Litigation: Determining Economic Damages Through Rehabilitation Economics
Speaker:  Ronald T. Smolarski, M.A., Beacon Rehabilitation

Business: Intellectual Property – “Trade Secrets & Napster Issues”
Speaker: Michael Tucci, Esq., Kahn Kleinman, L.P.A.

Stress Management
Speaker:  Claudia Taller, Paralegal, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey

Litigation: Forensics for Lawyers and Paralegals
Speakers: Gary Derian, P.E.- Mechanical Engineer; Bartley J. Eckhardt, P. E.-Marine & Mechanical Engineer;
 Mari S. Truman-Biomedical & Biomechanical Engineer; Mark Williams, A.I.A., NCARB – Architect

Aging, Disability & Special Needs Trusts
Speakers:   Sandra J. Buzney, Esq. and Mary B. McKee, Esq., Hickman & Lowder Co. L.P.A.

 Business: Corporate Governance and Section 16 Filings
Speaker: Mark Brinkman, CT Consultants

 Employment Law
Speaker:  Todd Lebowitz, Esq., Baker & Hostetler

 Mass Tort Litigation
Speakers: Irene Yakovlevich and Deborah Rossman, Paralegals, Climaco, Lefkowitz, Peca Wilcox and Garofoli L.P.A

Dynasty Trusts
Speaker:  Missia Vaselaney, Esq., Kahn, Kleinman L.P.A.

Environmental Law and Due Diligence
Speaker: John Tillman, Alcan Aluminum

Corporate Mediation/ADR
Speakers: Richard Edmister, Esq. and Anne Rosenthal, Paralegal, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey 

Please visit our vendors!!! 

Cleveland Association of Paralegals’ Annual Seminar and Meeting 2004

2004 CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION SEMINAR AND ANNUAL MEETING

 Friday, June 4, 2004

Registration: 
Click Here for Credit Card Registration



Click Here for Mail-in Registration
REGISTRATION FORM
 

 FIRST 25 REGISTRANTS WILL RECEIVE A COMPLIMENTARY CAP COFFEE MUG!

ATTENTION STUDENTS!!

Join the Cleveland Association of Paralegals on June 4, 2004 and receive FREE admission to the seminar!!!

Applications for membership can be picked up at the registration table

** Student rates are for persons currently enrolled in a paralegal studies course.
Please attach a copy of your current student I.D. with the registration form in order to qualify for this rate.

Get your CAP portfolio!   Supplies are limited!!  Cost is $15.00 each.

Portfolios can be purchased at the registration table

For directions to Ursuline College, please contact Anne Lukas at alukas@ursuline.edu or 440-449-5403.

Annual Seminar Committee

Ann-Marie Pare, Cherie Fortune, Claudia Taller, Dennis Foster,

Anne Lukas, Esq., Dawn Madison, Anne Rosenthal, Cecily Samplak

Withdrawals and Refunds:
A refund of 100% will be given for any request received in writing by May 25, 2004.

 Cancellation:
The Cleveland Association of Paralegals, Inc. reserves the right to cancel any of the sessions due to insufficient registration.
Cleveland Association of Paralegals’ Annual Seminar and Meeting 2004

2004 CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION SEMINAR AND ANNUAL MEETING

FACULTY

Ronald T. Smolarski, President of Beacon Rehabilitation Services, Inc., is trained and certified as a Work / Functional Capacity Evaluator (Certified Disability Examiner II) and in Life Care Planning (C.L.C.P.), and is a Certified Earnings Analyst/Rehabilitation Economist, Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (C.R.C.), Licensed Professional Counselor, and Certified Case Manager. Mr. Smolarski is also certified in Vocational Evaluation and has provided Economic Loss of Earning Capacity Evaluations (future value and present value), and Medical Case Management for a variety of clients, including Plaintiff and Defense attorneys, employers, trust accounts and insurance companies.  In addition, he is a Diplomate of the American Board of Medical Psychotherapists and Psychodiagnosticians, a member of the International Academy of Life Care Planners, a member of the National Association of Disability Evaluating Professionals, a member of the American Rehabilitation Economics Association, as well as the Individual Case Management Society of America, the Human Factors and Ergonomic Society, and the Council for Exceptional Children.   Mr. Smolarski also holds a position on the editorial board for the Journal of Forensic Vocational Analysis, the Journal of Forensic Vocationology, and the Caregiver Education Guide for Children with Developmental Disabilities.

