March 2025+ Free CLE

 Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I'm excited to share this month’s Free CLE Webinar calendar with you. Use it and share it with your network. Please note that while all listings are free, not all are approved for credit in every jurisdiction. For events that don’t list your state, you may be able to self-apply for credit depending on your jurisdiction's rules.

If you discover any new programs, tell me about them - I continuously update the webinar calendar throughout the month at  http://4freeCLE.blogspot.com . Thank you for your continued support, and happy learning! - REW

March 2025 Free CLE

March 3:
* Breached! Cybersecurity 101. By LexisNexis.

* The Limits of Loper Bright. By Widener University Commonwealth Law School.

March 5: 

* Overcoming the Privacy Hurdles for AI Model Training. By WSBA.

* Research Skills for Litigators. by LexisNexis.

* HIPAA - Understanding Enforcement, Penalties & Research Strategies. By LexisNexis.

March 6:

* How to Use Tools (including MS Word) to Simplify Document Drafting. By Clio.

* Why Lenders Miss Closing Dates. By CES.

* The Role of an Independent Judiciary in Maintaining the Rule of Law. By Widener University Commonwealth Law School.

* Trump Administration 2.0: Update on Legal Developments Impacting Employers. By Cozen O'Connor.

* Navigating the Unique Issues Women Face in Today’s Workplace and Online. By Fordham.

March 7:

* HIPAA - Understanding Enforcement, Penalties & Research Strategies. By LexisNexis.

March 11:

* Use of AI and ChatGPT/LLM In the Law Profession. By Alta Pro.

* Marijuana in the Workplace: An Update and a Look Forward. By LexisNexis.

* Clio's Criminal Defense Law Firm Virtual Summit. By Clio.

March 12:

* Artificial Intelligence in the Energy Sector. By LexisNexis.

* Virtual Pro Bono CLE Series: Limited Scope and Guardianship. By PILI (Illinois).

March 13:

* Beyond Loper Bright: Recent SCOTUS Jurisprudence and Its Impact on Environmental Law. By Fordham.

*  Minnesota Legislative History Research. By Minnesota State Law Library.

March 14: 

* Bankruptcy Fundamentals. By LexisNexis.

March 18: 

* Additional Insureds, Contract Indemnity & Priority of Coverage. By Cozen O'Connor.

March 19: 

* Conflict Zone: Strategies for Ethically Avoiding Conflicts of Interest. By Attorney Protective.

* Generative AI in the Courtroom: The Legal Battles & Ethical Dilemmas Shaping Its Future. By Bloomberg Law.

* When the Wheels Come Off – How to Handle a Grievance or Ethics Complaint. By LawPay.

* Groundbreaking Video Technology: From Advanced Web Cams to Detecting Deepfakes. By Veritext.

* Cybersecurity and Data Breaches. By LexisNexis.

* Evaluating Hospital Procedures for Authorizing Emergency Abortion. By Case Western Reserve University School of Law.

* All the World’s a Stage: Elements of Theatre in the Practice of Law. By LEAP Legal Software.

* Lawyers Serving on a Nonprofit Board of Directors: What You Should Ask and What You Should Know. By Dechert.

March 20:

* Admissibility of Expert Testimony. By Pete Fowler Construction Services.
* Untangling the Web - Your Roadmap to Navigating State Privacy and Data Security Laws. By Washington State Bar Association.

* California Employment Law Update: How to Minimize Risk in Boilerplate Employment Documents. By Cozen O'Connor.

March 21: 

* Contracting for Human Rights and the Environment. By WSBA.

* Diving Deeper into Legal Research Potential: Advanced Online Legal Research Concepts. By LexisNexis.

* Researching Experts and Judges. By LexisNexis.

March 25:

* The Future of Legal Pricing: Exploring Value-Based Models. By Perrin.

* Marijuana in the Workplace: An Update and a Look Forward. By LexisNexis.

* Legal Lunchbox™ Series: Yoga to Stay Calm, Focused & Ethical. By WSBA.

March 26:

* Introduction to London Arbitrations. By Perrin.

* Navigating Ethical Waters in Modern Legal Practice: The Use of Open Web and Generative AI for Legal Research. By LexisNexis.

* Immigration Consequences of Criminal Convictions: 101 Basic Concepts. By Alameda County Law Library.

* Trauma-Informed Spanish for Lawyers Serving Unaccompanied Children. By ABA Children's Immigration Law Academy (CILA).

