Events
Workers’ Compensation Legal Specialization Boot Camp 2025
July 26 – July 27
Where: Virtual Webinars
When: July 26 – 27, 2025
11.0 Hours of MCLE with 11.0 Hours of Workers’ Compensation Legal Specialization Credit. Includes 1.0 Hour Legal Ethics.
Purchase all webinar and receive 35% off! Offer ends 07/26/2025 at 9:00 AM.
Only interested in a few sessions? Purchase the individual sessions below.
Are you planning on taking the legal specialization exam this year? Are you new to workers’ compensation and looking for a comprehensive review of workers’ compensation law? If so, you should sign up for Workers’ Compensation Boot Camp 2025. Boot camp is a two-day webinar program providing a solid foundation in California workers’ compensation law. The program is specifically tailored to cover all topics appearing on the workers’ compensation specialization examination in October 2025. However, the program is open to everyone wishing to solidify their workers’ compensation practice.
If you haven’t considered taking the workers’ compensation specialist exam, you should. Why is legal specialization important? Three reasons:
- It is the only way that you can advertise to your clients that you are a certified legal specialist.
- It is a clear demonstration of your experience, expertise, and knowledge.
- It forces you to study your area of practice in depth, which in turn makes you a better lawyer.
The boot camp will cover the topics of claims evaluations, practice and procedure, medical treatment, disability evaluation, and professional responsibility. Within those topics the speakers will go in depth, detailing permanent/temporary disability issues, UR/IMR disputes, affirmative defenses to compensation, pre-trial/trial/post-trial issues. The list goes on, but the point is this: of all the CLE, this program will deliver the most information for your dollar.
Agenda
Saturday, July 26, 2025
Claims Evaluations
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM | REGISTER HERE
2 Participatory MCLE Credits; 2 Legal Specialization in Workers’ Compensation Law
Forget the push-ups. Boot Camp starts your workout with a basic overview of the workers compensation system including an overview of injuries and benefits. Panelist Yvonne Lang, Adam Dombchik, and Judge Martha Henderson will then go in-depth covering defenses to the compensability of a claim, including Labor Code § 3600 defenses, injury AOE/COE, and statute of limitations issues. Next, the panel will cover the quirks of psychological claims and end with a review of special remedies including serious and willful misconduct and Labor Code § 132a retaliation claims.
Speaker:
- Hon. Martha Henderson
- Yvonne Lang
- Adam Dombchik
Moderator:
- Orlando Ruff
- Hon. Sharon Velzy
Practice and Procedure Part 1
11:15 AM – 12:15 PM | REGISTER HERE
1 Legal Specialization in Workers’ Compensation Law; 1 Participatory MCLE Credits
Now that you’re warmed up, this session will take you through the procedure of a workers’ compensation claim starting with the legal duties of the employer upon receipt of a claim. Panelist Lance Peatman, and Judge Finete will discuss jurisdiction and venue of workers’ compensation cases. They will cover the structure of a case from filing, to discovery, hearing, trial, and post-trial appeal. Then, they will review some ancillary issues with the workers’ compensation case, including liens, interpreter services, and insurance coverage issues. Finally, they will examine issues to consider when settling a workers’ compensation case, such as Medicare, Social Security, and third-party injury claims.
Speakers:
- Hon. James Finete
- Lance Peatman
Practice and Procedure Part 2
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM | REGISTER HERE
1 Legal Specialization in Workers’ Compensation Law;1 Participatory MCLE Credits
Now that you’re warmed up, this session will take you through the procedure of a workers’ compensation claim starting with the legal duties of the employer upon receipt of a claim. Panelist Lance Peatman, and Judge Finete will discuss jurisdiction and venue of workers’ compensation cases. They will cover the structure of a case from filing, to discovery, hearing, trial, and post-trial appeal. Then, they will review some ancillary issues with the workers’ compensation case, including liens, interpreter services, and insurance coverage issues. Finally, they will examine issues to consider when settling a workers’ compensation case, such as Medicare, Social Security, and third-party injury claims.
Speakers:
- Hon. James Finete
- Lance Peatman
Modertaor:
- Orlando Ruff
- Hon. Sharon Velzy
Medical Knowledge and Issues
2:20 PM – 4:20 PM | REGISTER HERE
2 Legal Specialization in Workers’ Compensation Law; 2 Participatory MCLE Credits
Now that you have a solid foundation in the substance and procedure for the claim, we will build upon that foundation an understanding of medical treatment issues in workers’ compensation. We will start by covering the anatomy of a workers’ compensation claim… literally. The panel will review some of the frequently encountered body systems and diseases in workers’ compensation. Next, the panelists will tackle medical treatment issues in workers’ compensation. They will explain how medical treatment is authorized; how it is denied; and how to appeal the denial. Finally, they will cover the medical legal evaluation process along with the proper procedure for obtaining an independent evaluation through a qualified medical evaluator.
Speakers:
- Randy Pollack
- Monica Fairwell
- Michael Post
Moderator:
- Orlando Ruff
- Hon. Sharon Velzy
Sunday, July 27, 2025
Disability Evaluation
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM | REGISTER HERE
2 Legal Specialization in Workers’ Compensation Law; 2 Participatory MCLE Credits
Boot Camp continues the second day by scrutinizing the disability evaluation process. This program will provide an overview of the American Medical Association (AMA) Guides 5th Edition and how they are used to rate injuries in the workers’ compensation system. The speaker will explain how to (and how not to) rate an injury. This program will cover the requirements for a medical report to constitute substantial medical evidence. The program will also cover temporary disability, permanent disability, life pensions, and apportionment of disability. Lastly the presenter will go over the technical and legal issues involved in rating permanent disability.
Speakers:
- Laura Chiyono Rosenthal
- Kenny Shepard
Moderator:
- Orlando Ruff
- Hon. Sharon Velzy
Professional Responsibility
11:20 PM – 12:20 PM | REGISTER HERE
1 Legal Specialization in Workers’ Compensation Law; 1 Participatory MCLE Credits; 1 Legal Ethics
At this point you will have a solid foundation for the substance of a claim and the procedure to follow as well as an in depth understanding of medical and disability issues. However, every good exam question (including the legal specialization exam) has to have an element of professional responsibility. Judge Spitzer, will cover a multitude of professional responsibility issues unique to workers’ compensation including sanctions, penalties, attorney fees, contempt proceedings, fee agreements, and prohibited conduct.
Speakers:
- Hon. Associate Chief Judge Jamie Spitzer
- Judge Steven Siemers (Ret.)
Moderator:
- Orlando Ruff
- Hon. Sharon Velzy
Related Webinars – Can be Bundled
- August 15 @ 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Exam Essay Prep Series (Part 1); Legal Specialization Boot Camp 2025
- August 22 @ 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Exam Essay Prep Series (Part 2); Legal Specialization Boot Camp 2025
Pricng
This is the pricing for each individual webinar.
| Registration Type | Pricing |
|---|---|
| CLA Member (1 Hour Webinar) | $55 |
| Non-CLA Member (1 Hour Webinar) | $75 |
| CLA Member (2 Hour Webinar) | $110 |
| Non-CLA Member (1 Hour Webinar) | $150 |
This is the pricing for the bundle (must purchase all webinars).
| Registration Type | Pricing |
|---|---|
| CLA Member | $393.25 |
| Non-CLA Member | $536.25 |
The California Lawyers Association is an approved State Bar of California MCLE provider.
We are committed to accessibility! Virtual events are equipped with closed captioning. To request an in-person accommodation, send us a note at accessibility@calawyers.org or contact us at 916-516-1760 for assistance.