Litigation Section

Mack Jenkins is an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) and Chief of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles.  Mack is a graduate of Yale Law School and joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2008. He prosecutes and supervises the prosecution of some of the most impactful and sensitive matters in the Department of Justice.  Read more

In this interview, Judge Wilner shares what motivated him to pursue the bench, his experience transitioning from advocate to neutral, his views on what makes a successful advocate, and the importance of professionalism and civility in the federal courts. Read more

This quarter’s newsletter includes an interview with the Hon. Michael R. Wilner, a Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of California and an interview with Mack Jenkins, Chief of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles. Read more

A monthly publication of the Litigation Section of the California Lawyers Association. Read more

Recent cases from the United States Supreme Court have shown what has been considered “settled law” can nonetheless be overruled. This creates opportunities and pitfalls for practitioners. Counsel has an ethical duty to inform the court of controlling authority. Nonetheless, the existence of adverse controlling authority is not necessarily determinative. This seminar discusses what authority is controlling and how to handle adverse case law. Finally, this seminar discusses the philosophical and practical implications of a period when “settled law” is not so settled. Read more

What do you do when an ethical issue arises during a mediation? How do you handle the difficult and awkward discussion that lies ahead? Whether you are acting as a neutral or an advocate, our interactive discussion will provide tools to navigate these difficult decisions and conversations. We will review and discuss various hypothetical situations that present ethical dilemmas. Read more

Join CLA and leading arbitration institutions and organizations from around the world – in a week-long series of complimentary virtual/hybrid programs – celebrating international arbitration in California. California International Arbitration Week is hosted by the ADR Committee of the CLA Litigation Section Read more

A monthly publication of the Litigation Section of the California Lawyers Association. Read more

The Jury Instructions Committee of the California Lawyers Association’s Litigation Section has reviewed the proposed revisions to civil jury instructions (CACI 22-02) and appreciates the opportunity to submit these comments. Read more

Judge Jennifer L. Thurston received her commission on December 27, 2021, filling the seat formerly held by the Hon. Lawrence J. O’Neill. Likely familiar to many FBA members, Judge Thurston served our district as a United States Magistrate Judge for twelve years before joining the district court bench. Before that, she litigated a huge variety of cases in Kern County including civil rights, personal injury, wrongful death, premises liability, election law, subrogation, and employment disputes. And she was a Certified Appellate Specialist, with more than 100 appeals and writs in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Fifth District Court of Appeal, and the California Supreme Court under her belt. Read more