March 28:

* Due Diligence in Intellectual Property Transactions. By LexisNexis.

April 2025 Free CLE

April 1:

* Coordination, Not Competition: Achieving Value-Based Care Through Shared Governance with Jessica Mantel. By Case Western Reserve University School of Law.

April 2:

* Early Case Assessment. By LexisNexis.

* Patent Prosecution: Practice, Strategy & Analytics. By LexisNexis.

April 3:

* Appraisals and The Mortgage Industry: What Real Estate Agents Need To Know. By CES.

April 4:

* Moneyball for Civil Litigation. By LexisNexis.

* April 4: Radical Inclusion at the DisCo: Reproductive Justice is Disability Justice. By Case Western Reserve University School of Law.

April 8:

* Perfecting Client Intake: 7 Essentials for an Optimized Process. By Clio.
* Marijuana in the Workplace: An Update and a Look Forward. By LexisNexis.

April 9: 

* Complex Cases Simplified: Gaining Logistical Control from Calendaring to Courtroom. By Veritext.. 

* Artificial Intelligence in Employment: Emerging Laws and Compliance Requirements. By LexisNexis.

April 11:

* Trends to Watch in Environmental Law. By LexisNexis.

April 15: 

* Minnesota's New Clemency Law Reforms. By Minnesota State Law Library.

April 16:

* Technology and the Legal Practitioner: Ethical Concerns & Best Practices. By LexisNexis.

April 18: 

* Diving Deeper into Legal Research Potential: Advanced Online Legal Research Concepts. By LexisNexis.

April 22:
* Marijuana in the Workplace: An Update and a Look Forward. By LexisNexis.

April 25: 

* Construction Defects from the Developer & GC Perspective. By Pete Fowler Construction Services.

* Researching Experts and Judges. By LexisNexis.

April 28:

* Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace: Legal Implications of Using AI in Employment Decisions. By LexisNexis.

April 30:

* Breached! Cybersecurity 101. By LexisNexis.

* HIPAA - Understanding Enforcement, Penalties & Research Strategies. By LexisNexis.

May 2025 Free CLE

May 1: 

* Being an Advocate and Shaking Hands Afterwards.  By National Conflict Resolution Center.

May 2:

* Artificial Intelligence Key Legal Issues. By LexisNexis.

May 5:

* HIPAA - Understanding Enforcement, Penalties & Research Strategies. By LexisNexis.

May 7:

* National Security Review of Foreign Investment Transactions. By LexisNexis.

May 8:

* Solo and Small Firm Virtual Summit. By Clio.

May 9:

* Trends to Watch in Antitrust Law. By LexisNexis.

May 14: 

* Artificial Intelligence in the Energy Sector. By LexisNexis.

May 16:

* Piercing The Corporate Veil: Prevention & Litigation. By LexisNexis.

May 20: 

* Cyber Law and Cybersecurity Insurance 101. By LexisNexis.

May 22:

* The Role of Civility in Negotiations: Engaging in Collaborative Discussions and Dealing with the Challenges of Inflexible Negotiators.  By National Conflict Resolution Center.

May 29: 

* Allocation of Responsibility for Construction Defects. By Pete Fowler Construction Services.

* AI and Legal Analytics for the Data-Driven Attorney. By Lexis-Nexis.

June 2025 Free CLE

June 3:

* Due Diligence in Intellectual Property Transactions. By LexisNexis.

June 5:

* Social Media in the Workplace: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?, By LexisNexis.

June 10:

* Navigating Ethical Waters in Modern Legal Practice: The Use of Open Web and Generative AI for Legal Research. By LexisNexis.

June 12: 

* Moneyball for Civil Litigation. By LexisNexis.

June 12: 

* Bankruptcy Fundamentals. By LexisNexis.

June 24:

* Artificial Intelligence for Lawyers: Ethical Concerns and Best Practices. By LexisNexis.

June 26:
* Probate Pitfalls: Understanding the Impact of Elder Financial Exploitation.  By National Conflict Resolution Center.

That's it for now! Share this information freely, send me any updates, and best of luck to you and yours in the year upcoming - REW.

P.S. If you're in Texas, subscribe to Abdul Faraki's Free CLE for Texas Lawyers.

P.P.S. If you're not in Texas, why not create a Free CLE for Your State website? Very likely you know your state better than I do! If you have technical questions, let me know and we'll chat!

