Attendees may earn 4.25 MCLE Credit, 3.75 Hours including Elimination of Bias Credits

Main Location (In-Person):

Loyola Law School
Donovan Hall
919 Albany Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015

Remote Locations (Livestream):

Should I Attend?

Hear what our members our saying about the Diversity Conference:

“I want to help build a coalition of like-minded people to strategize a response to communities under threat.”  -Justin Bogda

“I want to be in an environment where we’re talking about both problems and solutions. It’s critical to identify ways we can make progress, even in this very difficult time.”  – Nell Green Nylen

“As a former ELS diversity fellow, the Section provided resources and community at a dynamic point in my career. I’m attending the Diversity Conference because I want to identify opportunities to contribute to the resilience and rebirth of the diversity, equity and inclusion efforts currently being dismantled in the law and legal profession.” -Mina Arasteh

Program Description

The Environmental Law Section (ELS) of the California Lawyers Association (CLA) proudly presents its 3rd Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Conference. Join community leaders, attorneys, policymakers, and students to discuss the escalating challenges of climate change, growing inequality, environmental racism, and policies of erasure in a shifting legal landscape.

The Diversity Conference will be at Loyola Law School and focuses on the Greater Los Angeles Area in light of the devastating fires recently experienced in the region. The Conference will also be livestreamed to remote locations in Sacramento, San Francisco, and San Diego where participants can express their solidarity, join roundtable discussions, and attend post-conference networking mixers.

Schedule

Opening Remarks | 10:00 a.m.

Keynote Speaker | 10:00 – 10:35 a.m.

0.5 MCLE Credits

• Alfred Fraijo, Founder, SOMOS Law Group

Land Acknowledgement | 10:35 – 10:45 a.m.

Reparative Actions and Restorative Justice in the Era of Perceived Scarcity: A Path Forward | 10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

1.25 MCLE Credits; 1.25 Elimination of Bias Credit

This panel will explore practical approaches to addressing historical inequities, including California’s reparations package, land-back and land-return initiatives, and other local efforts. Panelists will examine how restorative justice can intersect with the clean energy transition and other transformative solutions, even amidst narratives of scarcity. The discussion will also consider strategies for resilience and progress in the face of “Trump 2.0” policies, offering a roadmap for meaningful, community-centered change.

Speakers:

• Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, California State Assembly, District 55
• Martha Dina Argüello, Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles

Lunch and Roundtable Discussions | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Lunch will be hosted at each location where attendees can share their thoughts and concerns in facilitated conversations.

Guided Group Discussion | 1:00 – 1:30 p.m.

Attendees from all locations will be invited to come together to share highlights of their lunchtime roundtable discussions. This discussion will be guided by a central facilitator at Loyola Law School.

Diversity Frameworks in Public, Private, and Legal Education Sectors: Practical Ideas and Environmental Impacts | 1:30 – 2:45 p.m.

1.25 MCLE Credits; 1.25 Elimination of Bias Credit

This panel explores diversity frameworks for fostering inclusivity across public, private, and legal education sectors. Attendees will gain practical strategies for implementing effective diversity initiatives while examining the broader environmental and societal impacts of these efforts. Join us for an engaging discussion on building inclusive environments that drive meaningful change across industries and institutions. 

Speakers: 

• Heather Aubry, Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office
• Nicole Gougis, Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office
• Viviana Heger, Duane Morris
• Dean Patricia Jones Winograd, Loyola Law School

Climate Adaptation in Environmental Justice Communities | 3:00 – 4:15 p.m.

1.25 MCLE Credits; 1.25 Elimination of Bias Credit

This panel will explore the intersectionality of environmental justice, diversity, and climate adaptability. As communities in Southern California continue to recover from the historic destruction caused by multiple wildfires, there is an opportunity for leaders and policy makers throughout California to prioritize environmental justice communities most vulnerable to climate change-related disasters. This panel will highlight the importance of community advocacy, local government stewardship and planning, and other much-needed actions in preparing communities to be resilient to drought, extreme heat, wildfires, and flooding.

Moderator: Brennon Mendez, UCLA School of Law

Speakers: 

• Sissy Trinh, Southeast Asian Community Alliance
• Laura Gracia, Communities for a Better Environment
• Alison Hahm, Natural Resources Defense Council

Closing Remarks | 4:15 – 4:30 p.m.

• Miles Hogan, ELS Chair and City of Ventura
• Paige Samblanet, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP

Networking Mixers (TBA at each location) | 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Essential Info

• ELS Member – $75
• Non-ELS Member – $140
• Gov’t / Non-Profit (ELS Member) – $45
• New Lawyer (CLA Member) – $50
• Law Student (CLA Member) – Free
• Speakers – Free

Essential Information: Online-Registration: calawyers.org/environmental.

Pre-Registration Deadline: The deadline to pre-register is May 21, 2025.

Cancellations/Refunds: Requests must be received in writing by May 21, 2025. A 10% processing fee will be charged for requests received after May 21, 2025. For more information, call (916) 516-1757.

On-Site Registration: On-site registration is subject to availability. Call to confirm space availability.(this can be decided as you see how numbers look and if there is space)

Special Assistance: For special assistance, please call (916) 561-1744.

Questions: For registration information, call (916) 516-1757. Telephone registrations will not be accepted. For program content and/or Section information call (916) 561-1744.