21st Annual Superior Court Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts (CA) [Two-Part Webinar] (Watch Live or via OnDemand Streaming)

Agenda

Agenda

Part 1:  Tuesday, October 6, 2026
1:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Pacific Time

Judges commenting throughout Part 1: Hon. Laura A. Seigel

1:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
The Early Parts of your Case: Themes, Complaints, Answers and More
Brad Estes and Meghan Féronie Loisel

• Early case assessment and themes
• The Complaint – advice and strategies
• Answering the complaint
• Defenses vs. Affirmative Defenses
• Motions directed at the pleadings
• Motions to Dismiss
• Motions for a More Definite Statement
• Motions to strike
• Practice pointers and pitfalls
• Additional important rules
• Mistakes not to make

2:15 p.m. – 2:25 p.m.
BREAK

2:25 p.m. 2:40 p.m.
Case Management
Hon. Laura A. Seigel

• The Case Management Conference (CMC)
• Complex Civil Cases

2:40 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Discovery and e-Discovery
Zach Streiff and Courtney Abrams

• Deciding what matters to your case
• New discovery / e-Discovery rules
• Scope of discovery / proportionality / e-discovery considerations
• E-Discovery costs, authentication, sources and preservation
• Meet and confer requirements/creating a good record
• Interrogatories, Requests for Production and Responses
• Failure to preserve / sanctions
• Subpoenas and Affidavits
• Considerations for trial and settlement
• Key Rules, timelines and overlooked deadlines
• Common procedural Issues
• Motions to Compel/for Protective Order
• Cost cutting measures
• Dealing with unresponsive opposing counsel

4:00 p.m. – 4:05 p.m.
BREAK

4:05 p.m. – 4:40 p.m.
Other Motions
Pamela K. Graham

• Continuances
• Ex Parte Motions
• TROs and Preliminary Injunctions
• Sanctions
• Common hearings

4:40 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Final Q&A

 

Part 2: Thursday, October 8, 2026
1:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Pacific Time

Judges commenting throughout Part 2: Hon. Kira Klatchko (Ret.)

1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Depositions
Speakers TBA

State v. Federal Rules

• Timelines and Deadlines
• Deciding whom to depose
• Taking good depositions – mistakes not to make
• Making effective use of depositions at trial
• Using depositions for settlement talks
• Objections to depositions
• Dealing with difficult counsel
• Bringing in the judge
• Preparing your client
• Preparing your expert witness
• Deposition related sanctions motions

2:30 p.m. – 2:40 p.m.
BREAK

2:40 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Motions for Summary Judgment
Becca Furman and Jesse Lanier

• Timing
• Strategic considerations
• Cost considerations
• Writing persuasive briefs
  • Intro
  • Headers
  • Content
  • Conclusion
• Mistakes to avoid
• What judges want, need and don’t want to see
• Oral Argument tips

3:45 p.m. – 3:55 p.m.
BREAK

3:55 p.m. – 4:35 p.m.
Pre-Trial Matters
Dan Lawton

• Pretrial Conference and Order
• Trial Briefs
• Pretrial Statement
• Motions in Limine
• Final Status Conference
• Trier of Fact decisions

4:35 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Final Q&A

Date/Time/Location

📅 Two-Part Live Webinar

Dates:

• Part 1: Tuesday, October 6, 2026
• Part 2: Thursday, October 8, 2026

Time (Both Days):
🕐 1:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Pacific Time

You’ll receive your login instructions and program materials approximately one week before the seminar. Be sure to check your inbox (and spam folder), and add info@pincusproed.com to your contacts to ensure delivery.

Testimonials

“Learned so much that I probably would not have learned so soon in my career were it not for this training. Great program and super informative.” – Marvin Macias, Esq.

“I really appreciated all of the judge’s additional comments. Lots of great information. Excellent practical advice.” – Mary Grace Guzmán, Esq.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the presentation and especially the speakers. I thought it was interesting, well organized, spaced out comfortably over the course of a day and that the speakers gave valuable insight from their careers and helpful advice as to how they’ve come across specific cases that invoked the rules they were discussing.” – Matthew Haddad, Esq.

“The speaks were prepared and the presentations were organized. The practice pointers from the judges and attorneys were incredibly helpful.” – Kyle R. Roberson, Esq.

“A well-structured overview of the most common litigation tools. Good for beginners and seasoned attorneys.” – Michelle McCarron, Esq.

“It was very informative. I feel like I have such a renewed and better understanding of civil practice.”– Thomas Shinton, Esq.

