Wednesday, March 21, 2018
12:15 p.m. — 1:15 p.m.

As the population ages and more elders live alone, attorneys deal increasingly with the problems of capacity and undue influence. Clients in the areas of trusts and estates, probate, family law, and general civil litigation may present serious legal issues arising from a lack of decision-making capacity or the undue influence of a third party. Learn how to assess and resolve these issues.

Class covers:

• How capacity is assessed
• California’s new statutory framework for determining undue influence
• Client interview techniques
• Civil remedies available to victims of undue influence
• When to seek conservatorship, alternatives to conservatorship, and restraining orders

Earn 1.0 hour general MCLE credit.

Presented by Janet R. Morris, Esq.:
Before founding Janet R. Morris, Esq. Elder Care Consulting, Janet worked in elder care for over 30 years at Bet Tzedek Legal Services, a non-profit legal services corporation in Los Angeles. Janet’s passionate advocacy for abused and neglected elders and dependent adults compelled her to establish Bet Tzedek’s Caregiver and Elder Justice units, both of which serve families who are navigating the difficult decisions of elder care. She frequently trains judges, doctors, lawyers, social workers, and other professionals in areas including legal and financial planning, capacity and decision-making, and elder and dependent adult abuse.

No legal advice:
LA Law Library provides access to legal resources and assistance with legal research. LA Law Library does not provide legal advice. For legal advice, you should consult an attorney.

Registration fees: $35 for the class
Non-refundable, payment reserves spot
Parking options available during online registration for an additional fee

Wednesday, March 21, 2018
12:15 p.m. — 1:15 p.m.

As the population ages and more elders live alone, attorneys deal increasingly with the problems of capacity and undue influence. Clients in the areas of trusts and estates, probate, family law, and general civil litigation may present serious legal issues arising from a lack of decision-making capacity or the undue influence of a third party. Learn how to assess and resolve these issues.

Class covers:

• How capacity is assessed
• California’s new statutory framework for determining undue influence
• Client interview techniques
• Civil remedies available to victims of undue influence
• When to seek conservatorship, alternatives to conservatorship, and restraining orders

Earn 1.0 hour general MCLE credit.

Presented by Janet R. Morris, Esq.:
Before founding Janet R. Morris, Esq. Elder Care Consulting, Janet worked in elder care for over 30 years at Bet Tzedek Legal Services, a non-profit legal services corporation in Los Angeles. Janet’s passionate advocacy for abused and neglected elders and dependent adults compelled her to establish Bet Tzedek’s Caregiver and Elder Justice units, both of which serve families who are navigating the difficult decisions of elder care. She frequently trains judges, doctors, lawyers, social workers, and other professionals in areas including legal and financial planning, capacity and decision-making, and elder and dependent adult abuse.

No legal advice:
LA Law Library provides access to legal resources and assistance with legal research. LA Law Library does not provide legal advice. For legal advice, you should consult an attorney.

Registration fees: $35 for the class
Non-refundable, payment reserves spot
Parking options available during online registration for an additional fee

Tuesday, May 15, 2018
6:30 p.m. — 7:30 p.m.

The loss of federal tax-exempt status can be disastrous for a nonprofit. Yet, status can be lost due to relatively minor clerical errors that can occur in under-resourced or otherwise troubled nonprofit organizations. In this class, learn how to help your nonprofit clients mitigate the impact of the loss of federal tax-exempt status and effectively seek reinstatement from the IRS.

Class covers:

• How federal tax exempt status can be lost
• Impact of loss on nonprofit operations
• Planning during lapse to mitigate impact and ensure nonprofit's survival
• How to seek reinstatement of federal tax-exemption: procedure and strategy

Earn 1.0 hour general MCLE credit.

Presented by Louis E. Michelson and Barbara Fortson:

Louis E. Michelson focuses his practice on income tax planning, charitable giving and other federal, state and local taxation issues. He advises public charities, private foundations, religious and educational organizations, and others on issues of formation, management, joint ventures, planned giving and board governance. He has served as Chair of the Taxation Section of the Los Angeles County Bar and the Tax-Exempt Organizations Committee of the Taxation Section of the State Bar.

Barbara Fortson has practiced law for over 20 years in the United States and Europe, as a transactional attorney, litigator and nonprofit general counsel. After working at large international firms, she transitioned to commit full-time to charitable causes in 2001, working with Catholic Charities and International Medical Corps. Recognizing the substantial need of nonprofits for competent and specialized legal services, Ms. Fortson opened her own law practice in 2016.

No legal advice:
LA Law Library provides access to legal resources and assistance with legal research. LA Law Library does not provide legal advice. For legal advice, you should consult an attorney.

Registration fees: $35 for the class
Non-refundable, payment reserves spot
Parking options available during online registration for an additional fee

Class recorded January 04, 2024

For updated information on e-filing and filing court documents in-person during COVID-19, please click here. If your case is being heard in California state superior court, please be sure to visit your court’s website for the most recent updates. L.A. Superior Court’s website is here.

A civil lawsuit starts with the filing and service of a written complaint; the defendant must then file an answer or other response. These are called pleadings, and they set the stage for all that comes afterward in the lawsuit. In this class, learn how to prepare, file, serve and respond to civil case pleadings in California state court.

Class covers:

• Is filing a lawsuit a good idea?
• Identifying possible legal theories
• Drafting the complaint
• Service of summons and complaint
• Answers and other responsive pleadings

Course Materials: If you would like to receive a copy of the course materials for any of the classes, including any PowerPoint used, please register at the Register Now! button for the class, provided below.

Video Recordings: But we recognize that not everyone can attend in person, so even if you can't make it in, please watch any of these recordings and remember that we are still here to help! Call us at (213) 785-2513, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or chat with us online to get help finding information and resources on any legal (or not-quite-legal) question. Access to the video recordings is free.

Dated Material: Please note that the law changes. The original recording date for each class is provided on the display page. To be certain that you receive up-to-date information, please attend the in-person class, or contact us for help researching or updating your specific legal issue.

LA Law Library does not provide legal advice:
LA Law Library does not provide legal advice. LA Law Library provides legal resources and assistance with legal research as an educational service. The information presented in this program is not legal advice and is provided solely as an educational service to our patrons. For legal advice, you should consult an attorney.