Discovery disputes are inevitable in employment litigation, but how you handle them can determine whether you win credibility or lose it with the court. This panel brings together plaintiff, defense, and neutral perspectives to explore how lawyers can advocate forcefully while maintaining civility. Panelists will discuss what actually moves the needle with judges and discovery referees, strategic choices that help rather than hinder your position, and when escalating a dispute advances your client’s interests—or backfires. Attendees will leave with practical guidance for resolving discovery battles effectively, professionally, and persuasively.

Retirement can be one of the most significant transitions in a lawyer’s or judge’s professional life. While financial planning often receives considerable attention, the personal, psychological, and professional dimensions of retirement can be equally important and far more complex.

Join us for an engaging and thought-provoking webinar featuring selected clips from the documentary Retirement on Trial, followed by a dynamic panel discussion exploring professional identity, purpose, aging, wellness, and the transition from full-time legal practice. The program will examine questions many attorneys and judges face but rarely discuss openly: How much of our identity is tied to our role as lawyers or judges? How do we recognize when it is time to change course? What does a meaningful “glide path” toward retirement look like? And how can we create a fulfilling vision for life beyond a demanding legal career?

Drawing on themes highlighted in the documentary and informed by the experiences of jurists and attorneys, the panel will explore the challenges and opportunities that accompany later-career transitions. Topics will include the evolving meaning of work, the impact of aging on professional life, maintaining wellness and purpose, navigating changing capacity and workload, alternative practice arrangements, and practical approaches to designing a rewarding next chapter.

Presented by the Health & Wellness Committee in collaboration with the California Judges Association.

Description: Governmental immunities are jury questions spelled out in the CACI but can be an equally powerful defense before trial on summary judgement or adjudication. This program examines the seven key governmental immunities reflected in California Civil Jury Instructions (CACI’s 1110–1124), including natural conditions, reasonable acts or omissions, traffic control and warning devices, weather-related conditions, and design immunity. The session also explores the evolving doctrine of loss of design immunity, tracing the law from Cornette v. Department of Transportation through Tansavatdi v. City of Rancho Palos Verdes and discussing what the future may hold for this critical defense. Speakers: Michael...

Mediation of affirmative tenant claims are never just two-sided disputes — they are multi-layered negotiations shaped by local eviction control ordinances, insurance coverage issues, and the value of the tenancy.

Join Steve Abern (Mediator/Panel Counsel), Jacqueline Ravenscroft (Plaintiff’s Counsel), and Jeff Woo (Personal Counsel) for a candid, practical discussion of who’s really in the room — and how their roles intersect before and during mediation. This is Part 2, find Part 1 on our YouTube Channel Here: https://www.youtube.com/@ADRServicesInc1/featured

This program moves beyond generic mediation advice to focus on the players and their interplay: panel counsel, personal counsel, claims representatives, and plaintiff’s counsel. Through real-world habitability and wrongful eviction case examples, the panel will explore preparation and case evaluation, insurance coverage issues, attorney’s fees, statutory penalties, potential tenancy buyouts, and the optics that influence carrier decision-making.

Attendees will gain a clearer understanding of how each role evaluates risk, communicates with carriers, navigates authority, and shifts strategy at mediation — and how to work more effectively across the aisle to reach resolution.

California lawyers regularly treat mediation, MSCs and informal settlement conferences as interchangeable, especially when it comes to confidentiality. The law draws distinctions that they should be aware of. Two retired judges will break down the statutory framework covering settlement discussions in the Evidence Code and Rules of Court and some of the subtle differences between mediation, settlement conferences and informal “hallway” negotiations. The judges will also discuss how such differences might impact procedural and tactical approaches for MSCs and mediation, and common missteps.

We are thrilled to be returning to Maui and the Fairmont Kea Lani for an extraordinary conference week and to celebrate this year?s Trial Lawyer of the Year, Joe McMonigle of the San Francisco Chapter. Perched on one of Maui?s most coveted stretches of shoreline, the luxe setting of the Fairmont Kea Lani is an enviable tropical paradise. Wake up each morning to gentle waves lapping at the shore, swaying palms singing in the trade winds and expansive views of turquoise waters stretching all the way to the horizon. Only steps away from your suite is Polo Beach renowned for its golden soft sand, calm swimming, excellent snorkeling and tranquil sunsets.