What You Will Learn

Agenda

Part 1: Tuesday, May 19, 2026
1:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.

Federal Judges commenting throughout the day TBA

1:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Complaints, Answers, Removal and Remand
Nieves Bolaños with Lauren Dayton commenting

• Plausibility Standard: Rule 8’s Short and Plain Statement
• Forms of Complaints
• Defenses vs. Affirmative Defenses
• Practice pointers and pitfalls
• Removal
• Remand
• Case Management Reports
• Rule 16.1: Pretrial Discovery Conference
• Ex Parte Motions
• TROs and Preliminary Injunctions

2:15 p.m. – 2:25 p.m.
BREAK

2:25 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Rule 12
Lauren Dayton with Nieves Bolaños commenting 

• Top ten tips for drafting Rule 12(b)(6) motions, responses, and replies
• How to enhance the effectiveness of memoranda addressing motions to dismiss
• How to address procedural issues that frequently arise when briefing motions to dismiss
• Additional Rule 12 motions

3:30 p.m. – 3:40 p.m.
BREAK

3:40 p.m. 4:45 p.m.
MSJs, Ex Partes and Injunctive Relief
Samera Ludwig and Kristen Prinz

• Drafting
• Timing
• Tips
• What judges want, need and don’t want to see
• Oral Argument

 

 Part 2: Thursday, May 21, 2026
1:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.

Judge commenting throughout the day: Hon. Beth W. Jantz and additional judges TBA

1:00 p.m. – 2:20 p.m.
Mastering Discovery and E-discovery
Rima Kapitan and Megan Cunniff Church

• CM/ECF
• 2015 Amendments to the FRCP
• Meet and Confer
• RFP, RFA and Interrogatories (and the differences between state and federal)
• How to expedite discovery
• How to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the case after reviewing discovery
• Discovery Motions
• Subpoenas and Affidavits
• AI use in discovery
• Failure to preserve
• Sanctions
• Dealing with difficult counsel
• Strategy considerations for settlement and trial
• Specific E-discovery Considerations
  • Overview and advice
  • Sources and preservation
  • Authentication
  • Important ESI Protocol considerations
  • Cost saving measures
  • Using technology to assist in review and production of documents
  • Federal Rule of Evidence 502
  • Other e-discovery specific rules and timelines

2:20 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
BREAK

2:30p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Depositions
Stephanna Szotkowski and Kristen Hudson

• Federal Rules related to Depos
• Federal v. State differences
• Subpoenas & affidavits
• Deadlines
• Strategy and deciding whom to depose
• Taking good depositions
• Making effective use of depositions at trial or for settlement
• Online Depo advice

3:45 p.m. – 3:55 p.m.
BREAK

3:55 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Pre-Trial Matters and Bench Trials
Johner Taylor (JT) Wilson and additional speaker TBA

• Pretrial Conference and Order – FRCP 16
• Trial Briefs
• Pretrial Statement
• Motions in Limine
• Bench Trial tips

Testimonials

Testimonials (Cleaned)

“This CLE did an excellent job of covering and providing an overview of the litigation process. It was thorough in discussing certain issues to be aware of.” — Ashlee Doss, Esq.

“I enjoyed this CLE and felt that I gained a lot of knowledge as to the Federal Court trial process and pleadings.” — Tanya Velazquez, Esq.

“It was very thorough, and I left with a much better understanding of Federal Court proceedings and the process of it.” — Esmeralda Limon, Esq.

“Best CLE program I’ve been to because it was comprehensive.” — Ronald Boggs, Esq.

“The seminar was excellent” — very helpful in my development for practicing in federal court. It provided a lot of practical advice in one day. The judges were very helpful in providing the perspective from the bench.”  Rob Harrer, Esq.

“The program is well” — structured and encompasses all of the most important topics.”  Yelyzaveta Altukhova, Esq.

“I’m very happy with the topics that were covered. Excellent seminar! I will recommend this to other attorneys!” — Sarah Hertz, Esq.

“A great refresher. The speakers were very good.” — Michael Conway, Esq.

