CLEs You Actually Want to Hear

Attorney James (Jim) Menton explores the complex intersection of bankruptcy and family law when there is threatened or actual preference or fraudulent transfer litigation by the trustee in bankruptcy. In this insightful [article/program], Jim unpacks how this litigation could potentially impact transfers between spouses and at divorce and outlines what family law attorneys need to know. Key topics include: Preferential transfers under § 547 of the Bankruptcy Code. Domestic support obligation exception to bankruptcy preference laws. Fraudulent transfers under §§ 544 and 548 of the Bankruptcy Code. Practical considerations for handling preference and fraudulent transfer issues in divorce and bankruptcy proceedings.

The newest provisions to the Brown Act aim to modernize teleconferencing options and expand public access to government meetings. Kelly Doyle, Attorney at Cole Huber LLP, reviews the latest updates to the Brown Act under SB 707, with a focus on adapting meeting practices to fulfill the newest legal requirements. Participants will leave with an understanding of best practices for hybrid meetings, policies to handle disruptions, and expanded language access provisions.

With the enactment of SB 440, owners, contractors and subcontractors and their counsel must now navigate a mandatory claim dispute process defined by newly-enacted SB 440 (Civ. Code sections 8850 and 8851). The Legislature has made clear that it is in the best interest of the “state and its citizens” to ensure that claims on many private construction projects are “paid in full and in a timely manner”. This program will provide construction lawyers, their clients, insurers, and neutrals with a practical overview of the mandatory dispute resolution process enacted in SB 440, the strategies for how to best use those procedures, and the opportunities created...

Modern litigation is dominated by email and written correspondence, and direct conversations between lawyers have become less common. Yet many disputes stall not because the law is unclear, but because key information is not exchanged clearly or early enough. In this half hour presentation, mediator and former litigator Robyn Frick explores the role communication plays in moving cases toward resolution. Drawing on her experience as both a litigator and mediator, she discusses how timely conversations between counsel can clarify issues, reduce misunderstandings, and help cases progress more efficiently. Participants will leave with practical guidance on when direct communication is most...

International Family Law examines how family law disputes are handled across different legal systems, cultures, and jurisdictions. Through in-depth conversations with leading international practitioners, the series explores forum selection, property and support regimes, child custody, enforcement challenges, and conflicts of law, with each discussion grounded in practical comparisons to California family law.

In this episode, Ranjit Malhotra and Mrunalini Deshmukh explore international family law disputes between India and the United States. The conversation covers forum selection and jurisdictional strategy across India's personal law frameworks, international child abduction in the context of India's non-signatory status under the 1980 Hague...

Learn what you can and cannot ask, and what to do when someone refuses to answer your deposition question. Evan Walker, of The Law Office of Evan Walker, leads this program on essential deposition skills for every attorney. From how to utilize the court reporter to using the written transcript to your full advantage, this program discusses techniques every litigator should know. Attendees will walk away empowered with applicable directives to conduct their depositions like seasoned professionals. Audio versions of Beverly Hills Bar Association programs are eligible for Self-Study CLE credit in California. Visit www.bhba.org/podcasts for more...

Lawyers are increasingly visible in moments of public protest, civic action, and political expression. Join law professor and ethics expert Renee Knake Jefferson for a timely and practical examination of how professional responsibility rules apply when lawyers engage in protest and other forms of public participation. This program goes beyond the question of whether lawyers may protest to explore what the legal profession owes to the public when its members do. Drawing on recent, real-world examples, the ABA Model Rules, disciplinary cases, and emerging scholarship, the session will examine how ethical duties related to professionalism, public confidence in the justice...

