The Atlanta Lawyer December 2018 / January 2019 | Page 10

ours you 2018, or get art on 2019 nvenient hour format! CLE BY THE HOUR CLE by the Hour December 6, 2018 By Brooke M. French Kessler & Solomiany, LLC [email protected] On December 6, 2018, the Atlanta Funds in 529 plans can now be Following taxes, was a session Bar Association held its annual used for pre-college education regarding professionalism and CLE by the Hour at King & Spald- – up to $10,000.00 per child per discovery. The panel included Ana ing. Their newly renovated space year. Alimony is no longer deduct- Maria Martinez (Staff Attorney was ideal for this unique CLE that ible to the payor nor taxable to the to the Hon. Dax Lopez); Wynn Sowersby (Staff Attorney to the many areas of law into recipient. HICS/ combines 2 PROFESSIONALISM/ 3 TRIAL PRACTICE HOURS OFFERED Hon. Emily Brantley); Hon. Jason an a la carte format. The day-long CLE was moderated by Brooke M. The second session was helmed by Thompson of the Fayette State French of Kessler & Solomiany, Dan Branch and by Seth Buchwald Court; and Carlos Vilela (Staff At- LLC, the chair of the Atlanta Bar of Alston & Bird, LLP. Again, Sherri torney to the Hon. Jane Manning). Association’s CLE Board of Trust- Holder was slated to present but This panel reminded attendees ees. was unexpectedly in Court. This that the Court is typically aware session addressed New Tax Laws when there is one party who is co- The first speakers were Dan Branch for Businesses. These changes are operating with discovery and an- of IAG Forensics & Valuation and permanent, not temporary, so they other party who is not. The panel Michael Senger of Alston & Bird, do not sunset. Corporations are urged attendees not to sink to the LLP. Sherri Holder of The Holder now subject to a 21% tax rate. This level of a lawyer who is playing Group was scheduled to present as tax reform instituted substantial discovery games as it is challeng- well, but she was called to Court at changes in the international tax ing to stop that behavior once it the last minute and was unable to arena to bring the United States is started. Additionally, the panel attend. Dan and Michael spoke on in line with the rest of the world. urged lawyers to know the rules the New Tax Laws for Individuals Previously, US businesses were and give accurate time announce- and provided insight on the chang- under a worldwide tax system, ments to respect the Court and the es and the ramifications of same. meaning they would earn foreign Court’s time. Many of the changes for individual tax payers sunset after 2025, mean- ing the changes revert back to the pre-2018 tax code. The penalty for not having health insurance has been abolished permanently. 10 December 2018/January 2019 tax credits for taxes paid to other countries. Now, the US is on a ter- ritorial tax system which only taxes US earnings at US rates and allows the business to pay taxes in other countries at that country’s rate. The fourth session of the day, en- titled, “Sweating the Small Stuff: Conflict Waivers and Confiden- tiality Issues” was presented by Pat Brumbaugh of King & Spald-