Continuing Legal Education (CLE)

Generative AI for Law Students and New Lawyers
May 21, 2026

Designed by legal writing professors for law students, recent graduates, and early-career lawyers.  This virtual conference, organized by the Legal Writing Institute, fortified the skills learned during law school for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in contemporary legal practice and the rapidly evolving AI landscape. 

Representing Children
May 1, 2026

This CLE, presented by Professor Allison Ware, focused on having children and young people as clients and how to best serve them.

The Five Types of Legal Argument and the Three Stages of Legal Reasoning
April 10, 2026

Professor Wilson Huhn described how to create, attack, and evaluate the different types of legal arguments, as well as the stages of reasoning necessary to resolving progressively more difficult legal problems.

International Business Ventures / Anatomy of a Foreign Joint Venture
April 1, 2026

Within the realm of international business transactions, perhaps nothing is more complex and challenging for legal counsel than navigating the myriad of cross border business and comparative law issues relative to the establishment of an equity joint venture upon foreign soil.  This course examined the underlying business case, the due diligence surrounding the foreign partner, the development of the joint business plan which sorts out issues of capitalization, intellectual property rights and corporate governance, and then culminating in the definitive memorandum of understanding and equity joint venture agreement.

PA Free Legal Answers Clinic: Help Close the Justice Gap
March 6, 2026

In association with the Pennsylvania Bar Association.  

Pennsylvania Free Legal Answers is a virtual platform where low-income Pennsylvanians can post civil legal questions (housing, family, debt, etc.) and get free, anonymous advice from volunteer attorneys. Students were matched with participating attorney volunteers to help answer civil legal questions, network, and help Pennsylvanians in need. 

Judge Guido Calabresi: Originalism and Structuralism
November 20, 2025

As part of the Dr. John and Liz Murray Excellence in Scholarship Lecture Series, The Honorable Guido Calabresi discussed originalism and structuralism, highlighting the advantages and functions of originalism in constitutional interpretation.

Ensuring an Ethical Future for AI: Policy Conversation
November 7, 2025

In association with the Carl G. Grefenstette Center for Ethics in Science, Technology, and Law.

What is the present state of AI policy? What can be done to create a more ethical technological landscape in the future? How has AI policy changed under the current federal administration?

Nikki Pope, the Head of AI and Legal Ethics at NVIDIA, April Barton, Dean of Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University, Bry Pardoe, Deputy Secretary for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer at the Governor's Office of Administration, and John Slattery, Executive Director of the Grefenstette Center for Ethics at Duquesne University, discussed AI, policy, and ethics at the Grefenstette Center 2025 Tech Ethics Symposium.

Civil Discourse: Faith, Civility and Public Service
November 6, 2025

This special program, part of Duquesne University President Ken Gormley’s annual Civil Discourse Series, featured Mike Pence, former Vice President of the United States; Paul McNulty, former U.S. Deputy Attorney General and recently retired President of Grove City College; and Margaret Kibben, Acting Chaplain for the U.S. House of Representatives, a Presbyterian minister and first female in history to serve as Chaplain in the U.S. Congress (and first female Chaplain of the U.S. Navy). Moderated by President Ken Gormley, this program focused on the strong relationship between religious belief and public life as a distinctive feature of the American experience. 

Every presidential inaugural address has invoked the favor of God for the well-being of the nation, and faith has been a driving force in most significant reform movements.  But given the wide diversity of religious thinking and the growing ideological and political polarization of our time, the program examined: How should people of faith engage in public service?  Should religious convictions be seen as a threat to the hope for a more collegial public square?  How should faith affect our political conscience and public character?  This nationally prominent panel examined the historical and present connections between faith and public service.

Struggles and Strengths: The Human Side of the Law
October 10, 2025

In association with Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania. 

Legal professionals experience mental health related issues at a greater frequency than the population at large. The pressures of the profession can lead to stress, anxiety, and a host of other problems that can be difficult to address. The stigma surrounding these issues causes many lawyers to believe they need to suffer in silence, but it need not be so.

A panel of attorneys in active practice in Western Pennsylvania shared their personal experiences in dealing with mental health challenges. In an effort to confront the stigma encountered when discussing mental health, the panelists discussed their personal struggles and what they do to address those struggles. In sharing their stories, they will demonstrate how it is possible to navigate the rigors of the legal profession while maintaining a healthy mentality. Above all, they will prove that none of us have to deal with these issues alone!

Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania provides free, confidential support to lawyers, judges, their families, and law students facing mental health or substance use challenges. The program also explained what services are available, and how to get access to them.

They Never Saw It Coming: Advocating Through Loss & Resilience
October 10, 2025

In association with UPMC Passavant Hospital Foundation, 12^thAnnual Domestic Violence Conference.

This program spotlighted the alarming rise in violence, emotional turmoil, & abuse among adolescents—especially young girls. With a sharp increase in reported cases of date rape and other traumatic experiences, the conference explored root causes and urgently needed strategies for prevention, education, and healing.

They Never Saw It Coming reflects the unimaginable reality faced by victims and families who never expected to be touched by violence—yet now stand as fierce advocates. The program featured a series of courageous voices: survivors, legal experts, mental health professionals, and family members, each sharing deeply personal stories of abduction, coercion, and the resilience that followed. Their insights revealed the life-altering impact of trauma and the powerful ways advocacy can grow from grief.

Thomas More, Lawyer of the Millennium, Patron of Statesmen
September 11, 2025 

October 31, 2025 marks the 25^th anniversary of Thomas More’s becoming “Patron of Statesmen.” In 1999, he had already been elected “Lawyer of the Millennium” by the Law Society of Great Britain, and long before that he had been adopted worldwide as the patron of lawyers.  This program addressed the following issues: What was More’s vision of the law? Why did he consider it essential to a country’s peace and prosperity? Why is the rule of law so difficult to achieve?

Keeping Our Republic: Modernizing Pennsylvania’s Elections
June 16, 2025

In association with Keep Our Republic. 

This half-day conference brought together a select high-level group of policymakers, legal experts, and civic leaders from across Pennsylvania and beyond. This was “on the record” with local and national journalists attending. It is abundantly clear after recent elections that Pennsylvania must modernize its election code. This is not a Democrat issue or a Republican issue. This is for the good and welfare of all Pennsylvania voters and the county and state officials tasked with administering elections. 

Bob Dylan: Music, Lyrics and Law
April 22, 2025

This program used Bob Dylan’s lyrics as a vehicle to explore ethical issues in judicial decision-making. The lyrics serve as a lens through which attendees examined critical legal principles, including fairness, judicial discretion, impartiality, and public confidence in the judiciary. Dylan’s work frequently raises questions about power, authority, and the rule of law—issues that remain central to judicial ethics and the role of the judiciary. Using selected lyrics to prompt discussion, this program will engage participants in ethical challenges such as bias, the appearance of impropriety, and the role of judicial independence in maintaining public trust.

Fundamentals of the Pennsylvania Constitution
February 1, 2025

The CLE presented the basic issues that have arisen in Pennsylvania Constitutional Law over the past 50 years, including the unusual structure of Pennsylvania’s government, broader interpretations of shared federal/state rights and rights unique to Pennsylvania. The course also reviewed the relationship of state to federal law and the role of a state constitution. The ethics portion of the CLE focused on the broad powers of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and the History of Judicial Discipline.

Preconditions for Constitutional Democracy: Social Trust, Respecting Differences, and Avoiding Entrenchment
October 31, 2024

Martha Minow presented “Preconditions for Constitutional Democracy: Social Trust, Respecting Differences, and Avoiding Entrenchment” as part of the John and Liz Murray Excellence in Scholarship Lecture Series.

This lecture focused on several essential predicates for constitutional democracy that are in jeopardy: social trust, respect for people across differences in religion, race, class, and other markers of identity, and guards against entrenching parties, groups, and interests so that self-government by the whole populace can be meaningful.  Topics included gerrymandering of elective districts, financial contributions and lobbying of elected officials as well as the design of the electoral college and the Senate.  Other predicates for constitutional democracy, including access to education, to reliable sources of news, and to day-to-day safety were also discussed.

Trust, Technology, and Disinformation
October 29, 2024

Election technologies, can weaken or strengthen the public trust in the electoral process. Which of the two it is depends on the way the technology resolves the challenges inherent in technology: how to balance verifiability vs. vote privacy, how to balance system complexity with disinformation resistance, how to balance evidence generation with secure storage and audits, how to balance which information should be part of the implementation and maintained by a vendor and which is part of the configuration of an election technology, and a few more. Anticipating these challenges and legislating appropriately for them taking the national and cultural background into account can make or break public trust in the electoral process.  In this program, Prof. Carsten Schürmann, Department of Computer Science, IT University of Copenhagen drew on several of his experiences as an election analyst with different international organizations in different countries around the world and illustrated these challenges from experience.

