In-Person Event
CC

Essential Ethics 2025 – Lancaster


  • City:Lancaster County Bar Association, 28 East Orange St., ., Lancaster, PA, 17602
  • Start Date:2025-12-09 13:00:00
  • End Date:2025-12-09 16:15:00
  • Length:
  • Level:Various
  • Topics:Ethics

This program is eligible for 3 hours of CLE credit in 60-minute states. In 50-minute states, this program is eligible for 3.6 hours of CLE credit. Credit hours are estimated and are subject to each state’s approval and credit rounding rules.

This is a simulcast of a live webcast course, streamed live to a local site with faculty in remote locations. Please note: Walk-in registrations will not be accepted - you must register in advance.

Overview

Essential Ethics: Navigating Today’s Toughest Challenges

Join us for an afternoon of timely, thought-provoking ethics programming designed to equip attorneys with the tools to meet modern professional responsibility challenges head-on. This CLE brings together seasoned ethics practitioners and thought leaders to explore hot-button issues shaping the legal landscape.

We’ll begin with a practical guide to AI in law—covering the ethical “how-tos” for responsible integration, plus the costly “don’t dos” to avoid. Then, we’ll shift to a fast-paced disciplinary update highlighting the latest developments from the Pennsylvania Disciplinary Board, recent case law, and emerging trends in attorney discipline. Finally, we’ll close with a dynamic panel discussion on ethics under pressure, tackling the expanding role of accounting firms in legal services, high-impact ethics opinions, and how attorneys can defend the rule of law in a non-partisan, principled manner.

Whether you’re looking to strengthen your ethical decision-making, stay compliant in a rapidly evolving profession, or simply stay ahead of the curve, this program offers insight, practical guidance, and lively discussion you won’t want to miss.

Faculty

Ellen C. Brotman, Esq.

Ms. Brotman is the founder of Brotman Law in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her practice focuses on professional responsibility, and ethics, investigations, white collar criminal defense and appellate advocacy. Ms. Brotman has represented lawyers before the Disciplinary Board of Pennsylvania for over 20 years and has defended a wide variety of white-collar crimes involving complex trial, sentencing and appellate issues. Prior to starting Brotman Law, Ms. Brotman was a partner at Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads LLP, where she defended criminal cases in federal courts, oversaw investigations, and represented professionals in state disciplinary proceedings. From 1995 to 1998, as an assistant federal defender with the Defender Association of Philadelphia, Ms. Brotman provided criminal defense for indigent clients in federal court at trial and appellate levels. Before coming to Philadelphia, Ms. Brotman served as a law clerk to Hon. Lee P. Gagliardi, United States District Judge, Southern District of New York. Ms. Brotman is a frequent writer and speaker on the subjects of criminal defense and professional responsibility related matters. She is also a member of the board of the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and a past member of the board of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Ms. Brotman sits on the Professional Guidance Committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association and the Ethics and Professional Responsibility Committee of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. Ms. Brotman has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America and Pennsylvania SuperLawyers for over ten years and, in 2014 was one of the Legal Intelligencer’s Women of the Year. Ms. Brotman is Chair of the Board of the People’s Emergency Center Foundation in Philadelphia, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of homeless families.

Amy J. Coco, Esq.

Amy Coco is a shareholder at the Pittsburgh law firm of DiBella Weinheimer, where she has focused her practice on Professional Responsibility for more than 30 years. She represents lawyers, judges, and law students in matters involving ethics, licensure, professional responsibility, risk management, and law practice management counseling. Amy is the current President of the Allegheny County Bar Association (ACBA) and previously served six years on its Board of Governors. Within the ACBA, she has chaired the Nominating Committee and By-Laws Committee, the Professional Ethics Committee (where she continues to serve as a Duty Officer), and the Lawyers Insurance Committee. She has also served on the Council of the Solo and Small Firm Section and chaired subcommittees within the Women in the Law Division. At the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA), Amy is Co-Chair of the Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility Committee. She served as the PBA’s Woman At Large Governor (2021–2024) and chaired its Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Team from 2022 to 2024. She is also the Director of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law’s Incubator Program, mentoring lawyers as they establish solo practices. In addition, she is a member of the Washington County, Philadelphia County Bar Associations, as well as the American Bar Association and its Center for Professional Responsibility and the Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers (APRL). A frequent lecturer and writer on professional liability, diversity and inclusion, and ethics issues, Amy has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America for Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law since 2024 and has been named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer annually since 2018. In 2022, she was recognized as one of Pittsburgh’s Top 50 Lawyers. She earned her J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1994, and her B.A. in Journalism from Indiana University Bloomington in 1989.

Deborah A. Winokur, Esq.

Deborah is the Associate General Counsel at Cozen O’Connor. She advises clients on risk management, ethics, and professional responsibility issues arising within their law firms and practices. Deborah also works with stakeholders within the firm to advise on ethical aspects of pending matters and to assure adherence to ethical standards and compliance with firm policies. In addition, she advises firm management on lateral recruitment and integration. Deborah handles pro bono representations, including representing clients through the Support Center for Child Advocates. Deborah was appointed to the ABA Standing Committee on Public Protection in the Provision of Legal Services in 2023 and is Co-Chair of the ABA Section of Litigation Ethics and Professionalism Committee. Deborah was elected to the Pennsylvania Bar Association House of Delegates and is Vice Chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility and a member of the Women in the Profession and Unauthorized Practice of Law Committees. In addition, she serves as Co-Chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Professional Responsibility and Professional Guidance Committee. She is a lecturer in law and teaches a course in Professional Responsibility and Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. Deborah is also a regular columnist for Law360, where she shares her insights on current legal ethics issues. Deborah earned her bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania and her law degree from Columbia University School of Law.


You have a lot on your plate. We’ll help you stay on top of your compliance — in PA and beyond.