harassment, including so-called “revenge porn,” has received a great deal of attention in the courts and in the media in recent years. This diverse group of panelists will discuss the nature of the problem, the harms caused by this form of abuse, civil and state and federal criminal legal interventions, and emerging policy issues.

Available format: OnDemand, CD, DVD

OnDemand: $60 members (Promo Code: member2025), $120 Non-members

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#2421 Doing No Harm: Why Cultural Competency Matters

#2421 Doing No Harm: Why Cultural Competency Matters

Presented on December 16, 2022 (expires 12/16/27)

1.0 CLE credit: Diversity, Inclusion and Elimination of Bias
Appropriate for Experienced Attorneys only

This program covers the following topics:

  • Common Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) terms
  • Power, Privilege, & Position
  • Microaggressions
  • Implicit Bias
  • LGBTQ+ terms & pronouns
  • Latinx terms & pronouns

Moderator: Stephanie J. Calhoun, Esq., Chair, Diversity & Inclusion Committee

Speakers:
Antoinette M. Amos, Managing Partner, Ragan & Amos Consulting
Crystal J. Rodriguez-Dabney, Esq., Chief of Staff & Chief Diversity Officer, SUNY Buffalo State College

Available format: OnDemand, CD, DVD

OnDemand: $40 Members (Promo Code: member2025), $80 Non-Members

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#2437 Character & Fitness: the Impact of Question 26 on Bar Admission for Lawyers of Color

#2437 Character & Fitness: the Impact of Question 26 on Bar Admission for Lawyers of Color

Presented on June 2, 2022 (expires 6/2/27)

1.0 CLE credit: Diversity, Inclusion & Elimination of Bias
Appropriate for Experienced Attorneys only

Question 26 of the New York Bar Application asks, “Have you ever, either as an adult or a juvenile, been cited, ticketed, arrested, taken into custody, charged with, indicted, convicted, or tried for, or pleaded guilty to, the commission of any felony or misdemeanor or the violation of any law, or been the subject of any juvenile delinquency or youthful offender proceeding?…Candor throughout the admission process is required of all applicants, and even convictions that have been expunged should be disclosed in response to this question.”

This program explores how this question affects people of color and their participation in the legal profession. Attorney Carly Hite discusses the history, disparate impact on people of color, and reform efforts under way. Cheryl Smith Fisher speaks as a member of the Character & Fitness Committee, discussing their rules and regulations, and how they handle such issues locally. Finally, attorney TheArthur Duncan shares his compelling lived experience as a former felon who went through the law school and bar application process with uncertainty about whether he would be allowed to practice.

Introduction:
Vicky L. Valvo, Esq., (ret.) Mental Hygiene Legal Services

Speakers:
Carolyn “Carly” Hite, Esq., Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, Inc.
Cheryl Smith Fisher, Esq., Magavern Magavern Grimm LLP
TheArthur A. Duncan, Esq., TheArthur Duncan Law Firm

Moderators:
Stephanie Joy Calhoun, Esq., Chair, Diversity & Inclusion Committee
Maura O’Donnell, Esq., Education Subcommittee, Diversity & Inclusion Committee

Available Format: OnDemand, CD, DVD

OnDemand: $40 members (Promo Code: member2025), $80 non-members

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#2444 18th Annual WNY Bankruptcy Conference - Business Panel

#2444 18th Annual WNY Bankruptcy Conference – Business Panel

Find the 18th Annual WNY Bankruptcy Conference – Consumer Panel here. 

Presented on June 8, 2022 (expires 6/8/27)

5.5 CLE credits: 3.5 Areas of Professional Practice, 1.0 Diversity, Inclusion & Elimination of Bias, 1.0 Skills
Appropriate for Experienced Attorneys only

Topics covered:

  • Prejudice and implicit bias in our legal system
  • Tax issues in Chapter 11
  • Evidence and trial techniques
  • Judges panel
  • Trends in Chapter 11 cases, including release and common controversial plan provisions, including small business and Subchapter V trustee

Program Chairs:

  • Beth Ann Bivona, Esq., Barclay Damon LLP, Buffalo
  • Daniel F. Brown, Esq., Andreozzi Bluestein LLP, Buffalo
  • Mikal J. Krueger, Esq., McConville Considine Cooman & Morin, P.C., Rochester
  • Kathleen Dunivin Schmitt, Esq., Assistant U.S. Trustee, Rochester

Speakers:

  • Joseph W. Allen, Esq., Assistant U.S. Trustee, Western District of New York, Buffalo
  • Michael Brummer, Michael Brummer & Associates
  • Hon. Carl L. Bucki, Chief Judge, United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of New York
  • Robert L. Cook, Esq., NYS Department of Taxation & Finance
  • Janice B. Grubin, Esq., Barclay Damon LLP
  • Hon. Robert E. Littlefield, Jr., Judge, United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of New York
  • Angela Z. Miller, Esq., Phillips Lytle LLP
  • John A. Mueller, Esq., Lippes Mathias LLP
  • William F. Savino, Esq., Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP
  • Sara C. Temes, Esq., Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC
  • James C. Thoman, Esq., Hodgson Russ LLP

This program is co-sponsored by the Monroe County Bar Association Bankruptcy Committee and the BAEC Commercial Litigation and Bankruptcy Law Committee.

Available format: OnDemand, CD, DVD

OnDemand: $115 members (Promo Code: member2025), $230 Non-members

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#2447 Unexampled Courage: Sgt. Isaac Woodard & the Unknown Road to Brown v. Board of Education

#2447 Unexampled Courage: Sgt. Isaac Woodard & the Unknown Road to Brown v. Board of Education

Presented on October 17, 2022 (expires 10/17/27)

2.0 CLE credit: Diversity, Inclusion & Elimination of Bias
Appropriate for Experienced Attorneys only

In 1951, US District Judge J. Waites Waring, sitting on a 3-judge panel in a South Carolina District Court, issued a powerful dissent in Briggs v. Elliott, where then-NAACP lead counsel Thurgood Marshall directly challenged the constitutionality of the “separate but equal” doctrine in Plessy v. Ferguson. In doing so, Judge Waring ensured a direct appeal to the Supreme Court. Although Briggs was the first such case to arrive in our highest tribunal, the Supreme Court chose Brown v. Board of Ed. as the lead case. In his book, Unexampled Courage, US District Judge Richard Gergel traces the paths walked by both Judge Waring and Thurgood Marshall that led both to this direct constitutional challenge.
Judge Gergel’s presentation outlines that state of race relations in the South beginning with the end of World War II, the blinding of Sgt. Isaac Woodard by a White police officer, the effect it had on President Truman and ultimately, how the trial of the officer who blinded Sgt. Woodard became a turning point in the outlook of Judge Waring. Waring, the descendant of a Confederate soldier, transformed from a prominent member of Charleston society to being one of the most reviled men in the white South, and an ally of the civil rights movement in the 1950; a fact not lost on Marshall as he brought matters before the Judge. Following the presentation, members of the Federal Judiciary join Judge Gergel in a panel discussion.

 

Welcome & Introductions:
Michael F. Perley, Esq., ABOTA Buffalo Chapter, National Board Representative

Speaker: Hon. Richard Gergel, Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina

Federal Judiciary Panel Discussion:
Hon. Elizabeth A. Wolford, Chief Judge, U.S. District Court, Western District of New York
Hon. Lawrence J. Vilardo, District Judge, U.S. District Court, Western District of New York
Hon. Jeremiah J. McCarthy, Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, Western District of New York

Available format: OnDemand, CD, DVD

OnDemand: $60 members (Promo Code: member2025), $120 Non-members

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#2449 Introduction to Native American Cultural Competency

#2449 Introduction to Native American Cultural Competency

Presented on November 10, 2022 (expires 11/10/27)

1.0 CLE credit: Diversity, Inclusion & Elimination of Bias
Appropriate for Experienced Attorneys only

This program provides an overview of traditional Native American cultures, including historical factors that play a part in the health and wellbeing of many Native communities. These historical factors also play a large role in the development of the applicable law, which has unique and complex features that are foreign to traditional American law principles. Attendees will come away with improved knowledge and skills to respond to cultural differences, and better understanding of the significant Native American community in our state.

Moderator: Stephanie Joy Calhoun, Esq., Chair, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee

Speakers:
Hon. Carol E. Heckman (Ret.), Partner, Lippes Mathias
Hon. Mark A. Montour, Appellate Division, Fourth Department

Available format: OnDemand, CD, DVD

OnDemand: $40 members (Promo Code: member2025), $80 Non-members

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#2457 Put Your Best Face Forward: Media Training in a Post-Pandemic World of Law

#2457 Put Your Best Face Forward: Media Training in a Post-Pandemic World of Law

Presented on March 10, 2023 (expires 3/10/28)

2.0 credit: 1.0 Areas of Professional Practice, 0.5 Ethics and Professionalism, 0.5 Diversity, Inclusion, and Elimination of Bias
Appropriate for Experienced Attorneys only

How you present yourself and your organization to the world can have enormous repercussions for anyone, but is especially important to consider for legal providers! This program brings together attorneys and media professionals with a wide range of expertise to help you navigate best practices and potential pitfalls. Presented in collaboration with the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York- WNY Chapter.

