Our latest featured speaker is Hon. Mary Thornton House (Ret.) of Alternative Resolution Centers!

Hon. Thornton House is speaking at our Trust and Estate Planning 101: The Nuts and Bolts (CA) Webinar on March 18th and 20th, 2025! 

This seminar covers key aspects of estate planning law and practice to help attorneys to build a strong foundation. It features seasoned faculty, including certified specialists and judges like Hon. Mary Thornton House, and will guide all participants through the essential areas unique to estate planning. It will begin by covering client interviews, setting expectations, and addressing the role of ethics in practice. The program will also touch on different types of wills, guardianship provisions, and execution requirements, along with trust documents distinct to estate planning, funding and a multitude of other topics that are essential to know if you practice in this space.

At this program, Judge House is again co-teaching “Avoiding Litigation: Common Controversies Leading to Litigation” alongside Mark Lester, Lauriann Wright, and Dan Herbert on March 20th. You can see the detailed agenda and sign up to watch this seminar live or purchase OnDemand Streaming or a recorded package download here.

Judge House recently retired after 22 years on the Los Angeles Superior Court, where she presided over countless jury and court trials in the Civil and Probate departments. With experience serving as the Supervising Judge of the Northeast and North Central districts, Hub Operations and Assistant Supervising Judge of Civil countywide, Judge House brings a unique and in-depth understanding of all aspects of civil case processing and case values. She is touted for her calm demeanor and unbending graciousness to all that appeared in front of her, as well as her extraordinary and relentless, common-sense approach to settling cases.

Judge House was the first Municipal Court Judge to become a Supervising Judge for the Superior Court in the Northeast District. Elevated in 2000, she presided over mandatory settlement conferences in both limited and general civil matters, reducing the civil caseloads throughout the Northeast and North Central Districts.

Welcome back Judge House! We are so excited to have you!

Our Latest Featured Speaker is Hon. Michael J. Raphael of the California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division Two!

Justice Raphael served as chief of the Criminal Appeals Section from 2007 to 2012 after serving as deputy chief from 2005 to 2007.  As chief, Justice Raphael oversaw an annual appellate docket of roughly 300 briefs and 100 oral arguments in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.  Justice Raphael personally argued 41 cases in Ninth Circuit on behalf of the United States, including three en banc cases presented to an 11-judge panel.  Justice Raphael co-taught Advanced Appellate Advocacy at the Gould School of Law at the University of California in 2005 and 2006; he also co-taught a seminar in criminal sentencing in 2008.  Justice Raphael lectured frequently on appellate brief writing and oral argument while an attorney.

In 2012, Justice Raphael became a Judge on the Los Angeles Superior Court upon his appointment by Governor Jerry Brown.   On that court, Justice Raphael initially handled assignments that included small claims, limited civil, unlawful detainer, and criminal misdemeanors.  He then served in the downtown civil “law and motion” courts that handled pretrial cases for the entire county in limited civil and personal injury cases.  For Justice Raphael’s last three years on the trial bench, he was assigned to a downtown civil independent calendar court, with a docket of a wide variety of civil cases.  While on the trial court, Justice Raphael was twice appointed to serve as a pro tem Justice in Division Five of the Second District Court of Appeal.

In 2018, Governor Brown nominated Justice Raphael to serve as an Associate Justice on the Court of Appeal, and he was unanimously confirmed by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, after receiving an “exceptionally well qualified” rating from the Judicial Nominees Evaluation Commission.

We are so happy to welcome you back, Justice Raphael!

Our Latest Featured Speaker is Anne Rauch of Berding & Weil LLP!

Anne is speaking at our upcoming 10th Annual Advanced Appellate Practice Program (CA), set for February 25th and 27th, 2025.

Our Latest Featured Speaker is Hon. Brian Hoffstadt of the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, Division Two!

Justice Brian Hoffstadt is speaking at our upcoming 10th Annual Advanced Appellate Practice Program (CA), set for February 25th and 27th, 2025.