“The program is fantastic! I was so impressed by the depth and content of each speaker’s oral presentations and course materials. The program was great. I am so glad I came.” — Laura Lee Robinson, Esq.

“Very interesting and informative.” — Melissa M. Cuddington, Esq.

“Coming from a state criminal prosecution background, I learned so much. The topics were interesting, and the presenters were very informative.” — Sarah Karr, Esq.

“Excellent” — very thorough!”  Steve McMullen, Esq.

“Very helpful. I recently was removed to federal court and this brought me up to date.” — Thomas Duda, Esq.

“I found the materials and presentation to be very informative.” — Irakere Picon, Esq.

“Excellent speakers and content” — gave me a better background for Federal Court practice.”  Leonard J. Solfa, Jr., Esq.

“Good topics and thorough presentation” — great questions and answers also.”  Shayla Maatuka, Esq.

“This was an excellent seminar!” — Charles P. Romaker, Esq.

“This program allows attorneys to ask ‘dumb questions’ they can’t ask the firm, and gives the background for a lot of topics they haven’t been exposed to yet. This eliminates the need to do preliminary research on only background guidance.” — Kerri Feczko, Esq.

“Our firm is beginning to take on more federal cases. This covered everything I wanted. The program was fantastic.” — Peter Beake, Esq.

“Excellent.” — Julia Funke, Esq.

“It is always great to hear from judges, the speakers were knowledgeable and genuine.” — Shayla Maatuka, Esq.

“Good program, good content, and good tips.” — Daniel Lindsey, Esq.

“A lot of information to process but good guidance for how to navigate this new journey. It was nice to hear from a judge about how the judiciary views actions that litigants and practitioners take.” — Rob Alexander, Esq.

“Good refresher.” — Michael Conway, Esq.

“Very satisfied. The seminar had well” — prepared presenters, good written materials and the staff/facilitators were wellorganized.”  Michael P. Coghlan, Esq.

“Excellent overview of complaint and answer strategies.” — Jenna Milaeger, Esq.

“I thought the deposition, MSJ, and trial tips were very helpful and informative. Ms. McNally was a great instructor. She had a lot of very useful tips, strategies, and practice pointers. I learned a lot from her presentations.” — Mikayla Hamilton, Esq.

“Insightful discussion as to what clerks and judges are looking for.” — Richard Lehman, Esq.

“This gave me a good overview of federal court practice, and pointed me towards other helpful resources. Thanks for giving a few spots to legal aid. We really appreciate it!” — Kathryn Socha, Esq.

“Excellent presentations. The discovery pilot program discussion was very good.” — Colin O’Brien, Esq.

“Very informative and responsive.” — Kevin R. Anderson, Esq.

“Insightful and educational on a wide variety of federal court subjects.” — Jonathan Wassell, Esq.

“All the speakers were very informative.” — Juliet Carol Gilbert, Esq.

“Excellent presentations.” — Leonard J. Solfa, Jr., Esq.

“The Federal Rules Course in Chicago was outstanding. Rick Levin, Brad Nahrstadt and their group of outstanding attorneys worked hard and delivered a most thoughtful scholarly presentation.” — B.F. Natarus, Esq.

“Great pointers and good checklist materials.” — Amy Wilson, Esq.

“I learned a lot about depositions.” — Lucas Sun, Esq.

“Very satisfied.” — Kenderick Jordan, Esq.

“Very relevant.” — Jeffrey A. Goodloe, Esq.

“Good information on depositions, especially pertaining to entities and Mr. Bolton gave excellent advice and presentation.” — Nathan A. Frisch, Esq.

“Good overview from start to finish.” — Kevin Halverson, Esq.

“Great job!” — Delaney Hunt, Esq.

“They addressed great topics.” — Zartosht Khodavandi, Esq.

“I am agency counsel, so I don’t practice in Federal Court, but rather assist the AUSAs with the case against staff. This training was very helpful to me to get a better understanding of why the AUSAs request or need certain information. It was also helpful for me to know how I can assist them better.” — Amy Standefer Mallott, Esq.

“I liked comparisons between state and federal court.” — Lisa Clay, Esq.

“Very satisfied.” — Delaney Hunt, Esq.