Civil Service Thoughts

Let me offer a few thoughts as a retired Feddie

* In my experience, Civil Servants are just like everyone else, with a wide range of political opinions. Due to veterans' preference rules, there is a higher percentage of veterans than in the general population and, in my office at least, rather more older persons, likely because the feds don't use your age during the hiring process. Otherwise, a crowd of us looks and acts pretty much like any crowd of randomly selected individuals.

* Job Rules: Civil Servants have heavily defined roles with strict rules. You wouldn't want it any other way!

* Confidentiality: Accessing records without authorization or disclosing information to persons not authorized gets you in big trouble - up to firing, loss of pension, and civil or even criminal penalties. Just in case someone forgets, there are periodic reminders - after which you sign a document saying, "Yes I watched the training video".

* Political Neutrality: Civil servants avoid political discussions at work, focusing on their duties.

* Public Interaction: Calls with the public are recorded and reviewed to maintain quality and accountability. Thus even if you were foolish enough to engage in political banter with the taxpayer, you might get caught and suffer consequences - so just don't. Besides, you get rated on how quickly you complete an activity correctly, so wasting time with political chitchat costs you later.

* Evaluations: Everyone gets regular evaluations based on rules, directly impacting your raise, promotion and even job security (although it's more common to try to remediate shortcomings rather than fire immediately). If Elon really wanted to know what people did, he could just pull the evaluations.

* Manager Accountability: Managers are also evaluated, so don't count on sliding by with an easy manager.

* Stress and Support: Employees work under stress, and it’s important to be kind and understanding.

Today's Little Patriotic Gesture - Yes We Can!

Me in the garden today

Today's Little Patriotic Gesture was stopping by VA Puget Sound Health Care's Building 101 as part of a study to detect signs of dementia early enough to do something about it; it needs a whole LOT of volunteers like me (presumably a "healthy control" but who knows?) to build a database.

It's fun, they give you tests that are fun (why is remembering 7 random digits easy but remembering 9 random digits is hard?), and it's good to do something positive however small.

Why not sign up for trials like this yourself!

Afterwards, I visited my crusty old friend Cyril Miller, temporarily housed in their Community Living Center while recovering from something to do with being d@mn old. From his hospital be,d he's fielding phone calls to connect veterans in need with resources - King County has a lot of good stuff thanks to our levy, but you have to know about it - he does his part.

Afterward I visited the Healing Garden (for this photo) to which I had made a small contribution so long ago, and am proud to be remembered on the same plaque as Cyril's sister Zelda. She departed our world too soon but left Cyril the kidney that helps him p1ss off the footdraggers.

None of us can do everything, but all of us can do something!

Addiction Intervention: No One Is Above The Law

I know you want pretty pictures, but it's time for an intervention.

You ever try to tell someone that their addiction is hurting them, hurting their children, hurting people they love?

I've had that conversation, maybe you have too.

The addict is just as smart as you, so they understand your words and when you point to an exact example of what their addiction is doing to their kids or themselves or their world, you see them understand.

Then their eyes get unfocussed for a second, and they're back with a response:

• You don't understand.
• You're just saying that to make them feel bad.
• You think you're better than them.

Off they go, on the long spiral down.

That is just the way addiction works.

---

Yesterday, the Chief Addiction announced he is above the law. See the screen shot?

He's telling his addicts that nothing he does is illegal.

(Didn't we settle that with Nixon?)

You may not have read the details of what he's doing, because corporate media is corporate first, media second or not at all.

But a few of the objectively illegal things he's doing:

• Stop health research that Congress ordered.
• Close a cybersecurity office that Congress ordered.
• Stop food aid that Congress ordered ... leaving half a billion dollars in food sitting, undistributed and unguarded, in warehouses around the world to rot or for gangs to steal.
• Violate the Privacy Act of 1974 (signed into law by Tricky Dick himself!) by giving Elon Musk your tax, Medicare, VA and other records to populate his AIs and decide who is worthy.

There's more, but you get the idea.

It's no use telling this to addicts; an addict can not go against his addiction.

Sorry, that's just the way it is.

Those of us not addicted to MAGA can peacefully demonstrate on President's Day, demanding the return of the rule of law.

(You want to cancel cancer research? fine, pass a law in Congress).