Agenda:
Welcome & Introductions
Keynote Address and Q&A (Hon. Lawrence Vilardo, District Court Judge)
Panel 1: Working with the Media, Attorney Advertising, and Social Media
Panel 2: Ethics: Confidentiality and Retractions
Panel 3: Diversity, Inclusion and Elimination of Bias

Moderators: Ashley Lowry, Esq., Deputy Treasurer, & Lisa Poch, Esq., Director, Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York-WNY Chapter

Available format: OnDemand, CD, DVD

OnDemand: $60 members (Promo Code: member2025), $120 Non-members

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#2462 The Spiritual Practice of the Law & Its Connection to Lawyer Wellbeing

#2462 The Spiritual Practice of the Law & Its Connection to Lawyer Wellbeing

Presented on April 4, 2023 (expires 4/4/28)

1.0 credit: Diversity, Inclusion & Elimination of Bias
Appropriate for Experienced Attorneys only

The day-to-day practice of the law can be contentious and draining, and many attorneys experience secondary trauma and burnout because of it. How can your spirituality and a holistic approach to wellbeing improve your practice? Join our panelists for a conversation about the impact of faith in our profession.

Moderators:
Stephanie Joy Calhoun, Esq., Chair, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee
Bridget M. O’Connell, Esq., JD/MSW, Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator, New York State Judicial Districts 5, 6, 7 8 & Court of Claims

Speakers:
Megan Andrews, LSCW-R, Child & Family Services
Pastor Edward Jackson, Jr., Friendship Baptist Church
Anna Marie Richmond, Esq., Law Office of Anna Marie Richmond

Available format: OnDemand

OnDemand: $40 members (Promo Code: member2025), $80 Non-members

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#2472 A Conversation with the Descendants of Plessy v. Ferguson

#2472 A Conversation with the Descendants of Plessy v. Ferguson

Presented on September 21, 2023 (expires 9/21/28)

2.0 CLE credits: 1.0 Diversity, Inclusion & Elimination of Bias, 1.0 Areas of Professional Practice
Appropriate for Experienced Attorneys only

Judge Shirley Troutman, Associate Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals, leads a look back at one of the most infamous cases in US Supreme Court history, and it’s repercussions today. Keith Plessy and Phoebe Ferguson, descendants of the plaintiff Homer Plessy and Judge John Ferguson who together founded the Plessy and Ferguson Initiative, discuss the living legacy of this landmark civil rights case.

Moderator: Hon. Shirley Troutman, Associate Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals

Remarks: Hon. Albert M. Rosenblatt, Retired Associate Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals

Speakers: 

  • Phoebe Ferguson, The Plessy and Ferguson Initiative
  • Keith Plessy, The Plessy and Ferguson Foundation

Available format: OnDemand, CD, DVD

OnDemand: $60 members (Promo Code: member2025), $120 Non-members

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#2474 Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired: Fighting for Health Equity in WNY

#2474 Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired: Fighting for Health Equity in WNY

Presented on September 27, 2023 (expires 9/27/28)

2.0 CLE credits: 1.0 Diversity, Inclusion & Elimination of Bias, 1.0 Areas of Professional Practice
Appropriate for Experienced Attorneys only

Civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer used the rallying cry “We are sick and tired of being sick and tired” in the Jim Crow South, but decades later, serious health disparities -racial and otherwise- persist throughout the United States. Doris Carbonell-Medina, Esq., gives essential context about the United States’ and Western New York’s historical and contemporary  landscape that shape today’s healthcare systems. Dr. LaVonne Ansari, CEO and Executive Director, and Dr. Kenyani Davis, Chief Medical Officer of the Community Health Center of Buffalo  join her for a panel discussion about how inequality can be addressed locally.

We recommend that you watch the short (22 minutes) documentary Fight for Good, about the work of and challenges faced by the Community Health Center during the COVID pandemic, for important local context. 