Justice Hoffstadt is co-teaching “Lessons for Civil Litigators from Court of Appeal Criminal Practice,“ alongside Justice Michael J. Raphael, on February 25. You can see the detailed agenda and the rest of the program, and sign up to watch it live or purchase OnDemand Streaming or a recorded package download here.

Justice Hoffstadt has previously taught at our Advanced Appellate Conference, where attendees appreciated Justice Hoffstadt’s candor and advice. This program and others are available for purchase as a recorded package or OnDemand Streaming here.

Justice Brian Hoffstadt has served as an Associate Justice on the California Court of Appeal since 2014. Immediately prior to that, he served as a judge on the Los Angeles Superior Court for four years. As a lawyer, he practiced in both federal and California courts. Immediately after law school, he clerked for Ninth Circuit Judge Cynthia Holcomb Hall and U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. He then spent three years doing legal policy work for two different federal agencies in Washington, D.C., and the following six-plus years as an Assistant United States Attorney in Los Angeles, where he prosecuted criminal cases in federal district court and argued 26 appeals before the Ninth Circuit. In 2007, he joined the Issues and Appeals practice group at Jones Day, where he argued appeals and helped formulate trial strategy in state and federal court. He has been teaching law students, lawyers and judges for many years, is the author of California Criminal Discovery (5th ed.), has published nearly a dozen law review articles, and is a regular contributor to the Daily Journal. He was recently elected to the American Law Institute, and has served on the Executive Committee of the Appellate Judges Conference of the American Bar Association since 2015.

Our Latest Featured Speaker is Hon. Daniel H. Bromberg of the California Court of Appeal, Sixth Appellate District!

Hon. Daniel H. Bromberg is speaking at our upcoming 10th Annual Advanced Appellate Practice Program (CA) program on February 25th and 27th, 2025. The program is taught by a host of seasoned Justices and top-notch appellate attorneys. The majority of the practitioners speaking hold the distinction of being Certified Legal Specialists in Appellate Law, and many have previously served as staff attorneys for various appellate justices. This program is designed for those well-versed in appellate practice, as it delves into intermediate to advanced level topics in appellate law and practice, and assumes attendees already have a foundational understanding of the subject matter.

Hon. Daniel H. Bromberg is co-teaching “How to Analyze Your Opposing Counsel’s Brief” with Michael Colantuono and Mary Lehman on February 27th. You can see the detailed agenda and the rest of the program, and sign up to watch it live or purchase OnDemand Streaming or a recorded package download here.

Hon. Daniel H. Bromberg has previously taught at several of our past programs, and has helped facilitate our Advanced Appellate programs several times. Justice Bromberg has been very popular amongst attendees, who appreciated his knowledgeable, friendly nature, advice and perspective. These programs and others are available for purchase as a recorded package or OnDemand Streaming here.

Daniel H. Bromberg was appointed to the Court of Appeal, Sixth Appellate District, by Governor Gavin Newsom in January 2023.

From 2019 to 2021, Justice Bromberg served as a Deputy Secretary for Legal Affairs in the Governor’s Office, where he supervised lawyers in the California Environmental Protection Agency, Natural Resource Agency, Department of Transportation, and Department of Food and Agriculture. During this period, Justice Bromberg also supervised litigation concerning, among other things, the border wall and COVID-19 restrictions.

Both before and after serving in the Governor’s Office, Justice Bromberg was in private practice. He began his career as an associate at Cahill Gordon & Reindel in New York, working primarily on First Amendment matters. He subsequently moved to JonesDay in Washington, D.C., where he became a partner in the appellate practice. In 2005, he moved to California to join Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, where he helped found the appellate practice group and remained until joining the Governor’s Office. After leaving the Governor’s Office, Justice Bromberg joined Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman in San Francisco as the head of the firm’s appellate practice.