We can call our Congresscritters and tell them we prefer Congress to make the law (5calls.org makes it easy)

We can talk with our family, friends and neighbors to see who will help us and who we can help when Trump's tariffs and illegal layoffs crumble the economy again.

We can have compassion for the addicts.

After all, they are one of us.

We're all in this together.

----

See:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-napoleon-quote-immunity-court-judges-b2698977.html

Free CLE Webinars February 2025+

February 2025 Free CLE

February 3:

* Breached! Cybersecurity 101. By LexisNexis.

February 4: 

* The Dawning of a New Era: Combining Extractive and Generative AI for New Possibilities. By LexisNexis.

February 5: 

* Breakthrough Brain Discoveries and the Law. By Fordham Law School Neuroscience and Law Center.

* Early Case Assessment. By LexisNexis.

* HIPAA - Understanding Enforcement, Penalties & Research Strategies. By LexisNexis.

* Preparing Your Client for Mediation. By WSBA.

February 6:

* Immigration in 2025: Key Changes U.S. Employers Need to Know. By Cozen O'Connor.

* Bankruptcy - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. By CES.

* Resistance to Results: How to Drive Change At Your Mid-Sized Firm. By Clio.

February 7: 

* Moneyball for Civil Litigation. By LexisNexis. 

February 10:
* Clio's Legal AI Virtual Summit. By Clio.

February 11: 

* Marijuana in the Workplace: An Update and a Look Forward. By LexisNexis.

February 12: 

* Ethical Dangers of Isolation in the Profession. By Minnesota State Law Library.

* ESG and the Climate: Emerging Risks & Compliance. By LexisNexis.

* AI And The Record: Balancing Artificial Intelligence Innovations, Best Practices, and Ethics in Legal Proceedings. By Veritext.

* 22 Lewd Chinese Women: Chy Lung v. Freeman. By Fordham.

* The State of Reproductive Rights after Dobbs. By Case Western Reserve University School of Law.

February 13: 

* The Blue Prints: Advanced Strategies for Resolving Construction Disputes and More. By National Conflict Resolution Center.

February 14:

* The Dawning of a New Era: Combining Extractive and Generative AI for New Possibilities. By LexisNexis.

* Research & Drafting Techniques For Corporate Law. By LexisNexis.

* The H-1B Visa: A Deep Dive. By LawPay.

* Investigating and Estimating Fire Claims Webinar. By Pete Fowler Construction Services.

February 18: 

* The Dawning of a New Era: Combining Extractive and Generative AI for New Possibilities. By LexisNexis.

* Independent and Non-Panel Counsel: Rights and Duties. By Perrin.

February 19: 

* Check, please! Ethical Billing Practices To Avoid Fee Disputes. By AttorneyProte tive.

* A Handy Primer on Drafting and Updating Employee Handbooks. By LexisNexis.
February 20:
* Ethics Jeopardy: Answers and Questions. By Clifford Law Offices.

* Lighting Up: Pursuing Recovery for Grow Lamp and Fixture Failures. By Cozen O'Connor.

February 21:

* Cyber Law and Cybersecurity Insurance 101. By LexisNexis.

* Diving Deeper into Legal Research Potential: Advanced Online Legal Research Concepts. By LexisNexis.

February 24:

* Breached! Cybersecurity 101. By LexisNexis.

February 25: 

* Marijuana in the Workplace: An Update and a Look Forward. By LexisNexis.

* Best Practices for Demographic Reporting. By Washington State Bar Association.

February 26:

* Artificial Intelligence Key Legal Issues. By LexisNexis.

February 27:

* Navigating Supply Chain Challenges in 2025: Key Insights on New Import & Export Rules for U.S. Businesses. By Bloomberg.

* Construction Site Accident Claims Webinar. By Pete Fowler Construction Services.

February 28:

* Trends to Watch in Antitrust Law. By LexisNexis.

March 2025 Free CLE

March 3:
* Breached! Cybersecurity 101. By LexisNexis.

March 5: 

* Research Skills for Litigators. by LexisNexis.

* Overcoming the Privacy Hurdles for AI Model Training. By WSBA.

March 6:

* How to Use Tools (including MS Word) to Simplify Document Drafting. By Clio.

* Why Lenders Miss Closing Dates. By CES.

* The Role of an Independent Judiciary in Maintaining the Rule of Law. By Widener University Commonwealth Law School.

