Labor and Employment Law

1.25 Hours MCLE

Since late 2023, there have been many new developments in the wage-and-hour space, and more changes are on the horizon. In this fast-paced 75-minute discussion, the panel will address the most critical developments in this ever-evolving area of law, all of which will have a substantial effect on employer policies and practices and wage-and-hour litigation.

• Jahan Sagafi, Outten & Golden
• Nina Huerta, Locke Lord

1.25 Hours MCLE

What happens when PAGA cases go to trial? The panelists have collected and analyzed more than 80 judgments in PAGA trials and will answer all of your questions, including:

• How often do plaintiffs win?
• When they do win, how much do courts award in penalties?
• How often do courts exercise their discretion to reduce the penalties awarded? And by what percentage?
• How often do courts find liability, but award zero?
• Do trial courts stack PAGA penalties or award penalties at subsequent rates?
• How much do they award in attorney fees?
• What do courts of appeal do with these judgments?
• What is the value of an “average” PAGA claim?
• How will the June 27, 2024 Labor Code amendments impact these decisions?

If you litigate PAGA cases, you are not going to want to miss this panel!

• Steve Pearl, Steve Pearl Mediation
• Jennifer Kramer, Hennig Kramer Ruiz & Singh, LLP
• Julie Trotter, Call & Jensen, APC
• James Michalski, Michalski Law Offices

0.5 Hours MCLE in Legal Ethics

Join use at the lunch hour for a fast-paced, interactive, trivia game that will test your wage and hour knowledge. Hosted by Bryan Schwartz, the former chair of CLA’s Labor and Employment Committee, get ready to have some fun and earn bragging rights!

• Bryan Schwartz, Bryan Schwartz Law

1 Hour MCLE; 1 Civility in the Legal Profession

Experienced practitioners, defense counsel Guillermo A. Escobedo and plaintiff counsel Beth W. Mora, once opposing counsel in an employment matter, will present multiple avenues for litigators to promote civility and eliminate bias-driven incivility in the legal profession, including incivility and bias directed at parties, counsel and the judiciary.   

• Beth W. Mora, Mora Employment Law, APC
• Guillermo Escobedo

1 Hour MCLE

Join us for a behind-the-scenes discussion with DOL and DLSE lawyers. They will discuss each agency’s investigation, enforcement, and litigation strategies and what you should know to effectively represent your clients.

• Deborah Graves, California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement
• Eduardo Huerta, USDOL- Wage Hour Division
• Boris Orlov, U.S. Department of Labor
• Maribel Hernandez, ABA Logistics (moderator)

1.25 Hours MCLE

Enjoy this lively discussion between judges, and litigators from the plaintiff and defense-side about the current state of wage and hour litigation, class and PAGA representative actions, trials, and best practices for practitioners.

• Honorable Melissa McCormick, Orange County Superior Court
• Honorable Stuart Rice, Los Angeles Superior Court
• Jacqueline Beaumont, Call and Jensen, APC
• Adrianne De Castro, Desai Law Firm, P.C.

1.5 Hours MCLE

In this fast-paced presentation, Anthony J. Oncidi and Andrew Friedman will once again cover the top employment law cases from the past year, with an emphasis on the cases of greatest utility to employment law practitioners.

• Andrew Friedman, Helmer Friedman
• Anthony Oncidi, Proskauer

1.25 Hours MCLE; 0.75 Hour Elimination of Bias, 0.5 Hour Implicit Bias

In this moderated panel including a plaintiff’s attorney, management counsel, and an independent investigator, we will discuss best practices and cultural competence in employment matters involving limited-english speakers. We will review special considerations and tips for working with limited-english speaking clients, witnesses, and parties during intake, investigation, litigation (discovery/deposition), hearings and trials, and mediation/settlement. Topics to be covered include: Whether an attorney/investigator has the necessary language skills and cultural competence to take on the matter, how to effectively represent limited-English speakers, elimininating bias, working with interpreters/translators, preparing for hearing/trial, ensuring clients understand the proceedings and any documents they are asked to review or sign.

• Jennifer Reisch, Reisch Law
• Leiann Laiks, Strategy Law LLP
• Karen Carrera, Carrera Workplace Solutions
• Andrea Kelly Smethurst (moderator)

1.25 Hours MCLE

Now more than ever, employers, unions and workers across all industries are finding that the National Labor Relations Act applies to them in ways they may have never considered. Join our experienced panelists in conversation about updates in Board law that all labor and employment attorneys should know. This presentation will cover recent developments with respect to who is classified as an employee under the NLRA and what constitutes protected employee conduct; pitfalls that can arise in employee handbooks, severance agreements, and non-compete agreements; what to expect when a union demands recognition from an employer, in light of the Board’s Cemex decision; and the circumstances in which an employer can or cannot take unilateral action when its employees are represented by a union.

• Lisl Soto, Weinberg, Roger & Rosenfeld
• Tom Lenz, Atkinson, Andelson,Loya, Ruud & Romo
• Danielle Pierce, Assistant Regional Director Region 31

1 Hour MCLE

Justice Hernaldo J. Baltodano, an Associate Justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, will share his inspirational path to the bench, ways to find our hidden potential, and steps L&E practitioners can take to help break down barriers in the legal profession.  

• Associate Justice Hernaldo J. Baltodano

1.25 Hours MCLE; 1.25 Hours Technology in the Practice of Law

This enlightening panel discussion will focus on the dynamic integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the legal profession. Our esteemed panel of legal experts will delve into the transformative power of AI in adapting legal practice to meet the evolving needs of modern society. Our panelists will explore how AI technologies are reshaping the legal practice, enabling lawyers to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and accessibility in their services. The panel also will address the ethical considerations surrounding the use of AI, including issues of bias, privacy, and transparency. Join us for this exciting dialogue and gain invaluable insights from leaders at the intersection of law and technology.

• Tiffany Cruz, In-House Attorney and Adjunct Professor at Chapman University Law
• Jeremy Evans, California Sports Lawyer
• Lindsey Wagner, Workplace Investigator and Employment Mediator at Moxie Mediation
• Emily Patajo, Akerman LLP  (moderator)

1.25 Hours MCLE

Join our skilled, practiced and knowledgeable expert panelists as they share their thoughts, advice and tips on how they approach mediation, effective strategies that have proven successful, and other recommendations to maximize the value of the mediation process, as while resolution may be the ultimate goal, there are many other benefits to be had. Gain perspective from all sides, as you hear from experienced plaintiff’s counsel, defense counsel, and the neutral.  This program will explore the many approaches to mediation attorneys might deploy to achieve the most favorable outcome possible for their clients.

• Hon. William McCurine, Jr. (Ret.), Judicate West, Mediator, Arbitrator and Private Judge
• Kathryn B. Fox, Buchalter, Senior Counsel
• Marina Fraigun, Fraigun Law Group, Founder

1.5 Hours MCLE; 1.5 Wellness Competence

Better Lawyering Through Mindfulness (interactive program – duty of competence); practical strategies; self-care practices; how to deal with trauma; mindfulness and meditation – neuroscience, tips and strategies for how to make mindfulness/meditation part of their daily practice.

• Jeena Cho

Jeena Cho is the co-author of the best-selling book, The Anxious Lawyer, An 8-Week Guide to a Joyful and Satisfying Law Practice Through Mindfulness and Meditation (ABA). She started her career as an Assistant State Attorney and also practiced bankruptcy law for over fifteen years. She is a regular contributor to ABA Journal, and Above the Law where she covers resilience, work/life integration, and wellness in the workplace.