Friday, October 31, 2025

November 2025+ Free CLE

 Dear Friends and Colleagues,

As Autumn turns the leaves and year-end deadlines approach, I’m happy to share this month’s lineup of Free CLE Webinars for you to explore and pass along to your networks. Every listing is free to attend, though credit approval varies by jurisdiction. If your state isn’t listed, you might still be able to self-apply depending on local rules.
LMK if you hear of a program not listed - the calendar is a living resource, updated throughout the month at http://4freeCLE.blogspot.com.

November 2025 Free CLE

November 3:
* Building Time Affluence for Attorney Well-Being. By the University of Minnesota Law School.
November 4:
November 6:
November 7:
November 10:
November 11:
November 12:
* After the Verdict – The Essentials of NY Judgment Enforcement. By New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers.
* Protecting Your Firm from Email Scams. By LEAP Legal Software.
November 13:
* Home Economics: The Value of Family Services. By New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers.
* Nine for Nine: Supreme Court Review of 2024-2025 Term. By Minnesota State Law Library.
November 14:
November 18:
* Connect Four: A View from the Bench. By New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers.
November 19: 
* Mediation Station: Making ADR Your Next Stop. By New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers.
November 20:
* OurFamilyWizard. By Dakota County Law Library.​
November 21:
* Advanced Appellate Advocacy Seminar. By CSU College of Law.
November 25:
* Protected or Concealed? A Review Quality Assurance Privilege in NY. By New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers.
November 26: 

December 2025 Free CLE


December 2:
* The Sidewalks of New York: Trip, Slip and Fall Cases in the Five Boroughs. By New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers.
* Breached! Cybersecurity 101. By LexisNexis.
December 3:
* Ghosts of Coverage Past: Benefit Issues in PI Actions. By New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers.
December 4:
* Lost Canadian? A Guide to Canadian Citizenship Claims. By WSBA International Practice Section.
December 5:
December 8:
December 9:
December 10:
* Search Smarter, Not Harder: Digital Research Hacks for Real Lawyers. By New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers.
December 11:
December 12:
December 18:
December 19:
December 23:
January 8:
January 13:
* New York Settlement Math Made Easy. By New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers.
January 22:

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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.



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Monday, October 27, 2025

Postage Stamps That Don’t Show Their Value

Some U.S. stamps don’t display a dollar amount, but they’re still valid for mailing—as long as the total postage meets or exceeds the current rate. I need this information for my postcarding groups.

🕊️ Forever and Postcard Stamps

  • Forever stamps: Always valid for 1 oz First-Class Mail, including standard postcards, regardless of the current rate.

  • Postcard stamps: Always valid for mailing a standard postcard, regardless of the current rate.

📆 First-Class Mail 1 oz Rates (1980–2025)

These include stamps marked “Christmas” with a year number. Years with no rate change are skipped.

  • 1981 – $0.18 Note: 1981 Christmas stamp = $0.20

  • 1982 – $0.20

  • 1985 – $0.22

  • 1988 – $0.25

  • 1991 – $0.29

  • 1995 – $0.32

  • 1999 – $0.33

  • 2000 – $0.33

  • 2001 – $0.34

  • 2002 – $0.37

  • 2006 – $0.39

  • 2007 – $0.41

  • 2008 – $0.42

  • 2009 – $0.44

  • 2012 – $0.45

  • 2013 – $0.46

  • 2014 – $0.49

  • 2016 – $0.47 (rate decrease)

  • 2017 – $0.49

  • 2018 – $0.50

  • 2019 – $0.55

  • 2021 – $0.58

  • 2022 – $0.60

  • 2023 – $0.63 (Jan), $0.66 (Jul)

  • 2024 – $0.68

  • 2025 – $0.78 (as of October)

🔤 Letter-Denominated Stamps

These stamps were issued during rate transitions and represent the following values:

  • A stamp (1978) – $0.15

  • B stamp (1981) – $0.18

  • C stamp (1981) – $0.20

  • D stamp (1985) – $0.22

  • E stamp (1988) – $0.25

  • F stamp (1991) – $0.29

  • G stamp (1994) – $0.32

  • H stamp (1998) – $0.33

🧩 Rate Makeup Stamps

Used to supplement older stamps when rates increased:

  • D rate makeup stamp (1985) – $0.01

  • E rate makeup stamp (1988) – $0.02

  • F rate makeup stamp (1991) – $0.04

  • G rate makeup stamp (1994) – $0.01

  • H rate makeup stamp (1998) – $0.01


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Friday, October 24, 2025

November 7: U.S.-- China Dispute Resolution: New Tactics for a New Environment

Title: 
Description:
U.S. and China as the #1 and #2 global economies shape global business and many U.S. business have ties related directly/indirectly to China. But the current economic and geo-political environment are making U.S. businesses think twice about how and what to do with their current business, new business, or even dissolving/diversifying your business relating to China. Such business decisions make it more possible for commercial disputes to arise. Further, the U.S. increasing restrictive sanctions and tariff regulations and China’s retaliatory measures require more prudent legal protection applications that also mitigate harmful dispute actions. Whether your company is involved in trade, investment or sale of goods in China, it is necessary to prepare your company/client for potential disputes or manage current disputes with “real-time” & on-the-ground” knowledge of updated China laws, strategic considerations & risk mitigations in the following key areas:
  • Due Diligence (pre-contract measures)
  • Contract structuring & terms
  • Administrative Proceedings
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution (Settlement, Mediation, Arbitration)
  • Litigation (incl. JRE).
Webinar Date+Time:
November 7, 2025
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM PT
Free Continuing Legal Education Webinar - Register Now!
 Speakers:
  • Arthur Chiu - Cyan Law Firm, Beijing, China
  • Wei Shi - Cyan Law Firm, Beijing, China.
By:
Washington State Bar Association; Sponsored by ALPS. Developed in partnership with the WSBA International Practice Section.
Credits:
  • Washington State: 1.00 Law & Legal Procedure
  • Other States: Certificate of attendance provided upon request.
Cost:
Developed in partnership with the WSBA International Practice Section Free.
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Wednesday, October 22, 2025

October 23: Judges Under Siege – Lawyers Speak Up (webinar)

In our collective work to restore democracy and the rule of law, we have two obligations: the first is to educate ourselves, and the second is to participate in helping the public understand what is at stake.

 To educate ourselves, we must learn the facts and understand why those facts matter to the lives of everyone. We then must convey that information to our friends, colleagues, and networks through civil dialogue and civic engagement.

 

Toward these goals, LDAD is honored to have a role in a special webinar taking place this Thursday, October 23, presented by Speak Up for Justice, an organization devoted to voicing support for a judiciary under unprecedented attack. The webinar is entitled Judges Under Siege – Lawyers Speak Up, and you may register by clicking here.

 

Lawyers Defending American Democracy is laser focused on ways to galvanize the legal profession to address the crisis we are facing in this country, including through our recently launched initiative entitled, “Meeting the Moment – A Call for Lawyers to Lead.”

 

 Through Meeting the Moment, we are asking lawyers across the country to use their skills and expertise to engage other lawyers, friends, businesses, the media, nonprofit organizations, faith communities, civic and community groups, and others in the fight to preserve our democratic institutions.

 

The success of this effort depends on lawyers who are willing to volunteer time in their states to share clear and consistent information – for example, drafting articles, letters to the editor, social media postings, and presentations – that can help break through the disinformation flooding people’s social media feeds and sources of news each day. We can accomplish this by working together to share Toolkits, Talking Points, and Guidance that meet this moment in a dedicated and purposeful way.

 

Please consider serving as a volunteer. We also encourage you to consider becoming a State Lead. In that role, you would serve as the primary point of contact between your state team and LDAD leadership, sharing updates on local activities, identifying emerging needs or challenges, and helping us ensure each state team has the resources it needs to be successful. 

 

To express your interest in participating in this initiative, please fill out this form.

 

We hope you will join this national effort to restore our democracy and the rule of law. Your talents have never been needed more.

 

Thank you,

 

Lawyers Defending American Democracy 




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Thursday, October 09, 2025

October 24: The United Nations At 80

Eighty years ago, the United Nations was born from the ashes of global conflict with a bold mission: to maintain international peace and security, promote human rights, and uphold the rule of law. As the world faces escalating crises — from climate change to armed conflict, from mass displacement to democratic backsliding — the UN’s role is under renewed scrutiny.

On this milestone day, the Washington State Bar Association invites you to a special continuing legal education webinar exploring the UN’s legacy and future. This is more than a celebration—it’s a call to reflection and reform! This timely and thought-provoking CLE program brings together leading international law scholars and practitioners to examine the evolving role of the United Nations in today’s complex global landscape. 

Through expert insights and real-world case studies, we’ll explore:

🌐 The UN’s enduring contributions to international law and human rights

⚖️ The International Court of Justice and the prosecution of genocide

📊 Assessing the effectiveness of UN missions and programs

🔍 The practical value of UN bodies — such as the Aarhus Convention Secretariat — to legal practitioners, NGOs, and civil society

🧭 Whether the UN remains fit for purpose in the 21st century

Featured Faculty:

  • Alejandra Gonza, Executive Director, Global Rights Advocacy; former senior attorney at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and staff attorney at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights; A leading voice in international human rights litigation and UN engagement.
  • Teresa Felizia Mayr, Legal Officer, Aarhus Convention Secretariat, Environment Division, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Expert in environmental democracy and international treaty implementation.
  • Professor Anita Ramasastry, former Chair of the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights, currently serving on the UN’s Open-Ended Intergovernmental Working Group drafting a treaty on business and human rights; Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Global and Graduate Programs, Director, Sustainable International Development Graduate Program Barer Institute for Leadership in Law & Global Development Endowed Chair, at University of Washington School of Law.
  • Professor William A. Schabas, Professor of International Law, Middlesex University, London. One of the world’s foremost authorities on genocide and international criminal law; former member of the UN Commission of Inquiry on the Gaza Conflict and author of more than 20 books including "Genocide in International Law" and "The UN International Criminal Tribunals: The Former Yugoslavia, Rwanda and Sierra Leone".

