Agenda 2025

Monday, February 3 — Debtor/Creditor

Planners:

  • Kellie Emerson, Chapter 13 Trustee
  • Jonathan Horton, Wright Lindsey & Jennings
  • Mary-Tipton Thalheimer, Rose Law Firm
  • Amanda Pace, Chapter 13 Trustee

CLE: 3 General hours

1:25pm

Welcome

1:30am –2:30pm

What Should I Know from a Law Clerk's Perspective

  • Laura Westbrook, Staff Attorney for Judge Phyllis M. Jones, United States Bankruptcy Court Eastern & Western Districts of Arkansas

    2:30pm – 3:30pm

    Marijuana Cases

    • Judge Ben T. Berry, United States Bankruptcy Court Eastern & Western Districts of Arkansas

    3:30pm – 4:30pm

    Judges Panel

    • Judge Richard D. Taylor, United States Bankruptcy Court Eastern & Western Districts of Arkansas

    4:30pm – 5:30pm

    Happy Hour

      Tuesday, February 4 — Debtor/Creditor

      Planners:

      • Kellie Emerson, Office of Mark T. McCarty
      • Jonathan Horton
      • Mary-Tipton Thalheimer, Rose Law Firm
      • Amanda Pace Welch, Office of Jack W. Gooding Chapter 13 Trustee

      CLE: 5 General +1 Ethics hour

      8:25am 

      Welcome

      8:30am – 9:00am

      Clerk and UST Updates

      • Linda McCormack, United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern & Western Districts of Arkansas
      • Patricia Stanley, Assistant United States Trustee

      9:00am – 10:00am

      Student Loans

      • Bruce Ralston, Ralston Buchanan Consumer Law Group

      10:00am – 10:15am

      Break

      10:15am – 11:15am

      Ethics

      • J. Douglas Cortes, J.D., LL.M, Director of Business Innovations Clinic,  William H. Bowen School of Law 

      11:15am – 11:45am

      TBD

      11:45am – 1:00pm

      Lunch (Provided)

      Annual Section Meeting - 12:45pm - 1:00pm

      1:00pm – 2:00pm

      Chapter 7 Trustee Panel

      • Jack W. Gooding, Chapter 13 Trustee
      • M. Randy Rice, Chapter 7 Trustee

      2:00pm – 3:00pm

      Caselaw Updates

      • TBD

      3:00pm – 3:15pm

      Break

      3:15pm – 4:15pm

      Creditors Panel

      • Branch T. Fields, Lax, Vaughan, Forston, Rowe & Threet, PA,
      • Christopher A. McNulty, Rose Law Firm

      Wednesday, February 5 — Track One: Tax Law

      Planners:

      • Hannah Van Horn, RMP LLP (Little Rock)
      • Jessica Witherspoon, Davidson Law Firm

      CLE: 6 General Hours 

      8:25am

      Welcome

      8:30am – 9:30am

      TBD

      • Jason Thomas, Frost PLLC
        9:30am – 10:30am

        Tax Controversy/Tax Collection (Federal and Arkansas) 

        • Petra Bailey, Wingfield & Corry, PA
        • Nicolas Corry, Wingfield & Corry, PA

        10:30am – 10:45am

        Break

        10:45am – 11:45am

        Estate Tax Planning

        • Jessica Witherspoon, Davidson Law Firm

          11:45am – 1:00pm

          Lunch (Provided)

          Annual Section Meeting - 12:45pm – 1:00pm

           1:00pm – 2:00pm

          Estate and Trust Litigation

          • Tim Hutchinson, Attorney, RMP LLP

          2:00pm – 3:00pm

          Estate Tax Planning 

          • Jessica Witherspoon, Davidson Law Firm

          3:00pm  – 3:15pm

          Break

          3:15pm – 4:15pm

          Charitable Giving

          • Tony Hilliard, Senior Director of Charitable Giving at University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

           

          Wednesday, February 7 — Track Two: Construction Law

          Planners:

          • JB Cross, Newland & Associates, PLLC
          • Price Feland. Pinnacle Structures, Inc.
          • Devon Kalkbrenner, Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C.

          CLE: 6 General Hours

          8:20am

          Introduction and Welcome

            

          8:30am – 9:30am

          Assignments of Accounts Receivable

          • Allison Gladden, Attorney, Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C.
            9:30am – 10:30am

            Storm Water Permitting For Construction Projects  

            • Jordan Wimpy, Attorney, Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C.

            10:30am – 10:45am

            Break

            10:45am – 11:45am

            Construction Insurance

            • Cash McMillen, Cashion Co.

