Seminars

Thomson, Rhodes & Cowie is committed to being an active partner with its clients for the purpose of helping clients manage risks and prevent litigation. For those reasons, the firm’s attorneys frequently sponsor and participate in presentations, lectures and in-service programs designed to keep clients informed on the state of the law and provide practical advice on numerous transactional and litigation issues. Examples of such programs, seminars, training and education sessions include the following:

Legal Implications of Barge Breakaways
Terminal operator and towing company duties and consequences of barge breakaway incidents.

Employment Law Update
Harassment and Discrimination in the modern workplace. Management of leaves, Absenteeism, and substance abuse. New FLSA Regulations. Employee Privacy and Lawful investigations. Termination issues. Pittsburgh, PA.

Mediating Sexual Harassment Cases
Pennsylvania Bar Institute, full-day seminar addressing numerous alternative dispute resolution topics, including mediating sexual harassment cases.

FMLA, ADA, ERISA, Productivity and Psychological Issues
The Employer’s Perspective and The Employee’s Perspective When Addressing Disabilities in the Workplace. Seminar presented to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Allegheny District Chapter, addressing numerous issues facing employers and employees when addressing serious health conditions or disabilities in the workplace.

The Nuts & Bolts of the Medical Malpractice Case
Pennsylvania Bar Institute Seminar that addresses the stages of a medical malpractice case from pre-trial suit evaluation through opening statements. Additionally, the seminar will discuss the latest updates on new provisions of the MCARE Act, as well as what is needed to be in compliance with HIPAA. Pittsburgh, PA.

Medicaid, Medicare and Medical Assistance in Pennsylvania
Full-day healthcare seminar for attorneys, CEOs, office managers, healthcare providers, accountants and compliance officers. The federal and state governments and third-party payors are concentrating significant resources on the prosecution of healthcare fraud. This seminar assists healthcare providers and their representatives in understanding the regulatory framework and the industry rules and policies under which operate. Pittsburgh, PA.

Medical Peer Review – Protection and Pitfalls
In-service presentation to the medical staff of Dubois Regional Medical Center. The seminar dealt with peer review protection under the Pennsylvania Peer Review Act, Act 13 (M-Care Act) and sentinel event reporting requirements of JCAHO.

Medicaid, Medicare and Medical Assistance in Pennsylvania
Full-day healthcare seminar for attorneys, CEOs, office managers, healthcare providers, accountants and compliance officers. The federal and state governments and third-party payors are concentrating significant resources on the prosecution of healthcare fraud. This seminar assists healthcare providers and their representatives in understanding the regulatory framework and the industry rules and policies under which operate. Pittsburgh, PA.

Pennsylvania Bar Institute: Trial of a Medical Malpractice case
Innovative full-day seminar on procedural, tactical and substantive issues involved in trying a medical malpractice case. In addition to TRC’s participation, the seminar includes participation by distinguished physician, judge and mock jury. Pittsburgh, PA.

U.S. EEOC Technical Assistance Program Seminar
Full-day employment seminar dealing with the freedom to compete initiative, best employer practices, and latest developments in EEO laws and best practices. Panelist for two break-out sessions on topic of “Problem Solving Through Facilitative Mediation.”

The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men… What Not to Assume About an Employer’s Preparation for Mediation
Seminar presented to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Best Management Practices to Promote Fairness and Avoid Lawsuits
Seminar presented to Western Pennsylvania Cemetery Association.

Employees with Disabilities and Serious Health Conditions: New Opportunities and New Challenges for Employers and Employees
Seminar presented to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Allegheny District Chapter.

Legal Issues in Mental Health Treatment
Manual prepared for and seminar presented to Western Pennsylvania healthcare providers.

Medical Records in Pennsylvania
Medical Education Services Seminar. Coraopolis, PA.

Legal Issues Pertaining to Mental Health Treatment
In-service presentation to mental health workers at hospital client.

Responses to Outside Agency Investigations
Presentation to hospital client administrators.

Hot Topics in Employment Law: At Will Employment, FMLA, Performance and Discipline Documentation, Employee Benefit/ERISA and Workers’ Compensation Issues
Manual prepared for and seminar presented to over 60 Western Pennsylvania employers, Pittsburgh, PA.