Mr. Bromberg graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in history from Yale University and magna cum laude with a J.D. from Harvard Law School, where he was a member of the Law Review. He clerked for the Honorable Louis F. Oberdorfer on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia Circuit and then for the Honorable A. Raymond Randolph on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Justice Bromberg has taught continuing legal education classes on writing and appellate practice. In addition, in 2021 and 2022, he was a senior research fellow at the California Constitution Center at the Berkeley School of Law. During the same period he was a senior appellate practice fellow in the Center for Litigation and the Courts at UC College of the Law, San Francisco and the founding director of the California Appellate Advocacy Project.

We are so glad to have you back, Justice Bromberg!

Our latest featured speaker is Mary A. Lehman of Law Offices of Mary A. Lehman! 

Mary is speaking at our upcoming 10th Annual Advanced Appellate Practice Program (CA) program on January 21st and 23rd, 2025. This program is taught by a host of seasoned appellate attorneys and sitting justices across California. The majority of our speakers at this seminar hold the distinction of being Certified Legal Specialists in Appellate Law, and many have previously served as staff attorneys for various appellate justices. Designed for those well-versed in appellate practice, this seminar delves into intermediate to advanced level topics in appellate law and practice, and assumes attendees already have a foundational understanding of the subject matter.

Mary is co-teaching “How to Analyze Your Opposing Counsel’s Brief” on January 23rd. You can see the detailed agenda and the rest of the program, and sign up to watch it live or purchase OnDemand Streaming or a recorded package download here.

Mary A. Lehman is Southern California native and current principal of the Law Offices of Mary A. Lehman in Coronado, California. For more than 30 years, she has practiced exclusively civil appeals and writs. She is a Certified Appellate Specialist with the State Bar of California and a Master in the San Diego Appellate Inn of Court. She has been awarded the “San Diego Super Lawyers” for Appellate Practice each year since 2009 and is recognized as among the Top 25 Women Attorneys in San Diego.

Ms. Lehman has served as a director and vice-president of the San Diego County Bar Association. She has been actively involved in legal organizations dedicated to improving both federal and state appellate practice and is a frequent presenter on these topics.

Ms. Lehman has a diverse background, including an undefeated professional boxer (ranked #9 in the world), “Hotshot” fire fighter with the USDA Forest Service, Mountain Ski Patrol, Wilderness Search & Rescue, Emergency Medical Technician, Motocross Racer and Certified Ski and Snowboard Instructor. Fluent in Spanish, she often serves as a volunteer attorney providing legal aid to refugees in the United States, Europe and Mexico. Ms. Lehman’s current passion is traveling the world to surf great waves.

We are so glad for you to join us this year, Mary!

Our latest featured speaker is Charles Kagay of Complex Appellate Litigation Group LLP!

Charles is speaking at our upcoming Writs of Administrative Mandamus 101: The Nuts and Bolts program on January 28th and 30th, 2025. He is teaching “Challenging the Decision on Appeal” (Charles is speaking on January 30th). You can sign up to attend live, order OnDemand Streaming, or get the recorded package here.

This program will guide you through the Writ of Administrative Mandamus process, from knowing when it is appropriate to file one, to making your record, and how to file and oppose a petition for writ of administrative mandamus. The faculty will also teach attendees how to draft a writ and discuss other forms of judicial review mechanisms. The faculty will provide strategies and practical tips and we’ll have a breakout session for attorneys who focus in one practice area to ask questions of the speakers.

Charles Kagay has decades of appellate experience in both California and federal courts. He frequently handles appeals involving complex or novel legal questions, and his cases have addressed first-impression questions of civil procedure and statutory interpretation, including issues related to antitrust law, administrative law, physician credentialing, and anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) motions.  He also handles trial court actions of an appellate nature, such as petitions for writs of administrative mandamus and bankruptcy appeals.

He has been certified as California appellate specialist by the Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California for well over a decade.

He has been selected ten times as a “Northern California SuperLawyer” in appellate law, and he has both a peer rating and client rating of 5 out of 5 from Martindale-Hubbell.

Previously, Charles served as Chief Appellate Counsel in two Independent Counsel probes of cabinet-level officials in Washington, D.C. He also acted as a Deputy Attorney General for the State of California. Charles is a past member of the State Bar of California’s Committee on Appellate Courts, Committee on the Administration of Justice, and Antitrust and Unfair Competition Section’s Executive Committee.

