The Supreme Court on June 27, 2024 issued its long awaited decision in Harrington v. Purdue Pharma L.P., holding 5-4 that a Chapter 11 plan of reorganization that releases claims against nondebtors without the consent of the claimants is prohibited by the Bankruptcy Code. Come hear the petitioner himself, William K. Harrington, United States Truste…

Are you looking to improve your essay writing skills in preparation for the bar exam? Join this workshop and receive some best tips and practices before you head into the exam. Don't miss out on a great opportunity to improve your score! Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.org…

The BBA extends an invitation to all bar exam takers to attend a stress management workshop. Led by Shawn Healy, a Clinical Psychologist from Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, this workshop aims to provide valuable insight and guidance on navigating the pressures and expectations associated with bar exam preparation. Questions? Inquiries about program…

An expert witness can make the difference between success and failure in business litigation. Join us to explore the role of experts throughout the business litigation process and how proper management of the attorney-expert relationship can create admissible and effective testimony. Three experienced trial attorneys will provide their insight and …

Historically, the climate of fear within low-income immigrant communities and the uncertainty around healthcare benefits have deterred immigrants from seeking medical care. Anxiety over immigration status and other socioeconomic barriers contribute to poorer health outcomes among those in the immigrant community. Medical-legal partnerships for immi…

An annual event not to be missed, the Trusts & Estates End of Year Review covers recent federal and state case law, legislation and tax law matters. This year’s program will touch on: New Developments Committee: The committee will review recent cases regarding the Massachusetts anti-lapse statute, a conservator’s authority to create a will for an i…

In this session, the panelist will discuss: The process for dividing retirement accounts, including when to use QDRO’s and Letters of Instruction. Contempt actions and the process for enforcing the terms of the Judgment of Divorce including when an award of attorney’s fees is appropriate. Modification actions and the process for modifying the terms…

The Office of the Bar Counsel, the Board of Bar Overseers, and the Boston Bar Association are co- sponsoring a free one-hour program on trust account record keeping. The program will provide guidance for attorneys, paralegals, bookkeepers, or other law office support staff interested in receiving training on the requirements of Mass. R. Prof. C. 1.…

This program will provide an introduction to revocable trusts in estate planning and review the key components of trusts, including funding formulas, marital provisions, structures for children and other beneficiaries, and trustee provisions. The program will provide drafting suggestions and advice when advising clients on establishing revocable tr…

The opportunities for growth in leveraging artificial intelligence technologies has changed the legal landscape for businesses. This panel presentation will discuss: · AI considerations for commercial agreements · AI impacts on the practice of law · How to effectively use generative AI to optimize tasks and increase efficiency · AI's swift evolutio…

In this session, the Panelists will discuss the essential provisions for all Separation Agreements related to: alimony, custody/parenting plans, child support, the division of the marital estate, health insurance, income taxes, and life insurance, as well as the key provisions related to the enforcement and modification of a Separation Agreement. Q…

The BBA, in collaboration with Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers (LCL) is offering a three-part series directed at helping leaders improve their skills in three key areas-building connections, building capacity for difficult conversations, and building capacity for innovation. We strongly encourage BBA leaders and all BBA members that are leaders withi…

Round out your skills as a “dirt,” or real estate, lawyer by learning about the basics of constructing a building from the ground up – from obtaining the permits or relief needed to unlock development potential on a site to entering into AIA contracts with the architects and contractors who will help design and construct the building. Join us for a…

The program will provide an introduction to bank capital, its uses and purposes, and the current debate on how to raise capital, including trade-offs between the benefits of raising capital and the impact of doing so on the economy. Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.org…

Join a panel of three experts in various areas of trust administration, including drafting, trusteeship, and fiduciary litigation. The panelists will delve into strategies for managing poorly drafted trusts and navigating worst-case scenarios that could lead to litigation. Topics will span from the initial drafting of the trust document to terminat…

This program will provide a comprehensive assessment of EPA’s recently released final greenhouse gas emissions limits for power plants, including the rule’s pollution control requirements, available control technologies, climate change benefits, environmental justice impacts, and electric reliability implications, as well as analysis of potential l…

