As part of Minnesota Paralegal Week, the MPA invites you to Paralegal Week Happy Hour - Wine Wednesday! Please join your colleagues for some appetizers, networking and conversation to celebrate Paralegal Week and Convention.

Date:

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Time:

4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Place:

6415 Cambridge Street

Minneapolis, MN 55426

Deadline to RSVP for this event is Thursday, May 16, 2019. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to Jenelle Lundgren at events@mnparalegals.org  

We hope to see you all there!

2019 MPA ANNUAL CONVENTION

MPA invites you to our 2019 Annual Convention, on Thursday, May 23, 2019, at Inver Hills Community College. Check out the speakers and sessions below, or download the registration information packet here: 2019 Registration Packet.pdf

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Morning Keynote: The Ethics of Document Retention and Storage in the Digital Age

Todd C. Scott

As digital storage options become more advanced, firms struggle with efficient and ethical file retention policies that contemplate both digital and paper client documents. Find out about your best file storage and digital options for all your document formats. This presentation will cover practical and ethical considerations for establishing a sound file retention policy, redacting properly and securing digital documents for the ages, examining why all files – paper & digital – must eventually be destroyed and how to do it right, cloud backup and cloud storage, and understanding OneDrive, Dropbox, iCloud, Google Drive and why not all storage platforms are the same.

Todd Scott is the Vice President of Risk Management for Minnesota Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company, and is a frequent author and guest lecturer on the topics of malpractice, ethics, and practice management systems. His duties include helping lawyers select and implement software systems appropriate to their particular practice. Todd is also an adjunct professor in the Legal Studies Department at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is a graduate of Hamline University School of Law and is a member of the American Bar Association, and the Minnesota State Bar Association, where he has serves as Chair of the Technology Committee and Past Chair of the Practice Management & Marketing Section.

Lunch Keynote: The Paralegal's Role in Building the Law Practice of the Future

Marshall Lichty

Paralegals are critical in taking action on the challenges their law offices face. This presentation will help you take action by discussing the challenges solo and small law offices say they face and identifying obstacles preventing companies from taking action to move past those challenges. Paralegals will receive a free tool that will help them methodically attack their business and personal challenges. You will learn a big first step during the session and will leave with some momentum!

Marshall Lichty is the Editor in Chief at Lawyerist.com, where he helps solo and small-firm lawyers build healthy, sustainable law businesses focused client-centered services, future-oriented technology, profit-oriented business models, and access to justice. You can find him on LinkedIn and on Twitter at @mslichty.

Afternoon Keynote: Human Trafficking, the Superbowl and the Final Four

Officer Brandon Brugger

The Minneapolis Police Department's Human Trafficking Division prepared itself for two major sporting events in the past two years – the Superbowl and the Final Four. Officer Brugger will discuss steps the MPD took to prepare itself for these events and report on how the events carried out. He will also talk about human trafficking in the metro area in general and how the MPD handles this reality.

Officer Brandon Brugger is a twenty-one-year veteran with the Minneapolis Police Department and is currently assigned to the Human Trafficking Unit, where he has been for just over a year and a half. Officer Brugger is also assigned to the Minnesota Human Trafficking Investigators Task Force through the MN BCA. Prior to that, he was a patrol Officer in the third precinct for 16 years. He was a School Resource Officer for two years and is also certified as a Crisis Intervention Team member and a Crisis Intervention Coach. Officer Brugger has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Minnesota State Colleges at Mankato.

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Breakout Session 1

9:35 - 10:35 AM

TOPIC 1: Millennials and Gen-Xers On Your Jury – Classroom 190

Presenter: Adam Bloomberg and/or Adam Wirtzfeld

On any given day, in courtrooms across the country, trial teams see no less than four generations sitting in the jury box: the Silent Generation, baby boomers, Generation X, and millennials. Understanding these multi-generational jurors and what visuals speak to them are critical aspects of jury trials. Participants will learn about these generational differences and how to take them into account when preparing for trial.

The presentation will include a brief introduction into the rationale behind the generational perspective; a description of the general tendencies of jurors of the three most prevalent generational cohorts: Baby boomers, Generation X and Millennials; tips for tailoring your case for the seated jury; and a discussion on the types of visuals that will resonate with jurors.

TOPIC 2: Social Early Neutral Evaluations: How to Help Your Attorney and the Client Organize and Prepare for SENE – Classroom 194

Presenter: Lori Hogen, RP®, MnCP

Early neutral evaluations are increasingly more common in family matters involving minor children, and being adequately prepared can make a huge difference in the progress made toward settlement of custody and parenting time disputes during a SENE. In this breakout you will learn the similarities and differences between mediation and SENE; gain insight about what transpires during SENE sessions; and find out how you can help ensure your attorney and the client are organized and ready for SENE. Ms. Hogen will answer your questions from both the perspective of a paralegal and a SENE provider.

