Speakers: Heather Holmes, Education and Engagement Law Librarian, Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library; Jeffrey D. Peters, LexisNexis Solutions Consultant

Program Description: This program will present a number of helpful practice tools, focusing equally on familiar fundamentals and more advanced developments in legal research. MLS-degreed Law Library staff will lay the contextual foundation with a discussion of practice essentials (e.g., citators; court rules; pattern jury charges; expert commentaries; advanced form books; and jury verdicts and settlements). Jeffery D. Peters, LexisNexis Solutions Consultant, will then explore Lexis Practical Guidance and demonstrate the automation tool, Brief Analysis, to help those seeking new ways of approaching and improving the practice of law.  

Cost: Free

Where: Virtual via GoToWebinar

Total CLE Hours: 1.0 (0 Ethics)
Accredited by the State Bar of Texas (accreditation valid through 7/31/2024)

Click here to register.

Speakers: Sophie Pham, Digital Outreach Law Librarian, Harris County Robert W, Hainsworth Law Library; Andrea Roberts, LexisNexis Digital Library Consultant

Program Description: This session will provide an overview of the new legal research tools available through the Harris County Law Library’s LexisNexis Digital Library. LexisNexis Digital Library Consultant Andrea Roberts will demonstrate techniques for accessing and using materials from the new collection, including Dorsaneo’s and the Texas Transaction Guide. Law Library Digital Outreach Law Librarian will highlight techniques for using the new eBook collection in conjunction with other databases to find relevant primary sources and to ensure that the information is accurate and up to date. 

Cost: Free

Where: Virtual via GoToWebinar

Total CLE Hours: 1.0 (0 Ethics)
Accredited by the State Bar of Texas (accreditation valid through 5/31/2024)

Click here to register.

Speakers: Rod Hall, Associate Law Librarian for Digital and Education Services, Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library; Jeffrey D. Peters, LexisNexis Solutions Consultant

Program Description: This program will demonstrate the value of using automated legal drafting tools, including Microsoft Word and Lexis for Microsoft Office, as presented by MLS - degreed Law Library staff and by Jeffrey D. Peters, LexisNexis Solutions Consultant. Key topics will include JCIT-mandated e-file formatting; efficient methods for compiling tables of authorities, tables of contents, and indexes; proper use of fonts, styles, templates, headers/footers; and page and paragraph numbering for forms, briefs, contracts, and other legal documents. 

Cost: Free

Where: Virtual via GoToWebinar

Total CLE Hours: 1.0 (0 Ethics)
Accredited by the State Bar of Texas (accreditation valid through 7/31/2024)

Click here to register.

Speaker: Rodney Hall, Associate Law Librarian, Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library

Program Description: Speakers will cover advanced techniques in Microsoft Word for formatting, editing, and exporting legal documents.  Key topics include creating Table of Contents and Table of Authorities, using editing tools, and creating PDFs that meet e-filing requirements.   A portion of the session is dedicated to the practical application of the skills discussed.

Date: Thursday, July 27, 2023

Time: 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM (CST)

Cost: Free

Where: In Person

Total CLE Hours: 1.0 accreditation is valid though December 2023 and is accredited by the State Bar of Texas.

Click here to register.

Speaker: Rodney Hall, Associate Law Librarian, Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library

Program Description: Speakers will cover advanced techniques in Microsoft Word for formatting, editing, and exporting legal documents.  Key topics include creating Table of Contents and Table of Authorities, using editing tools, and creating PDFs that meet e-filing requirements.   A portion of the session is dedicated to the practical application of the skills discussed.

Cost: Free

Where: In Person

Total CLE Hours: 1.0 accreditation is valid though December 2023 and is accredited by the State Bar of Texas.

Click here to register.

Program Title: Word Up! Prep & Polish Legal Documents

Speaker: Rodney Hall, Associate Law Librarian, Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library

Program Description: In this CLE, speakers will cover advanced techniques in Microsoft Word for formatting, editing, and exporting legal documents. This will also cover headers and footers, page numbering, and e-filing requirements.

Date: Thursday, June 1, 2023

Time: 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM (CST)

Cost: Free

Where: In Person

Total CLE Hours: 1.0 accreditation is valid though December 2023 and is accredited by the State Bar of Texas.

