or 
lines to the right of the URL bar at the top of your browser
Thursday, July 11
8 a.m. Check-In/Light Breakfast
8:30 a.m. Welcome and Announcements
Bridget Nason, MACA President
8:45 a.m. Criminal Law Update
Matthew Hartung, Assistant City Attorney, City of Minneapolis
Review of criminal law highlights from the legislative session and important statutory changes helpful for prosecutors and city attorneys, including the future of cannabis prosecution. Hear about insights from the session and predictions for future legislative sessions.
9:15 am De-Escalation Through Language and Law
Aimee Gourlay, Collaboration Services Manager, League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust; Jason Kuboushek, Partner, Iverson Reuvers; Melissa Manderschied, City Attorney, City of Bloomington; Pamela Whitmore, Attorney, Kennedy & Graven Chartered
Explore the practical communication tactics and legal responses which can help cities navigate conflict escalation. We will discuss how escalation happens, how it effects people, and de-escalating techniques. A panel of city attorneys will discuss their role in helping cities maximize effectiveness while minimizing nonproductive conflict or stalemates. And, sometimes, things are going to escalate despite a city’s best efforts. Panelists will also discuss legal solutions to help cities to deal with disruptive behaviors.
10:45 a.m. Break
11 a.m. Civil Law Update
Brooke Bordson, League of Minnesota Cities Intergovernmental Relations Representatives
Recap some of the highlights from the 2024 legislative session with representatives of the League of Minnesota Cities Intergovernmental Relations team. Hear what happened, what didn’t, and its impact.
12 p.m. Lunch
1 p.m. The Ethics and Biases of Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Models*
Sybil Dunlop, Litigation Partner, Greene Espel PLLP; Farah Famouri, Attorney, Greene Espel PLLP
Learn about the ethical issues involved in working with AI, and the inherent biases built into artificial intelligence technology. This presentation will help lawyers identify and mitigate the potentially discriminatory effects where AI is integrated into criminal and civil legal decision-making.
*Ethics credit
2 p.m. Judicial Update
Paul Merwin, MAP Attorney, League of Minnesota Cities
Hear about the most important state and federal court decisions impacting Minnesota’s cities. The discussion will review the cases as well as what practical impact the decisions will have, or are already having, on cities across the state.
3 p.m. MACA Updates and Break
Bridget Nason, MACA President
3:15 p.m. Just Deeds Training and Workshop
Corrine Heine, City Attorney, City of Minnetonka
MACA is a co-founder of the Just Deeds project, a coalition designed to educate Minnesotans about discriminatory covenants that were placed on properties in the first half of the 20th Century, with the knowledge and assistance of municipalities, to prevent Black Minnesotans and other Minnesotans of color from living in certain communities and areas. A primary component of that acknowledgement is to assist residents in discharging discriminatory covenants recorded against their property. We will spend an hour teaching how to engage in the process of discharging covenants and 45 minutes of pro bono work actively engaging participants in the work.
*One hour Elimination of Bias credit and 45 minutes of pro bono work
**Please bring your laptop to participate in the workshop
5 p.m. Event Conclusion