March 7:

* HIPAA - Understanding Enforcement, Penalties & Research Strategies. By LexisNexis.

March 11:

* Use of AI and ChatGPT/LLM In the Law Profession. By Alta Pro.

* Marijuana in the Workplace: An Update and a Look Forward. By LexisNexis.

* Clio's Criminal Defense Law Firm Virtual Summit. By Clio.

March 12:

* Artificial Intelligence in the Energy Sector. By LexisNexis.

March 13:

*  Minnesota Legislative History Research. By Minnesota State Law Library.

March 14: 

* Bankruptcy Fundamentals. By LexisNexis.

March 19: 

* Groundbreaking Video Technology: From Advanced Web Cams to Detecting Deepfakes. By Veritext.

* Cybersecurity and Data Breaches. By LexisNexis.

* Evaluating Hospital Procedures for Authorizing Emergency Abortion. By Case Western Reserve University School of Law.

* All the World’s a Stage: Elements of Theatre in the Practice of Law. By LEAP Legal Software.

March 20:

* Admissibility of Expert Testimony. By Pete Fowler Construction Services.
* Untangling the Web - Your Roadmap to Navigating State Privacy and Data Security Laws. By Washington State Bar Association.

March 21: 

* Diving Deeper into Legal Research Potential: Advanced Online Legal Research Concepts. By LexisNexis.

* Researching Experts and Judges. By LexisNexis.

March 25:

* The Future of Legal Pricing: Exploring Value-Based Models. By Perrin.

* Marijuana in the Workplace: An Update and a Look Forward. By LexisNexis.

March 26:

* Introduction to London Arbitrations. By Perrin.

March 28:

* Due Diligence in Intellectual Property Transactions. By LexisNexis.

* Trends to Watch in Antitrust Law. By LexisNexis

April 2025 Free CLE

April 3:

* Appraisals and The Mortgage Industry: What Real Estate Agents Need To Know. By CES.

April 9: 

* Complex Cases Simplified: Gaining Logistical Control from Calendaring to Courtroom. By Veritext.

April 15: 

* Minnesota's New Clemency Law Reforms. By Minnesota State Law Library.

April 25: 

* Construction Defects from the Developer & GC Perspective. By Pete Fowler Construction Services.

May 2025 Free CLE

May 1: 

* Being an Advocate and Shaking Hands Afterwards.  By National Conflict Resolution Center.

May 8:

* Solo and Small Firm Virtual Summit. By Clio.

May 22:

* The Role of Civility in Negotiations: Engaging in Collaborative Discussions and Dealing with the Challenges of Inflexible Negotiators.  By National Conflict Resolution Center.

May 29: 

* Allocation of Responsibility for Construction Defects. By Pete Fowler Construction Services.

June 2025 Free CLE

June 26:
* Probate Pitfalls: Understanding the Impact of Elder Financial Exploitation.  By National Conflict Resolution Center.

That's it for now! Share this information freely, send me any updates, and best of luck to you and yours in the year upcoming - REW.

P.S. If you're in Texas, subscribe to Abdul Faraki's Free CLE for Texas Lawyers.

P.P.S. If you're not in Texas, why not create a Free CLE for Your State website? Very likely you know your state better than I do! If you have technical questions, let me know and we'll chat!

It's cold but colorful around here

 

Wayback Machine v Trump Regime

People concerned about the Trump regime's destruction of public information ... which should concern all of us ... are reminded of the existence of the internet archive (a.k.a. waybackmachine.org) 

For example, RepoductiveRights.gov is now offline (because nothing is more dangerous to "Kinder, Küche, Kirche" than women who can control their own bodies) but there is still https://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20250115014223/https://reproductiverights.gov/

 

EDITTED: someone set a site up to replace it 
https://www.theskimm.com/news/reproductive-rights-gov 

My bulbs are a little ambitious for mid-January, you think?

 

In my south-side garden, they're poking up!

Les Grandes Falaises de Mon Jardin Arrière

 

How social media destroys democratic discourse, explained in 6 easy figures

Philipp Markolin explains:

"An evidence-based worldview has come under attack from rightwing populist movements all around the world. Fueling the rise of these precarious political parties is a broken information ecosystem that came about by the technological disruption of the information age, especially the social media platform giants of the web 2.0.

It seems that only now people begin to truly realize that silicon valley moved fast and broke things, with no idea of how to put back together the pieces.

