Paralegal Education - Recorded CLE Webinars Hosted by NFPA

The webinars detailed below were originally hosted by NFPA and the recordings are also NFPA-Approved CLE. Future recordings will be made available shortly after their original presentation. These are best viewed on a desktop computer.

All recorded webinars are $25 for NFPA members and $50 for non-members. 

NFPA Webinar: Spotlight on Professional Responsibility & Technology: What Every Legal Team Needs to Know

Originally recorded on May 3, 2023

Are you up to date on professional responsibility obligations around the use of technology? The growing use and adoption of technology presents an increasing challenge to legal professionals. Join this webinar to learn how to meet your professional responsibility obligations while advancing technology in your practice. Trellis Research will cover the key ABA rules, applicable state regulations, how bias interplays, and impart practical strategies for complying when working remotely with office best practices.

Cost is $25 for Members and $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.
This webinar is worth 1.0 Ethics CLE Credit.

NFPA Webinar: AI, ChatGPT, and Comment 8 to Model Rule 1.1

Originally recorded on April 20, 2023

40 States have adopted the duty of technology competence for lawyers, codified in Comment 8 in Model Rule 1.1* of the ABA's Model Rules of Professional Conduct. In an age of AI, ChatGPT, legal tech boom and bust, how should the legal profession navigate the deluge of technology that is upon them? What's real, what's possible, and what's hype? Hear from Kevin Miller, CEO of LegalSifter, Inc., as he discusses the latest in legal tech.

Cost is $25 for Members and $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.
This webinar is worth 1.0 CLE Credit.

NFPA Webinar: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles - Dealing with Atypical Assets in An Estate Administration

Originally recorded on December 15, 2022

This course will help paralegals know what to do during estate administration when their client is faced with atypical assets. As people diversify their investment portfolios, there is an increasing likelihood that they may accumulate assets that are hard to value, such as cryptocurrency, NFTs, collections (i.e., books, sneakers, clothing, stamps), undeveloped land, livestock, mineral rights, and businesses, just to name a few. In this discussion we will talk about atypical assets like the ones named above and provide a framework on how to deal with them during estate administration.

Cost is $25 for Members and $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.
This webinar is worth 1.0 CLE Credit.

NFPA Webinar: Do More with Less: How to Use Technology to Grow, Scale, and More Effectively Manage Your Trusts & Estates Practice (10/20/2022)
Presented by Tara Faquir

Today’s paralegals are expected to do much more for their clients and attorneys in much less time.

In this program, we will discuss simple strategies of how paralegals, can use current tools that they already have to become more efficient while at the same time reducing errors/malpractice risk, and providing a higher, more personalized level of service.

Just like with the advent of word processing software, there is a way that paralegals, can use advances in technology to their advantage to deliver valuable traditional legal work to their firm. We will discuss how the concepts of growth and scale are not mutually exclusive when building a law practice, and how technology can be used to enable them to go hand-in-hand. Understanding and navigating the many technology options out there today can be an overwhelming process. During this discussion, we will provide a framework for evaluating potential tools that may benefit your firm.

Cost is $25 for Members and $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.
This webinar is worth 1.0 CLE Credit.

NFPA Webinar: Serving LGBTQ+ Clients: Culture Humility & Trauma Informed Representation (9/15/2022)
Presented by Kate Mozynski, Esq.

Kate Mozynski, Esq. will discuss her experience in representing the LGBTQ+ community in domestic violence and domestic relations matters. Their presentation will provide meaningful suggestions to promote inclusion and affirming legal practices and educate on terms and terminology when working with LGBTQ+ clients. Kate is an attorney with Equality Ohio Legal Clinic. Their practice has included international human rights law, immigration law, international criminal law, and inmate civil rights litigation. They are passionate about working with members of the LGBTQ+ community and working to extend legal representation to individuals across Ohio. When they are not at work, Kate also coaches high school policy debate, and is devoted to helping make Ohio debate a supportive educational environment for LGBTQ+ students.