Moderators:

  • Stephanie Calhoun, Esq., Chair, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee
  • Maura O’Donnell, Esq., NYS Office of the Attorney General

Speakers:

  • Dr. LaVonne Ansari, Community Health Center of Buffalo
  • Doris Carbonell-Medina, Esq., Highmark Western & Northeastern NY
  • Dr. Kenyani Davis, Community Health Center of Buffalo

Available format: OnDemand, CD, DVD

OnDemand: $60 members (Promo Code: member2025), $120 Non-members

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#2485 Brown v. Board in Buffalo: A 70th Anniversary Celebration

#2485 Brown v. Board in Buffalo: A 70th Anniversary Celebration

Presented on May 17, 2024 (expires 5/17/29)

2.0 CLE credits: 1.0 Ethics and Professionalism, 1.0 Diversity, Inclusion & Elimination of Bias
Appropriate for Experienced Attorneys only

May 17, 2024 marks 70 years since the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision from the US Supreme Court, which found that “separate but equal” racial segregation was unconstitutional, setting up the eventual integration of schools and other public spaces. For this anniversary, we reflect on the legacy of civil rights cases, including Briggs v. Elliott, and their impact in Buffalo and beyond, celebrating our pioneers and those who continue to work to make education accessible to all.

This program was hosted at DeLaine Waring AME Church in Buffalo, NY. This historic congregation was founded by Rev. Joseph A. DeLaine, who fled violent persecution in South Carolina for WNY and was a plaintiff in Briggs v. Elliott, which was later combined with other cases to be heard at the US Supreme Court as Brown v. Board. The church was later named after him and Hon. Julius Waties Waring, a South Caroline US District Court Judge whose dissent in Briggs and relationship with Thurgood Marshall laid the groundwork for the success of Brown.

Moderators: 

  • Stephanie Joy Calhoun, Esq., Chair, Diversity & Inclusion Committee
  • Hugh M. Russ, III, Esq., Dean, Erie Institute of Law

Speakers:

  • Hon. Kevin M. Carter, Administrative Judge, New York State Unified Court System Eighth Judicial District
  • Joseph A. DeLaine, Jr.
  • Dr. Roy I. Jones, Ed.D., Clemson University
  • Richard T. Sullivan, Esq., Author, Buffalo’s Monument to Civil Rights
  • Rev. Leonard Williams

Available format: OnDemand, CD, DVD

OnDemand: $60 members (Promo Code: member2025), $120 Non-members

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#2488 Building Belonging: An Introduction to Gender Identity & Inclusiveness in the Law

#2488 Building Belonging: An Introduction to Gender Identity & Inclusiveness in the Law

Presented on June 18, 2024 (expires 6/18/29)

1.5 CLE credits: 1.0 Diversity, Inclusion & Elimination of Bias, 0.5 Ethics and Professionalism
Appropriate for Experienced Attorneys only

Get an overview of gender inclusive language and best practices for working with transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming clients, as well as hearing from the local judiciary about efforts within the courts and your ethical obligations.

Moderator: Austin Mann, Esq., New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Speakers:

  • Hon. Kevin M. Carter, Chief Administrative Judge, 8th Judicial District
  • Hon. Deborah A. Chimes, New York State Supreme Court Justice
  • Neil A. Pawlowski, Esq., Duggan & Pawlowski LLP

Available format: OnDemand, CD, DVD

OnDemand: $45 members (Promo Code: member2025), $90 Non-members

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#2505 Fights, Victories, and Susceptible Issues: Tracing the History of LGBTQ Litigation and Laws from Buffalo to the US Supreme Court

#2505 Fights, Victories, and Susceptible Issues: Tracing the History of LGBTQ Litigation and Laws from Buffalo to the US Supreme Court

 

Presented on June 24, 2025 (expires 6/24/30)

 

1.5 CLE credits: Diversity, Inclusion, and Elimination of Bias
Appropriate for Experienced Attorneys only

 

Join our LGBTQ+ Committee for a Pride Month CLE featuring Lisa Coppola and Shari Jo Reich as they trace historic litigation in Western New York to the federal level, and how this history connects to civil rights issues in 2025.

 

Available format: OnDemand, CD, DVD

 

OnDemand: $45 members (Promo Code: member2025), $90 Non-members

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#2507 2025 New York State Experienced Attorneys CLE Requirements Bundle

#2507 2025 New York State Experienced Attorneys CLE Requirements Bundle

Buy as a bundle to save $70 off of list prices!

 

5.0 CLE credits appropriate for the Experienced Attorneys (admitted over 2 years) required categories in New York:

 

 

Appropriate for Experienced Attorneys only

 

Available format: OnDemand ONLY

 

OnDemand: $110 members (Promo Code: member2025), $220 Non-members

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