Many of the men and women who served in the U.S. armed forces are cut off from veterans’ services and benefits because they were given a less-than-honorable discharge. They may have served in combat or have suffered physical or mental wounds, but are nevertheless unable to access much-needed treatment and support from federal and state veterans age…

In this program, Attorney Karen B. Mariscal will guide us through the most recent developments relative to the HOTMA regulations and procedures. Executive Director of PLAN of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Joan McGrath, will update us on changes to the policies surrounding the funding and use of pooled special needs trusts in Massachusetts. Questi…

Join experts in issues pertaining to energy and environmental law to learn about how the public currently engages in agency procedure and how the Commonwealth and advocates are working together to enhance these processes to accomplish better and more equitable outcomes. Hear perspectives from attorney and non-attorney advocates and from the Commonw…

Your clients envision leaving the family’s vacation home to their heirs to be enjoyed for generations to come. How forcefully should you dissuade them? And if they persist, how can you best structure the bequest in order to mitigate the problems that might arise in the future? In this hour-long session, an experienced estate planning lawyer and a p…

This program is held in remembrance of Hon. Maureen Mulligan, whose collaborative and inspiring leadership as the Chair of the ABA's Commission on Women in Profession from 2020-2023 was integral to the formulation and publication of the ABA's "Legal Careers of Parents and Child Caregivers" report. Last October, the ABA’s Commission on Women in the …

Panelists will discuss hot topics related to Hatch-Waxman and biosimilar litigation, including recent scrutiny from the FTC over what patents may be listed in the Orange Book. Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.orgOleh bostonbarassociation

Chapter 40T is designed to preserve the stock of affordable rental housing in Massachusetts that is at risk of loss due to expiring affordability restrictions, and to protect tenants in these developments from displacement. It applies to affordable housing properties that are assisted with or funded by any of 16 specifically identified federal and …

In this program, our esteemed group of panelists will provide an overview of the FTC’s recently-announced Final Rule prohibiting most non-compete agreements. The panel will address the Final Rule and explain what it prohibits, and discuss its exceptions, practical implications for both employers and employees who may be affected, and the ongoing ch…

Join tax litigator Keri Brown for a journey through the IRS’s current (and common) challenges to gift and estate tax audits. This presentation addresses valuation, formula transfers, installment sales, GRATs, penalties, Section 2036, split-dollar life insurance, and more – including how to best help your clients help themselves. Questions? Inquirie…

How to deal with mental health issues in criminal cases, particularly focusing on client competency but also addressing criminal responsibility, including both the legal framework under chapter 123 and tactical and ethical advice, aimed primarily at students and new lawyers but also relevant to all experience levels. Questions? Inquiries about prog…

With comprehensive privacy laws now in effect in states across the country (and close to home), the panel will provide an update on privacy law enforcement, including developments in California, Colorado, Connecticut and other jurisdictions with comprehensive privacy laws in effect. The panel will feature a discussion with Michele Lucan, Chief of t…

Join us in this month's installment of Trusts & Estate's Practice Fundamentals as we go over how to determine whether an estate tax return is required for a decedent’s estate; how to obtain and organize the information needed for an estate tax return and how to prepare an estate tax return. month's installment of Trusts & Estate's Practice Fundamen…

In March 2023, the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice announced a three-year Pilot Program Regarding Compensation Incentives and Clawbacks, which seeks to reward companies that incentivize compliance through their compensation systems and hold wrongdoers financially accountable for their misconduct. At the intersection of employment law…

This program dives deep into the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI), scrutinizing its role in estate planning scenarios, and how its potential can be harnessed for greater efficiency. Furthermore, it aims to scrutinize the more human elements of estate planning with AI, observe court reactions to it, and furnish insightful recommendations for ad…

Clients sometimes get ahead of themselves. They can become so excited about a new thing they’ve discovered that they forget to ask whether they should do it. When those questions involve personal data and privacy, smart clients eventually approach their attorneys and ask “This new thing we can do, is it creepy or cool?” That new thing might involve…

This will be a primer on Subleasing, covering topics from reasons for subleases to market considerations to documenting the transaction. Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.orgOleh bostonbarassociation