Many still dispute what exactly went wrong; misinformation, polarization, extremism, algorithms, influence operations … a long list of symptoms and culprits are offered; but no coherent picture of how they all relate to each other.

So maybe I can share how I think about the bigger picture after spending a great deal immersing myself in the topic; and lay out, as simple as I can, what goes wrong in the information ecosystems we currently inhabit.

As always, there is a handy summary infographic, free to use:

More - much more good stuff - at https://www.protagonist-science.com/p/how-social-media-destroys-democratic

Certified Wildlife Habitat

A couple of neighbors have these "Certified Wildlife Habitat" signs. It looks like an interesting program, especially since I'll have to massively reformat my yard anyway, due to the unfortunate death of my Scots Pine.

 Any and all advice is welcome - have you had experience with this or a similar program? 

https://www.nwf.org/Native-Plant-Habitats/Plant-Native/Certify-Wildlife-Habitat 

Hosting Local Candidates

Tuesday the 14th our "Postcards 4 Democracy" hosted candidates to fill a statehouse seat. It was a really great chance to meet local candidates, ask questions, see who's ready for prime time. Can you spot me in the photo? Now I know what I look like from the back! 

 West Seattle Blog - January 18, 2025

Snackle Box

 

My neighbor's Snackle Box - very handy to take to a party!

Today we had a neighborhood happy hour - snacks, drinks and conversation - among the people of our block, to get to know each other and support each other in the dark times ahead. One brought their party contributions in this tackle box, a very clever idea!

It won't change the world but together, we can.

New(ish) cat in my yard

 

I like cats.

A few years ago, I helped someone from the West Seattle Time Bank move boxes from their basement to their yard sale, and she insisted I take something in reward. This cat called to me, of course, but it has taken years for it to find its spot.

Simple Cotton T-Shirt and Me

I'm taking at least 1 picture of myself a month, as a way of accepting and enjoying my continuing growth beyond my mental age of about 23. 

 In this image I am thinking, after getting all sweaty at the Y, that I like my simple cotton t-shirt better than my fancy synthetic wicking sleeveless jersey, if only because these sleeves are useful for mopping sweat off my rapidly expanding forehead! 

(Are you ready to photo your monthly progress?)

Thanks, Pete!

My first full-time job in the private sector was in the 1980s, as a computer programmer for Coleco Industries of West Hartford, Connecticut - the Cabbage Patch Kids company. Our systems analyst’s name was Pete, and our senior programmer was also named Pete. I don’t think I was hired just because my name is not Pete, but it may have helped.

Every year we got forms to fill out concerning how much of our pay to put into a defined contribution retirement plan. One of the Petes asked me how much I was putting in. I said, “I'm gonna put that off for another year. Right now, I’m just making expenses but I’m sure I’ll get a raise next year and I’ll save most of that.”

“Randy, that will never happen. Your lifestyle will always rise to match your paycheck,” said one of the Petes. “When you get a bigger paycheck, you’ll find more to spend it on.”

I bristled inside. I knew in my heart that I had all the virtues and was a mountain of self-discipline. I definitely would save prudently when the time came … just not now.

Pete quietly said, “They match your contribution. 100% match for the first 3%.”

That got my attention. Free money got my attention. I signed up for the max.

Years went by. I got raises, but Pete was right: my lifestyle expanded to fit my paycheck. There was always an opportunity, a need, or just a chance to enjoy life a little that coincidentally fit the amount of money I had saved at the credit union. That mountain of self-discipline was a comforting illusion, good for my ego but not so good for my savings.

Then came the housing industry collapse around 2008. This was a tragedy for millions or maybe tens of millions who lost everything, but for me it was an opportunity to stop paying rent and start paying a mortgage - therefore building equity. I had not been willing to risk my retirement savings on the theory that housing prices would keep climbing - I knew from experience it ain’t necessarily so - but buying into a depressed market was attractive.

And … it was possible only because of that 3% every paycheck going into an account.

(The full story is more complicated due to employer changes, but just roll with it, ok?)

I pulled out enough for down payment, paid taxes and penalties, and moved into the house I live in today. After refinancing during the 2020 collapse, I am now paying less for my 4-bedroom house than I would pay to rent a 1-bedroom apartment 3 blocks from here.

The lesson I’d like to pass on is not that you should hope for financial collapse. That is a bad plan for many reasons.

