You, Yes You! Whether Virtual or In-Person, these Conferences are Designed for You

This article could begin with the pitch, “Still need MCLE? Attend NOW. Meet your 2024 requirement, even in 2025.”

And certainly, the message would be accurate. But your CLA Section leaders and Committee chairs have much better reasons why lawyers across a full array of practice specialties should consider participating in California Lawyers Association’s (CLA) 2025 New Employment Practitioner Conference and the Consumer and Unfair Competition Law Institute this January. They are both designed for you.

“Our New Employment Practitioner Conference offers a lot of fundamentals,” says Jachyn Davis, CLA Conference Chair. “The caliber of speakers we have is incredible. And you can ask questions. You are getting very practical information. Attorneys need a base. You may be very experienced in a specific area, but you still need to understand human resources and labor issues.”

The New Employment Practitioners Conference is a two-day, virtual event being conducted on January 30-31. Panelists and speakers are all active in the employment law field and will offer opportunities for audience participation. Any participant who isn’t able to attend every session will have 30 days following the conference to view the recordings and gain insight, along with continuing education credits.

“CLA is unique, because most associations focus on one side of the aisle. CLA brings every type of practitioner together, and the New Employment Practitioners Conference is a reflection of that,” shares Christina Ro-Connolly, Chair, CLA Labor and Employment Section. “We are investigators, mediators, defense attorneys, prosecutors, paralegals, and HR practitioners. We really emphasize diversity.”

The same holds true for the upcoming Consumer and Unfair Competition Law Institute being held at the City Club LA in Los Angeles on January 31. Previously known as the UCL Institute, the day-long, annual meeting brings together practitioners from both the private and public sectors. Institute Co-Chairs, Dana Cook-Milligan and Kyla Gibboney, emphasize not only the educational opportunities, but the chance to network with more than 100 colleagues.

“We have people attend from every part of practice, including judges, state and federal enforcers, and private practitioners — from both sides of the ‘v’,” says Gibboney. “We will speak about exciting recent developments impacting consumer protection and unfair competition law practice. If you run a business, or are a consumer, the Institute is for you. And, we also want people to know that we will have a good time.”

Cook-Milligan echoes that sentiment. “Speaking with others in the consumer protection legal community is incredibly impactful. It’s incumbent upon us on as practitioners to develop and maintain our networks. This is one of the things we hope to do with CUCLI — to bring practitioners together and foster a community of connections. We can learn in a meaningful way and have an enjoyable time.”

The Institute will include panel discussions on AI, ethics, the future of consumer protection enforcement, and a retrospective lookback at the consumer protection issues that have received national attention over the past months. The Institute will also include a panel discussion by federal and state judges who routinely preside over consumer protection cases. New this year is the inaugural presentation of the Consumer and Unfair Competition Law Award, recognizing outstanding achievement in the practice of consumer and unfair competition law.

To learn more about the New Employment Practitioner Conference, visit: https://calawyers.org/event/2025-new-employment-practitioner-conference/

To learn more about the Consumer and Unfair Competition Law Institute, go to: https://calawyers.org/event/2025-cucli/