Association of Business Trial Lawyers of Northern California

### Context Profile for the Association of Business Trial Lawyers of Northern California (ABTL)

1. **Organization Mission & Cause**:
   - The Association of Business Trial Lawyers of Northern California (ABTL) is dedicated to promoting the interests of business trial lawyers and improving the quality of legal practice in business litigation. Their mission emphasizes providing continuing legal education (CLE) programs, fostering professional development, and facilitating networking opportunities among attorneys in the business litigation field. They aim to keep members informed about changes in law and provide resources to enhance their practice.

2. **Type of Activities**:
   - **Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Programs**: ABTL offers programs addressing current complex business litigation topics and legal issues tailored for their members.
   - **Publications**: They publish the ABTL Report, which includes in-depth articles relevant to business litigators and encourages member contributions.
   - **Membership Drives**: The organization runs campaigns like the "Year-End Dues Special" to encourage membership renewals and attract new members.
   - **Networking Events**: ABTL organizes events that allow members to connect with judges and fellow attorneys, enhancing professional relationships.

3. **Tone of Voice**:
   - The tone of the ABTL's communications is **professional** and **informative**, with a focus on clarity and respect for the legal profession. The language is straightforward, emphasizing the value of membership and the importance of staying informed. The content is structured and formal, reflecting the seriousness of the legal field while remaining accessible.

4. **Emoji Usage**:
   - The ABTL does not utilize emojis in their communications. Their content maintains a formal and professional tone, which aligns with the expectations of their audience in the legal sector.

5. **Key Facts**:
   - **Founding Info**: The specific founding date is not provided on the website, but ABTL has established itself as a key organization for business trial lawyers in Northern California.
   - **Scale**: The organization has a membership base that includes attorneys from various firms, focusing on business litigation.
   - **Impact Metrics**: While specific metrics are not detailed, the organization emphasizes the benefits of membership, including access to CLE programs and networking opportunities.
   - **Volunteer Info**: There is no specific volunteer information available on the website, but members are encouraged to contribute articles to the ABTL Report.

6. **Writing Guidelines**:
   - **Style**: Use a formal and professional tone, focusing on clarity and conciseness. Avoid casual language or slang.
   - **Structure**: Organize content logically, using headings and bullet points for clarity. Ensure that important information is easy to find.
   - **Audience**: Write with the legal professional in mind, ensuring that content is relevant to business trial lawyers and reflects their interests and needs.
   - **Call to Action**: Encourage membership renewals and participation in events clearly and persuasively, highlighting the benefits of engagement with ABTL.

This context profile serves as a foundational guide for creating personalized and relevant content for the Association of Business Trial Lawyers of Northern California, ensuring alignment with their mission, tone, and audience expectations.

LXCL:<p class="lxcl-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">One ticket for an ABTL member whose dues are current.</span></p>

ABTL Member

LXCL:<p class="lxcl-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">This fee will be deducted from your 2026 dues if you join ABTL by May 12th. </span></p>

ABTL Non- Member - Paying by Credit Card

LXCL:<p class="lxcl-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Ticket for one non-member. Even though price shows as $0, the registration fee is $20 due to Zeffy  not accepting checks &lt;$1000.  We must make the price $0 so you don't have to supply a credit card # to complete your registration.  NOTE: IF YOU JOIN ABTL BY 5/12, your $20 reg. fee will be deducted from your dues of $125.  JOIN TODAY and enjoy membership for the remainder of 2026 AND THIS ETHICS PROGRAM FOR $125.  </span></p>

ABTL Non- Member paying by check - Fee: $20

LXCL:<p class="lxcl-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Non-Members--Your registration for the May 12 program entitles you join ABTL for the remainder of 2026 at the reduced dues rate of $105.</span></p>

