CLE and CPE Legal and Accounting Ethics Courses
About the Author
The author-presenter, Jim Rigos, is an Attorney-CPA who has written and lectured widely in the area of professional accounting and legal ethics and related potential liability. A graduate of Boston University Law School, he has been involved in over 200 legal and ethical claims against CPAs since 1980 principally on the defense side. A former member of the AICPA’s Accountants Legal Liability Committee, he has been admitted to practice in Washington and federal courts including the U.S. Tax and Supreme Courts. Jim is also a national Director of the American Academy of Attorney-CPAs (AAA-CPA) and presently chairs their national Ethics and Dual Practice committee.
INDEX OF CURRENT 2025 CPE-CLE COURSES
Lawyer's National Ethics (MPRE) CLE 5-Hour Exam Prep
Washington and Oregon State Board of Accounting Approved 4-Hour State-specific Courses
Lawyer's National Ethics (MPRE)
Lawyer's national ethics tested on MPRE (5 CLE Hours) covers the American Bar Association Legal Ethics exam required for state bar admission. This on-line review course is offered live three times a year nationally by the AAA-CPA but the complete preparation workbook is sold separately for $49.95. See Rigos Primer Series Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) Review MPRE for details and to order.
Professional Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest Rules
This short 2-hour CLE course is an overview of the ethical issues contained within the ABA Code of Ethics promoting lawyer confidentiality and avoiding prohibited conflicts of interest. Individual State Bar Associations may have their own rules or modify the Model Code.
Washington and Oregon Accounting State Board Approved
4-Hour Ethics Courses
The Washington State CPA Ethics by Jim Rigos course is approved by the State Board of Accountancy as meeting their 4 Ethics CPE hour licensing requirement. Included is information from the Board posted Newsletters including any State Board’s significant recent rule changes. The ethical analysis sequencing parallels the national AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and is updated for the AICPA’s “re-codification” changes. This new ethical system framework includes “identifying threats, creating mitigating safeguards, and obtaining client informed consent to the mitigated ethical deficiencies.” The AICPA ethical rules are now primarily based on a CPA’s employment position.
The Oregon State CPA Ethics course includes all year-end updates and State Board newsletter releases. Included also is Board Administrative Rules 801-001 and 801-010 and related AICPA pronouncements. The course has been reviewed by and approved for their required Oregon-specific ethics credit by the Oregon Society of CPAs.
The few differences between State Board rules and the AICPA standards are examined. Examples of real-world practice situations and actual reported case law covering ethics and legal responsibilities for Washington and Oregon CPAs are included. Emphasis is placed upon a CPA in the public practice but industry CPAs are also now specifically covered. Conflict of interest, independence, confidentiality, and fiduciary duty receive special attention depth. To order the workbook format of the book call us at 206-624-0716. To take the full online Washington course, register at www.accountingethics.com and begin immediately.
The text covers the new AICPA "Risk Threats and Safeguards" framework approach. Included is the steps of “identifying threats, creating mitigating safeguards,” and obtaining "client informed consent." This now is based on a CPA’s employment situation. Numerous examples of real-world practice situations and related Board and civil reported case law covering ethics and legal responsibilities for the accounting professional are presented and discussed. Potential safeguards that mitigate ethical risks and the new AICPA Act Discreditable penalty are explored in some detail. Conflict of interest, confidentiality, and a CPAs fiduciary duty status receive special attention.
- Four General (Non-State Specific) Accounting Ethics Courses and Legal Liability
- Currently Available
The AICPA ethics “re-codification” structure effectively elevates the potential ethical and legal conflict of interest rules. These standards introduce new requirements that should lead to professional CPAs becoming more analytical prospectively in engagements and relationships that include potential conflicts of interest with their client’s duty and loyalty responsibilities.
This CPE course develops and applies the professional fiduciary duty heightened legal standard to the practice of CPAs. The course’s main emphasis is on CPA’s “holding out” their CPA credential while operating in certain sensitive roles that under these circumstances may be deemed to involve or create a client fiduciary duty. Reported CPA case decisions are cited. These cases can - and should if on point with a CPA's situation - be Googled for factual and legal details of the court-specific holdings.
The AICPA’s ethics “re-codification” imposes the requirement of an engagement’s detailed risk and safeguards analysis. This heightened emphasis seems to increase the chances that standard CPA engagements for long-term clients may be deemed to rise to the fiduciary duty level.
Fiduciary relationships today receive increased regulatory and judicial scrutiny. This course identifies the high-exposure practice areas that may be classified as “fiduciary services” and provides numerous suggestions and tips that may minimize the risks. Many on-point legal decisions are presented that a prudent CPA can review for specific guidance.
(Two CPE Hours)
This two-hour tax ethics CPE course is primarily for CPAs and EAs involved in federal tax return preparation and/or in-firm quality review. The course has three main objectives. First, to examine the controlling professional tax practice ethical standards of the AICPA and IRS. Second, we spend some time exploring potentially problematic tax situations where a tax CPA has relatively high professional ethics and/or legal liability exposure. Third, we suggest you consider using our protective tax preparation engagement letters which may clarify some problematic tax situations through careful disclosure wording and client agreement.
This CPE course covers most aspects of a professional’s tax practice; planning, return preparation, and IRS audit representation is covered. Included are three major subjects: first, client advance tax transaction planning, structuring, and coordinating; second, preparation of the actual IRS tax return to be filed with the federal agency and possible preparer penalties; and third, representing the client during an audit by an IRS revenue agent. The professional’s roles here and ethical positions may change. The degree of responsibility and related potential monetary preparer damages asserted against the CPA by both the client and taxing authorities are explored.
Tax-reported accounting-related legal cases are referred to in this material providing substantive examples of the application of a given legal principle to accountant’s tax service engagements. Seminar attendees should Google the cited tax case citations containing specific details of the particular tax problem and/or opportunities applicable to their situation. This CPE course analysis will educate the tax professional on the facts and detailed holding of the appellant court review of the AICPA, IRS, and/or state Board of Accountancy preparer rulings issued below.
For CPAs in the public practice, this two-hour course will give you the facts to reduce the chances of a client claim and/or dollar amount of damages asserted.
Defensive engagement letters for CPAs in public practice are covered in significant depth. Suggested forms and wording are included. Many reported accounting-related legal cases are referred to in this CPA Defensive Practice CPE course. These cases provide authoritative examples of the application of a given legal principle to accountant’s liability factual situations. Relevant cases can be Googled for factual and legal details.
Reading the details of the reported cases cited provides the details of the factual and legal accounting issues at play. There is no certainty that the tribunal of any individual state or federal circuit court of appeals would follow the cited precedent herein, but specific safe harbors are suggested.
Standard tax client engagement letters and related high-risk checklists are suggested and included in the course workbook. Engagement Letter defensive provisions and specific advised wording are included. These client engagement letter forms may be used in a CPA firm’s day-to-day practice and focus on common risk situations.
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