Tim Sitzmann will join the “Trademark Law Year in Review” panel at the Midwest IP Institute hosted by Minnesota CLE on September 23, 2021. The panel will discuss a wide range of topics from application of anti-trust laws to trademark settlement agreements, trade dress protection, counterfeiting, willful infringement, and more. This year’s principal cases include 1-800 Contacts, Inc. vs. Federal Trade Commission, Select Comfort Corp. v. Baxter, and Future Proof Brands, L.L.C. v. Molson Coors Beverage Co.

Panelists

• Dean Eyler
• Heather Kliebenstein
• Timothy Sitzmann
• Ann Dunn Wessberg

For more information or to register, click here.

As Firm President, Tami Diehm was asked to participate in, “MSPBJ Leadercast Women: How Leaders Shift Gears for Success,” an event composed of exceptional female leaders who will share their insights, experience and perspectives on how to be a leader worth following.

Change is constant. Nothing ever goes quite as we planned. If we didn’t believe this before 2020, we all know it now. Leaders everywhere are realizing that they must make major shifts in order to move forward to achieve their purpose. Changing directions is hard. It’s risky. But it’s the only way to get where we need to go. The future will be created by fearless, innovative leaders who have the courage…to shift.

For more information or to register, click here.

Tony Moch will present a session at the Bank Holding Company Association Fall Seminar on October 5, 2021.

The presentation, “M&A Lessons Learned in the COVID Pandemic and How We Apply Them Today,” will look at some of the legal ramifications and regulatory implications that arose with respect to M&A transactions during the COVID period and how that impacts deals today. This session will help both buyers and sellers to better understand what the definitive purchase agreement provisions mean, how the regulatory process can be impacted by external events, and the best ways to anticipate and prepare for such events.

For more information or to register, click here.

Winthrop & Weinstine’s Insurance Group will host a webinar, “D&O Insurance and the Changing Role of Corporations & Boards,” on October 5, 2021.

Public expectations of corporations and their boards of directors have changed – and so has the risk to both. Whereas traditionally D&O coverage was focused on financial and accounting-related allegations, plaintiffs have begun alleging a range of non-traditional breaches of fiduciary duty and fraud related to social issues and more. Join us to learn about the changing responsibilities of Boards of Directors, and the anticipated implications of these changes on D&O insurance coverage.

Topics covered include

• Traditional D&O Risks and Coverages
• The New Frontier: Emerging Claims for D&O Responsibilities
• Insurance Coverage Response and Recent Litigation

Speakers

• David P. Pearson, Shareholder
• Thomas H. Boyd, Shareholder
• Brent A. Lorentz, Shareholder
• Kyle R. Kroll, Associate

View the Recording

Kyle Kroll will participate in an American Bar Association webinar, “Legal Writing Resiliency: Giving and Taking Feedback (from Others and Yourself),” on October 27, 2021.

Giving and taking feedback can be one of the most challenging aspects of legal writing. Many new lawyers struggle with receiving feedback on their writing, particularly when they have tried so hard to ensure their work product is “perfect,” and they just want to “give up.” This interactive program will teach useful insights and tips for developing stronger legal writing resiliency.

The presentation will provide strategies for approaching the following:

• Proofreading: steps to take before turning in the first draft
• Perfectionism: determining when a brief is good “enough” (for a first draft, and then for filing)
• Imposter syndrome: how to respond to criticism with confidence
• The red pen: approaching criticism with a growth mindset
• The blue pen: how to give effective feedback to others, such as junior lawyers, and even partners!
• Self-improvement: best practices and resources for independent skills development

Click here to download and view the CLE.

Nadeem Schwen and Lisa Ellingson will co-present “Overcoming Data Security and Privacy Challenges in the Hybrid Workplace” during an online seminar hosted by Minnesota CLE on September 14, 2021. The seminar is intended for attorneys, HR professionals and other business law advisers, and will offer practical guidance regarding the legal considerations attendant to decisions about – and transitions to – hybrid workplaces.

Topics

• Concrete guidance and best practices for data security during remote work
• Training employees and monitoring compliance with data security protocols
• Pros and cons of company-provided vs. employee-provided equipment
• Drafting remote work policies to promote privacy and data security, including updates to Bring Your Own Device policies
• Managing the risks of virtual voice assistants
• Addressing considerations for protecting intellectual property

For more information or to register, click here.

Lisa Ellingson will co-host a panel discussion, “I’ve Been Attacked, What Now?– Ransomware and Social Media,” at the Minnesota Broadcasters Association Annual Meeting on October 5, 2021.

Cyberattacks are on the rise, and media companies are beginning to count themselves among the targets. What are the risks for broadcasters, and how can your company protect itself against an attack? A local PR agency will also present to discuss the impact of attacks on social media.

To register, click here.

The 2021 Housing Colorado Conference will gather affordable housing professionals for creative, inspiring, and thought-provoking education in Breckenridge, CO on October 13-15, 2021. The conference seeks to build from past successes to shape Colorado’s future – a future where all members of a community have access to safe, stable, and affordable housing.

Several Winthrop & Weinstine attorneys have been invited to participate in panel discussions at this year’s conference. For more information or to register, click here.

Affordable Housing Development – Building the Right Team

Jon Peterson will contribute to a panel discussion on October 13, 2021, about building the right development team for affordable housing projects.

Attendees will learn about the risks and rewards of real estate development and the key steps in the affordable housing development process from site selection and project feasibility to construction and operations. Attendees will understand project assessment, acquisition, finance, design, construction, project management, and how to assemble a development team.

Panelists

• Jon Peterson, Winthrop & Weinstine
• Adam Kleinmaus, SVA Certified Public Accountants, S.C.
• Mike Kendhammer, SVA Certified Public Accountants, S.C.
• Aaron Krasnow, RBC Capital Markets;

Approaching Year 15 for LIHTC

Christina Rieck Loukas and Quin Seiler will participate in a panel discussion, “Approaching Year 15 for LIHTC,” on October 14, 2021.

Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) properties must comply with Internal Revenue Service use restrictions for 15 years. LIHTC property owners face decisions as their tax-credit properties approach this time, called Year 15. Learn about the issues that can arise as LIHTC developments approach Year 15.

For more information on the conference or to register, click here.

Panelists

• Quin Seiler, Winthrop & Weinstine
• Christina Rieck Loukas, Winthrop & Weinstine
• Jeff Cunningham, RubinBrown LLP
• Maureen Reichart, RubinBrown LLP

Quin Seiler, Erin Mathern, Christina Rieck Loukas and Katie Cumming will present “How to Approach Year 15” at the National Conference of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials in Phoenix, AZ on October 7, 2021.

Year 15 of a LIHTC partnership can come with a number of potential opportunities and pitfalls. This session will cover how to prepare for and approach Year 15 so that it results in a smooth transition.

Click here to download the slides from the presentation.

Jessica Timmington Lindstrom joins a panel presentation hosted by the Ramsey County Bar Association Trusts & Estates Section. The panel, “Would We Free Britney? Minnesota Guardianship Law and the Conservatorship of Britney Spears,” will focus on the troubling and notorious case of the Conservatorship of Britney Spears by three professionals specializing in incapacity planning, guardianships and conservatorships.  Minnesota is held out as a model for being protective of the rights of persons subject to guardianship and conservatorship. This circus would never happen here – or would it? 

For more information or to register, click here.

Panelists

• Jessica Timmington Lindstrom, Attorney, Winthrop & Weinstine
• Megan C. Kelly, Attorney, Iverson Reuvers
• Kathleen Carlson, LSW, VOA-MN Center for Excellence in Supported Decision Making