Cost is $25 for Members and $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.
This webinar is worth 1.0 DEI CLE Credit.

NFPA Webinar: Influencing Culture to Manage Compliance and Risk (9/15/2022)
Presented by Steve Naughton

Professor Steve Naughton will present on compliance issues. Professor Naughton currently serves as the Director of Regulatory Compliance Studies and a Clinical Professor at Loyola University (Chicago) Law School. He is Senior Counsel at Volkov Law Group, which specializes in compliance and investigations.

Cost is $25 for Members and $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.
This webinar is worth 1.0 CLE Credit.

NFPA Webinar: Minnesota Legal Paraprofessional Pilot Project: One Year In (5/20/2022)
Presented by Dr. Gregory Richard; Maren Schroeder, RP, MnCP; Nicole R. DeJarlais, LPP, MnCP; Aprille Beyer, M.L.S., MnCP

Minnesota’s Legal Paraprofessional Pilot Project, authorized by the Minnesota Supreme Court, began on March 1, 2021, allowing qualified paralegals to provide legal advice and appear in court for certain family law and landlord/tenant matters. Join members of the supervisory Standing Committee for the Legal Paraprofessional Pilot Project, Dr. Gregory Richard (Chair) and Maren Schroeder, RP, MnCP, and two practicing legal paraprofessionals, Nicole R. DeJarlais, LPP, MnCP and Aprille Beyer, M.L.S., MnCP, for a discussion on how the pilot is helping low- and middle-income Minnesotans better access the civil court system.

Cost is $25 for Members and $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.
This webinar is worth 1.0 CLE Credit.

NFPA Webinar: Paralegal Panel - Leadership Qualities (05/21/2022)
Moderated by: Patty Meagher, NFPA Leadership Coordinator
Panelists: Yvonne Lewis DeAntoneo, NFPA Director of Membership; Deana Stom, JD, Region II Director; Lori Wagner, RP, IRP, NFPA Treasurer & Director of Finance; Tracey Woolsey, RP, Region III Director

Learn about psychological safety which is broadly defined as a climate where people are comfortable expressing and being themselves. In this environment people are sharing concerns and mistakes without fear of embarrassment or retribution. They are also confident to speak up and ask questions when they are unsure.

Cost is $25 for Members and $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.
This webinar is worth 1.0 DEI CLE Credit.

NFPA Webinar: Psychological Safety (05/21/2022)
Presented by: Yen T. Florczak

Learn about psychological safety which is broadly defined as a climate where people are comfortable expressing and being themselves. In this environment people are sharing concerns and mistakes without fear of embarrassment or retribution. They are also confident to speak up and ask questions when they are unsure.

Cost is $25 for Members and $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.
This webinar is worth 1.0 DEI CLE Credit.

NFPA Webinar: Navigating the Jurisdictional Maze in Indian Country (05/20/2022)
Presented by: Mary Kunesh, Minnesota State Senator

American Indians and Alaska Natives experience rates of violence much higher per capita than those of the general population. One in three American Indian (AI) women are raped in their lifetime and aggravated assault against AI is roughly twice that of the country as a whole. Jurisdictional confusion and public safety complication on tribal lands contribute to these unacceptable rates of violence and are the result of decades of gross underfunding for tribal criminal justice systems and centuries-old neglect of the federal government to fulfill its public safety obligations in Indian country. As a result, federal law has complicated tribal governments’ administration of justice, resulting in the historical pandemic of violence, now known as the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement. This presentation will lay out the historical results of colonization that bring us to current day efforts by legislators to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives.

Cost is $25 for Members and $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.
This webinar is worth 1.0 DEI CLE Credit.

