from this panel ’ s discussion of the legal developments that affect all of us during this pandemic . The interest in this panel was so great that Kaplan is planning a second panel for the Atlanta Bar ’ s " CLE by the Hour " program to occur Spring 2021 . Be on the lookout for registration information in early 2021 !
Wills and Estate Planning Kier Prince ( Emory Law Volunteer Clinic for Veterans ) moderated the panel on Wills and Estate Planning . Kim Hoipkemier ( Georgia Estate Planning & Probate ) and Margaret Head ( Cohen and Caproni , LLC ) served as panelists . After providing background information about themselves and how they ended up practicing in this area of law , the panelists provided a general overview of the estate planning process and what is required .
All estate plans should include a Last Will and Testament , Advance Directive for Healthcare , and General ( Financial ) Power of Attorney . Easy to use forms for the Advance Directive for Healthcare and General ( Financial ) Power of Attorney were provided in the program materials . The panelists recommended that everyone have a Will regardless of their assets , especially if they have property located out of state . The panel provided insight into the history of probate law by discussing what a “ Living Will ” is and the evolution of the law since the first introduction of the " Living Will ."
The panelists were able to provide the audience with a primer on probate law so they could make educated recommendations to friends or colleagues looking to make an estate plan . The panelists answered detailed questions about the law , which would benefit any practitioner in this area . Novice and expert estate planners could learn tips and tricks from these experienced practitioners .
You ’ re a Lawyer !?” entitled “ Practicing in Municipal and Magistrate Court .” Judge Melynee Leftridge ( Magistrate Court of Fulton County ) and Judge Christopher Ward ( Municipal Court of Atlanta ) served as panelists . Judge Millender , a former Magistrate Judge , was also able to provide unique insights while she was moderating the panel .
The panel began with a discussion of the courts ’ operations during COVID-19 and what to expect when appearing in their court rooms . Judge Ward gave an overview of his time on the bench as a Municipal Court judge , the challenges of overcoming a high case load , and areas for improvement . All of the judges stressed the importance of filing a proposed order with any motion and suggested the option of calling the clerk regarding motions filed .
Audience members were able to ask specific questions to the panelists , which the panelists addressed in turn . If the panelists were not able to provide a response to the question , due to time limitations , Judge Millender typed the response in the chat .
Get Up to Speed on Criminal Law Quickly In the final panel of the second day of the program , Jena Emory ( Copeland Stair Kingma & Lovell , LLP ) moderated a criminal law panel including Ben Alper ( Weintraub & Alper , PC ); Erin Gerstenzang ( EHG Law Firm ); and Jessica Stern ( Stern Law Firm ). For the benefit of the inexperienced audience member , the panel began with an explanation of the criminal process and its various stages . The criminal law process is slow . If your client is arrested , ask the client to write down everything that happened throughout the process of their arrest and alleged crime . The panel stressed that these notes should not shared with anyone but their attorney . members educated on criminal law and the various pitfalls of representing a client with criminal charges against them , audience members were also able to hear practical advice on client communication . One of the greatest takeaways from the panel was the respect that the attorneys on the panel had for their clients and the passion for their role in the criminal justice system . This presentation provided legal and practical advice for criminal representation , which is something all lawyers should know a little about .
If you were unable to watch the Atlanta Bar ’ s “ But You Said You ’ re a Lawyer !?” CLE , you will be able to watch the recordings of the panels for CLE credit in the Atlanta Bar ’ s online CLE Library located at http :// atlantabar . fastcle . com / store / provider / provider09 . php .
The CLE Board has also begun planning the Bar ’ s annual " CLE By the Hour Program " for Spring 2021 . Bar members should also be looking forward to CLE March Madness in 2021 . Please take advantage of all your Atlanta Bar membership has to offer by attending these programs .
Practicing in Municipal and Magistrate Court Judge Shukura Millender ( Superior Court of Fulton County ) moderated the third panel of the second day of “ But You Said
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The majority of the panel focused on answering questions from the audience , which allowed the panelists to display the breadth of their knowledge and discuss various hot topics . Not only were audience