Click here to register.

Program Title: Word Up! Find & Format Legal Forms

Speaker: Rodney Hall, Associate Law Librarian, Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library

Program Description: In this CLE, the speakers will demonstrate legal database research techniques for finding forms. Primarily, this will be done on Westlaw which is available in the law library. This is the introductory course for using Microsoft Word.

Date: Thursday, May 18, 2023

Time: 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM (CST)

Cost: Free

Where: In Person

Total CLE Hours: 1.0 accreditation is valid though December 2023 and is accredited by the State Bar of Texas.

Click here to register.

Title: LexisNexis | Eliminating Bias in the Legal Profession

Presented By: Jeffrey Peters, Solutions Consultant

Event Type/Location: Virtual (Zoom)

Duration: 60 minutes

Date/Time: Thursday, December 15, 2022, at 1:30 p.m.

Cost: FREE

Earn: Texas - 1.0 hour MCLE & 1.0 hour Ethics

Program Description: The goal of this CLE presentation is to discuss bias and where it comes from; why it is harmful; how to detect it and how to eliminate it from our behavior as legal professionals. Practicing law is a bias landmine. From whether we believe a witness or opposing counsel; to how we counsel those in our organization we readily apply judgments to others—coloring our perceptions and thoughts. There is no cure for bias, but you can be more mindful, conscious and monitor your thoughts better. These are the four main questions we will answer in our discussion today: What is bias? What are unconscious and confirmation biases? What are the effects and costs of bias? And, finally how can we avoid bias through thinking about our thinking and implementing best practices

Click here to register.

Title: Westlaw Research Basics

Presented By: Dayne Tracy, Customer Trainer - Government

Event Type/Location: Virtual (Teams)

Duration: 60 minutes

Date/Time: Thursday, November 10, 2022, at 1:30 p.m.

Cost: FREE

Earn: Texas - 1 hour of CLE

Program Description: Learn basic strategies for research on Westlaw.

Click here to register.

Title: Adoption & Family Formation in the Pride Community

Program Description: Presenter deborah lawson, attorney-at-law, will guide attendees through the labyrinth of Adoption 101—from petition to final order in simple, easy to follow steps—while facing the ethical considerations of the modern family, including joint representation, platonic and poly parenting, age, biology, geography, a child’s choice, and so much more. She will also provide a high-level overview of common Assisted Reproductive Technologies.

Event Type/Location: Virtual (GoToWebinar)

Duration: 60 minutes

Date/Time: Tuesday, November 1, 2022, at 3:00 p.m.

Cost: FREE

Earn CLE Credit: Texas - 1 hour MCLE, 0.5 hours Ethics

Presenter Bio: After a lot of twists and turns, deborah lawson became a non-traditional, collaborative attorney focusing on helping real people with their legal stuff, hopefully without getting stuck in the labyrinth of litigation. In addition to a boutique practice focusing on queer families, legacy planning/probate, and family-owned/micro businesses, deborah works with organizations to facilitate best practices in corporate governance. In addition to her private practice, deborah is proud to be serving her fourth term as President of SLAGH—Stonewall Law Association of Greater Houston, Houston’s LGBT bar association (lawyers, not adult beverages); and her second year as a trustee for EPAH (The Executive and Professional Association of Houston). And, yes, her name really is spelled with all lower-case letters.  She likes to tell people that she’s an anti-capitalist!

Click here to register.

Title: LexisNexis | Diving Deeper into Legal Research

Presented By: Jeffrey Peters, Solutions Consultant

Event Type/Location: Virtual (Teams)

Duration: 60 minutes

Date/Time: Thursday, October 27, 2022, at 1:30 p.m.

Cost: FREE

Earn: Texas - 1 hour of CLE

Program Description: In this training, we'll touch on the ins-and-outs of Lexis as we leverage the preciseness of segment searching and terms and connectors to improve search results; we'll utilize helpful secondary material to gather insightful information; and finally, we'll look at tools to better organize and maintain our research.

Click here to register.

Title: Westlaw | Basics of Probate & Estates Law Research

Presented By: Dayne Tracy, Customer Trainer - Government

Event Type/Location: Virtual (Teams)

Duration: 60 minutes

Date/Time: Thursday, September 29, 2022, at 1:30 p.m.