NFPA Webinar: Innovation and Access to Justice: The Role of Regulatory Reform (05/20/2022)
Presented by: Zacharia DeMeola

The exploration of regulatory reform to open innovative new ways of providing people with information, tools, and solutions for their legal problems is now gaining traction across the country and continent, especially in states like Utah, Arizona, California, North Carolina, Michigan and in many Canadian Provinces. Proposals for reform include allowing paraprofessionals to independently provide discrete legal services, removing obstacles for lawyers to partner with other professionals, and creating statewide pilots – regulatory “sandboxes” - to explore new business models free from the restraint of current regulations. This reform movement has fueled debates around the role of lawyers as sole providers of legal services, whether these proposals can lead to more innovation and address the access to justice crisis, and how data can be used to create effective policy. This program will discuss the underlying reasons for regulatory changes, who is driving those changes, the connection between reforms, innovation, and access to justice, a survey of what reforms have already been implemented and what we have learned so far, and how paralegals might work together to advance these innovations.

Cost is $25 for Members and $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.
This webinar is worth 1.0 CLE Credit.

NFPA Webinar: Allied Professionals for Access to Justice (05/20/2022)
Presented by: Michael Houlberg & Natalie Knowlton

Across the US and in Canada, new tiers of legal services providers are entering the market. While program specifics vary across jurisdictions, the core intent is to allow providers other than licensed attorneys to give limited legal advice. Many of these programs are focusing on family law and housing issues—case types that have very high rates of self-representation. This session will explore the landscape of these programs across the US and highlight key insights being collected as part of the IAALS Allied Professionals project. We will also share research that points to the need for new service providers.

Cost is $25 for Members and $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.
This webinar is worth 1.0 CLE Credit.

NFPA Webinar: Title Reports

Presented by: Carlene J. Lodeski
What is the role of the Title Report in a real estate transaction? Ms. Lodeski will discuss the features and contents of the Preliminary Title Report, otherwise known as the Title Commitment, and how it relates to the title insurance that will be issued to the new owner and the lender for the property mortgage.

Cost is $25 for Members & $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.

This session is worth 1.0 CLE Credit 

NFPA Webinar: The Cumulative Effects of Stress and Discrimination (10/07/2021)

Presented by Members of the NFPA Diversity, Inclusion & Equity Committee: Sybil Taylor Aytch, M.Ed., RP®, Aaron Bath, CEDS, RP®, Brenna Dickey, RP®, Sonjanita Coleman Jordan, Stefanie Trujillo, Jay M. Williams, TBLS-BCP

Stress has a deleterious effect on both one's physical and mental well-being.  Discrimination has equally injurious health consequences. While it has long been recognized that stress can lead to a plethora of ailments, discrimination is equally as damaging to one's health.  Stress coupled with continuous discrimination leads to chronic illnesses, worse health outcomes, and shortened life spans.  It is important to recognize that health vulnerability is related to stress which can be exacerbated by the discrimination that marginalized populations routinely experience.
Topics to be examined include: the manifestation of stress in the workplace; the impact of stress on health outcomes; the stressors of marginalized populations; the correlation between continuous discrimination and health issues; the effects of medical discrimination.

Cost is $25 for Members & $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.

This session is worth 1.0 CLE Credit 

NFPA Webinar: Licensed Legal Professionals and UPL (10/07/2021)

Presented by: Toni Marsh, JD, Director of Paralegal Studies, George Washington University

States across the country have implemented or are exploring licensed legal professional programs to increase access to justice. The programs vary widely but the common element among them is the requirement of a paralegal education as a baseline. This development will affect every paralegal in some way.

This session will provide a broad survey of the various programs, then focus on the educational and professional experience elements, the applicable codes of ethics, and examine the implications of these programs on Unauthorized Practice of Law jurisprudence. 

Finally, there will be an interactive session where participants will share their thoughts on which areas of law would benefit from these programs and ways they might assist in closing the access to justice gap among low and middle income Americans.

Cost is $25 for Members & $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.

This session is worth 1.0 CLE Credit 

NFPA Webinar: Settling Federal Tax Disputes 

Presented by: Jonathan Mishkin

This session will focus on the procedures for settling a dispute with the Internal Revenue Service, including what information and documents become pertinent, who at the IRS you are likely to deal with, what rights of the taxpayer need to be preserved, and how to assess the strengths and weaknesses of your client’s position.

Cost is $25 for Members & $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.