 Michael Tucci, Esq.,  practices corporate and intellectual property law at Kahn Kleinman in Cleveland. Prior to joining Kahn Kleinman, Michael practiced for five years at the Cleveland office of Jones Day. Michael received his undergraduate degree in finance from Capital University (B.A. summa cum laude) and his law degree at Case Western University School of Law (J.D. magna cum laude), where he was the managing editor of the Law Review. Michael is an adjunct faculty member of Ursuline College's Legal Studies Program and the Case Western University School of Law where he teaches classes in Intellectual Property and Technology Transactions. He also is Chairman of the Scholarship Committee, of the Advisory Council at Ursuline College.

 Claudia Taller is a Senior Paralegal with Squire, Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P., where she specializes in corporate and real estate transactions.  She has over twenty years of legal experience, and has served in many positions within the Cleveland Association of Paralegals, including President, Newsletter Editor, and Business Law Coordinator.  She has also served on the Advisory Board for several local paralegal programs, taught Business Organizations in the Paralegal Program at Notre Dame College of Ohio, and has given presentations at seminars of the Cleveland Association of Paralegals, the Cuyahoga Bar Association, and various colleges.  Additionally, Ms. Taller is a corporate columnist for Legal Assistant Today magazine and writes on the important things in life for her church newsletter.  She also leads spiritual and writing retreats.   Ms. Taller received her Bachelor’s Degree in English from Kent State University, and obtained a Paralegal Certificate from Myers University.

 Gary Derian, P.E.- Mechanical Engineer; Gary’s expertise covers the design, operation and production of all components of road vehicles including motorcycles and light trucks.  Gary is also expert in automotive electronics, electrical systems, vehicle dynamics, safety equipment, tires, brakes, steering and the interaction and tuning of these systems.  Gary performs vehicle crash reconstruction and vehicle component defect analysis.

 Bartley J. Eckhardt, P. E.-Marine & Mechanical Engineer; Bart is a marine and mechanical engineer who has decades of experience.  His experience is specialized mechanical engineering related to design, test and validation of machinery, products and systems for pharmaceutical, marine, power, food, biotechnology and petrochemical applications.  Bart served as an engineer in the U.S. Merchant Marine on ocean-going tugboats and an oil exploration drill ship.  He taught marine engineering including machine shop and designed, built and tested hundreds of turnkey system and machines.  Bart also is with the Ohio Mountain Bike Patrol and works on many bike related cases.

 Mari S. Truman-Biomedical & Biomechanical Engineer; Mari is a biomedical engineer, with a special interest in skeletal biomechanics and medical devices.  She is expert in the design and development of orthopedic implant and instrumentation systems.  Mari can determine if a medical device procedure failure is related to surgeon installation issues, manufacturing defects, design defects, or inappropriate use issues.  She frequently works with our other experts to reconstruct and explain injury mechanisms and injury events such as motor vehicle collisions, falls, blunt trauma, sports related injuries, industrial amputations, and burns.

 Mark Williams, A.I.A., NCARB - Mark is a licensed architect registered in five states and a member of BOCA Int., CSI and ASTM.  He investigates premises liability cases such as slips, trips and falls, improper design and construction, compliance with codes and regulations and professional liability issues.  He is a specialist in the inspection of high-rise buildings and façade restoration.