“I thought it was excellent!! I feel much more competent in my knowledge of the timeline and practice tips for litigation.” – Ashleigh Dennis, Esq.

“Very valuable for me — a second-year admittee to California.  Great practical advice as well as explanations regarding Cal procedure.” – Mark Yost, Esq.

“I really enjoyed the comments and felt that the explanations were thorough. I also appreciated the speakers answering questions as they came.” – Stevie Jo McDonald, Esq.

“Excellent general introduction to civil litigation.  I found it informative and enjoyed the agenda and material.” – Efigenia Dominguez, Esq. 

“Excellent instruction and material.” – Douglas Fransham, Esq.  

“Fantastic program with really excellent practitioners and judges!” – Cary Zuk, Esq.

“The speakers were excellent. Presentations were very thorough.” – Alexander Wall, Esq.

“Very informative.” – Gregory Ante, Esq.

“Excellent detailed program with effective speakers, well-organized and clear written points.” – Brian Beckwith, Esq.

 

“It was a great review.” – Susie Jane Eastwood, Esq.

“Great program. I truly appreciated the practical points offered by the presenters. I enjoyed the program very much and will recommend it to fellow attorneys. The thing that I liked the most is that the presenters did not re-read the handouts, but rather provided precious, practical-experience advice and tips.” – Boryana Arsova, Esq

“Fabulous!” – Sharvonne R. Sulzle, Esq.

“Fantastic program. I’m in my 3rd year of practice and it was the perfect timing for this program.” – Alison Karp, Esq.

“Overall, great experience. This was my first superior court boot camp, so all information was relevant and interesting. All speakers had strong knowledge of the material they were presenting.” – Carlos Portillo, Esq.

“Michele Ellson with Open Door Legal here. I wanted to thank you and your team for a fantastic program. I also wanted to thank you for giving four of our staff scholarships to attend. We are all new practitioners and, being legal aid, have extremely limited professional development funding at our disposal. As such, I wanted to let you know that the program was hugely impactful for us, both in terms of our learning and in terms of managing our limited resources. The program was very helpful for me in terms of framing how to prosecute or defend a litigation matter and I am already putting some of the suggestions to use. And of course, a learning opportunity that is impactful for us as practitioners is beneficial for our clients, most of whom have nowhere else to go for legal representation.

Thank you so much for your generosity in supporting us as practitioners and, by extension, our clients and their communities. We are grateful for your investment in us and our work.” – Michele Ellson, Open Door Legal, CA

“Great group and great information.” – Patricia Pangelinan, Esq. 

“I think it is very helpful to new attorneys. Sometimes the procedures are theoretical at best, so hearing perspectives from practitioners and judges is helpful.” – Tarin Robinson, Esq.

“Great information. I just took the bar in July so this is a nice crash course on handling cases.” – Stacie Scarf, Esq.

“The program was great and moved fast. The speakers were all high-level, experienced attorneys.” – Harold Anderson, Esq. 

“The speakers were all very knowledge. Their individual perspectives and practice pointers were appreciated.” – Kyle R. Roberson, Esq.

“The information in session two was practical (especially the handouts).” – Roberta Ponce, Esq.

“Program is a good bird’s-eye view of litigation.” – Silviana Dumitrescu, Esq

“Great first day of the program and great speakers, [they] focused on the most important parts of the material they wanted to present, and it was helpful to hear from current judges on what they like/don’t like to see in written briefs/motions.” – Rosemary Bautista, Esq.

“I thought the program was really engaging. I enjoyed the interactions between the litigation attorneys and the judges.” – Natalie Klasky, Esq.

“It was a fabulous presentation. Thank you.” – Cheryl Nelson, Esq.

“Great explanation of the law and examples by practitioners clearly versed on the topics presented really helped me understand the applicability of the subject matter.” – Rahman Gerren, Esq.

“Very thoughtful practice insights, and interesting perspectives from the judges.” – Yujin Rosa Chong, Esq.

“Overall this CLE was very helpful with several questions pertaining to some of my current cases.” – Casey Stone, Esq.

“Presenters were fabulous.” – Marjorie Menza, Esq.

“I liked hearing from the judges directly.” – Corrie Meals, Esq.

“Excellent overview of civil litigation from filing of complaint through post-judgment appeal. The speakers were engaging, informative, and even entertaining!” – Brendan Malone, Esq.

“I like the fact that practitioners and judges were exchanging ideas.” – Rouzbeh Zarrinbakhsh, Esq.