Review of Hendrich v. Pegram
Presentation to Health Law Section of Allegheny County Bar Association regarding background and arguments in managed care liability case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Nursing Documentation
In-service presentation to nursing staff of hospital client.

Informed Consent. Recent Developments
In-service presentation to physicians and administrators of hospital client.

Legal Issues in Nursing
Documentation and Other Concerns. In-service presentation to nursing staff of hospital client.

Fraud and Abuse Issues for Long Term Care Facilities
Presentation to administrators of nursing home client.

Employment and Labor Law Update
Manual prepared for and seminar presented to over 30 Allegheny and Butler County corporations and labor organizations.

Surgical and Anesthesia Documentation and Legal Issues
In-service presentation to the medical staff of hospital client.

Nursing and Physician Documentation
Presentation to the Western Pennsylvania Healthcare Quality/Quality Assurance Association.

Thinking Out of the Box: New Solutions to Old Employment Problems
Manual prepared for and seminar presented to over 40 Erie, Pennsylvania corporations and labor organizations.

Corporate Compliance Programs
Two part series on the planning and development of corporate compliance programs to a long-term care client. Pittsburgh, PA.

Physician-Patient Relationships
Speech presented to physician practice groups of area hospital network.

Employment Issues for Persons with Chronic Illnesses
Seminar presented to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Allegheny District Chapter.

EMTALA for Risk Managers
Materials and seminar presented to Pennsylvania Association of Health Care Risk Management.

Employment Terminations, At Will Employment, FMLA Issues and ADR for Work Place Conflicts
Manual prepared for and seminar presented to over 70 Pittsburgh, PA corporations and labor organizations.

EEOC mediation Program
Speaker at program along with several EEOC representatives, including Hon. Reginald Jones, EEOC Commissioner, and Eugene V. Nelson, Area Director, and Marie M. Tomasso, District Director.

Employment Terminations: 6 Critical Steps to Reduce or Eliminate Business Interruption and Litigation
Manual prepared for and seminar to be presented to Pittsburgh, PA corporations.

Fraud and Abuse Issues and Health Care Compliance Programs
Presentation to network of Western Pennsylvania long-term care facilities. Pittsburgh, PA.

The Legalities of Utilizing and Maintaining Computerized Medical Records in Pennsylvania
Seminar presented to numerous healthcare providers and educational institutions. Pittsburgh, PA.

Bad Faith Claims: Overview, Claim Avoidance and Successfully Defending Suits
Reference materials prepared for and seminar/training presented to client.

Legal Issues for School Nurses
In-service presentation to Woodland Hills School District Nurses.

Confidentiality of Medical Records
Manual prepared for and presented to numerous healthcare providers. Erie, PA.

Legal Issues in Nursing
In-service presentation to nursing staff of hospital client.

Legal Aspects of Nursing
Faculty member of seminar sponsored by Robert Morris College.

ADR Business Symposium: Resolution Without Rancor
Panelist at landmark seminar on ADR in the Pittsburgh business community sponsored by, among others, Bayer Corporation, Financial Executive Institute, The General Leadership Institute, Pittsburgh Technology Council and University of Pittsburgh Katz Graduate School of Business.

Medicare, Medicaid, and Managed Care in Pennsylvania
Seminar presented to over 70 healthcare providers and insurers. Pittsburgh, PA.

Hot Topics in Employment Law
Manual prepared for and seminar presented to over 50 New Castle, PA corporations.

Mediation for Project Claims and Conflicts
Materials prepared for and seminar presented to the Project Management Institute, Pittsburgh Chapter.

Employment Law Update: Special Issues on Terminations, Workplace Violence and Intellectual Property Rights
Manual prepared for and seminar presented to over 55 Pittsburgh, PA corporations.

Employment and Labor Law/FMLA
Manual prepared for and seminar presented to over 50 Erie, PA corporations.

“Confidentiality of Medical Records”
Manual prepared for and seminar presented to numerous healthcare providers. Pittsburgh, PA, Lorman Business Center.

Employment and Labor Law/FMLA
Manual for and seminar presented to over 60 Pittsburgh, PA corporations.