This session is worth 1.0 CLE Credit 

NFPA Webinar: Securities/Raising Capital (10/07/2021)

Presented by: Jason Powell

“Securities” covers more that what’s on the stock market. Real Estate Investors in particular use a form of securities to raise money for development projects and acquisitions of commercial real estate properties. Learn more about how this process works and the role of the attorney in advising on the structure of these transactions and the typical documentation of a securitized investment.

Cost is $25 for Members & $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.

This session is worth 1.0 CLE Credit 

NFPA Webinar: Juror Psychology in the Age of Coronavirus (10/07/2021)

Presented by: MaryGrace Schaeffer

For decades we have been studying jurors’ reactions to disputes with the goal of helping clients present the most effective case possible. Based on our jury research, we will discuss attitudes in this time of social distancing, and the COVID-19 crisis. We will describe how this data may give us a glimpse into how jurors view liability and damages in cases in the future.

Cost is $25 for Members & $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.

This session is worth 1.0 CLE Credit 

NFPA Webinar: The Mind & Heart of the Negotiator

Presented by: Coni S. Rathbone

Everyone is a negotiator sometime in their life. Learn the fundamentals of Negotiations, how to prepare, the importance of listening and the three strategies of negotiation. Prepare by developing your BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiation Agreement), your reservation point, and understanding the Bargaining Zone. Use the strategies to ‘Expand the Pie’ by including other issues in the discussion. Learn about the common mistakes negotiators make and some of the common myths.

Cost is $25 for Members & $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.

This session is worth 1.0 CLE Credit 

NFPA Webinar: Complying with the Corporate Transparency Act - What You Need to Know (10/07/2021)

Presented by: Brenton W. Twitchell

This presentation will discuss the history, requirements, and practical implications of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) as well as likely best practices for ensuring compliance.

Cost is $25 for Members & $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.

This session is worth 1.0 CLE Credit 

NFPA Webinar: Evidence (10/07/2021)

Presented by: Josh Cohen

Josh and his company, Fat Pencil Studio, create graphic presentations for use at court trials, arbitrations and mediations. He will discuss the considerations a litigation team must take to prepare these multimedia productions so that they can be properly entered as evidence at trial. His work includes event scene recreation, photogrammetry and 3d visualization and he will provide examples of how these methods are used in real litigation situations.

Cost is $25 for Members & $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.

This session is worth 1.0 CLE Credit 

NFPA Webinar: Data Security & Data Privacy (10/07/2021)

Presented by: Leila J. Javanshir & David Rice

This presentation will cover the developments in the dynamic and ever-changing area of data security and data privacy, the compliance issues related to the latest developments, and the continuously evolving risks in our information economy.

Cost is $25 for Members & $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.

This session is worth 1.0 CLE Credit 

NFPA Webinar: eDiscovery Certification (10/07/2021)

Presented by Kelley Chaney 

With the growth of electronic evidence in litigation, it is not surprising that programs have arisen providing certification in essential eDiscovery skills and knowledge. Kelley will talk about the certification process and how it has benefited her in her work and provided real value to the litigation projects she works on. She will also talk about how her certification has greatly enhanced her team’s ability to provide support for their attorneys’ fee petitions to the court.

Cost is $25 for Members & $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.

This session is worth 1.0 CLE Credit 

NFPA Webinar: Privilege (10/18/2021)

Presented by Colin Folawn

This session will focus on attorney-client and work-product privilege determinations, although other types of privilege will be discussed, along with the current case law and trends in this area.

Cost is $25 for Members & $50 for Non-Members. Here is your registration link.

This session is worth 1.0 CLE Credit.

Data Privacy and Secure Data Redaction (7/13/21)

Presented by Lisa McComb

Every minute of every day, companies generate millions of digital documents filled with sensitive information. However, removing that sensitive content is still very much a manual process. How do you determine if sensitive content resides and how to scrub it effectively to comply with the current data privacy rules?