“Very informative and insightful commentary.” — Tim Lessman, Esq.

“Laura McNally was great! Loved the PowerPoints and MSJ advice she gave.” — Maria Magginas, Esq.

”Good straight forward presentation. Clear and concise.” — Randy Wolf, Esq.

“Good program with useful info.” — Jeff Hamera, Esq.

“It was great.” — Dolores Ayala, Esq.

“Very satisfied.” — Thomas Duda, Esq.

“Five stars.” — Scheagbe Mayumi Grigsby, Esq.

“Good.” — Daniel Lindsey, Esq.

“Great.” — Erica Hollar, Esq.

“Amazing! Loved Bhavani Raveendran’s presentation. She was very knowledgeable and she knew when to draw on the knowledge of the group.”

“Federal law is so strict, that boot camps/seminars like this are very helpful for someone only in Federal court on an infrequent basis. I liked how the speakers showed the Illinois v. federal rules. I liked hearing a Judge’s perspective.”

“It is useful to have speakers who bring various perspectives (plaintiffs’ counsel, defendants’ counsel, magistrate judge) to the presentations.”

“Great summary on topics and a “refresher” for those that have practiced for years. It is always nice to have a panel that includes a practicing Judge as well.”

“The presenters were informative and engaging. There was a great range of perspectives.”

“Great program. Had several people in my office attend (including younger attorneys).”

“The speakers were engaging, the content helpful, and the practice pointers useful.”

“I thought it was very helpful! Good balance between a general overview of topics and specific information.”

“I am new to civil litigation, so I found this entire program incredibly helpful. Thank you!”

“Very good program. All speakers were dynamic.”

“Loved the specific pointed feedback from experienced people.”

“It was valuable to receive not only general guidance but first” — hand advice from seasoned federal litigators and from a member of the bench.”, Esq.

“I learned a lot considering most of my cases have been in state court. The program will be useful in the future.”

“It was very well put together. It was easy to follow and listen to. I tuned in via Zoom and on my phone, both worked effortlessly which is uncommon in Zoom presentations.”

“An extraordinary amount of information, especially useful for novice federal litigators, and provided by well” — prepared and seasoned practitioners.”, Esq.

“Excellent seminar with lots of practical advice.”

“Excellent program. A judge’s perspective is always great insight. Nieves Bolanos gave great strategy pointers.”

“I thought the program was excellent and so were the speakers.”

“All the speakers were great. They were very knowledgeable regarding the topics they were speaking on.”

“Very helpful to get a concise, one” — day view of the federal court process.”, Esq.

“Overall, the topics were excellent. Love that they kept us on track time wise.”

“Overall, this CLE was thorough and did a great job of covering the topics. I would be interested in another session that perhaps covers other issues under these topics.”

“Very comprehensive and informative. Excellent!”

“Very prompt, professional, and well run.”

“Thank you for a well” — organized and very informative program with great panelists.”, Esq.

“Reinforced things I knew and heard practical points from real practitioners.”

“Great program! Great practical advice/tips.”

“Great presentations and materials” — thank you!”, Esq.

“The program is well” — structured as is.”, Esq.

“Exactly what I needed. Looking forward to reviewing the post” — course packet too.”, Esq.

“Awesome.”

“This was a good overview of Federal Court practice.”

“Very thorough and I appreciated having judges’ insights.”

“Great program.”

“It’s great to have the Judge’s perspective along with the litigator’s perspective.”

“I thought the presentations were really informative and helpful.”

“Speakers were all very good and I enjoyed the back and forth and the way they all contributed.”

“Great presentations by all!”

“I was looking for a tutorial/refresher of federal civil procedure and was very pleased.”

“Very informative, and I appreciated the many perspectives shared.”

“The panelists answered a lot of questions I didn’t know how to phrase, but that were long” — term points of confusion.”, Esq.

“This was a great topic for a day” — long CLE, I would recommend it.”, Esq.

“Great program to introduce new lawyers to federal court.”

“Useful content was presented with incisive practice tips.”

“Great program!”

“It was very informative.”

