An entity’s financial statements convey a great deal of significant information regarding its financial position and the results of its operations. The ability to understand financial statements is a critical skill for corporate, family, trial, and other lawyers. It also is essential for lawyers reviewing financial statements to be able to "read between the lines.” This session focuses on understanding financial statements, intermediate level financial analysis and essential concepts underlying the presentation of financial information to assess their reliability. At the end of the program, lawyers will be able to ask better questions regarding the financial statements they need to review and analyze and/or to recognize when the level of complexity is such that they need to hire a forensic accountant to assist in that review and analysis.

The program will be taught by a forensic accountant with more than 45 years of experience who is a Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified Public Accountant, and Certified in Financial Forensics. The program is built around a case study that incorporates the financial shenanigans seen in the investigative projects completed over several years. The case study includes a full set of financial statements, including footnote disclosures. (Participants attending the program will need to have a copy of the case study financial statements at the program to derive the maximum benefit from the program.)  

The program provides special emphasis on "financial shenanigans" - ways in which Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") might be manipulated to create misstated financial statements - as well as practical suggestions on how to find misstatements in financial statements of both public companies and medium sized, family owned businesses.

The program is ideal for corporate attorneys, trial lawyers, bankruptcy counsel, family law practitioners and general counsel.

SPEAKER:
Michael D. Pakter, CPA, CFF, CGMA, CFE, CVA, MAFF, CA, CIRA, CDBV
Managing Member, Gould & Pakter Associates, LLC

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live. 

Topic: Annual Planning Meeting

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live. 

Topic: From Stress to Success: Prioritizing Mental Health for Better Client Outcomes

Speaker(s)/Organizations: David Telisman, President, David Telisman Communications, LLC

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live. 

Expert Evidence Beyond Borders:  A Comparative View from the US and the UK

This is a hybrid event with an in-person and a webinar option. Please select the appropriate button when registering if you plan to attend in-person.

Join us for a comparative analysis of how expert evidence is used in the United States and United Kingdom as well as for a networking reception following the program, generously sponsored by The Bar Council of England and Wales. 

Speakers:

Sam Townend, KC, Keating Chambers; Chair of the Bar Council of England and Wales 

Amrit Kaur Dhanoa, 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square; Chair of the Young Barristers’ Committee of the Bar Council of England and Wales 

Tracy Brammeier, Clifford Law Offices

Andrew Vail, Jenner & Block

Moderator: Gerard McDermott KC, Barrister, Outer Temple Chambers

Co-Sponsored by The Bar Council of England and Wales

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live. 

Good Guys: Guys Overcoming Obstacles to Diversity

Join us for GOOD Guys: Chicago Leaders Edition! GOOD Guys is a signature program of the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations (NCWBA). GOOD Guys stands for Guys Overcoming Obstacles to Diversity. GOOD Guys is a program designed to break the impasse in women’s advancement by engaging people who have been missing from the conversation for too long – the GUYS!   This program is co-hosted by National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations (NCWBA) and The Chicago Bar Association. The program will take place in person at the law firm of Saul Ewing LLP, 161 N Clark St, Ste 1200, Chicago, IL 60601. The Chicago Bar Association will administer MCLE credit for Illinois attorneys. To receive Illinois MCLE Credit, you must register through the CBA’s website.  

Speakers:

Miko Brown, Project Ganesha
Jason St. Julien, Lead Counsel of Community Trust for Airbnb, Inc.
Quentin Jennings, General Counsel, Milhaus
John C. Sciaccotta, Member, Aronberg Goldgehn & 2024-25 President of The Chicago Bar Association 
Greta Weathersby, Senior Corporate Counsel, WEC Energy Group

Moderated by: 
Gene Commander, Gene Commander, Inc., and Teresa Beck, Klinedinst PC Managing Shareholder for AZ and NV

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live. 

This is a hybrid program with a webcast and in-person option at The Chicago Bar Association (321 S. Plymouth Ct, Chicago, IL 60604). Please indicate if you will attend in-person when registering where indicated. 

Topic: Karen Conti's book, "Killing Time with John Wayne Gacy"

Speaker(s)/Organizations: 
Karen Conti, Author, Owner/Founder of Conti Dolan LLC

(IL MCLE credit for live webcast only. No MCLE credit for on demand webcast.)

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live. 

Topic: Introductory Meeting 

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live. 

Topic: Current Legislation, County Division Updates and Tyler v. Hennepin

Speaker(s)/Organizations: TBD

(IL MCLE credit for live webcast only. No MCLE credit for on demand webcast.)

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live. 

Topic: Planning for the Possibility of Disability

Speaker(s)/Organizations:
Richard Feingold, Attorney, Richard I. Feingold & Associates, P.C.; Mark DeBofsky, Attorney, DeBofsky Law, Ltd.

(IL MCLE credit for live webcast only. No MCLE credit for on demand webcast.)

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live. 

This seminar will walk through all aspects of working with an expert, beginning with the initial retention of an expert all the way through the expert’s trial testimony. Given the complexity of commercial matters, cases are often decided on the strength of the testimony of each side’s respective expert. In this seminar we will explore each step in working with an expert and how to work with the expert to achieve a successful outcome for your client. 

Speakers:
Rebecca S. Busch, Medical Business Associates, Inc.
Lauren F. Dayton, MoloLamken LLP
Prateek Shah, Coherent Economics 

Moderator:
Christopher Mackey, O’Hagan Meyer; Co-Chair, YLS Commercial Litigation Committee

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live.