              11:45am – 1:00pm

              Lunch (Provided)

              Annual Section Meeting - 12:45pm - 1:00pm



              1:00pm –2:00pm

              OSHA Updates

              • John Wolfe, Compliance Assistance Specialist, U.S. Department of Labor - OSHA

              2:00pm – 3:00pm

              Lessons Learned 

              • James D. Lawson, Administrator/Executive Director, Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board

              3:00pm – 3:15pm

              Break

              3:15pm – 4:15pm

              Equal Employment Rights of Women in the Construction Industry

              • Jennifer Bearden, Trial Attorney, EEOC
              • Maryna Jackson, Trial Attorney, EEOC
              • Gary Sullivan, Assistant Regional Attorney, EEOC

                Wednesday, February 5 — Track Three: Paralegal 

                Planners:

                • Paula Adams, RP, Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C
                • Tiffini Evans, Paralegal, Friday, Eldredge & Clark, LLP
                • Monique Fleming, Paralegal, Friday, Eldredge & Clark, LLP
                • Katie Wilson, Legal Assistant, Hyden, Miron & Foster, PLLC

                8:30am

                Welcome

                8:35am – 9:35am

                Debtor/Creditor

                • Heather Martin-Herron
                  9:35am – 10:05am

                  Elder Law 

                  • Brittany Edwards

                  10:05am – 10:35am

                  Elder Law

                  • Tammera Harrelson

                  10:35am – 10:50am

                  Break

                    10:50am – 11:50am

                    Tax Law

                    • Dustin Johnson

                    11:50am – 12:50pm

                    Probate & Trust Law

                    • Lori Holzworth

                    Thursday, February 8, 2024 — Probate & Trust Law Track

                    Planners:

                    • David Bingham, Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C.
                    • Caleb Hollinger, Friday, Eldredge & Clark LLP
                      Leon Jones, Pinnacle Legacy Law

                    CLE: 5 General hours + 1 Ethics hour

                    Sponsor: Simmons Bank Private Wealth

                    8:23am

                    Introduction and Welcome

                    • Probate and Trust Section Leadership
                    8:30am – 9:30am

                    Powers of Appointment 

                    • Jordan Sharp, Friday, Eldredge & Clark LLP
                    9:30am – 10:30am

                    In Terrorem Clauses in Arkansas

                    • Brady Brown, Rose Law Firm and 
                    • Luke E. Vance, Rose Law Firm
                    10:30am – 10:45am

                    Break

                    10:45am – 11:45am

                    TBA

                    11:45pm – 1:00pm

                    Lunch Sponsored by Simmons Bank Private Wealth

                    12:45pm – 1:00pm

                    Section Meeting

                      

                    1:00pm – 2:00pm

                    TBA

                      2:00pm – 3:00pm

                      TBA

                      3:00pm – 3:15pm

                      Break

                      3:15pm – 4:15pm

                      TBA

                      Join us for the YLS Reception at The Flying Saucer
                      on Thursday starting at 5:30 pm!

                      323 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock, AR 72201

                      Friday, February 7, 2024 — Elder Law Track 

                      Planner:

                      • Ashley Stepps, Rippy, Stepps & Associates

                      CLE: 5 General hours + 1 Ethics hour

                      8:25am 

                      Welcome

                      8:30am - 10:30am

                      Planning for Inherited Retirement Accounts in 2025 

                      • Professor Chris Hoyt, University of Missouri (Kansas City) School of Law

                      Sponsored by Probate/Trust, Tax, and Elder Law Sections

                        

                      10:30am - 10:45am

                      Break

                      10:45am - 11:45am

                      Retirement Assets for First and Second Marriages: Let the Fun Begin

                      • Professor Chris Hoyt, University of Missouri (Kansas City) School of Law

                      Sponsored by Probate/Trust, Tax, and Elder Law Sections

                      11:45am – 1:00pm

                      Lunch (Provided)

                      Annual Section Meeting - 12:45pm - 1:00pm
                      1:00pm - 2:00pm

                      Legacy Leverage: Strategic Charitable Giving with DAFs and QCDs 

                      • Ashley Riggan Coldiron, Arkansas Community Foundation
                      • Heather Larkin, Arkansas Community Foundation 
                      2:00pm - 3:00pm

                      Does Elder Law + Flat Fees = An Ethics Nightmare? 

                      • Lisa Shoalmire, Ross & Shoalmire, PLLC
                      3:00pm - 3:15pm

                      Break

                      3:15pm – 4:15pm

                      Elder Law and Order: Managing Your Practice without Losing Your Mind 

                      • Steven McClelland, McClelland Law Firm, P.A.