TOPIC 3: Marijuana in Minnesota - Where are we now and where are we going? – Classroom 196

Presenter: Maren Schroeder, RP®, MnCP,

With Minnesota having decriminalized some marijuana offenses in 1976, legalized medical cannabis in 2014, and now taking further steps to decriminalize the plant, the legal landscape is rapidly evolving. Learn about the use of medical cannabis authorized under Minn. Stat. Ch. 152, criminal and collateral consequences of unauthorized possession, and what’s on the horizon for Minnesota. We will cover issues related to criminal justice, insurance, public health, employment, and more, as well as the issues currently in debate at the Capitol.

Breakout Session 2

10:55 - 11:55 AM

TOPIC 4: The Opioid Epidemic and Naloxone Training – Classroom 190

Presenter: Stephanie Devich

The opioid epidemic has hit every corner of the nation, including Minnesota. With over 400 lethal overdoses in 2017 alone, we can all play an important role in reducing the death toll. The presentation will cover the laws surrounding the use of Naloxone and Steve’s law, the Minnesota good Samaritan law, and it will include a Naloxone training. Each attendee will leave with the skills and tools to save a life. Presentation highlights include understanding how Naloxone is distributed in Minnesota, including the laws that allow for distribution by non-pharmacists; how Steve’s Law protects persons with substance use disorders in emergency situations; and how and when to administer Naloxone in an emergency.

TOPIC 5: Hey Boss, I Need to Leave!: An Overview of the Right to Take a Leave of Absence from Work – Classroom 194

Presenters: Darren M. Sharp and Peter Christian

Two experienced employment attorneys discuss what rights federal and state laws provide to employees who require leaves of absence, including for medical issues, disabilities, caring for loved ones, and pregnancies. They will also share their experiences prosecuting legal claims on behalf of employees who were denied leave requests.

TOPIC 6: Trial Presentation - Trial Director 360, A New Generation – Classroom 196

Presenter: Connie Martin

Come to see the latest innovations in trial presentation software. The new TrialDirector 360 is built from 20 plus years of solid experience using trial presentation software under the gun…in real time…and will improve dramatically your preparation time and your backup requirements as you get ready for battle. We will compare features in the new TrialDirector 360 with the long-standing TrialDirector 6.8, as well as some “secret tips and tricks” for making the trial presentation even more successful!

Breakout Session 3

1:55 - 2:55 PM

TOPIC 7: Sexual Harassment Law and the #MeToo Movement - 2019 – Classroom 190

Presenter: Jean Boler

This breakout session will track the developments in the #MeToo movement over the last year, particularly regarding sexual harassment. Have workplaces changed? Do courts treat sexual harassment any differently? What legislative changes have been proposed or passed that address harassment at work? Ms. Boler will talk about her work with groups trying to change sexual harassment law in Minnesota and the roadblocks they’ve faced. Audience participation will be encouraged through Q & A and hypotheticals.

TOPIC 8: The eDiscovery of Things: The Impact of IoT Devices on eDiscovery – Classroom 194

Presenter: Joseph Pochron

Depending on who you believe, various research entities believe there will be somewhere between 20-30 billion “things” connected to the Internet by 2020. Commonly referred to as “Internet of Things” devices or “IoT”, those figures don’t include smartphones or tablets. What’s the impact of IoT devices like a Fitbit, Amazon’s Alexa, or Google’s Nest on digital forensic investigations or eDiscovery collections? Is the data duplicative of data that exists on other connected devices like smartphones or computers or does it help in the recovery of data that’s been deleted from those devices? This presentation will discuss the current state of IoT forensics, data retrieval for IoT devices, and the current utility of those techniques in corporate investigations and eDiscovery.

TOPIC 9: Certification and Regulation of Paralegals – Classroom 196

Presenter: Lori Boris, RP®, MnCP, Tina Johnson, RP®, MnCP, Maren Schroeder, RP®, MnCP, and Sally Dahlquist

Have you ever wondered what getting the MnCP and PACE certifications can do for you? Ask your questions of this panel of MPA Board members and community leaders in the paralegal world and get excited about getting your certification!

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

COURSE MATERIALS:

Course materials will be available via the MPA website. Printed materials will not be provided the day of the convention.

CLE CREDITS:

MPA will be applying for CLE credits through NFPA® for each breakout session that qualifies. CLE certificates will be emailed to each person requesting a CLE certificate.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

If you require special accommodations in order to attend, please contact us at least two weeks prior to the event at (651)633-2778 or events@mnparalegals.org.

REGISTRATION FEES:

	Member Rate	Non-Member Rate
Full Day	$100.00	$150.00
Student (full or half day)	$65.00	$65.00
Half Day-with Lunch	$65.00	$90.00
Legal Aid/501(c)(3)	$80.00	$120.00

CAMPUS INFO:

Please visit https://www.inverhills.edu/Locations/index.aspx for information on directions and maps.

PARKING:

Parking on campus is free. The best parking location is in the north parking lot near the north entrance to the Fine Arts Building.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE:

Registration, along with full payment, must be received no later than May 10, 2019, by 4:00 p.m.

CANCELLATION POLICY:

Written notice must be emailed, mailed, or faxed by May 16th to receive a full refund. Cancellations received after May 16th will be refunded minus a $50 late cancellation fee.

Please contact info@mnparalegals.org or call 651-633-2778 with any questions!