“Great information provided! Thank you!” – Daniel Zhivanaj, Esq.

“The program provided a lot of information relevant to my practice.” – Casey Stone, Esq.

“Part 2 was very helpful and covered critical pre-trial issues related to discovery and summary judgment.” – Kyle R. Roberson, Esq.

“Honestly this was pretty perfect in terms of providing a quick primer on litigation practice.” – Michele Ellson, Open Door Legal, CA

“Judges Cho and Hopp were my favorites. I enjoyed listening to this discussion.” – Ricardo Merluza, Esq.

“I was pleased to hear the practical viewpoints, both from a practitioner’s viewpoint and from the bench…A very informative program…I would recommend this program to any newbie like myself.” – Shawheen Shafizadeh, Esq.

“I thought it was a great high-level overview, which is what I expected and what I was looking for.” – Christine Fries, Esq.

“Great information; commentary by judges was invaluable.” – Stevie Jo McDonald, Esq.

“The involvement and prospective from the judge panelists were insightful as a practitioner.” – Kyle R. Roberson, Esq.

“Very helpful information about MSJ and trial process.” – Taylor McElroy, Esq.

“The program did a great job giving a full picture of litigation practice in CA. Very insightful for a young attorney like me.” – Jonathan Winkler, Esq.

“Great program with helpful information and insight.” – Kayla Washington, Esq.

“I am glad I took this course. I felt it did an excellent job at bringing up what attorneys should expect with Superior Court, its local rules and what judges expect to see when a case is presented to them.” – Matthew Haddad, Esq.

“Very well organized. Appreciated that it was not mired in technical statute recitation and was instead a more broad overview…overall, excellent program for inexperienced attorneys like myself.” – Kevin Miller, Esq.

“The topics covered all critical civil pre-trial areas.” – Kyle R. Roberson, Esq.

“The program was great, and hearing direct feedback from judges was so useful (especially the part about filing discovery sanctions etc).” – Roberta Ponce, Esq.

“See above. I’m a brand-new lawyer and litigator and this was a very helpful quick and dirty on how to trial.” – Michele Ellson, Open Door Legal, CA

“Learned a lot. Many different topics were covered. Good reference material for future use.” – Natalya Samsonova, Esq.

“Amazing course!” – Nicholas Lansdown, Esq.

“Very informative for us litigators; thank you. Very engaging and informative speakers.” – Cameron Bordner, Esq.

“Great speakers!” – Adam Wentland, Esq.

“My personal objectives were completely satisfied – I left feeling like I had several new ideas and tools I could apply to my work immediately.” – Sally Mielke, Esq.

“This was a very nice overview of trial prep that boosted my confidence as I prep for my trial.” – Nicholas Colla, Esq.

“Very good overview. Excellent insights from the viewpoint of judges.” – Michael A. Miller, Esq.

“Provided information that was useful and practical in assisting me with being a competent litigator and performing my job duties. Great speakers. Judge Kleinberg was very good at providing hypotheticals that relate to real-life experience. Speakers provided useful information as to when and whether to request a trial by jury and the use of pre-emptory challenges. Judge Ulmer was good at providing trial strategy as well as tips on jury selection and what to look out for (i.e., whether the jury will award damages).” – Christina Brogden, Esq.

“I enjoyed the program. The speakers were very knowledgeable and well prepared.” – Joseph Dankert, Esq.

“I loved that the panel included plaintiffs’ attorneys, defense attorneys, mediators, and judges.” – Cheryl Nelson, Esq.

“Great information.” – Mark Yost, Esq.

“Very satisfied. Thank you.” – Sandra Aguila, Esq.

“The speakers were very qualified, informative and entertaining, and that made a major difference in making this course helpful and valuable.” – Matthew Haddad, Esq.

“Great program. Great to hear from the perspective of the bench.” – John Alexander, Esq.

“Very helpful to see the forest from the trees. As a new litigator, it’s easy to get lost in and lose sight of the big picture. Subject matter seemed right on point for helping me in day-to-day practice…Speakers gave lots of practical examples, thorough explanations, and tips.” – Lauren Cox, Esq.

“Very helpful primer on discovery, motions, and pretrial practice. I took a lot of notes!” – Michele Ellson, Open Door Legal, CA

“Very Satisfied.” – Charlotte Martinez, Esq.

“Very informative. Great speakers. Liked the Judges’ input. It was all very good. Getting a judge’s opinion is always helpful.”

“I wanted an overview from beginning to end and that’s exactly what we got.” – Griselda Rodriguez, Esq.