“Nice to have a refresher on federal procedures. Great advice for newer associates. Got a lot of great advice in regards to procedures and motion practice at the federal level.”

“Speakers were well” — prepared and provided relevant practice tips that I will be able to use. Lots of good insights. It was very valuable hearing from a judge’s point of view.”, Esq.

“Really enjoyed it! I learned so much!”

“Great practical information today, especially post” — covid pointers. Really helpful.”, Esq.

“It was informative!”

“It was a good basic level course. I have a lot of trial experience, so the “boot camp” on trial best practices covered familiar matters for me, but excellent advice for lawyers with little trial experience.”

“I found the examples and hypotheticals very helpful in understanding the federal rules.”

“I thought all the speakers were very knowledgeable in their topics.”

“The program overall was very informative.”

“It’s been a while since I have been in Federal Court, I needed a refresher.”

“The program was excellent.”

“Great advice for newer associates. Got a lot of great advice in regards to procedures and motion practice at the federal level.”

“As a new attorney, it has been really helpful. I am learning the ins and outs of litigating in federal court.”

“Very useful information.”

“Very helpful. I recently was removed to federal court and this brought me up to date.”

“Very effective program. It was helpful to see the comparison between Federal Court and State Court. Hon. Jeffrey T. Gilbert gave real” — life examples for each rule discussed which proved helpful for me as a new attorney. Nieves Bolanos provided excellent practice tips and was well prepared in answering questions.”, Esq.

“Concise but effective overview of practicing in federal court.”

“I was very satisfied with this training!”

“Very satisfied. The format of the presentation, soliciting practice tips from multiple speakers on the panel, was engaging and effective.”

“Provided a great overview of Federal Court Rules and Procedures.”

“Great material.”

“Great content, great commentary, great perspectives.”

“Motions for Summary Judgment section was thoughtful and entertaining!”

“Very helpful overview especially for those of us who took civ pro/ bar exam what seems like an eternity ago. Good nuts and bolts overview along with real” — world examples.”, Esq.

“The practice tips were the best part.”

“Highly informative.”

“Very informative and had people who were clearly knowledgeable!”

“The program was well organized and informative.”

“Good program. Andrew Porter was excellent. Bhavani Raveendran is a bright new star with a great firm.”

“They were all very informative and held my attention well. It was great having a judge on the panel. That was a very rewarding experience.”

“Great!”

“My personal objectives have been satisfied fully.”

“The whole panel was helpful.”

“I enjoyed the tips on preparing for a deposition and trial strategy.”

“Really enjoyed it. Great overview of all aspects of a fed court case.”

“Hon. M. David Weisman provided great insight on what judges expect and how to be well prepared when appearing in Federal Court. His comments were very valuable!”

“I thought the program provided a nice general overview.”

“Pre” — trial matters are typically rushed and glazed over. Mr. Porter made it a point to emphasize their importance and gave a good overview for new attorneys. Great conversation about what to do when preparing for depositions and how to act during them. Great perspective on Motions for Summary Judgment from the Plaintiff’s point of view. Good advice on strategies for responding as well. Ms. Church presented a lot of information in a really short time! Great discussion about what to expect and how to prepare for trial.”, Esq.

“Laura McNally was personable and conveyed her experience well. Her spotlight analogy regarding direct” — and crossexamination was terrific.”, Esq.

“Well run and informative.”

“Panelists interacted well together.”

“All speakers were knowledgeable and well” — spoken.”, Esq.

“Got practical tips on answers and MSJ.”

“All relevant topics for my practice areas. Great refreshers and updates on recent federal rule changes.”

“This was a great refresher course.”

“Good overview before delving into specifics of each topic, easy to keep up with all the information.”

“Overall good overview of the subject.”

“Valuable content and information.”

“A great teacher! Appreciated his giving context for the topic he covered. Intro on e” — discovery was very helpful.”, Esq.

“I think that the program was informative and touched on the key areas that attorneys should be aware of in federal practice. I think overall that the program was very good and detailed.”

“Great presentation with thorough content!”

“The speakers were very informative.”