I feel that waiting until you make enough money to start saving is not going to happen. There will always be something else to spend on - especially if you have kids or other responsibilities.

What might work is to take that money out of your paycheck before you see it, and adjust your lifestyle to what you got left. Nothing in life is certain, but this worked for me and might work for you.

I appreciate that too many people are working too many hours for too little pay to get by, and I don't have an answer for that. But if you can put that 3% away before it hits your paycheck ... and especially if you have employer match ... it might pay off for you as it did for me.

I have lost track of most of my Coleco buddies, but I owe them this: Thank you, Pete, wherever you are. And whichever one you were!

Blooming today what?!?

 

Jim O'Grady replied to this photo with "Camellias are early bloomers, but seem to be even earlier this season."

IYKYK: Button Jar

When I was a kid, families always had these. When shirts and things need repair, a button from the button jar is cheaper and faster to get than one from the store. It's probably a Depression-era/WW2-era practice from my mom, but who knows?

Even today, when I decommission a shirt because it's worn out, I habitually scissor off the buttons into a jar and every 10 years or so give the jar to someone who I hope has a use for its contents. Is this reasonable? who cares!

My friends on Facebook responded to this photo with more than 20 comments; people like to talk about things like this and have many memories.

Accidental Illusion

 I was aiming for an image of Ginny overflowing the front window bed, but upon review, noticed the reflection of the lamp appearing in the photo. Perhaps I'll try again at a different angle to improve the illusion.

Soft Focus Hawthorne

We've still got a few hawthorne fruit on the branches. It's a pretty spot of color on these grey days.

 If they look a little out of focus, just take your glasses off and you'll see them the way they look to me 😉

Blooming January!

 

I used the Timestamp feature to verify that today, a drizzly winter day in Seattle, someone just doesn't know how to quit blooming!

Free CLE Webinars January 2025+

 

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I'm excited to share this month’s Free CLE Webinar calendar with you. Use it and share it with your network! Please note that while all listings are free, not all are approved for credit in every jurisdiction. For events that don’t list your state, you may be able to self-apply for credit depending on your jurisdiction's rules.

If you discover any new programs, tell me about them - I continuously update the webinar calendar throughout the month at  http://4freeCLE.blogspot.com .

January 2025 Free CLE

January 2:
* The 2025 Real Estate and Economic Outlook. By CES.
January 7:
* Marijuana in the Workplace: An Update and a Look Forward. By LexisNexis.

* Supreme Court Review. Minnesota State Law Library.
January 9:
* Marijuana in the Workplace: An Update and a Look Forward. By LexisNexis.

January 10:
* The Dawning of a New Era: Combining Extractive and Generative AI for New Possibilities. By LexisNexis.
January 14:
* The Dawning of a New Era: Combining Extractive and Generative AI for New Possibilities. By LexisNexis.
* How to Create High-Impact OKRs and KPIs for Mid-Sized Firms. By Clio.
January 15:
* Marijuana in the Workplace: An Update and a Look Forward. By LexisNexis.
* Financial Management Essentials for Small Law Firms in 2025. By Clio.

* Minnesota Digital Exhibit System (MNDES): New Requirements for Exhibits in Evidentiary Proceedings. By Washington County (MN) Law Library.
January 17:
* Diving Deeper into Legal Research Potential: Advanced Online Legal Research Concepts. By LexisNexis.

January 21:
* Marijuana in the Workplace: An Update and a Look Forward. By LexisNexis.

* Getting Trade Ready in 2025: Strategies to Navigate Tariff Impacts. By Cozen O'Connor.

January 22: 

* M&A Year In Review: Utilizing Research Tools To Identify Trends in the Deal Market. By LexisNexis.

January 23: 

* Outsmarting Implicit Bias: How Bias Shows Up and Strategies to Counteract its Impact. By National Conflict Resolution Center.

January 24:

* Bankruptcy Fundamentals. By LexisNexis.

January 27:
* Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace: Legal Implications of Using AI in Employment Decisions. By LexisNexis.
January 29:
* Breached! Cybersecurity 101. By LexisNexis.

* Artificial Intelligence in Employment: Emerging Laws and Compliance Requirements. By LexisNexis.
January 31:
* Diving Deeper into Legal Research Potential: Advanced Online Legal Research Concepts. By LexisNexis.

* Research Skills for IP Litigation. By LexisNexis.

* Forms, Forms, Forms! How to Find and Create the Legal Form That You Need Right Now. By Alameda County Law Library.

