Summary: In response to demand for convention education programs pertinent to the current firm-principal demographics and corporate difficulties, AIA convention education planners have added two programs featuring noted Chicago attorney Jonathan Howe. With more than 40 years of distinguished practice in business law, Howe will discuss issues of getting ahead while getting out of a business or, alternatively, strategies and prudent tactics for downsizing a firm. Another addition is a speaker at a Wednesday ADA workshop speaking specifically on the California Accessibility Specialist Program and SB 1608.

F204 Succession Planning for Architects: How to Get out of Business
In this interactive session, Howe discusses the alternatives—from the most positive, selling, to the least desirable, bankruptcy—for getting out of business, especially in this time of economic downturn. The session explores realistic approaches to getting ahead while getting out.

Participants will come away from the session being able to:

• Evaluate various getting-out-of-business options
• Recognize the advantages and the disadvantages of selling, simply closing the doors, and bankruptcy, in light of the current economic environment
• Network with peers in directed discussions of the downturned economy’s impact on the profession.

S201 Re-Engineering the Firm: How to Do It Right, and What Firms and Their Employees Need to Know
Re-engineering, currently another word for downsizing, means planning to do more with less. Re-engineering through layoffs requires an understanding of the rights and responsibilities of both employers and employees. Without resorting to legalese, Howe explains how to get it right in terms everyone can understand.

Participants will come away from the session being able to:

• Identify the legal requirements associated with downsizing situations
• Identify the legal allowances associated with re-engineering
• Recognize the balance between rights and responsibilities in terms of the parties involved in downsizing situations.

W15 New ADA Requirements: What's Ahead Now and Later—Opportunities and Expectations! Changes, Requirements, and Advice
A new addition to the faculty of this half-day pre-convention workshop is Barry Ryan, a senior architect from the San Francisco office of the California Division of the State Architect will present a 15-minute session on “What Architects Need to Know about the California Accessibility Specialist (CASp) Program and SB 1608.”