“The information, especially about the 2015 FRCP amendments, was very helpful. My practice has increased in Federal Court so this information is increasingly relevant to me. Great presentation by Matt Bills. I learned a lot of new things that are extremely pertinent to my practice.”

“Brad Nahrstadt’s presentation was extremely informative” — lots of good ideas and tips. I also liked having the judge’s input on attorney practice, rule changes, and goals met by said changes, etc.”, Esq.

“I thought the afternoon presentations were extremely helpful.”

“Enjoyed the panel. Good, practical information.”

“Fantastic content on trial presentation. Enjoyed content and presentation on pre” — trial matters.”, Esq.

“Very interesting and useful information.”

“General tips about oral argument were most helpful.”

“It was great. I got a lot of information.”

“The speakers were very informative and kept me engaged. I particularly enjoyed hearing from the judges and getting their perspectives.”

“The program was very thorough, which is why I attended.”

“This was a great learning experience. Particularly valued the judges’ perspectives.”

“This was a really informative webinar.”

“This whole program was excellent! Best CLE I have ever attended.”

“Extremely helpful and worth the time.”

“Well done and very informative.”

“Excellent program, everything was very informative.”

“Great! Comprehensive!”

“Laura McNally was very helpful. Excellent speaker. Very knowledgeable. Mike Leonard was really great. Stellar afternoon speakers!”

“Well done and thorough.”

“I really enjoyed Thursday’s webinar. It was very informative.”

“Loved the variant and specific practice feedback.”

“Very satisfied. Lots of techniques that can be incorporated into my career.”

“Learned some good litigation tips.”

“Brad Nahrstadt was very engaging and I learned so much.”

“Deposition strategies was a good presentation. Good practical advice. Reid Bolton also did a great job presenting” — very practical advice.”, Esq.

“Great program.”

“Very useful information.”

“Beneficial.”

“Liked everything.”

“There was a lot of good information provided in the program.”

“It was excellent!”

“Fantastically done.”

“Great program.”

“There were a lot of good tips and the materials were good.”

“Good overview of federal practice.“”

“Great format and presentation.”

“Very good content.”

“Great to have federal judges present!”

“Well done.”

“It was enlightening.”

“Good nuts and bolts of federal practice.”

“I liked that it packed a lot into a one” — day session.”, Esq.

“Great content.”

“I definitely learned a lot.”

“I thought all of the speakers were great.”

“Very informative.”

Faculty

Hon. Beth W. Jantz
Magistrate Judge
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Judge Beth W. Jantz is a Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Illinois. Judge Jantz handles both civil and criminal matters, and since being appointed, has conducted close to 100 formal settlement conferences.

Judge Jantz was previously an attorney with the Federal Defender Program for the Northern District of Illinois. Before that, she practiced at Sidley Austin LLP in Chicago, focusing on class actions and products liability. Judge Jantz was the President of the Chicago Inn of Court for 2019-20.

Judge Jantz serves on many court committees including: the Sentencing Options that Achieve Results Program (“SOAR”), which is a pretrial diversion program for criminal defendants; the 7th Circuit Criminal Jury Instructions Committee; and the Administrative Office’s “Roadways to the Bench” program.

Judge Jantz is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Northwestern University School of Law. After graduation, she clerked for the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals’ Staff Attorneys’ Office. 

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Nieves Bolaños, Esq.
Shareholder
Hawks Quindel, S.C.

Nieves Bolaños joined Hawks Quindel, S.C. in 2024.  She has significant litigation experience at the state and federal level, as well as with local administrative agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Illinois Department of Human Rights and the Illinois Education Labor Relations Board.

Nieves’ experience includes representation of single plaintiffs, class and collective actions at all stages of litigation, and she has litigated False Claims Act cases and large class action cases with exceptional results.

Nieves is a 2009 graduate of DePaul University College of Law. She serves on the Executive Board of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) and is VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on its Executive Committee.

She also chairs NELA’s Low Wage Worker Practice Group and serves on its Legislative Action Committee and is a member of NELA’s Illinois affiliate, the Illinois State Bar Association, and the National Lawyers Guild’s Chicago Labor and Employment Committee. Nieves serves on the ARISE Chicago Legal Advisory Board and on the Board for In These Times Magazine. 

