Agenda

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Please log into the webinar 15 – 30 minutes before start time.


Thursday, October 23, 2025
9:00 am – 4:30 pm CDT


Agenda:
Presented by Amanda Ward, Senior Paralegal

Assisting in Investigations

  • Setting the scope of your investigation
  • Identifying witnesses
  • Collecting documents
  • Gathering evidence
  • Working with investigators
  • Information sources
  • Use of artificial intelligence (AI) in investigations and discovery
  • Preservation of evidence and legal holds and ESI identification, collection, and processing

Interviewing and Working with Witnesses

  • Interview preparation
  • Interviewing witnesses: do’s and don’ts
  • Summarizing and using interview results
  • Interview workshop: writing interview questions and/or interview roleplay

Third-Party Subpoenas and Records Requests

  • Understanding third-party subpoenas
  • What is a third-party subpoena?
  • Subpoenas duces tecum vs deposition subpoenas
  • When and why third-party records are used in discovery
  • Drafting subpoenas and records requests
  • Identifying appropriate third-party targets (medical providers, employers, banks, etc.)
  • Drafting effective and specific subpoena language
  • Avoiding overly broad or burdensome requests
  • Complying with procedural rules
  • Kansas procedural rules and notice requirements
  • Timelines and service rules and notice requirements
  • Handling objections and motions to quash
  • Managing returns and document production
  • Following up on subpoena compliance
  • Reviewing and organizing responsive records
  • Handling noncompliance: follow-up requests and motions to compel

Locating and Working with Expert Witnesses

  • What is an expert witness?
  • Locating an expert witness
  • Expert witness qualification and qualification requirements
  • Obtaining and using expert witness testimony
  • Reviewing testimony and conclusions from opposition’s experts
  • Expert witness workshop: using sources to find an expert

Preparing for and Participating in Depositions and Using Deposition Testimony

  • When might a deposition be called for?
  • Types of depositions
  • Preparing for a deposition
  • Participating in a deposition
  • Summarizing and using deposition testimony
  • Use of AI to summarize depositions
  • Workshop: summarizing testimony

Preparing and Responding to Interrogatories and Requests for Production

  • Interrogatories versus request for production
    • Writing an interrogatory
    • Writing a request for production
    • Responding to an interrogatory
    • Responding to a request for production
  • Workshop: writing/responding to sample requests
  • Compelling discovery
    • Failure to compy with discover requests
    • Motion to compel compliance
    • Responding to a motion to compel
    • Workshop: writing a motion to compel

Handling Ethical Issues in Discovery

  • Requirement under the Kansas rules of civil procedure
  • Good faith versus bad faith
  • Obligations to client versus obligations to court and other parties
  • Handling privledged and confidential information in discovery

Privacy and Ethical Considerations

  • HIPAA compliance and medical records
  • Redactions and sensitive information
  • Balancing relevance with privacy concerns

 

Webinar Instructions 
 
All attendees must log-on through their own email – attendees may not watch together if they wish to earn continuing education credit. HalfMoon Education Inc. must be able to prove attendance if either the attendee or HalfMoon Education Inc. is audited. 

Certificates of completion can be downloaded in PDF form upon passing a short quiz. A link to the quiz will be sent to each qualifying attendee immediately after the webinar. The certificate can be downloaded from the Results page of the quiz upon scoring 80% or higher. 

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GoToWebinar App requirements:  
Windows 10 or higher, macOS 11 or higher, Linux, Google Chrome OS 

Web Browser:  
Google Chrome (most recent 3 versions) 
Microsoft Edge (most recent 3 versions) 

Internet connection: 1 Mbps or better 

Hardware:  2GB of RAM (minimum), 4GB or more of RAM (recommended) 

For more information, visit the Support section at www.gotowebinar.com 

Credits

Paralegals
6.5 CLE Hours (Including 1.0 Ethics Hour)

NFPA - National Federation of Paralegal Associations
Pending

 

Continuing Education Information

This webinar is open to the public and is designed to qualify for 6.5 CLE hours, including 1.0 ethics hour, for paralegals in Kansas. Paralegal certification is not required to participate in this course.

This course has been submitted to the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) for accreditation, which is currently pending. Visit this course listing at www.halfmoonseminars.org for updates on pending credits.

Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the webinar for those who attend the entire course and score a minimum 80% on the quiz that follows the course (multiple attempts allowed).

*On-Demand Credits*

The preceding credit information only applies to the live presentation. This course in an on-demand format is not pre-approved by any licensing boards and may not qualify for the same credits; please consult your licensing board(s) to ensure that a structured, asynchronous learning format is appropriate.

Speakers

Amanda Ward

Senior Paralegal at McAnany Van Cleave & Phillips P.A.

Ms. Ward specializes in insurance defense. With over a decade of experience, she has developed expertise in personal injury, employment law, domestic relations, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), and comprehensive trial preparation. In her current role, Ms. Ward is responsible for document drafting, case management, and conducting legal research. Throughout her career, she has worked on complex matters, including ERISA long-term disability cases and intricate personal injury claims. Ms. Ward is certified in Westlaw and LexisNexis, enhancing her legal research capabilities and ensuring the precision and efficiency of her work. Additionally, she is committed to mentoring and training the next generation of paralegals, sharing her extensive knowledge and fostering professional growth. Outside of her legal career, Ms. Ward is an avid barrel racer, demonstrating the same dedication and competitive drive she brings to her professional endeavors. She is deeply motivated by the continuous opportunities for growth and learning within the dynamic field of law.