Tort Liability of Managed Care Organizations and the Physicians Who Provide the Care: The Future of Physicians in Managed Care
Presented in conjunction with Allegheny County Bar Association’s Health Law Section, Pittsburgh, PA.

Overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Seminar presented to National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Allegheny District Chapter.

“I Won’t See You in Court”: Personnel Policies and Practices Which Will Keep You Out of Court (and also Increase Productivity and Improve Morale)
Reference materials prepared for and seminar/training presented to client.

Employee Discharge and Documentation
Manual prepared for and seminar presented to over 30 Erie, Pennsylvania corporations.

Protecting Your Organization from the Escalating (and expensive) Consequences of Sex and Violence in Today’s Workplace
Personnel Law Update 1997 Seminar, presented in conjunction with Council on Education in Management, Pittsburgh, PA.

Corporate America’s ADR Pledge: The Pittsburgh Model
Panelist and course planner of International Conference on Dispute Resolution held at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA.

Medical Malpractice Areas of Potential Liability
Speech presented to Pennsylvania Association of Directors of Nursing Administration Long-term Care, Ninth Annual Conference.

Bad Faith Litigation: Tactics and Strategies for Avoiding Claims and Winning Lawsuits
Reference materials prepared for and seminar/training presented to client.

Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation
An Overview of the Act and its 1996 Amendments. Speech presented to Pennsylvania Association of Directors of Nursing Administration Long-term Care, Ninth Annual Conference.

Confidentiality of Medical Records
Seminar, Pittsburgh, PA.

In Like a Lion and Out Like a Lamb: Employment Dispute Resolution in the 1990’s
Manual prepared for and seminar presented to over 20 Erie, PA corporations.

Understanding and Preventing Sexual Harassment and Wrongful Discharge Claims
Employment Law Update Seminar. Erie, PA.

Sexual Harassment Myths Shattered by Recent Court Rulings
Seminar.

Health Law Update
Manual prepared for and seminar presented to over 60 healthcare providers and insurers. Pittsburgh, PA..

1996 Workers’ Compensation Amendments
Seminar presented to over 80 Pittsburgh area employers, TPA’s and insurers.

The New Age of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) In Employment Law
Manual prepared for and seminar presented to over 25 Pittsburgh corporations.

Risk Management Initiatives to Avoid Employment Claims – Terminations, Downsizing and Sexual Harassment
Western Pennsylvania Risk Management Association.

New Developments in the Law of Informed Consent
In-service presentation to the medical staff of hospital client.

Confidentiality of Medical Records
Seminar to healthcare providers. Pittsburgh, PA.

Chain of Command Issues
In-service presentation to nursing staff of hospital client.

Office Charting
In-service presentation to nursing staff of hospital client.

Confidentiality Concerns and Requirements in a Community Hospital
Seminar presented to hospital clients.

The New Age of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) In Employment Law
Manual prepared for and seminar presented to Erie and Edinboro Pennsylvania Chambers of Commerce and over 50 corporations.

Avoiding Directors and Officers Liability Claims
Client seminar.

Employment Law Update
Edinboro, PA, Lorman Business Center.

Prenatal and Perinatal Nursing Documentation
In-service presentation to nursing staff of hospital client.

Legal Issues Concerning the Right to Die
Presentation to the Three Rivers Chapter of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses.

No One Ever Told Me I was Doing Something Wrong
Addressing and Documenting Performance Problems to Minimize Litigation Risks. Reference materials prepared for and seminar/training presented to over 20 Pittsburgh small businesses.

Preventing Litigation Through Prudent Employment Practices
Client seminar.

Confidentiality of Medical Records
Pittsburgh, PA, Lorman Business Center.

AIDS in the Healthcare Setting — One Goal, Many Rules
West Penn Safety Council. Monroeville, PA.

Legal Issues and Perinatal Nursing
Presentation to the Pennsylvania Section of NAACOG.

Separation Agreements: Releases and Waivers Under the OWBPA and Common Law
Course manual, seminar presentation and intra-corporate training.

Handshakes or Fisticuffs: Employment Decisions in a Difficult Political and Economic Climate
Course manual and seminar presentation. Pittsburgh, PA, Lorman Business Institute.