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Megan Cunniff Church, Esq.
Partner
MoloLamken LLP

Megan Cunniff Church is a highly accomplished trial lawyer who represents companies and individuals in high-stakes civil litigation and criminal and regulatory matters. She conducts corporate internal investigations in the U.S. and abroad, and she advises clients on crisis and risk management.

As a former federal prosecutor, Ms. Church has extensive experience investigating, litigating, and successfully resolving white collar criminal and regulatory matters. She served as a Deputy Chief of the Financial Crimes section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, where she prosecuted and supervised complex health care fraud, tax fraud, and corporate and financial crimes cases. She also served as a Deputy Chief of the General Crimes section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, where she trained and supervised new prosecutors on federal criminal practice.

In her nine years as an Assistant United States Attorney, Ms. Church investigated and prosecuted a wide range of federal crimes, including bank fraud, mail and wire fraud, public corruption, money laundering, narcotics and weapons violations, international drug trafficking, identity theft, cybercrimes, embezzlement, human trafficking, and organized crime. As an Assistant U.S. Attorney assigned to the Public Corruption section, Ms. Church prosecuted and convicted numerous public officials and law enforcement officers for fraud, bribery, extortion, and tax offenses. She has tried 18 cases to verdict, and she has briefed and argued nearly a dozen matters in the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Ms. Church has taught trial advocacy at the University of Chicago Law School and Loyola University Chicago School of Law. She currently serves on the Illinois Supreme Court’s Committee on Character and Fitness.

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Lauren F. Dayton, Esq.
Partner
MoloLamken LLP

 Lauren Dayton litigates complex disputes in state and federal courts from the filing of a complaint through appeal. Ms. Dayton has particular expertise in contract disputes and business torts, particularly under New York law. She also litigates antitrust, bankruptcy, and intellectual property matters.

Ms. Dayton is a skilled advocate. She develops creative strategies and compelling narratives for her clients, always keeping their goals in focus. She has taken or defended dozens of depositions, argued motions, worked with experts, and coordinated in large defense groups to drive a successful outcome for her clients. Ms. Dayton is particularly good at managing complex cases efficiently. She draws on her experience in private practice and in clerking for both tr.ial and appellate courts to develop an effective and efficient case strategy.

Ms. Dayton is also an experienced appellate lawyer. She has briefed appeals before federal courts in the Second, Third, Fifth, Ninth, and Federal Circuits, and before the Supreme Court of the United States. She has an active practice before New York appellate courts.

Ms. Dayton has been recognized several years in a row as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers. She has also been named a "40 & Under Litigator" by Benchmark Litigation.

Ms. Dayton speaks frequently on business torts and trial practice issues, including at the ABA’s Litigation Section Annual Conference and before the Chicago Bar Association. Ms. Dayton is the Programs Chair for the ABA’s Business Torts & Unfair Competition Committee and is active in the Chicago Bar Association and Women in Funds, an organization for investment professionals and attorneys.

Before joining MoloLamken, Ms. Dayton clerked for the Honorable Steven M. Colloton of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and for the Honorable Brian M. Cogan of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

Ms. Dayton is fluent in French, and has represented francophone clients

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Kristen E. Hudson, Esq.
Partner
Dickinson Wright PLLC

Kristen Hudson, partner with Dickinson Wright, represents businesses and business people in complex commercial litigation in state and federal courts in Texas, Illinois and across the country. Kristen has won high-stakes challenges in a variety of substantive areas, from breach of contract, business and statutory torts, including fraud and the False Claims Act claims, to intellectual property disputes involving the protection of trade secrets and privacy. Kristen has significant experience with Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code and the U.N. Convention on the International Sale of Goods. Kristen also has concentrated experience in lawyer professional liability and fiduciary liability, including high-net worth trust disputes. 

Kristen has served as General Counsel of mid-size law firm with offices in multiple jurisdictions. In addition, she has been seconded to clients for extended periods including at a large energy company and with a UK-based insurance company. With this experience to guide her, Kristen works to avoid court wherever possible for her clients, and pursues solutions that make the most business and financial success for her clients, including advocating aggressively when litigation is required.