How is AI Transforming Our Communities: The Ethics, Impact, and Future of Generative AI
October 18, 2024

In association with the Carl G. Grefenstette Center for Ethics in Science, Technology, and Law.

This program focused on how generative AI is transforming our daily lives and our communities. It also explored how AI has already changed our region and will continue to alter our world in the next decade.

“I Don’t Belong”: Imposter Syndrome in the Legal Profession
October 10, 2024

In association with Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania. 

Imposter Syndrome, also called perceived fraudulence, involves feelings of self-doubt and personal incompetence that persist despite one's education, experience, and accomplishments. The majority of legal professionals experience Imposter Syndrome at some point in their legal careers due to self-imposed pressure, comparison, perceived inequities, and social injustices.

The riveting speaker, Brian S. Quinn, Esq., discussed the impact of the untimely death of his mentor and how trying to “fill his shoes” became more than a job; it took over his life. The consequences were a decades-long effort to cope with and then conceal those feelings with alcohol and drugs.

Asking for support is a sign of strength. The goal of this program is to break down barriers, melt away stigmas, and normalize ‘the ask’ for help. There is no one more important to advocate for than yourself!

AI & Law
October 4, 2024

AI is quickly impacting all areas of legal practice. In this CLE we discussed an introduction to AI and policy surrounding it; ethical concerns with the use of AI; how generative AI is impacting legal writing and the practice in general; and ultimately how it is practically impacting various areas of law today.

The History of Beer in Western PA and the Laws that Shaped It
September 27, 2024

Since becoming a state, beer has played a pivotal role in Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania breweries have been influential in the nation's beer scene. Even today, Pittsburgh alone has over 50 craft breweries, and Pennsylvania is the country's second most extensive craft beer producer. This 1-hour CLE dove into the complete and complex history of beer in Western PA, from brewing at Fort Pitt during the French & Indian War to large brewery conglomerates, prohibition, mergers, unions, and even up to the present-day alcohol law.

Behind the Scenes: Healing Through Rewinding the Past
September 27, 2024

In Association with UPMC Passavant Hospital Foundation, 11^thAnnual Domestic Violence Conference.

Mandated reporting laws were created to ensure that our children are protected and social expectations are met surrounding child abuse reporting to legal authorities.   Even though these laws have been in existence since as early as 1963, many hesitations still exist to report abuse or suspected abuse. As a society, we are becoming desensitized through the media reporting constant situations or cases where children are neglected or abused.   This program delivered an enlightening message of a survivor who healed through his past and used his experiences to effect positive changes in advocating for victims.  The message proclaims that surviving is different than living your best life.  The program explored advocacy programs as well as legal resources that can assist both reporters and victims to make certain that children remain a cherished part of society and one of our greatest resources who have the right to live their best life.

Kids at Court Conference
September 20, 2024

In association with the Support Center for Child Advocates’ Center for Excellence in Advocacy. 

Topics included the neurobiological impact of trauma, oppression-based trauma, understanding and utilizing forensic interviewing, experts and motions, strategies when children are in-trial and on-the-stand, and more. 

Kline Center Distinguished Speaker Series
September 17, 2024

The Thomas R. Kline Center for Judicial Education's 2024 Distinguished Speaker Series featured keynote speaker John Q. Barrett, Benjamin N. Cardozo Professor of Law at St. John's University and Elizabeth S. Lenna Fellow at the Robert H. Jackson Center.

Professor Barrett presented on the topic "Justice Robert H. Jackson and the U.S. Supreme Court's Path to Brown v. Board of Education."

Reframing the Narrative in Youth Defense
June 4, 2024

Presented in association with the Gault Center—Northeast Region, Rutgers Law School, NJ Office of the Public Defender, Delaware Defender Services, and New York Legal Aid.

This program equipped participants with tools to begin changing the narrative outside of the courtroom around systemic issues through language and messaging strategy.  Participants also learned the art of storytelling and how to apply its principles to the case narrative to tell a client’s story powerfully and persuasively.