Health Law Update Seminar
“Coping with Healthcare Catch-22’s.” Pittsburgh, PA.

Taking The Wind Out of Their Sails: Creating A Content Workforce To Avoid Unionization
Reference materials prepared for and speech presented to Pittsburgh area nursing homes and long term care facilities.

Workers’ Compensation Reform: Surviving the System — An Overview of the Law as it Affects Physicians and their Patients
Seminar presented to Allegheny County Medical Society.

Legal Ramifications of the New Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act
Manual prepared for and seminar presented to the Slippery Rock University, A.S.S.E. Section, Annual Safety Conference.

Confidentiality of Medical Records in Pennsylvania
Manual prepared for and seminar presented to Western Pennsylvania healthcare providers in conjunction with Medical Educational Services, Inc. Pittsburgh, PA.

Confidentiality of Medical Records
Pittsburgh, PA, Lorman Business Center.

Fundamentals of Wage and Hour Laws, Unemployment Compensation and Workers’ Compensation
Reference manual prepared for and seminar presented to oil company client.

Workers’ Compensation and New Regulations
Seminar presented to Western Pennsylvania Safety Council, 69th Annual Safety, Health and Security Conference and Exhibit.

Where we are now on Thompson v. Nason Hospital. A.C.B.A.
Health Law Committee program.

Health Law Update Seminar
“Coping with Healthcare Catch-22’s.” Pittsburgh, PA.

Fundamentals of Health Law
Pennsylvania Bar Institute. Pittsburgh, PA.

Advance Directives: Your Rights and the Law
Speech presented to several area hospitals and community members.

Alternative Dispute Resolution
Speech presented to National Health Lawyers Association, Chicago, IL.

Health Law Update Seminar
“Corporate Liability and Medical Staff Litigation.” Pittsburgh, PA.

Advance Directives: Your Rights and the Law
Speech presented to healthcare client and members of McKeesport, PA community.

HIV-Infected Healthcare Workers and AIDS-Related Medical Legal Issues
Two video lectures for American Education Institute for Physicians Video Program.

HIV-Infected Physicians; Employment and Corporate Liability Issues
Pennsylvania Bar Institute. Pittsburgh, PA.

HIV Issues — Heading to the Courtroom
National Health Lawyers Association Annual Meeting, Laguna Beach, California.

Privacy Rights, Employment Law, and the New OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard: A Trilogy of Protection or the Bermuda Triangle
Intra-corporate seminar for hospital clients.

School Nursing Issues
Seminar presented to Valley Nurses Organization.

OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard: The New Law and Proposed Regulations
Manual prepared for and seminar presented to Northeastern Ohio Academy of Podiatric Medicine.

Confidentiality of Medical Information — HIV-Related Issues
Medical Education Services. Pittsburgh, PA.

Risk Management Concerns Arising from the Thompson Case
Western Pennsylvania Risk Management Association.

Thompson v. Nason Hospital — The Defense Perspective
Allegheny County Bar Association.

Asbestos Litigation
Pittsburgh Claims Association Training Seminar. Pittsburgh, PA..

The Civil Rights Act of 1991: Blowing the Hinges Off the Flood Gates of Employment Litigation
Intra-corporate training and seminars.

Confidentiality of Medical Records in Pennsylvania — HIV Records in Particular
Medical Education Services. Pittsburgh, PA.

Golden Parachute Agreements: Packing the Chute to Avoid Crash Landing with Internal Revenue Code and ERISA
Paper prepared for oil and gas client and Chamber of Commerce of Greater Pittsburgh.

Non-Architects Beware! Supreme Court Settles Architect Licensure Law Debate
Speech presented to members of Engineer’s Society of Western Pennsylvania and American Society of Interior Designers.

Sealing Indemnity Leaks In Hazardous Waste Contractor and Subcontractor Agreements under Pennsylvania Law
Paper and seminar presented to oil company client.

A Formula for Success — Strategic Discovery and Use of Expert Reports to Win Summary Judgment Motions in Age Discrimination Cases
Paper and seminar presented to HR managers and litigation attorneys, for oil industry client.