🎓 This program is designed for attorneys, human rights advocates, international law practitioners, and anyone working with or within global institutions.

📩 Space is limited. Reserve your spot today and be part of this historic legal commemoration.


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Wednesday, August 13, 2025

50 Years They Grieved

 I never met my older brother Robert Jr. He died in the early 1950s, before I was born. I asked my mother about him only one time. She looked sad and said, 'It was something they’d just give you a shot for now.' 


She and my father grieved my brother, their firstborn child, for fifty years—until the day they died.

I am ok. I got that shot. But today, when Trump cancels mRNA research, blocks cancer studies, and dismantles USAID, he is not abstractly stalling science or halting aid. He is in reality choosing death for children, grief for parents.

We must find a way. Or fifty years from now, how many young mothers and fathers will still grieve - because we failed to act when we could?

--- Randy Winn, West Seattle
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Saturday, March 29, 2025

The Unforgettable Penny Scramble Family Photo Shoot Adventure

Let me take you back to a bright and sunny Saturday many years ago—a day when my brother Steve and I embarked on the Unforgettable Penny Scramble Family Photo Shoot Adventure, at a community festival held on the grassy grounds around El Centro De La Raza in Seattle.

Do not think we had some grand plan, oh no ... this idea came together like a mystery meatloaf. I *think* I heard about the event through a community bulletin, mentioned it to Steve during a family gathering, and somehow, in the spirit of "why not," we decided it would be fun to lend a hand. The festival needed volunteers, and Steve had his trusty camera, a portable printer, and his love for capturing memories. "Perfect," he said, "I'll take family photos and print them on the spot to give away!"

As for me? I remembered with joy the classic penny scramble. When I was a kid, parents would throw down a tarp in a barn, cover it with hay, sprinkle in some pennies, and let us kids dive in to find treasure. It was a guaranteed good time, both for us treasure seekers and for parents who could hang out together watching their kids. Then Steve and I Had A Brilliant Idea: Why pay for hay when we can get unlimited office-grade shredded paper from Steve’s workplace? We'll just bag it later and leave it in the recycling bin, no muss, no fuss. Brilliant!!!!!


The festival was on the sunniest day all year in Seattle, which, contrary to legend, can have beautiful sunny days (just not too many of them). We inflated a rubber life raft, filled it with the shredded paper and mixed in a baggy of pennies, some nickels, and a few shiny dimes to keep things interesting. 

photo by Steve

Kids dove in and had a blast scrambling for their loot, splashing through the mess to find treasure. Parents watched, amused, and added their spare change. Every now and then, I'd toss in more shreds to make up for what the children tracked away.

Meanwhile, Steve set up his photo station and was constantly busy snapping and printing pictures for all comers. There were one or two dozen other booths giving out snacks, drinks, information about local resources and health care, balloons, whistles, doodads, gewgaws, and all the farfenagle of a community festival. It was a picture-perfect day.

Until.

The sun began to set - it's clean up time! Steve packed up his gear, and I started to bag the shredded paper. That’s when I began to appreciate the difference between hay and paper.

If a little hay splashes into a grass lawn, you can pick up the big clumps, and any residue just sort of fades among the leaves of grass. In contrast, intense bright white printer paper stands out as the untidy litter that it was. Any single shred shone against the grass like a careless bit of litter instead of a well-intentioned donation - and there were hundreds of shreds, a day's worth of the stuff scattered around the lawn. It felt like that fairy tale about catching every feather dumped from a pillow: we can't do it, we can only try until everyone else has gone home, and then quietly fade away ourselves.

In truth, I don't think anyone but our own feelings of guilt actually held the situation against us, we got mailed a nice "thank you" card, and the day remains a happy memory. Somewhere out there, I hope there are families who still have those photos, and kids—now adults—who smile when they think of that sunny Saturday. And I walked away with a few lessons:

  1. Say yes to volunteering. You never know what memories you’ll create and fun you'll have. 
  2. Kids like authorized chaos. So often we lead lives of constraints, rule, bossy people telling us what to do, financial or health limitations ... when the universe gives us an opportunity to just go crazy searching for treasure and flinging things in the air ... we do.  This does not apply only to the young ;-)
  3. And most important: if you ever plan a penny scramble... for the love of all things holy, use hay NOT SHREDDED PAPER!

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