February 2025 Free CLE

February 3:

* Breached! Cybersecurity 101. By LexisNexis.

February 4: 

* The Dawning of a New Era: Combining Extractive and Generative AI for New Possibilities. By LexisNexis.

February 5: 

* Preparing Your Client for Mediation. By WSBA.

February 6:
* Bankruptcy - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. By CES.

* Resistance to Results: How to Drive Change At Your Mid-Sized Firm. By Clio.

February 7: 

* Moneyball for Civil Litigation. By LexisNexis. 

February 10:
* Clio's Legal AI Virtual Summit. By Clio.

February 11: 

* Marijuana in the Workplace: An Update and a Look Forward. By LexisNexis.

February 12: 

* Ethical Dangers of Isolation in the Profession. By Minnesota State Law Library.

* ESG and the Climate: Emerging Risks & Compliance. By LexisNexis.

* Balancing Artificial Intelligence Innovations, Best Practices, and Ethics in Legal Proceedings. By Veritext.

February 13: 

* The Blue Prints: Advanced Strategies for Resolving Construction Disputes and More. By National Conflict Resolution Center.

February 14:

* The Dawning of a New Era: Combining Extractive and Generative AI for New Possibilities. By LexisNexis.

* Research & Drafting Techniques For Corporate Law. By LexisNexis.

February 18: 

* The Dawning of a New Era: Combining Extractive and Generative AI for New Possibilities. By LexisNexis.

February 19: 

* Check, please! Ethical Billing Practices To Avoid Fee Disputes. By AttorneyProte tive.

* A Handy Primer on Drafting and Updating Employee Handbooks. By LexisNexis.
February 20:
* Ethics Jeopardy: Answers and Questions. By Clifford Law Offices.

February 21:

* Cyber Law and Cybersecurity Insurance 101. By LexisNexis.

* Diving Deeper into Legal Research Potential: Advanced Online Legal Research Concepts. By LexisNexis.

February 24:

* Breached! Cybersecurity 101. By LexisNexis.

February 25: 

* Marijuana in the Workplace: An Update and a Look Forward. By LexisNexis.

February 26:

* Artificial Intelligence Key Legal Issues. By LexisNexis.

March 2025 Free CLE

March 5: 

* Research Skills for Litigators. by LexisNexis.

March 6:

* Why Lenders Miss Closing Dates. By CES.

March 7:

* HIPAA - Understanding Enforcement, Penalties & Research Strategies. By LexisNexis.

March 11:

* Use of AI and ChatGPT/LLM In the Law Profession. By Alta Pro.

March 12:

* Artificial Intelligence in the Energy Sector. By LexisNexis.

March 19: 

* Groundbreaking Video Technology: From Advanced Web Cams to Detecting Deepfakes. By Veritext.

* Cybersecurity and Data Breaches. By LexisNexis.

* Evaluating Hospital Procedures for Authorizing Emergency Abortion. By Case Western Reserve University School of Law.

March 21: 

* Researching Experts and Judges. By LexisNexis.

March 25:

* The Future of Legal Pricing: Exploring Value-Based Models. By Perrin.

March 26:

* Introduction to London Arbitrations. By Perrin.

March 28:

* Due Diligence in Intellectual Property Transactions. By LexisNexis.

* Trends to Watch in Antitrust Law. By LexisNexis

April 2025 Free CLE

I am puzzled about the lack of listings so far for April - REW.

May 2025 Free CLE

May 1: 

* Being an Advocate and Shaking Hands Afterwards.  By National Conflict Resolution Center.

May 22:

* The Role of Civility in Negotiations: Engaging in Collaborative Discussions and Dealing with the Challenges of Inflexible Negotiators.  By National Conflict Resolution Center.

June 2025 Free CLE

June 26:
* Probate Pitfalls: Understanding the Impact of Elder Financial Exploitation.  By National Conflict Resolution Center.

That's it for now! Share this information freely, send me any updates, and best of luck to you and yours in the year upcoming - REW.

P.S. If you're in Texas, subscribe to Abdul Faraki's Free CLE for Texas Lawyers.

P.P.S. If you're not in Texas, why not create a Free CLE for Your State website? You must know your state better than I do! If you have technical questions about setting something up, let's we'll chat!

Warmly, 

Randy Winn 

http://4freecle.blogspot.com/