In the span of 24 hours in March 2026, juries returned historic verdicts against Meta in both New Mexico and Los Angeles, reshaping what platform liability looks like in practice. Eric Goldman (Santa Clara University School of Law), Jess Miers (University of Akron School of Law), and Jeremy Rosenthal (Texas Defense Firm) break down what these decisions mean for practitioners, covering the product defect theories that circumvented Section 230, what plaintiffs must prove, the pending cases to watch, the science behind the addiction framing, and the criminal defense implications for attorneys advising clients today. Participants will leave with a comprehensive understanding of...

Join Michael G. Freedman (The Freedman Firm), Prof. Vince Farhat (LMU Loyola Law School), and Cassie D. Palmer (Kendall, Brill & Kelly) for a discussion of the strategic and ethical issues that arise when a defendant testifies and faces cross-examination in a criminal trial. This program will begin with a high-level overview of the Supreme Court’s recent opinion in Villarreal v. Texas and its key holdings. It will then turn to practical decisions facing criminal practitioners: whether a defendant should testify, how to prepare a client effectively without crossing the line into coaching, and how to help a client withstand cr...

For attorneys considering a seat on the bench, understanding what the Governor's office actually looks for in a candidate can be the difference between a strong application and a missed opportunity.

Luis Céspedes, Judicial Appointments Secretary to Governor Newsom, and Adam Hofmann, Deputy Judicial Appointments Secretary, join Hon. Helen Zukin of the Court of Appeal, Second District, Division Four, for a candid conversation on how judicial appointments are made in California.

Secretary Céspedes and Deputy Secretary Hofmann will cover the qualities and qualifications that matter most to the Governor, walk through the application fo...

This program explores the medical foundations underlying expert testimony on cognitive impairment, the kind of grounding that litigators need before they can effectively challenge or present such evidence at trial. Sarah N. Mourra, M.D. and David W. Trader, M.D. join moderator Judge David J. Cowan to walk through the clinical landscape of cognitive impairment, from DSM-5 diagnoses, evolving terminology and the distinctions between different conditions. The panel will examine how testing methods are weighed, the significance of baseline deviation, and what concepts like mild, moderate, and severe impairment actually mean in the litigation context. In addition, consistent with...

Oliver Roberts, The Roberts Legal Firm, and Dean Stefanie Lindquist, WashU Law, will provide a practical, hands-on introduction to vibe coding and examine how AI-powered tools are reshaping the legal technology landscape. This program will walk through how lawyers can use modern AI systems to build, test, and refine useful legal workflows and lightweight tools without traditional coding expertise. It will also explore the limitations of vibe coding, and where legal tech is heading more broadly. Attendees will walk away with an understanding of how AI-enabled platforms may evolve in the coming years, what that means for legal practice, and...

This presentation offers a focused overview of transfer pricing under section 482, highlighting core principles such as the arm’s‑length standard and the Best Method Rule. This presentation will also examine current developments and emerging trends shaping transfer pricing planning, compliance, and controversy.

The Writers Guild of America’s new agreement with studios and streamers signals a meaningful shift in Hollywood’s labor deal landscape. Negotiated through a more productive process than the prior cycle and its painful strike, the deal reflects an industry recalibrating in real time. Rather than a reset, this iteration fine-tunes existing terms, enhanced residuals, adjustments to minimums, and incremental gains around streaming performance and AI transparency. The $321 million infusion into the Guild’s underfunded health plan also underscores the deep interdependence between labor and the companies sustaining the ecosystem. For practitioners, the significance lies as much in the proces...

ABA Formal Opinion 518, issued by ABA Standing Committee on Ethics (Oct. 15, 2025) applies to lawyers acting as mediators and also addresses the role of attorneys in mediation. This presentation will address how Formal Opinion 518 applies to the ethics of mediation, both for mediators and attorneys practicing before them. Credits: 1.00 Hours. Credit Type: Legal Ethics. Specialty Area: Legal Malpractice Law. Original Air Date: 04/29/2026. Program Materials: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SsY5hCpZY6t8f_zHUHaT-SPDo-qQSu65/view?usp=sharing

This session explores how attorneys are using AI and social media to market their services while navigating the ethical rules governing legal advertising. Join attorney Ryan Little, Little Legal, for practical strategies on leveraging AI-driven marketing tools while ensuring compliance with professional responsibility rules. Attendees will learn how to avoid misleading content, and manage risks associated with digital outreach. Audio versions of Beverly Hills Bar Association programs are eligible for Self-Study CLE credit in California. Visit www.bhba.org/podcasts for more information.