Dissolution is the last part in our six-part Fundamentals Series on public charities and private foundations. The series will provide a basic overview geared toward new attorneys and attorneys new to the practice area on forming, operating and dissolving a tax-exempt organization in Massachusetts. The Dissolution program will describe the legal req…

This program will provide an overview of state and federal wiretap law, practice pointers for both criminal defense attorneys and prosecutors, and will discuss pending litigation. Hear from experienced prosecutors and defense attorneys about the unique aspects of any case involving wiretap evidence. Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Con…

The BBA, in collaboration with Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers (LCL) is offering a three-part series directed at helping leaders improve their skills in three key areas-building connections, building capacity for difficult conversations, and building capacity for innovation. We strongly encourage BBA leaders and all BBA members that are leaders withi…

This program will provide an overview of the basic steps to administer the estate of a deceased person, including probate, paying debts, satisfying creditor claims, preparing income and estate tax returns, accountings, and the distribution of the decedent’s assets. Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bosto…

Massachusetts has a well-developed body of law on ROFRs. The panel will provide both a transactional and a litigation perspective on what they are, why they exist and what this body of law tells us (and does not tell us) about how courts will handle disputes over them. Additionally, the panel will address the still-open question of how to handle “u…

Employers and employees are learning how to best utilize AI and tools like ChatGTP in the workplace. Along the way they are being confronted, for the first time, with the legal issues that arise with the use (and misuse) of the new technology. This program will focus on the issues that AI and related tools pose for labor and employment attorneys an…

Panelists will discuss creative visa options for professionals not selected in the H-1B CAP, detailing relevant considerations, practical experiences, common questions, and potential implications for each option. Attendees will gain insight on “go to” approaches for each option and how to leverage new and existing immigration policies. Questions? I…

This panel will focus on the mental health inequities that incarcerated individuals face within the prison system in Massachusetts. Panelists will also share strategies on how they are addressing these inequities and provide ways for others to get involved in pro bono efforts. Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at t…

Our group of panelists are prominent bankruptcy practitioners deeply involved in several cutting-edge decisions on these issues. Attendees will receive primer materials on this critical area of law, including summaries of recent opinions and references to helpful scholarship and additional practice materials. The panel will conclude with Q&A and de…

The need to address health equity in the delivery of care is of paramount importance for providers and payors alike, as the health care industry seeks to increase access to care, improve patient outcomes, and lower costs. This panel will address innovative payment incentives being implemented in Massachusetts to help promote equity, including new s…

What is a Pretrial Conference? When are they held? What are the procedures? Do they vary from county to county and judge to judge? What is expected of parties and lawyers? What is needed at a Pretrial Conference? Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.org…

This program will provide an overview of the federal laws and regulations governing registered investment companies and investment advisers. Questions? Inquiries about program materials? Contact Trenon Browne at tbrowne@bostonbar.orgOleh bostonbarassociation

After an introductory refresher on diversity jurisdiction and removal protocol, this program will primarily focus on two frequently litigated, but perhaps not widely understood, issues that may arise when federal courts exercise diversity jurisdiction: certifying salient dispositive questions to state supreme courts, and overcoming unique challenge…

Under the United States Sentencing Guidelines, loss is a critical factor in calculating a sentence for a defendant facing white-collar criminal charges. Yet methods of calculating loss can be far from clear. This panel of current and former federal prosecutors will walk through the basics of loss calculations and other financial penalties facing wh…

Recently, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts received power from its first large scale offshore wind development, which was many years in the making. Large scale offshore wind projects are critical to the nation’s energy future and the cornerstone of regional and state efforts to achieve legislatively mandated clean energy implementations. These pro…

Many human trafficking survivors are coerced to incur consumer debt at the behest of their traffickers. This destroys the survivor’s credit and imposes significant barriers to housing, education and other important resources. The new federal Debt Bondage Repair Act provides a mechanism for survivors of trafficking to block this adverse information …

This panel will discuss new developments in eDiscovery and Artificial Intelligence for 2024, including continued evolution of eDiscovery protocols, collaboration tool and related collection strategies, as well as the integration of Artificial Intelligence into eDiscovery and related document review technologies. Speakers will feature plaintiff and …