“Comprehensive review…Excellent speakers…Great program. Very helpful information and format.” – Melissa Murphy, Esq.

“Excellent: Extremely dense with very helpful practice tips, punctuated by revealing anecdotes. Speakers gave a very thorough analysis of every aspect of the topic assigned, yet made it easy to follow and understand.” – Michael A. Miller, Esq.

“A great, comprehensive overview of motion and trial practice…Great insight from the judge.” – Anna Mezhebovskaya, Esq.

“Good information on a wide area of topics. Panel provided broad brush overview of each topic while also focusing on key specifics and practice tips.” – Joseph Seltzer, Esq.

“All the speakers were excellent. The war stories were great, and so were all the tips about the rules.” – Daniel S. Kirschbaum, Esq.

“Very practical and specific.” – Kathleen Bricken, Esq.

“Very informative to bridge the gap for new attorneys. This was exactly what I needed to get an overview of litigation.” – Donald Le, Esq.

“The high-level overview is very helpful as a new attorney in trial. The personal stories were also very insightful. Great stories. I liked to hear about the judge’s time on the bench and what he didn’t like.” – Bridget Cho, Esq.

“Information and materials were very detailed and easy to follow. Perfect for new attorneys without experience and experienced needing refresher.” – Sanaz Bereliani, Esq.

“Litigation process was comprehensively covered.” – Jackson Morgus, Esq.

“This program gave a great overview of the different stages of litigation in a short amount of time.” – Heidi Kim, Esq.

“Absolutely spectacular.  Great advice and insights from experienced litigators and judges.” – Mark Yost, Esq.

“I’m a brand-new litigator and this is exactly the basic training I have been looking for. Thank you so much!” – Michele Ellson, Esq.

“I thought the presentation was very thorough and I appreciated how quickly each panelist responded to questions.” – Taurin Robinson, Esq.

“Very valuable insight and all presentations were informative and engaging.” – Isabella Rosa Schrammel, Esq.

“The materials were presented in a comprehensible way.  The materials were not overly complicated or overwhelming.  New practitioners and experienced could easily follow along.” – Roberta Ponce, Esq.

“Very good refresher that was presented in a practical way.  Legal authority citations were very helpful as well.  Real world examples were given by experienced judges and practitioners.” – Casey Stone, Esq.

“Although, I’ve practiced nearly 30 years in other states, this course was very helpful given my recent licensure in CA. I highly recommend it for the transferring lawyer.” – James A. Morris, Jr., Esq.

“Great sharing of invaluable experiences.” – John Quiring, Esq.

“Informative and good written materials…Great work, everyone!” – Eli Flushman, Esq.

“Very validating and also good food for thought. This was very thorough training.” – Heidi Lehrman, Senior Councel, CA Department of Managed Health Care

“This was a great overview of the litigation process.” – Joshua R. Driskell, Esq.

“It was a great program. I really learned a lot.” – Teressa Libutti, Esq.

“The course helped to reinforce what I learned at my prior firm.” – Cleve Collado, Esq.

“Great speakers, very informative.” – Alexander Cabeceiras, Esq.

“Well done, organized, great personal stories in court, and great advice.” Jonathan Kantor, Esq.

“Excellent.” ­ – Suzanne Kenney, Esq.

“Good program. Would do another Pincus program again.” – Michael Edward Olsen

“I received a better understanding of later parts of the life of a case. This was helpful to put things in perspective. I have a better understanding of how to run my cases and had a few new ideas during this training.” – Adam Truong, Esq.

“I thought the speakers were knowledgeable and kept things engaging with personal anecdotes. I appreciated the level of detail, as did the fellows at my office.” – Sara Haji, Esq.

“The speakers all had insightful information to provide. I appreciated the information about personal experiences.” – Stacie Scarf, Esq.

“I think this program is great and should be required for all practitioners.  I especially appreciated the admonitions to act with professionalism and courtesy – because as the panelists observed, that is not always the standard of behavior.” – Roberta Ponce, Esq.

“Thanks! Great program. I enjoyed it.” – Sarah Castelhano, Esq.

“It was well presented information, from well qualified presenters.” – Oliver Foland, Esq.

“The information presented was good for a basic litigation knowledge.” – Kyle R. Robertson, Esq.

“This was a very, very helpful overview of trial procedure basics.” – Michele Ellson, Esq.

“Great course! Very informative and basic enough for beginners. All well prepared and great presence.” – Christina H. Johansen, Esq.

“Good presentation – I like the panel format.” – Barry E. Weber, Esq.