Donald M. de Camara of the Law Offices of Donald M. de Camara will walk through how long-term disability insurers assert liens against personal-injury recoveries, focusing on the "Other Income" provisions commonly buried in LTD policies. Drawing on key ERISA precedent and recent federal case law -- including Barnes v. Independent Auto Dealers Assn. H&B Plan, Aetna Health of Cal., Inc. v. Cianciulli, and Milam v. American Elec. Power LTD Plan -- he will explain when the make-whole rule applies, how self-funded versus insured plans affect lien enforceability, and what defenses are available under ERISA, the California Insurance Code...

Join Justin Marquez, mediator at Signature Resolution, and Vedang Patel, partner at Bibiyan Law Group, for a practical discussion on securing approval of class and PAGA settlements—and avoiding the common pitfalls along the way. They will walk through the preliminary and final approval process, key considerations in drafting the scope of release, managing related litigation, and navigating issues such as escalator clauses, enhancement awards, and settlement administration. The program will also cover strategies to help ensure a smooth path to final approval, including positioning the case for recovery of fees.

All humans have implicit bias; it’s part of how we developed as a species to understand the world and protect ourselves. Looking at the reasons why implicit bias forms, executive coach and attorney Karen Morris will discuss how operating subject to our implicit biases can harm us and our colleagues. This program will examine why implicit bias diminish attorneys effectiveness in the courtroom and undermine confidence in the legal profession. Participants will leave this program with practical tools to shift their perspectives and help eliminate the harmful effects of implicit bias. Credits: 1.00 Hours. Credit Type: Implicit Bias. Specialty Area: No...

When a single construction project spawns multiple disputes, things get complicated quickly. This program breaks down the real-world challenges of multi-track construction disputes—where litigation, arbitration, and mediation intersect. Learn how recent case law is reshaping arbitration, how some courts manage competing proceedings, and how the mediation-arbitration model can offer a smarter, more efficient path to resolution.

In litigation, negotiations, and client interactions, conflict often escalates in ways that undermine professionalism and impair judgment, increasing legal risk. This program provides attorneys with a practical framework for recognizing how conflict develops, from early signals of misalignment to moments of escalation, and what to do in real time to maintain control and effectiveness. Through realistic scenarios, participants will learn how to identify early warning signs of escalation, manage communication during high-pressure interactions, and apply strategies to maintain civility with clients, opposing counsel, and other stakeholders. Attendees will leave with practical tools they can immediately use to navigate conflict and...

Robin Sax, attorney and clinical therapist at Dear Co-Parent, Hon. Joshua D. Wayser of LASC, and Anthony Storm, founding partner at Storm Palyan LLP, will explore how integrating legal and therapeutic frameworks can lead to more durable resolutions in high-conflict custody matters. Sax will draw on her dual-discipline practice to address the emotional and psychological dynamics that drive conflict between co-parents, while Storm will cover mediation, arbitration, and collaborative strategies for steering disputes away from costly litigation. Together, they will walk through how a settlement-focused mindset, informed by both courtroom experience and therapeutic insight, can be applied at every stage...

The Pinto decision upended long-standing assumptions in California insurance litigation, directly challenging the validity of CACI 2334 and setting off a wave of change across bad faith failure-to-settle claims. In response, courts and legislators acted—producing two significant published opinions and ushering in Code of Civil Procedure § 999, which now governs pre-litigation settlement demands.