In addition to her commercial litigation practice, Kristen is knowledgeable about all types of third-party commercial liability policies, including directors’ and officers’ liability, professional liability, employment practices liability, commercial general liability, products liability, cyber liability, among others. Kristen has experience on all sides of an insurance coverage dispute and business disputes involving the insurance industry.  As a policyholder lawyer, Kristen recovered millions of dollars in insurance proceeds for her policyholder clients.  Most recently, Kristen served as coverage and monitoring counsel on behalf of insurers.

Prior to attending law school, Kristen was a French teacher in the North Carolina public schools.

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Rima Kapitan, Esq.
Partner
Kapitan Gomma Law

 Rima Kapitan specializes in employment litigation, consulting and advocacy on behalf of employees and small businesses. In recent years she has increasingly focused on academic issues, representing professors in appeals of tenure denials, litigating civil rights cases in the university setting, and providing consulting for faculty governance bodies. She has spoken on the topic of academic freedom at conferences and panels of the American Association of University Professors, the New York University School of Law, the Fordham University School of Law, and California State University. She also previously served as Managing Partner of a 7-attorney law firm. Ms. Kapitan was admitted to practice in the State of Illinois Supreme Court in 2005, and is a member of the Trial Bar of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. She is a graduate of DePaul University College of Law and Indiana University’s Individualized Major Program.

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Samera Syeda Ludwig, Esq.
Partner
Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP

Samera Syeda Ludwig focuses her practice on labor and employment and business immigration. For more than 20 years, she has represented employers in both state and federal courts and in administrative proceedings throughout the country. As an experienced litigator, Samera counsels and represents businesses on matters involving employee discipline, employee claims of discrimination, and harassment and retaliation and conducts internal investigations. Samera also advises employers on immigration policies and employment related issues including obtaining non-immigrant and immigrant visas, providing immigration related guidance during corporate mergers and acquisitions, and assisting employers with I-9 employment eligibility and verification compliance.

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Kristen E. Prinz, Esq.
Founder and Managing Partner
The Prinz Law Firm, P.C.

Kristen Prinz is an employment lawyer, business counselor, and founder of The Prinz Law Firm.

Ms. Prinz represents physicians, lawyers, senior executives, and small business owners in matters ranging from employment agreements and non-competes to complex employment disputes. She is passionate about advocating for her clients’ interests and helping them achieve outcomes consistent with their professional goals.

Ms. Prinz has litigated employment disputes before state and federal courts at the trial and appellate level, and before administrative agencies, including the EEOC, the Illinois Department of Human Rights, and the Cook County Human Rights Commission. She also has experience representing clients in arbitration proceedings.

As a business counselor, Ms. Prinz provides business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals with innovative and cost-effective solutions to their legal and operational problems, enabling them to fully realize their potential. She has leveraged her litigation and culture management experience to guide clients in implementing employment best practices, effectively training staff, and creating a productive workplace culture.

Ms. Prinz is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago, the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the National Employment Lawyers Association, and is Chair of the Nominating Committee for The International Women’s Forum.

Ms. Prinz was selected for inclusion in Crain’s Chicago Business’ List of 50 Most Influential Female Attorneys, and has been named an Emerging Lawyer by Leading Lawyers, as well as a Super Lawyer for 2019. Kristen received her J.D. with honors from IIT Chicago Kent College of Law and a B.A. in English from the University of Iowa.

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Stephanna F. Szotkowski, Esq.
Partner
Arnold & Porter

Stephanna F. Szotkowski is a partner in the firm’s Securities Enforcement and Litigation practice group. Stephanna defends public and private companies, accounting firms, broker-dealers, financial services firms, life sciences companies, and executives in high-stakes securities litigation, commercial litigation, government investigations, and enforcement proceedings brought by the SEC, DOJ, FINRA, PCAOB, and state Attorneys General, and conducts securities-related internal investigations.

Stephanna has significant experience handling all phases of litigation – including trials, dispositive motion and appellate briefing, and complex e-discovery projects – in federal, state, and appellate courts, and in proceedings before arbitral bodies. She has successfully defended securities class actions, fraud claims, accountant liability disputes, and commercial actions, as well as enforcement actions involving financial reporting, quality control, and whistleblower issues.