Interprofessional Responsibilities in Recognizing and Reporting Elder Abuse and Neglect
April 30, 2024

In association with Rangos School of Health Sciences Occupational Therapy Department.

This interdisciplinary program taught attendees how to recognize and identify signs of physical abuse, neglect, undue influence, isolation, and financial abuse, and discuss the healthcare and legal implications of responding to allegations of abuse and ways caregivers can avoid situations where abuse could be inferred or indicated.

Legal Solutions for Substituted Decision Making: Guardianships, Powers of Attorney and Statutory Remedies
November 30, 2023

In association with Rangos School of Health Sciences Occupational Therapy Department.

This interdisciplinary program taught attendees the process of establishing a valid Powers of Attorney and the implications on the client and clinician in acknowledging the varying types in healthcare.  Additionally, Colleen D. Bratkovich, Esq. discussed healthcare decision making both by Power of Attorney and the Pennsylvania Health Care Agents and Representatives Act and outlined the difference between Advance Directives (Living Wills) and the POLST.

Inspiration: We All Have a 'CARFAX'
October 10, 2023

In association with Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania.

The prevalence rates of mental health and substance use challenges in the legal profession are alarming. This riveting program will address those challenges and the importance of mental health through a robust, vulnerable, and candid panel discussion with some of the finest legal professionals in the United States.

Asking for support is a sign of strength. The goal of this program is to break down barriers, melt away stigmas, and normalize 'the ask' for help. There is no one more important to advocate for than yourself!

Developmental Immaturity in Juvenile Competency to Stand Trial
September 29, 2023

In association with the Gault Center. 

Dr. Ivan Kurth and Dr. Christina Riggs Romaine from National Youth Screening and Assessment Partners discussed adolescent development, developmental immaturity in youth competency, the legal status of developmental immaturity as a cause for incompetence in juvenile courts nationally, identifying clients for whom competency may be a concern, and competency remediation (attainment/restoration) with incompetent youth.

Major 2023-2023 Supreme Court Cases
September 22, 2023

Several members of Duquesne Kline School of Law's Faculty will explain the major Supreme Court cases from last term. The panelists discussed the implications of the Court's recent decisions in various areas, including free speech, affirmative action, discrimination, voting rights, environmental regulation, and property rights.

Peeling Back the Layers of Human Trafficking: From Uncertainty to Trust
September 15, 2023

In association with UPMC Passavant Hospital Foundation, 10^th Annual Domestic Violence Conference.

Human trafficking is most likely one of the most underreported crimes. This crime against humanity happens in every country around the world. Recognizing the victims can be challenging, but then what is next? Many times, professionals do not understand how to respond or where to refer potential or actual victims of Human Trafficking. These are the missing layers that prevent a safe exit process for victims. This program was designed to uncover those layers and walk the participant through barriers to resources via experts and a survivor telling her story. The survivor’s voice and the recommendations of the experts help participants in this program recognize, respond, refer, and report to ensure that victims will be able to journey from uncertainty to trust.

Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Lawyering
August 16, 2023

The use of AI in daily life has seen a prolific – if not meteoric rise in popularity.  The legal profession is not immune to this increase.  This program focused on cutting edge research in AI and Law and how it impacts the legal profession. 

Fermentation and Litigation
August 10, 2023

The alcohol manufacturing industry is rapidly growing, but the threat of potential litigation is an ever-present obstacle to startups and established businesses alike. This CLE taught how to help clients effectively navigate the main areas of litigation they may face in this uniquely nuanced business area in Pennsylvania.

Stripping Down Happy: The Raw Truth About What It Takes to be Happy for Lawyers
August 3, 2023

The legal profession is the unhappiest profession in the entire world. The idea of happiness for lawyers can be challenging, not because you don’t want it, but because 1) you just don’t know how to find it; 2) you don’t have a good concept of what being happy really means; or 3) on some level, you feel like you don’t deserve it. The truth is that happiness is taught incorrectly by people who really don't know anything about it. You can be a lawyer and be happy. This course stripped down happiness to uncover its secrets so that you can practice happiness.

So You Want to Form a 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Organization?
July 27, 2023

This course provided a brief overview on seeking a determination to be a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.  Topics included what to consider on structure and mission of the organization and how to navigate through the application process.