He holds three degrees from Harvard University. He earned his law degree, his graduate degree in public policy, and his undergraduate degrees there.

We are so excited to have you join us, Charles!

Our latest featured speaker is Robin Johansen of Olson | Remcho!

Robin is speaking at our upcoming 10th Annual Advanced Appellate Practice Program (CA) program on January 21st and 23rd, 2025. This program is taught by a host of seasoned appellate attorneys like Robin, as well as multiple CA State justices from most of the districts across the state. Designed for those well-versed in appellate practice, this seminar delves into intermediate to advanced level topics in appellate law and practice, and assumes attendees already have a foundational understanding of the subject matter.

Robin is co-teaching “Seeking Direct Relief from the California Supreme Court” on January 21st. You can see the detailed agenda and the rest of the program, and sign up to watch it live or purchase OnDemand Streaming or a recorded package download here.

Robin B. Johansen is senior counsel with Olson Remcho.  She previously co-founded the law firm of Remcho Johansen & Purcell which merged with Olson Hagel & Fishburn LLP in January 2020 to form Olson Remcho.  Ms. Johansen was admitted to the California Bar in 1977 and the Bar of the District of Columbia in 1979.  She is a graduate of the University of Illinois (B.A., cum laude, 1968) and Stanford Law School (J.D., 1977).

Ms. Johansen was Senior Article Editor, Stanford Law Review, Volume 29, and is the author of “The New Federalism: Toward a Principled Interpretation of the State Constitution,” 29 Stanford Law Review 297, 1977 and “Searches and Seizures on Church Premises: Weighing the Privacy Rights of Religious Bodies” in Kelley, Government Intervention in Religious Affairs II.

Ms. Johansen is a member of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers and appears on the Northern California Super Lawyers list.  She served on the Board of Directors of First Place for Youth, a statewide organization serving former foster youth and on the Board of Directors of Coro Northern California.  From 1992 to 1993, she was a member of the State Citizens’ Commission on Ballot Initiatives, and in 1974, Ms. Johansen was a research assistant to the U.S. House of Representatives’ Impeachment Inquiry staff.

Ms. Johansen has represented numerous local governmental entities on a variety of public policy issues and has worked extensively on matters involving the initiative and referendum process at both the state and local levels, and on matters of redistricting.  She has also represented a broad range of clients, including the California Legislature, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Controller, in public policy, school finance, and constitutional litigation in both state and federal courts.

We are so glad to have you join us, Robin!

Our latest featured speaker is Heather Renée Adams of Roetzel & Andress!

Heather is speaking at our upcoming 14th Annual Circuit Court Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts program on December 10 & 12, 2024. This program covers a wide range of topics, including effective complaint and answer strategies, deposition and discovery techniques, navigating case management conferences, honing motion writing skills and heading up to trial. Led by experienced Circuit Court Judges and accomplished attorneys like Heather from a variety of backgrounds, including both large and small firms, this program offers an exclusive insider’s perspective on litigating in Illinois Circuit Court, along with invaluable general litigation skills. Attendees have consistently raved about the program each year.

Highly recommended by one of our long time speakers, Heather will be co-teaching “Motions for Summary Judgment” on December 12th. You can see the detailed agenda for her topic and the rest of the program, and sign up to watch it live or purchase OnDemand Streaming or a recorded package download here.

Heather is a commonsense, driven, traditional labor and employment attorney who provides practical guidance to employers across a spectrum of commercial and employment litigation matters, including single-plaintiff and multi-party cases, high-stakes whistleblower actions, wage and hour disputes, restrictive covenant litigation, and various other areas of employment law. She has practiced before federal and state and appellate courts. She also has a wealth of experience defending employers before civil rights and fair employment administrative agencies and commissions across the country. Heather has represented clients from diverse industries, including: transportation; federal, state and local government; higher education; healthcare; financial services and global retailers. Heather has given numerous presentations on development with the traditional labor and employment law landscape, litigation strategies, and workplace solutions.