'26 ABTL dues for non-members registering for 5/12 program

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" data-cpeid="w-1777310961660-473" fr-original-style='table-layout: fixed; min-width: 100%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;' id="isPasted" style='table-layout: fixed; min-width: 100%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; border-width: medium; border-style: none; border-color: currentcolor; border-image: initial; border-collapse: collapse; empty-cells: show; max-width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit;' width="100%"><tbody fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><tr fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><td align="center" data-cpeid="w-1777310964166-854" fr-original-style="width: 600.667px;" style="width: 600.667px; min-width: 5px; box-sizing: inherit; border: 0px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); user-select: text;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" data-cpeid="w-1777310961683-847" fr-original-style="table-layout: fixed;" style="table-layout: fixed; border-width: medium; border-style: none; border-color: currentcolor; border-image: initial; border-collapse: collapse; empty-cells: show; max-width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit;" width="100%"><tbody fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><tr fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><td align="left" fr-original-style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-align: left; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(64, 63, 66); font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px;" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-align: left; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(64, 63, 66); font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px; min-width: 5px; box-sizing: inherit; border: 0px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); user-select: text;" valign="top"><p fr-original-style="text-align: center;" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; line-height: 1.5; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">SPEAKERS:</p><p fr-original-style="text-align: center;" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; line-height: 1.5; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Tomasene Knight, Sheppard</p><p fr-original-style="text-align: center;" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; line-height: 1.5; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Alexandra Banis, Sheppard</p><p fr-original-style="text-align: center;" style="text-align: center; margin: 0px; line-height: 1.5; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Calon Russell, Sheppard - Office of General Counsel</p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" data-cpeid="w-1777310816210-668" fr-original-style='table-layout: fixed; min-width: 100%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;' style='table-layout: fixed; min-width: 100%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; border-width: medium; border-style: none; border-color: currentcolor; border-image: initial; border-collapse: collapse; empty-cells: show; max-width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit;' width="100%"><tbody fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><tr fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><td align="center" data-cpeid="w-1777310816222-746" fr-original-style="width: 600.667px;" style="width: 600.667px; min-width: 5px; box-sizing: inherit; border: 0px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); user-select: text;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" data-cpeid="w-1777310779432-142" fr-original-style="table-layout: fixed;" style="table-layout: fixed; border-width: medium; border-style: none; border-color: currentcolor; border-image: initial; border-collapse: collapse; empty-cells: show; max-width: 100%; box-sizing: inherit;" width="100%"><tbody fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><tr fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><td align="left" fr-original-style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-align: left; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(64, 63, 66); font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px;" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; text-align: left; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(64, 63, 66); font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2; display: block; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px; min-width: 5px; box-sizing: inherit; border: 0px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); user-select: text;" valign="top"><p fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; line-height: 1.5; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">﻿Speakers will cover a series of factual scenarios with thorny ethical issues ﻿﻿that tend to require extra scrutiny (and potentially a call to your Office of General Counsel). We will specifically hit on issues of attorney competence, diligence, fees, confidential information, conflicts, duties to former clients, ﻿﻿and declining or terminating representation.&nbsp;</p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>

<p fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; width: 100%; line-height: 1.5; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Hi <span contenteditable="false" data-custom-variable="{{firstname}}" fr-original-class="fr-deletable styled-tag-chip" fr-original-style="" style="background-color: rgb(248, 248, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(191, 191, 255); border-radius: 4px; color: rgb(42, 42, 196); padding: 1px 8px; font-size: 11px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: anywhere; user-select: none; box-sizing: inherit;">First name</span>,</p><p fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; width: 100%; line-height: 1.5; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"></p><p fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; width: 100%; line-height: 1.5; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Thank you for registering for our event and supporting our cause. Your registration greatly helps our mission. 🚀</p><p fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; width: 100%; line-height: 1.5; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"></p><p fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; width: 100%; line-height: 1.5; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">If you would like to contribute further, contact us to become a volunteer, or talk to your friends about our cause!</p><p fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; width: 100%; line-height: 1.5; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;"></p><p fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; width: 100%; line-height: 1.5; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Michele Silva</p><p fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; width: 100%; line-height: 1.5; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">abtl-ncal@comcast.net</p>

<table><tbody><tr><td><table><tbody><tr><td><p style="text-align:center;margin:0px;line-height:1.5;box-sizing:inherit">SPEAKERS:</p><p style="text-align:center;margin:0px;line-height:1.5;box-sizing:inherit">Tomasene Knight, Sheppard</p><p style="text-align:center;margin:0px;line-height:1.5;box-sizing:inherit">Alexandra Banis, Sheppard</p><p style="text-align:center;margin:0px;line-height:1.5;box-sizing:inherit">Calon Russell, Sheppard - Office of General Counsel</p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table><tbody><tr><td><table><tbody><tr><td><p style="margin:0px;line-height:1.5;box-sizing:inherit">﻿Speakers will cover a series of factual scenarios with thorny ethical issues ﻿﻿that tend to require extra scrutiny (and potentially a call to your Office of General Counsel). We will specifically hit on issues of attorney competence, diligence, fees, confidential information, conflicts, duties to former clients, ﻿﻿and declining or terminating representation. </p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>

Association of Business Trial Lawyers of Northern California

ABTL LDC Ethics CLE Program: “Relationship Red Flags: Knowing When to Call Your Ethics Counsel”

One Embarcadero Center

ABTL Member

Free

ABTL Non- Member - Paying by Credit Card

$20

ABTL Non- Member paying by check - Fee: $20

Free

'26 ABTL dues for non-members registering for 5/12 program

$105

Association of Business Trial Lawyers of Northern California

ABTL LDC Ethics CLE Program: “Relationship Red Flags: ﻿ ﻿Knowing When to Call Your Ethics Counsel”

One Embarcadero Center

ABTL Member

Free

ABTL Non- Member - Paying by Credit Card

$20

ABTL Non- Member paying by check - Fee: $20

Free

'26 ABTL dues for non-members registering for 5/12 program

$105

ABTL LDC Ethics CLE Program: “Relationship Red Flags: Knowing When to Call Your Ethics Counsel”