“Enjoyed overall presentation and topics.” – Greg Kreausian, Esq.

“Great overview. This is a great opportunity to brush up my knowledge.” – Michael Waddington, Esq.

“Insight from judges was helpful.” – Jillian Sekona, Esq.

“I really enjoyed the session on ex partes and motions.” – Allison Andersen, Esq.

“Great presentations.” – Corrie Meals, Esq.

“It was very informative.” – Taylor McElroy, Esq.

“Interesting dos and don’ts of trial. Well-organized and highly informative. Good beginner course.” – Stephanie Drenski, Esq.

“Very good and informative.” – Charlotte Martinez, Esq.

“Informative. Great practice pointers. All topics were valuable.” – Cameron Bordner, Esq.

“Pincus always produces high-quality programing.”

“The overall overview of the process was exactly what I was looking for.”

“I enjoyed that they went into great detail on depositions.” – Joseph Dankert, Esq.

“Good, practical tips.” – Tiffany Truong, Esq.

“Thorough.” – Alexander Wallin, Esq.

“Great overview.” – Timothy Laquer, Esq

“Good information beyond the basic rules!” – Sara Haji, Esq.

“I thought it was a good introduction into the topics, which is what I was hoping to get.” – Oliver Foland, Esq.

“I learned a great deal about Superior Court practice.” – Victor Leving, Esq.

”Pincus has the best programs – great topics and dynamic speakers.”

“I thoroughly enjoyed the presentation and especially the speakers. I thought it was interesting, well organized, spaced out comfortably over the course of a day, and that the speakers gave valuable insight from their careers and helpful advice as to how they’ve come across specific cases that invoked the rules they were discussing.” – Matthew Haddad, Esq.

“The panels both did a good job of progressing through the content with thoughtful, relevant insight.” – Adam Stone, Esq.

“Interesting panel and topics.” – Shelley Crawford, Esq.

“Thank you for the resources via email – They are the practical information that I was looking for.” – Carol Wyzinski, Esq.

“All speakers had strong knowledge of the material they were presenting.” – Carlos Portillo, Esq.

“Interesting and helpful insights.” – John Jackman, Esq.

“Very informative!” – Lindsay R. Wood, Esq.

“This class was very helpful and informative.” – Portasha Moore, Esq.

“Covered a wide range of topics…great materials.” – Nicole Fassonaki, Esq.

“Very helpful for a junior attorney like me.” – Cornelo Dilag, Esq.

“Very entertaining and lots of practical advice.” – Kate Juvinall, Esq.

“Great content and practical tips.” – Lori Liu, Esq.

“Great program.” – Jillian Sekona

“Very thorough!” – Jason Benkner, Esq.

“The speakers were good.” – Aleks Giragosian, Esq.

“Judge Raphael had great insights and advice; learned something new – ‘informal discovery request’ and requesting continuance prior to summary judgment.” – Jamie Lee, Esq.

“I enjoyed all the speakers…the afternoon session was my favorite.” – Dana Udi, Esq..

“Very satisfied. Took away a lot of excellent recommendations that I will apply in my practice.” – Raychele Sterling, Esq.

“Great general overview with tips.” – Flor Tataje, Esq.

“Really enjoyed Judge Krasnow’s commentary!” – Aurora Thorne, Esq.

“This was the only valuable MCLE I have attended in years.”

“Well done. Well planned. Great topics.” – Mike Voigt, Esq.

“All speakers were very good. Will recommend.” – Tom Skinner, Esq.

“Judge Cho was a really powerful speaker, delivery of material was excellent.”

“It was a great program. I really learned a lot.” – Teressa Libutti, Esq.

“Overview of civil procedure in all presentations was informative.” – Afret Canchan, Esq.

“Checklists and outlines were very helpful.” – Natilee Riebman, Esq.

“It was very good.” – Chris Moody, Esq.

“Overview of civil procedure in all presentations was informative.” – Afret Canchan, Esq.

“The interactive comments in the afternoon were very good…Thanks for the program. For 7.5 hours, it was very good.” – Robert Goldman, Esq.

“I was very pleased with the program. Each and every speaker provided a great presentation. I learned so much!” – Deedra Van Stren Alvarado, Esq.

“I left more insightful, informed, and with a lot more knowledge to further my practice. Very well put together and concise. The selection of speakers and materials provided were extremely helpful.” – Frank Chica, Esq.

“Thank you for a great day, very informative and excellent practice tips.” – Mollie Levy, Esq.