Cost: FREE

Earn: Texas - 1 hour of CLE

Program Description: Learn basic strategies for using secondary sources and forms on Westlaw to research probate and estates law.

Click here to register.

Title: Westlaw Family Law Basics

Presented By: Dayne Tracy, Customer Trainer - Government

Event Type/Location: Virtual (Teams)

Duration: 60 minutes

Date/Time: Thursday, July 28, 2022, at 2 p.m.

Cost: FREE

Earn: Texas - 1 hour of CLE

Program Description: Learn family law basics using secondary sources and forms on Westlaw.

Click here to register.

Title: Intermediate Legal Research on Westlaw

Presented By: Dayne Tracy, Customer Trainer - Government

Event Type/Location: Virtual (Teams)

Duration: 60 minutes

Date/Time: Thursday, March 17, 2022, at 2 p.m.

Cost: FREE

Earn: Texas - 1 hour of CLE

Program Description: Go beyond the basics of legal research using Westlaw.

Click here to register.

Title: 80 Years Later: The Legacy of Japanese American Incarceration and Korematsu v. The United States

Date: February 17, 2022

Time: 4:00 - 6:00 p.m., Central

Format: Virtual via GoToWebinar

CLE Credit (Texas): 2.0 hours of MCLE; 1.0 hour of Ethics

Program Description: This program begins with a screening of “Alternative Facts: The Lies of Executive Order 9066,” a one-hour documentary about the false information and political influences which led to the World War II incarceration of Japanese Americans. This documentary also depicts the process undertaken to overturn Fred Korematsu’s conviction for violating an internment order in Korematsu v. The United States. After the screening, panelists will discuss the making of the film, the history of Korematsu v. The United States, the role of state judiciaries in protecting individual rights, and the importance of civic engagement.

Speaker Bios:

• Jon Osaki is an award-winning filmmaker who produced the documentary “Not Your Model Minority,” along with other documentary films including “ALTERNATIVE FACTS: The Lies of Executive Order 9066” and “Reparations.” Jon’s initial interest in film grew from his desire to share the stories of the Japanese Community Youth Council, where he has served as Executive Director since 1996. Jon views film as the next step in his lifelong pursuit of social justice and equity.

• Professor Lori Bannai was part of the coram nobis team that overturned Fred T. Korematsu’s 40 year conviction. She served as Director of the Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equity and Professor of Lawyering Skills at Seattle University School of Law. Professor Bannai has directed the Academic Support Program at the University of California Berkeley Law School; taught at the University of San Francisco and New College of California Schools of Law; and was an inaugural faculty member in the Law and Diversity Program at Western Washington University.

• Justice Frances Bourliot was elected to the Fourteenth Court of Appeals in 2018. Justice Bourliot began her legal career as a staff attorney with the Texas Defender Service and the Texas Innocence Network, representing indigent capital clients on federal and state habeas appeals. She was also an Adjunct Faculty Member at the University of Houston Law Center for several years overseeing the Death Penalty Clinic and co-teaching Innocence Investigations. She then joined the Appellate Division of the Harris County Public Defender’s Office when it opened in 2011 and continued to work as an Assistant Public Defender in the appellate, mental health, and felony trial divisions until 2017 when she started her own practice. She joined a plaintiff’s law firm in 2018 and represented clients in personal injury, medical malpractice, and appellate matters. Justice Bourliot has taught CLEs on Batson challenges, jury charge issues, mitigation, and mental health related topics.

• (Moderator) Heaven Chee joined Stop Repeating History’s leadership in 2020, after having been heavily involved in the Asian American Bar Association of Houston and organizing multiple educational events on civil rights and legal history. While her practice is focused on high-stakes commercial litigation and appeals, with particular emphasis representing clients in the financial services and technology industries, she has maintained an active pro bono practice, handling matters such as Establishment Clause violation claims by would-be LGBT foster parents and Section 1983 claims by prisoners. Heaven is a native Houstonian and alumni of Rice University and the University of Virginia School of Law. She currently practices at Yetter Coleman LLP.

Click here to register.