Using real-world mediation insights, MyKhanh Shelton and Stacie Hausner of ADR Services, Inc. explore how opening moves, anchoring psychology, and end-of-day strategy shape settlement outcomes in employment cases.

Steve Smith, CEO of Intelligence by Intent and AI strategy consultant, will walk transactional attorneys through the full arc of AI-assisted deal work, from early-stage contract drafting and document review to due diligence workflows and regulatory compliance checklists. Drawing on hands-on experience integrating AI into legal practice environments, Smith will cover how to evaluate and deploy AI tools across each phase of the transactional lifecycle, where the technology delivers the most meaningful efficiency gains, and what responsible use looks like when the stakes are high. Attorneys will leave with a practical framework for making AI a core part of how...

How does defendant sexual orientation affect juror decisions? Does heterosexism have significant impact on how jurors decide these cases? Does juror gender and attractiveness of defendant contribute to potential bias? This program will discuss research conducted by Forensic Psychologist and Professor of Psychology at Professor of Psychology at California State University, Fullerton, Russ Espinoza, Ph.D., on the implicit biasing effects of juror decisions. Dr. Espinoza will review a specific research study he conducted that varied defendant sexual orientation, defendant attractiveness, and juror gender for cases involving murder of partner. Attendees will walk away with an understanding of the theoretical...

A practical, litigation-focused look at how trust administrations go wrong. This program examines the common mistakes—communication failures, poor recordkeeping, and fiduciary missteps—that lead to disputes and lawsuits, along with key strategies to prevent them.

Automated and semi-automated vehicle systems are now common across major manufacturers and they generate data that can be critical in accident investigations. In this CLE, Andrew McDevitt of Walkup Melodia Kelly & Schoenberger will examine how advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) function and the types of data they capture before, during, and after a crash. Through case examples, this program will explore systems such as combined cruise control and lane keeping, automatic emergency braking, and lane assistance, with a focus on how their data is recorded, preserved, and interpreted. Attendees will learn how to identify key evidence, understand the limitations of...

Attorneys often face acute professional burnout and other mental competency risks that impact them personally and affect their ability to provide competent legal representation. In this presentation, using his personal experience and research, Jim Eischen of Eischen Law Office, APC will provide education about professional burnout and recommendations to improve mental health and well-being for legal professionals.

Reid Ehrlich and Jerry Flanagan of Shernoff Bidart Echeverria LLP will walk through how to approach appellate oral argument differently depending on the type of case you're arguing — whether it's a clear loser, a clear winner, or one that could go either way. Drawing on real examples from California Courts of Appeal, including cases like Musso & Frank Grill Co. v. Mitsui Sumitomo Ins. USA Inc. and Coast Restaurant Group v. Amguard Ins. Co., they will explain how tentative opinions signal which category your case falls into and how to calibrate your strategy accordingly. Attorneys will leave with a concrete framework fo...

Anthropic's Claude is now available as a native add-in for Microsoft Word, and it was built with legal document work squarely in mind. Join Steve Smith, CEO of Intelligence by Intent and AI strategy consultant who has spent more than two years testing AI tools in legal workflows, as he walks through what Claude for Word actually does, how it compares to tools attorneys are already using, and what firms need to know before rolling it out. From tracked redlines and comment-driven edits to cross-app context across Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, Steve will break down what the tool can realistically...

Rose Leda Ehler (Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP), Robert M. ("Bobby") Schwartz (Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP), and Jacqueline Charlesworth (Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz) will break down Cox Communications, Inc. v. Sony Music Entertainment from the ground up: the background of the dispute, the billion-dollar jury verdict that started it all, and how the case traveled through the Fourth Circuit before landing at the Supreme Court. Panelists will walk through the Court's holding that an ISP is not contributorily liable for its users' infringement unless it induced that infringement or tailored its service for infringing activity, and examine the reasoning...

