CLA’s Virtual Solo And Small Firm Summit Takes Every Practice To New Heights

Whether you’re a team of one or 10 California Lawyers Association (CLA) Solo and Small Firm Summit on June 12-13, 2025, has something to offer all legal professionals. The two-day virtual conference is being held on June 12-13, 2025, and will address an array of topics, including: the legal challenges of Deep Fakes, applying the social science of persuasion and influence to negotiation, and using AI to promote client service. More than 25 speakers will participate, and CLA Chair, Terrance J. Evans, will give opening remarks.

“It’s a fantastic program with more than a dozen breakout sessions,” says Cynthia Elkins, Summit event chair. “You can sit in the comfort of your office or home, log in, network, and earn MCLE. We also record all of the speakers, so for 30 days following the event attendees can go back and listen to something again or hear a program they missed.”

Attorney David Majchrzak, has assisted in the summit planning efforts for the past four years. “I chaired the CLA 2022 Annual Meeting, and I am one of those people who, when asked to help, say, ‘sure.’ I get to know my colleagues at a different level. The interactions tell you what is important to them, and when you see people enjoying the meetings, you see the fruits of your labor and the results. It’s something you learn from in the planning process.” He continues, “It’s working in groups like the Solo and Small Firm section that helps you understand what’s important to attorneys.”

The summit is an opportunity to hear from Hon. Rupert Byrdsong, Superior Court of Los Angeles, and Hon. Elizabeth R. Feffer (Ret.), Superior Court of Los Angeles. The Summit Committee began planning for the educational event in January 2025, receiving more than 40 presentation proposals. “We have a limited number of openings, so we spend a lot of time ensuring that each session is meaningful to CLA members. Ultimately, we are providing three tracks – the business of law, technology, and substantiative legal topics.”

Participants can receive up to 7.25 hours of MCLE, including 1.0 hour of legal ethics, 1.25 hours of civility in the legal profession, and 5.0 hours of technology in the practice of law.

“This summit has taken place for many years and is very popular,” says CLA Interim Chief Member Experience Officer, Julia Byrd. “It’s a great opportunity, particularly for people who are not able to travel.”

Majchrzak expresses his encouragement for people to attend, saying, “I love CLA. As wonderful as this event is, there is something always going on. This is part of a bigger plan and a larger group of people always out there to support you and see you grow into something special. We are here for lawyers.”

The sessions on Deep Fakes and cybersecurity, in particular, will be highly valuable to attorneys in every practice area, because they are concerns impacting the legal profession on a daily basis. To learn more and register for the Solo and Small Firm Summit, please click here.