Stephanna maintains an active pro bono practice, and has litigated cases to a successful resolution involving violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act. Recent work includes a landmark settlement on behalf of deaf and hard of hearing individuals on supervision in Georgia, and successful representation of an inmate in a federal penitentiary against the Bureau of Prisons for the failure to protect him and for medical malpractice.

Stephanna graduated, magna cum laude, from the University of Minnesota Law School, where she served as an Articles Editor on the University of Minnesota Law Review.

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Johner T. (J.T.) Wilson III, Esq.
Lead Trial Attorney
Epstein Becker Green

A diverse lead trial attorney, J.T. helps his clients manage risks and minimize financial exposure in arbitrations; in proceedings before various federal, state, and local administrative agencies; and in single, multiple, class, and collective plaintiff lawsuits filed in federal and state courts across the country involving a panoply of employment-related issues. He has represented clients in matters involving the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA), the First Amendment, joint employers, Monell claims, official/police misconduct, OSHA violations, retaliation, wage and hour disputes, whistleblowing, and worker misclassification, among others.

J.T. also conducts fast yet thorough internal investigations into alleged claims of misconduct in the workplace and provides trainings, workshops, and lectures on employment-related topics. Additionally, clients seek his practical advice and counseling on various complex business operations and employment initiatives, as well as cybersecurity and data privacy matters.

Committed to fostering diversity in the legal profession, J.T. partners with industry leaders to advance and drive the success of diverse law students through relevant educational programming, vibrant social activities, and financial support through merit scholarships. As a civic leader, he frequently participates in food and clothing drives, delivers motivational speeches, and empowers others to positively engage and impact their work environments and local communities through tangible acts of service. And J.T. is an active member of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, the National Employment Law Council, the International Association of Defense Counsel, and the National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel. He frequently gives presentations on timely issues impacting the interests of industry partners and affecting the legal community.

Before joining Epstein Becker Green, J.T. was a member of the board of directors of a national law firm and led its Labor and Employment team in Chicago. 

 

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Fees

Fees & Format Options

🎯 Early Bird Rate Deadline: Save $25 through January 30, 2026.
Discount applied automatically at checkout.

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💻 OnDemand Streaming

Watch the recorded seminar on your own schedule, as often as you’d like, from any device. Access lasts one year from purchase.

• Standard Rate: $429
• Early Bird Rate: $404*
• Includes: Seminar recording + written materials
• For individual use only

Group rates available for 3–4 attorneys watching together. Licenses available for 5+ attorneys—contact us for details. info@pincusproed.com or (877) 858-3848.

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📦 Recorded Packages (Download, DVD, or CD)

These packages are for a single viewer and include seminar materials.

▶️ Video Recording (Download or DVD)

• Standard Rate: $429
• Early Bird Rate: $404*
• For individual use only

🎧 Audio Only Recording (Download or CD)

Great for listening in your car or on the go.

• Standard Rate: $429
• Early Bird Rate: $404*
• For individual use only

🎥 + 🎧 Video + Audio Combo (Download, DVD, or CD)

• Standard Rate: $479
• Early Bird Rate: $454*
• For individual use only

Shipping & Tax: $10 shipping added to DVD/CD orders (plus sales tax in CA)

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🗓️ Availability

This program will be recorded live on May 5 & 7, 2026.
OnDemand Streaming and Recorded Packages will be available approximately 2–3 weeks after the seminar. If you need access sooner, direct Zoom links will be provided.

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⚠️ Important Notes

• OnDemand Streaming can be viewed on any device.
• Recorded Downloads must be downloaded to a computer first before transferring to another device. Files are delivered as a zipped folder containing the recording and written materials.

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💼 Group Access & Licensing

Discounted rates are available for 3–4 attorneys watching together (Live or OnDemand).
Licenses are also available for firms or agencies with 5+ attorneys.

To inquire or purchase group access:
📧 info@pincusproed.com | ☎ (877) 858-3848

CLE Credit