Industry recognitions such as Chambers USA, Legal 500 Elite, Los Angeles Business Journal, Los Angeles Times, Law360, and Daily Journal can significantly elevate an attorney’s visibility, credibility and market positioning. When leveraged properly, these awards also provide some of the strongest third-party validation available — creating powerful positioning for client development, referral growth and competitive differentiation. Strong legal work alone, however, is rarely enough. Strategic positioning, thoughtful submissions and intentional reputation-building are essential. This program provides attendees with a practical roadmap for increasing their competitiveness in award and ranking processes. Attendees will learn: How leading legal directories and publications evaluate candidates What...

Christopher Frost and Chanell Botshekan of FROST LLP examine the habits and structural pressures that quietly undermine oral advocacy development. These habits include script dependence, risk-averse staffing decisions, and the shrinking frequency of low-stakes argument opportunities. From the associate's perspective, we examine the pitfalls developing attorneys commonly fall into. From the senior attorney’s perspective, we offer concrete strategies for building confidence at the podium and finding the right balance between preparation and spontaneity. Whether you are a developing attorney or a supervising attorney invested in training your developing associates, this program offers a practical roadmap for finding confidence in on...

Join legal scholar and law professor, Andrew Mamo for a program on how civility works within the legal profession. This program will give a brief overview of the history of civility as a contested idea in the law over the past fifty years before offering concrete advice on how civility principles apply to legal professionalism. Participants will learn how to distinguish the various purposes for which civility is invoked, when principles of civility can help us discuss our differences—and when they suppress the discussion of our differences.

Join us for a comprehensive session covering updates to the advertising law landscape in 2026. Join us for a comprehensive session covering updates to the advertising law landscape in 2026. Katelyn Patton, Zach Lewis, and Andrew Folks will take us through recent legal and regulatory changes, including new requirements for businesses relating to AI, subscriptions, email and text marketing, data privacy, and social media.

Hon. Ana Maria Luna (Ret.) of Signature Resolution, Wyatt Vespermann, and Nadine Ninva Khedry, attorneys at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP, offer an overview of navigating minor's compromises in California, covering court approval procedures, allocation of settlement proceeds, attorney's fees, and structured settlement options. The program also explores probate court oversight and special needs trust considerations, with practical strategies to safeguard public benefits.

From mobile apps to cryptocurrency, the ways clients want to pay for legal services are rapidly evolving. But not every new payment method fits neatly within the Rules of Professional Conduct. Join attorney Ryan Little, Little Legal, as he examines the ethical considerations lawyers face when accepting digital payments, peer-to-peer transfers, or cryptocurrency. This program will explore topics include safeguarding client funds, compliance with trust-accounting rules, avoiding impermissible fee-sharing, and navigating confidentiality, and security risks. Attendees will gain practical guidance on how to meet client expectations regarding modern payment options while staying squarely within the ethical rules.

Dr. Alexander Stein, a psychoanalyst and leadership advisor with expertise in the psycho-social dimensions of AI, and David Shraga, Esq., a professional mediator with deep experience advising artists, studios, and industry stakeholders, will explore how AI is reshaping Hollywood from both legal and psychodynamic perspectives. Together, they will examine why creativity and authorship matter so fundamentally to human beings, how AI is altering artists' emotional relationships with their work, and what these shifts mean for the lawyers navigating the resulting disputes, negotiations, and ethical dilemmas. Attorneys will leave with a richer framework for understanding the psychological undercurrents driving their clients...

John Medler, Founding Partner of Medler Law, will explain why, because of MICRA's caps on non-economic damages, it is essential for the plaintiff's lawyer to maximize the damages which have no caps in medical malpractice cases — namely, economic damages. Too many plaintiff's lawyers allow defense experts to reduce their client's economic damages to "present value." By adopting the strategies in this webinar, you can not only exclude the defendant's experts' opinions on "present value," but can also dramatically increase your own economic damages, leading to a dramatically higher medical malpractice jury verdict.