 Mary Bresnicky McKee, Esq., practices Social Security Disability and elder law.  Ms. McKee graduated from Yale University magna cum laude in 1982 and from Notre Dame Law School in 1985.  Her experience includes working for a state consumer protection agency in Boston and for a federal occupational safety and health (OSHA) review commission in Washington, D.C.  Ms. McKee is a member of the bar in five states, including Ohio.  She resides in Lorain County with her husband and three young children, one of whom has Down Syndrome.

 Sandra J. Buzney, Esq., graduated with honors from the Case Western Reserve University School of Law in May 1999.  She was named the second place winner of the 1999 Elaine Osborne Jacobson Award for Women in Health Care Law, a national award of the Roscoe Pound Foundation.   During law school, Ms. Buzney worked as a law clerk at the Older Persons Law Office of the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland and at this firm.  She is also a Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) in Ohio with experience working with elderly and chronically ill individuals and their families, and is a Board Member for Adult Guardianship Services.   Ms. Buzney focuses her practice in the areas of elder law, probate, Medicaid consultation, and estate planning.

 Mark Brinkman is the Account Executive for CT Corporation and manages CT's customer accounts in Northern Ohio. He has been with CT for 9 years, the past 6 years in Cleveland. Mr. Brinkman has previously worked in CT's Columbus, Ohio and Atlanta, Georgia offices. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University and has a paralegal certificate from Capital University Law School.

 Todd Lebowitz, Esq., is an associate with Baker & Hostetler, and practices in the area of labor and employment law, focusing primarily on employment litigation. He has defended employers, large and small, against claims of discrimination (including sex, race, age, national origin, and disability), retaliation, sexual and racial harassment, and breach of contract.  Mr. Lebowitz received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in 1993 and graduated cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School in 1997.  Mr. Lebowitz has litigated in federal and state courts, at both the trial and appellate levels, and has represented clients before various administrative bodies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. He has defended his clients’ interests in alternative forms of dispute resolution as well, including arbitrations and mediations.  Mr. Lebowitz also counsels clients on ways to avoid litigation and improve employee relations. This aspect of his practice includes advising employers on all aspects of federal and state employment law, including hiring and termination practices, employee discipline, interviewing, employee handbooks, drug testing, anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies, background checks, and employee safety.

Irene Yakovlevich  has been working as a paralegal since approximately 1994, and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources and Paralegal Certificate from Notre Dame College in 1996.  She has experience in Litigation (Mass Tort, Class Action, Product Liability, Insurance, Environmental), Corporate, and Government Relations.  Ms. Yakovlevich is currently employed as a Paralegal at the law firm of Climaco, Lefkowitz, Peca, Wilcox & Garofoli Co. L.P.A. in the Mass Tort and Litigation Department.  Irene is Region III Director of the National Federation of Paralegal Associations and individual member of the Cleveland Association of Paralegals.  As Region III Director, she has presented at the 2003 Leadership Conference and at the Michigan Paralegal Association Board Meeting.  She has also served as the Secondary Representation and NFPA Host Coordinator for the 2002 Annual Convention for CAP.  Ms. Yakovlevich has served on Notre Dame College’s Paralegal Program Advisory Committee and Mentoring Committees, and is currently involved with Anne L. Lukas, Director of the Ursuline College Paralegal Program. 

 Deborah Rossman is a Paralegal at Climaco Lefkowitz Peca Wilcox and Garofoli L.P.A. where she focuses on Litigation and Multi-District Litigation work in Mass Torts/Personal Injury practice with focus of medical malpractice, defective pharmaceuticals and medical devices.  Ms. Rossman previously worked at Hickman-Lowder Co. L.P.A. as a paralegal in the Elder Law and Disability Law practice areas.  She is a Magna Cum Laude Graduate of the University of Akron with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and has experience in library work at both Westlake Porter Public Library and Thompson Hine.  Ms. Rossman is an active member of the Cleveland Association of Paralegals (CAP) and previously served on the CAP Board of Directors as the Director of Finance.