1. Problem: Exponential creation of digitized files; Increased data sharing requirements/needs; No standardized way to securely scrub documents.
2. Defining Identifying Information (PII, PHI, etc.)
3. Overview of Privacy Regulations: EU with GDPR;New privacy regulations in the U.S.; Ramifications of one company that violated EU’s GDPR;Government employees can be fined $5K for releasing PII
4. Methodologies companies leverage to reduce privacy risks: High to low privacy risk examples
5. Definition of De-Identification / Redaction: Academia of data privacy versus how organizations implement
6. Examples of Manual Redaction Mishaps: Real-life mishaps & fines
7. Data Sharing Examples
8. Solution: Automated, secure redaction; Workflow automation;Audit reporting and defensibility
9. Example Rectify process

This webinar is worth 1.0 CLE Credit. Click here to order this webinar.

HIPAA, HITECH and the 21st Century. What is Happening? (6/8/21)
Presented by Jay Jenkins

Through four sections, this presentation informs and educates the attendees on requirements, updates, and various regulations requirements HIPAA, HITECH and 21st Century Cures Act.

Section 1. General Info: Discussion regarding general terms, definitions and HIPAA requirements when obtaining personal identifiable information.

Section 2. HIPAA: Outline HIPAA Requirements.Discussion detailing specific HIPAA and state requirements when obtaining personal identifiable information

Section 3. HITECH: Outline HITECH Requirements. Discussion detailing specific requirements and differences when retrieving personal identifiable medical records through HITECH.

Section 4. 21st Century Cures Act: Coming this in May there is new wrinkle to gathering records.

This webinar is worth 1.0 CLE Credit. Click to order this webinar.

Income Taxes in Decadent Estates (5/11/21)
Presented by Donald P. Bristol, RP®, Pa.C.P

Tax season is an all-year event for the estate planning and administration paralegal. Decedent's are usually still required to file a final income tax return for the year of death. This course will provide a detailed overview of the unique challenges in marshaling information to prepare the final Form 1040, as well as tips and tricks in the hunt for that data. We'll also review the estate's own income tax return (Form 1041) and its own unique characteristics and complexities, and its impact on beneficiaries.3) You will be able to recognize various ways paralegals can assist attorneys when working on a commercial real estate transaction.

This webinar is approved for 1.0 CLE Credit. Click to order this webinar.

A Day in the Life of a Commercial Real Estate Paralegal (11/4/2020)
Presented by: Mariana Fradman

Paralegals are often involved in various aspects of commercial real estate transactions. This topic helps those professionals to identify different stages of the transaction and how to better manage multi-assignments on any given day.

Learning Objectives:
1) You will be able to define different stages of a commercial real estate transaction
2) You will be able to identify tasks that paralegals can perform
3) You will be able to recognize various ways paralegals can assist attorneys when working on a commercial real estate transaction

This session is approved for 1.0 CLE. Click to order this webinar

NFPA 2020 Annual Convention Continuing Legal Education Sessions (10/22/2020)
The Convention CLE sessions are designed to enhance your knowledge of specific areas in ways that can elevate your paralegal career.

Each session is approved for 1.0 CLE.
Review the sessions and order the recordings. 

NFPA Webinar: Practical Asset Valuation Tips in Probate and Trust Administrations (8/19/2020)
Speaker: Angela M. Gonzalez

Paralegals are at the forefront of valuing assets in post-death trust and probate administrations. Issues arise if we incorrectly value an asset, or are unaware of the questions we should ask our attorneys and accountants and clients when it comes to obtaining values for certain assets. This is especially true for estates that file a federal estate tax return for portability. We will discuss valuing assets for "regular" and “portability” estates, what questions to ask, and strategies for discussing these assets with your attorneys and accountants. We will not discuss portability tax returns themselves.

Learning Objectives:
1) Regular asset valuations vs portability valuations
2) Difficult assets to value: Closely-held business valuations
3) Difficult assets to value: Digital assets, unclaimed property, personal property, and more
4) Samples of inventory summaries based on specific administration. 

This session is approved for 1.0 CLE. Click to order this webinar