Bench Bar 2008 Conference Schedule
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Friday, April 18, 2008
9:00-9:30 a.m. | Check-in, Continental Breakfast |
9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | Vendor Fair |
9:30 a.m. | Introduction and Welcome Jo Ann Merica, President, Austin Bar Association |
9:45-10:30 a.m. | General Sesion The State of the Death Penalty in Texas Speaker: Kathryn Kase, Texas Defender Service Introduction: Virginia Greenway, Attorney at Law |
10:30-11:00 a.m. | Vendor Fair/Morning Break |
11:00-11:45 a.m. | Breakout Sesions I |
Admin/Gov: | Administrative Law Update Speakers: Linda Secord, Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General's Natural Resources Division; David Morales, Deputy Attorney General for Civil Litigation; Nanette K. Beaird, Senior Attorney, Gardere Wynne Sewell Introduction: Ronnie Jones, Attorney at Law |
Appellate: | Supreme Court Law Update Speakers: Justice Phil Johnson, Justice Scott Brister, Justice Dale Wainwright, Texas Supreme Court Introduction: Woodie Jones, Alexander, Dubose, Jones & Townsend |
Family: | What We File with the Courts and What Every Lawyer Should Know about Identity Theft Speaker: Amie Rodnick, Attorney at Law Introduction: Lauren Mathews, Attorney at Law |
Advanced Litigation: |
Speakers: Lance Jones, General Counsel, Versata Software, Inc.; Introduction: Lisa Tsai, Diamond McCarthy |
Criminal: | The Basics of Federal Criminal Representation Speakers: Horatio Aldredge, Office of The Federal Public Defender; Judge Robert Pitman, U.S. Magistrate, Western District of Texas Introduction: Kristin Etter, Sumpter & Gonzalez |
11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Breakout Sesions II |
Bankruptcy: | Top Ten Questions for General Practitioners Handling Bankruptcy Cases Speakers: Steve Sather, Barron & Newburger; Judge Craig Gargotta, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Texas; Michael Baumer, Attorney at Law Introduction: Lisa Tsai, Diamond McCarthy |
Criminal: | Handling Corporate Investigations Speakers: David Botsford, Attorney at Law; David Sheppard, Attorney at Law Introduction: Virginia Greenway, Attorney at Law |
Core Litigation: | Off the Record: Attorneys' Anonymous Questions for the Judiciary* Panelists: Justice Jan Patterson, Third Court of Appeals; Judge Robert Pitman, U.S. Magistrate, Western District of Texas; Judge Stephen Yelenosky, 345th District Court; Judge Suzanne Covington, 201st District Court *Submit questions for this session to the Austin Bar office with your registration information or at austinbar@austinbar.org or by fax at 473-2720. Tough questions are encouraged. Moderator: Liz Branch, Attorney at Law |
Family: | Witness Preparation for Temporary Orders and Trial Speaker: Karl E. Hays, Attorney at Law Introduction: Lauren Mathews, Attorney at Law |
12:30-1:30 p.m | Lunch |
1:30-2:30 p.m. | General Sesion Contemplating Torture Speaker: Sandy Levinson, Law Professor, University of Texas Introduction: Judge Stephen Yelenosky, 345th District Court |
2:30-3:15 p.m. | Breakout Sesions III |
Administrative Law & Litigation: | Cross Over Practices: Constitutional Challenge to the Texas Workers' Compensation System: 182 Vista Healthcare lawsuits" Panelists: David Bragg, Law Office of David Bragg; Thomas B. Hudson, Jr., Graves, Dougherty, Hearon & Moody Moderator: Ed Burbach, Gardere Wynne Sewell |
Advanced Litigation: |
Speakers: Alan Albright, Fish & Richardson; Judge Lee Yeakel, U.S. District Judge, Western District of Texas; Judge Andrew Austin, U.S. Magistrate, Western District of Texas Introduction: Albert Carrion, Jr., Brown McCarroll |
Appellate: | Third Court of Appeals: Recent Decisions and More Speakers: Chief Justice Kenneth Law, Justice Alan Waldrop, Justice Bob Pemberton, Third Court of Appeals Introduction: Todd Smith, Attorney at Law |
Criminal: | DWI: Challenging Probable Cause Speakers: Chris Gunter, Gunter & Bennett; Ray Bass, Bass & Smith Introduction: Virginia Greenway, Attorney at Law |
Family: | CPS Initiated Family Drug Court Speaker: Judge Darlene Byrne, 126th District Court Introduction: Greg Hitt, Attorney at Law |
Multi-Purpose Practice: | Personality Types and Patterns of Clients in Family Law and Other Law Practices Speakers: Psychologists (to be named later) Introduction: Lauren Mathews |
3:15-4:00 p.m. | Vendor Fair/Afternoon Break |
4:00-5:00 p.m. | General Sesion The Journalist's Privilege and Shield Law Panelists: Peter Kennedy, Graves, Dougherty, Hearon & Moody; Shannon Edmonds, lobbyist for the Texas District and County Attorney's Association; Laura Prather, Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold Moderator: Lisa Tsai, Diamond McCarthy |
5:00-6:30 p.m. | Happy Hour/Social |
7:00 p.m. | Group Dinner for those staying overnight |
Saturday, April 19, 2008
8:30-9:30 a.m. | General Sesion: Ethics Speaker: Tom Watkins, Brown McCarroll Introduction: Albert Carrion, Jr., Brown McCarroll |
10:00 a.m. | Golf Tournament/Spa/Shopping at La Cantera |