Clients call on Heather to provide general counseling services and leadership with respect to implementing preventative measures and resolving disputes using alternative methods. She also has valuable experience representing employers in union disputes, collective bargaining, labor arbitrations, fact-findings, conciliations, and hearings. Heather is also a highly sought-after investigator and routinely performs internal investigations and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility assessments.

We are so excited to have you join us, Heather!

Our latest featured speaker is the Honorable Kira L. Klatchko, a Judge of the Riverside County Superior Court of California!

Hon. Kira L. Klatchko is speaking at our upcoming 10th Annual Advanced Appellate Practice Program (CA) program on January 21st and 23rd, 2025. This program is taught by a host of seasoned appellate attorneys. The majority among them hold the distinction of being Certified Legal Specialists in Appellate Law, like Judge Klatchko, and many have previously served as staff attorneys for various appellate justices. Designed for those well-versed in appellate practice, this seminar delves into intermediate to advanced level topics in appellate law and practice, and assumes attendees already have a foundational understanding of the subject matter.

Judge Kira Klatchko is co-teaching “Party Counsel and Amici Curiae” on January 23rd. You can see the detailed agenda and the rest of the program, and sign up to watch it live or purchase OnDemand Streaming or a recorded package download here.

Judge Klatchko has spoken year after year at our programs for more than 15 years, first when she was a practicing appellate attorney and now as a judge.  She is routinely one of our highest rated speakers – she has a knack for teaching writing at the trial level and teaching pretty much any appellate related topic.

Judge Klatchko most recently spoke at our 19th Annual Superior Court Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts program in September of this year, which is held annually due to its popularity. You can still purchase a recorded package or OnDemand streaming here.

Judge Kira Klatchko was appointed to Riverside County Superior Court in 2016. She currently sits in Palm Springs in an unlimited civil department.

Before joining the bench, Judge Klatchko was a Civil Appellate Law Specialist, certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization and handled both state and federal appeals arising from all areas of civil practice for clients as varied as cities, businesses and families. Judge Klatchko was a partner at Lewis Brisbois, and served as was vice chair of the firm’s national Appellate Practice Litigation group. Prior to joining Lewis Brisbois, Judge Klatchko was a partner at Best Best & Krieger where she served as chair of the firm’s appellate group. She served for six years on the State Bar of California’s Standing Committee on Appellate Courts, including a term as its chair.

Judge Klatchko is co-author of the “California” chapter of the “Appellate Practice Compendium” (ABA 2012), an insider’s guide to appellate practice. She is co-contributing editor of “California Civil Appeals and Writs” (Matthew Bender 2014), a comprehensive two-volume practice guide for appellate counsel and general litigators. Judge Klatchko was repeatedly named to the list of Super Lawyers for Southern California in Appellate Law. She is a former president of the Riverside County Bar Association, and previously served five terms as chair of the Riverside County Bar Association Appellate Section. Judge Klatchko was also a member of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers.

Judge Klatchko has served as an adjunct professor at La Verne College of Law, teaching legal research and writing. She has also lectured on appellate ethics and practice at numerous conferences and seminars, including the California State Bar Annual Convention, the State and Local Legal Center Supreme Court Practice Seminar, and Pincus Professional Education’s Annual Advanced Appellate Conferences in Los Angeles.

In 2014, Judge Klatchko was inducted into the Desert Bar Association Hall of Fame, as Outstanding Young Attorney of the year. In 2010, Judge Klatchko was recognized by the City of Palm Springs and Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce with the Athena International Award for Young Professional Leadership, recognizing her professional success and work in the community.

Judge Klatchko received her bachelor’s degree in political science, with distinction, from the University of California, Berkeley. She earned her master’s degree in business administration from the Executive Management Program at the Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito School of Management at Claremont Graduate University. She earned her law degree at the University of California, Davis, School of Law, where she served as editor-in-chief of the U.C. Davis Journal of Juvenile Law & Policy.

We are always so thrilled to have you back Judge Klatchko!