Moderator, New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, "Sexual Harassment in Law Firms - A Law Office Management Program," New Brunswick, NJ

With all of the news about sexual harassment in Hollywood, the news media, and Congress, to name just a few, it is inevitable that harassment in other industries will come to light, including the legal industry. The climate in law firms can be especially complicated because they are owned and run by lawyers who work at the firm instead of a foreign or remote parent company or perhaps by executives or managers located in a different state. The people in power at law firms have close working relationships and are in close quarters with the people who work for them, making business and personal relationships more complicated.

This seminar is for law firm managers – whether from large firms or solo and small firm practitioners – to provide practical advice about how to protect their firms against sexual harassment claims. This is not a program about how to advise your clients, but rather a management program for law firms, about protecting your business. Experienced attorneys and law firm management will discuss the most important steps to take to prevent sexual harassment in firms, including policies and training programs that can help firms and their employees; how to identify potential problems; responding to internal complaints; and what to do if the firm faces a public accusation or law suit.