Bassford Remele is proud to sponsor the Professional Liability Defense Federation Annual Meeting. Shareholder Charles Jones and General Counsel Aram Desteian will present at the following sessions:

High Stakes: Managing Emerging Risks in a Deregulated Environment (Charles Jones)

• Recent deregulation efforts and defunding of oversight agencies are reshaping the professional liability landscape for accountants and financial professionals. Reduced SEC, PCAOB, and IRS enforcement presents operational flexibility but increases legal and ethical exposure. This presentation will analyze these regulatory shifts, their impact on liability, and strategies for compliance.
• Additionally, Arizona’s adoption of Alternative Business Structures (ABS) is disrupting the legal and accounting industries. Firms like KPMG and Aprio are pioneering non-lawyer-owned legal entities, challenging traditional business models and raising ethical and competitive concerns. This session will examine ABS trends, liability implications, and strategic responses.

Jokers in the Deck: Risks and Ethical Considerations In Representing Closely-Held Organizations (Charles Jones)

• This session will explore the risks and ethical challenges that arise when attorneys represent a closely-held organization. Who is the client? Under what circumstances can constituents of the organization claim that the organization’s counsel represents them? We will review the applicable rules, discuss some examples of how those rules are applied in practice, and offer some tips for preventing and addressing conflicts.

Viva Lost Values: Defending Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (Aram Desteian)

• This panel will explore the proliferation of lawsuits and other challenges to institutional DE&I programs in companies, government and in society. They will discuss the path from Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 to Students for Fair Admission in 2024 and provide insight into how DE&I efforts have been accused of racial preferences and have fallen into disfavor. They will frame the benefits of a strong DE&I effort, which provides opportunities to traditionally marginalized groups to participate in every aspect of society, including in higher education and top employment, without discrimination. The panel will draw attention to the Supreme Court’s admonition against using race as a factor in college admission, and provide context for society’s need and desire to acknowledge the lingering effects of racism and to right historical wrongs. Organizations that effectively use DE&I to recruit, hire, retain and promote enhance their over-all performance and reap the economic benefit. Organizations that promote diversity, equity and inclusion among their workers have happier, harder-working employees with less turn-over, providing value, stability and security. Companies, law firms, non-profits and others have been threatened and have been sued for having DE&I programs that allegedly discriminate in violation of federal and state anti-discrimination suits. These programs are being dropped by government and companies are facing lawsuits. The panel will show how effectively run DE&I programs are both lawful and beneficial.

Charles Jones provides skilled, discerning, and ethical advocacy for, and advice to, professionals and companies. He focuses his practice on defending lawyers and accountants against malpractice and other professional liability actions, and on assisting professionals with licensing and compliance issues. Charles also advises CPAs and lawyers in risk management, compliance, and other issues. Additionally, he represents insurers in coverage issues and businesses in commercial litigation matters. Charles is a frequent speaker on limiting liability risk and professional ethics to CPAs and lawyers.

Aram Desteian represents businesses in complex commercial litigation, and also counsels and defends other lawyers against a spectrum of professional liability claims. Aram is Chair of the Minnesota State Bar Association Professionalism & Ethics Section and serves as Bassford Remele's General Counsel.

Bassford Remele proudly serves as local and national counsel for many major corporations and Fortune 500 Companies and is a go-to litigation firm representing local, national, and international clients in state and federal courts across the region. The firm provides comprehensive counsel and representation in litigation and dispute resolution, family law, and corporate matters, ensuring prompt and effective service for its clients.

Established in 1882, Bassford Remele is proud to be the oldest top-25 law firm based in Minnesota.

Bassford Remele | September 17, 2025