 Missia Vaselaney, Esq.,  is a Partner with the law firm Kahn, Kleinman focusing her practice on estate planning for business owners and individuals.  In 2002, Ms. Vaselaney became an OSBA Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law.  She is a featured speaker both nationally and state-wide on estate planning matters on behalf of banks, brokerage firms and other professional associations.  Ms. Vaselaney has eighteen years of experience as a practicing attorney and CPA (currently inactive).  Ms. Vaselaney is a former Trustee for the Catholic Charities Corporation (1994-2002) and is a member of the Development Advisory Board for the Sisters of Notre Dame.  She is a on the Advisory Board for the American Lung Association of Northeast Ohio and she is a Member of the State Board for the American Lung Association of Ohio.  Ms. Vaselaney is a member of the American, Ohio, Cleveland and Cuyahoga County Bar Associations.  She was past chair of the Cleveland Bar Association's Estate Planning and Probate Section.  Ms. Vaselaney is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and has been a member of the Steering Committee for the AICPA's National Advanced Estate Planning Conference since 2001.  She is a member of the Estate Planning Council of Cleveland and a former Trustee.

 John Tillman, Esq., is Associate Counsel for Alcan Corporation’s Law Department in Cleveland, Ohio.  Alcan is part of the Alcan Inc. group of companies, a multinational global leader in primary and fabricated aluminum, flexible and specialty packaging and aerospace applications.  His trial and litigation practice is focussed in the areas of environmental law, health & safety, employment and transportation law.  Formerly with Arter & Hadden, he holds a J.D. from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law where he served as Managing Editor, Cleveland-Marshall Law Review, and received the American Jurisprudence Award in Property, the William K. Gardner Award in Civil Procedure and ranked first in legal writing, research and advocacy.  His court admissions include Ohio (1989) and New York (1997) state bars; the US Supreme Court (1996); Second (2001), Third (1996) Fourth (2002) and Eleventh (2003) Federal Circuit Courts of Appeals; US District Court, Northern District Ohio (1990); US District Court, Northern District New York (1997).

 Anne Rosenthal is currently employed as a litigation paralegal with Squire Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P. and received her paralegal certificate from Notre Dame College in 2001. She graduated from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio in May, 1979 with a Bachelors of Science degree.  Anne began her paralegal career in 1998 as a Legal Assistant with Eaton Corporation’s Law Department.  She has six years experience in a variety of practice areas including commercial disputes, employment, environmental, intellectual property, antitrust and medical malpractice.  Anne has served on the Board of Directors for Cleveland Association of Paralegals for several years as Secretary, Vice President and NFPA Secondary Delegate. 

 Richard Edmister, Esq. graduated from Georgetown Law School, JD 1966; Ohio State University, BS Mechanical Engineering 1962.  Mr. Edmister currently serves as Chairman, Westlake Board of Zoning Appeals, Vice Chairman Cleveland Bar Assn ADR Committee, Editorial Board Co-Chairman, Construction Business Review Magazine, Master, American Inn of Court. Formerly; President of the Westlake Soccer Association, Chairman of National Constructors Association’s General Counsel Committee, Chairman of Cleveland Bar Association’s Corporate Counsel Committee and Corporate Acquisition Seminar, Secretary of Home Owners Association. Registered Professional Engineer.  At present, he is a Commercial Arbitrator/Mediator specializing in complex commercial disputes, Mediated construction, property damage, computer software, intellectual property, and personal injury disputes.  In addition, Mr. Edmister has served as Cuyahoga and Lorain County Courts of Common Pleas Arbitration Panelist, Cuyahoga County Court Business Mediator, American Arbitration Association Neutral and member of the Construction Advisory Board, Federal Court ADR Mediator for Northern District of Ohio, and CPR Panel of Distinguished Neutrals. Training includes American Arbitration Association’s Mediation I & II and Arbitration I & II, Federal Court Mediator Training and advanced mediation course, and Arbitration Training Course Advisor, Cuyahoga Common Pleas Court.

Cleveland Association of Paralegals’ Annual Seminar and Meeting 2004