Class recorded Janurary 5, 2022

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 hour general California participatory MCLE credit: After registration, a staff member will email you the course materials, an evaluation form, and your Certificate of Attendance (usually the next business day). Register first, then watch the recording to the end and answer the questions provided in the popup to verify your attendance.

Presented by Mina N. Sirkin:

Mina Sirkin is a certified Specialist in Probate, Estate Planning and Trust Law.  Mina’s primary practice involves trust and conservatorship litigation, as well as special needs trust planning. Licensed since 1992, Mina holds a JD from Whittier Law School and an LLM in Taxation from Golden Gate University Law School.  Mina has won the American Jurisprudence Award in Constitutional Law and was a winner of the California Tax Bar Scholarship. Mina has served as a media legal expert to CNN, CNBC, E!, Inside Edition, NPR and other outlets.  Mina has served as court appointed counsel for conservatees since 1994.  

Registration Fee: $20, Non-refundable.

Class recorded July 31, 2025

A motion for summary judgment or summary adjudication allows a party to obtain judgment in their favor for an entire case or part of a case. These motions are based entirely on written submissions and avoid the time, expense, and uncertainty of a trial. Learn how to determine whether a summary judgment motion might be appropriate in your case, how to bring one before a California state court, and how to respond when one is brought against you.

Class covers:

• When summary judgment and summary adjudication are appropriate
• Timing and notice requirements
• Requirements for submitting evidence
• How to respond to this type of motion

Registration fee: FREE

Presented by Ryan Metheny:

Ryan Metheny is the Managing Librarian, Legal Education at LA Law Library. After graduating from UCLA School of Law, Ryan practiced First Amendment law at a public interest firm in Berkeley. He then transitioned to librarianship to focus on his passions of research and education, and earned a master’s degree in library and information science from the University of Washington. When not on the reference desk, Ryan coordinates the educational programming at the law library, the law student internship program, and the Members Program. He also teaches legal research at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.

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. A staff member will email you the course materials (usually within one business day).

Video Recordings: We recognize that not everyone can attend in person classes, 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.

Class recorded December 1, 2021

Estate planning is the rare area of practice in which almost every person eventually needs, or should seek, legal assistance. It is also a growth area, as the Baby Boomer generation enters retirement and Millennials settle down to form permanent households. Attorneys looking to expand their practice or get more information about an essential topic should attend this introductory course.  

Class covers:

• Advanced Healthcare Directives
• Powers of Attorney (POAs): What they do and why clients need them
• Nominations of Conservator, including differences between conservatorship and POA
• Nominations of Guardian: why these are advisable for many clients
• Living Trusts vs. Wills: pros and cons, and when a client may need both

Earn 1 hour general California participatory MCLE credit: After registration, a staff member will email you the course materials, an evaluation form, and your Certificate of Attendance (usually the next business day). Register first, then watch the recording to the end and answer the questions provided in the popup to verify your attendance.

Presented by: James Holchin

Registration fee: $20

Non-refundable, payment reserves spot

Class recorded December 8, 2021

Law schools generally do not teach you how to run an efficient, streamlined, and profitable business – which is what a law office should be. In this class, get best practices to optimize your solo or small firm, decrease time spent on administrative tasks, and maximize client billable time.

Class covers:

• Effective case management
• Efficient client billing
• Error-free, streamlined calendaring
• Document retention
• Paperless or physical office solutions

Earn 1.0 hour general California participatory MCLE credit: After registration, a staff member will email you the course materials, an evaluation form, and your Certificate of Attendance (usually the next business day). Register first, then watch the recording to the end and answer the questions provided in the popup to verify your attendance.

Presented by Pamela Mims and Allison Gibson:

Pamela Mims is the Chief Efficiency Officer at Mims Business Consulting, which provides law office organizing & systemization services. She has 25+ years of experience in law office management including national firms O'Melveny & Myers, Loeb & Loeb, and Skadden Arps.

Allison Gibson is a Digital Office Specialist with Mims Consulting. Her work is focused on integrating software applications into daily office use for smoother workflows, process improvements and increased productivity.

Registration fee: $20

Non-refundable, payment reserves spot