The Professional Liability Fund is presenting, “Trust Accounting: Your Financial and Ethical Responsibilities,” on Thursday, May 12, 2011, in Tigard, Oregon.  Topics include:

Ethical Trust Accounting Procedures with Beverly Michaelis and Dee Crocker: 

• Setting Up a Lawyer Trust Account
• Selecting a Bank – ORPC 1.15-2(h)-(k)
• IOLTA Accounts – ORPC 1.15-2(b)
• Pooled Lawyer Trust Accounts – ORPC 1.15-2(c)(2)
• Interest Bearing Accounts for Specific Clients – ORPC 1.15-2(c)-(f)
• Key Trust Accounting Concepts
• Unearned Funds Belong in Trust – ORPC 1.15-1(c)
• Waiting for Funds to Clear – ORPC 1.15-1
• Accounting to the Client – ORPC 1.15-1(e)
• Earned on Receipt Fees – ORPC 1.5(c)(3); 1.15-1(c); OSB Op. No. 2005-151
• Remitting Unclaimed Funds – OSB Op. No. 2005-48, ORS 98.302 et seq.
• Avoiding Overdrafts – ORPC 1.15-2
• Safekeeping Property – ORPC 1.15-1(a)
• Proper Recordkeeping
• Tracking Funds – ORPC 1.15-1(e)
• Keeping a Paper Trail – ORPC 1.15-1(e)
• Reconciling the Account – ORPC 1.15-1(e)
• Retaining Records – ORPC 1.15-1(a)
• Implementing Safeguards
  • Protecting Client Funds from Embezzlement – ORPC 1.15-1

And a Q & A with Oregon State Bar General Counsel Helen Hierschbiel:

• Monitoring the IOLTA Account
• Setting Up Separate Interest-Bearing Accounts
• Accepting Credit Cards
• Responding to Fee Disputes, Garnishments, and Third Party Liens
• Investigating Embezzlement
• Accounting for Unidentified Funds
• Questions from the Audience 

This seminar will be held live and will also be available as a Webcast.

The live seminar will be held at the Oregon State Bar Center, 16037 SW Upper Boones Ferry Road, Tigard, Oregon.   Registration/check-in begins at 8:30 a.m.  The program will run from 9:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.  The fee for the live seminar is $10 per person.  The fee for the Webcast is $10 per person.

To print a registration form for the live seminar or for FAQs about Webcasts, go to www.osbplf.org, click on Upcoming Seminars, and select “Trust Accounting: Your Financial and Ethical Responsibilities.” If you are registering for the live seminar, mail your completed registration form with a check for $10 made payable to the PLF.  Click here to register for the Webcast. 

This seminar qualifies for 3.25 MCLE Ethics credits.  Registration deadline:  Monday, May 9, 2011. 

We hope to see you there!