General counsel for Detroit professional sports teams, including Robert E. Carr, senior vice president of Operations & Legal Affairs for Olympia Entertainment and Detroit Red Wings general counsel; Jay Colvin, senior vice president of Legal Affairs and general counsel, Detroit Lions; Richard Haddad, vice president and general counsel at Palace Sports & Entertainment and Detroit Pistons; and Amy Peterson, Detroit Tigers associate counsel; will discuss hot topics in professional sports at a luncheon on Oct. 21 during the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Fall Conference at the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel.
In addition, the division will launch its 2016-17 public service project, Access to Education, at simultaneous events at Detroit Delta Preparatory Academy for Social Justice and Cass Technical High School in Detroit on Friday, Oct. 21.
Program highlights include:
Friday, Oct. 21
"Justice for Flint: The Failures, Lessons Learned and Next Steps" - Panelists, including Oday Salim of the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center, discussion will explore the violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act in Flint, Mich., the ensuing litigation and the long-term health consequences of lead exposure on children. Panelists will discuss the dozens of lawsuits filed against municipalities, public officials and corporations and the likely results, and the violations of the Lead and Copper Rule and legal and regulatory revisions being pursued by the EPA to prevent another Flint.
"Gender Identity, Title IX and K-12 Education: Hot Topics and Current Litigation" - As litigation heats up in North Carolina and elsewhere regarding gender identity, Title IX and education, a panel of experts will explore the legal theories behind this litigation and provide updates on the current state of litigation. On the policy side, this panel will discuss the variety of school policy on gender identity and the implications of those policies on youth.
"Data Breaches and Cybersecurity: Are You Ready?" - This panel will explore the ethical facets and litigation issues in both the domestic and international legal landscape that arise from today's advanced technology (including the use of cloud storage) in order to avoid litigation or, at a minimum, to be prepared for future litigation and possible data breaches.
"Lessons from Detroit: Municipal Bankruptcy and its Implications on City and Local Government Operations" - The city of Detroit is home to one of the biggest municipal bankruptcies in U.S. history seeking relief from its estimated $18 billion of debt. Its insolvency presented difficult legal, financial and political issues and conflicts; most notably, competing claims of public employee pensions and bond holders, city contracts and municipal operations. What have we learned from the Detroit bankruptcy and how the case has impacted future municipal bankruptcies? The panel of experts will also explore the impact of Chapter 9 bankruptcies on municipal operations as well as city and state contracts. Further, the panel will discuss the recent Puerto Rico Supreme Court decision and Puerto Rico's restructuring efforts, Atlantic City, N.J., and other city insolvency issues.
Saturday, Oct. 22
"Racial Justice: Prosecutorial Discretion in the Wake of Public Outcry" - In the light of recent headlines, panelists, including Daniel L. Lemisch, first assistant U.S. attorney in Detroit, discuss whether there should be an increased emphasis on investigating and prosecuting police officers and in what circumstances the same should be pursued.
"Literacy: Is it a Right or a Privilege?" - For many years, students and administrators in Detroit Public Schools have witnessed declining enrollment, low standardized test scores and school spending issues that have left students without proper access to quality public school education. In September, Public Counsel, a California public interest law firm, filed a class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan to establish a constitutional right to basic literacy. A panel of Detroit attorneys and national leaders in educational equity will discuss the legal theories presented in the case and explain why the Constitution should recognize a basic right to literacy.
"LGBTQ Family Law Considerations and Practice Tips" - In a post-marriage equality world, the LGBTQ community continues to have unique issues. The question of marriage, domestic partnership or other types of relationship recognition, as dictated by the individual state, can be complex. This program will discuss the ramifications of the marriage equality decision on LGBT Family Law practitioners, including tax issues related thereto.
Published: Wed, Oct 19, 2016
