ABA TIPS and young lawyers to explore ethics, professional liability and more at spring conference

The Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section and the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association will host the first joint TIPS & YLD Section Conference, May 3-6, in New York City. Speakers will offer expertise on a range of topics, including ethics, trial and litigation skills, cyber liability, dispute resolution, insurance coverage and professional liability.

Milana Hogan, chief talent officer at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, and co-chair of the ABA Grit Project, will deliver keynote remarks at a luncheon at noon Friday.
Program highlights include:

• “Technology and Attorney Advertising: Ethical and Legal Landmines” — Today, many law firms publish as much content as some media outlets through blogs, social media and more traditional publishing platforms, meaning potential liability for defamation, invasion of privacy and other torts. The panel will discuss ethical rules relating to client indemnification and attorney communications, geo-fencing and other location-based advertising that could cause potential problems.

• “Roe v. Wade and the Privacy Impacts of Dobbs” — The Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization fundamentally reframed court precedent regarding the right to privacy, with far-reaching implications on abortion, contraception and other choices long considered private by many Americans. As a deluge of related litigation unfolds, patients, health care providers, employers, insurers and others are struggling to recognize and manage a host of cybersecurity, privacy and other immediate legal and practical concerns. Experts will explore the implications of Dobbs, including the evolving scope of the right to privacy; state and federal responses to Dobbs; emerging privacy issues relating to ad-tracking, social media and other technologies that record personal information; data governance; and personal safety imperatives.

• “Trial Masters: Where Have We Been and Where are We Going” — A panel of judges and practitioners will share stories from the trenches, what has changed in the legal profession, what has stayed the same and where we go from here. The panel includes Mitchell S. Goldberg, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Melody Wilkinson, 17th District Court, Tarrant County, Fort Worth, Texas; and Shahabuddeen Ally, supervising judge/acting justice, Supreme Court, New York County, Civil Court.

“Cannabis in the Workplace: Cultivation, Accommodation or Deprivation” — A panel of cannabis practitioners will discuss employment laws and cannabis-related issues facing businesses, including unemployment issues, pre- and post-employment testing, medical marijuana and banking issues as well as current litigation in employment and business law.

For additional information on the TIPS & YLD Section Conference, visit www.americanbar.org/groups/tort_trial_insurance_practice.