“It was great! Great insight for me as a law student, although I haven’t taken civil procedures yet.” – Tanner Murray

“Great presentations. Very insightful with great tips for new attorneys.” -Kyle W., Esq.

“Great speakers, very informative. Loved the war-stories/anecdotes.” – Alexander Cabeceiras, Esq.

“I thought it was excellent!! I feel much more competent in my knowledge of the timeline and practice tips for litigation.” – Ashleigh Dennis, Esq.

“All the speakers were excellent. The war stories were great as well as the tips about rules.” – Daniel S. Kirschbaum, Esq.

“Enjoyed!” – Ben Armistead, Esq.

“Great.” – Sydney Muraoka, Esq.

“Very helpful for a junior attorney like me.” – Cornelo Dilag, Esq.

“The program was as advertised: nuts and bolts of litigation. Lots of good info at a cursory level.” – Katherine Beyer, Esq.

“I really enjoyed all the sessions in the afternoon and morning.” – Yessenia Carrilb, Esq.

“Thank you!” – Ashley Nakai, Esq.

“A good reminder of transactional issues.” – Thomas Rivera, Esq.

“Overall, great experience, the material was very relevant. Great practical tips. Thank you!” – Nikole Trinidad, Esq.

“First time attending this program, absolutely loved it.”

“I love the format, the interactions, and the speakers. Probably the best I have received in terms of education out of all CLE.”

“I love hearing from the judge’s perspective. It provides valuable insight that affects the tailoring   of my representation of clients.”

“It was extremely valuable to hear input from the judges. The material was a little basic for my years of experience but served as a great refresher.”

“The program did a great job giving a full picture of litigation practice in CA.”

“I thought it was very substantive. I really liked the content as well as the perspectives of different sides of the law.”

“Thorough, clear, interesting and good examples. Besides the actual material, which was excellent, it was really helpful to see it through the judge’s eyes – thanks.”

“It is a great combination of people to support the presentation with various perspectives and levels of experience.”

“A well-structured overview of the most common litigation tools. Good for beginners and seasoned attorneys.”

“Practical, substantiated, digestible, memorable. Post-program, I have definitely learned what I came to learn. Excellent instructors – Thank you!”

“I learned a lot about the Superior Court process, specifically motions and discovery and best practices. I also really appreciated the Judge’s input.”

“While I graduated from law school well over a decade ago, I’ve been a non-litigation compliance attorney.  In my new role, litigation is a possibility.  Hence, I attended this course.  It was an excellent refresher and quickly took the dust off of what I learned in Civil Procedure in law school/bar prep, plus I learned more such as including a request for jury trial in state court in case it gets removed to federal court.”

“I thought each panelist was very informed and had real, practical insights to help flesh out the types of conduct that is expected and (more importantly to me) what type of conduct isn’t to be tolerated and how to put those issues into the record to mitigate those issues.”

“It’s tough to balance getting out all the necessary information and sharing personal experiences. I appreciated it when the speakers’ spoke from their actual experiences.”

“Each of the speakers was excellent. I would have liked to be able to listen to the entire program.” 

“The presentation today was a good refresher and offered numerous practical pointers that are worth considering during these stages of litigation.”

“Substance was very good, but more detail would be hlepful.  Maybe this could be accomplished by having people’s questions answerred at the end and not during the MCLE portion, if MCLE rules allow, or limiting question time.”

“I appreciated when the speakers shared their personal observations about how certain things really work and tips for effectiveness.”

“Very informative overall, I appreciated it and found the program very useful for my day-to-day practice.”

“Thorough, practical and substantiated – Exceptional instructors who communicated masterfully. My confidence within the civil lit arena soared as a result.”

“I am satisfied. The presentation provided a lot of information that at first it is challenging to fully understand but it does provide a great foundation.”

“I enjoyed it. It was a lot to digest, but it is good that the hand-out materials are so thorough and that you can refer to them in the future.”

“Very educational.” 

“Appreciated the years of expertise on the panels, practice tips, and resources!” 

“Overall great program.”   

“I appreciated the variety of background expertise of the panelists.” 

“This was one of the best programs I’ve attended for MCLE credit. Approximately 50-60% of the material I had prior experience with but was glad to either receive a refresher or know whether what/how I’ve done things in the past was correct or incorrect (from the mouths of more experienced lawyers and judges).”  

“I really enjoyed it, and I appreciate all the examples, case law & and statutes in the presentation material that went beyond what the speakers talked about.” 

“Fantastic dialogue among the judges and attorneys regarding real-world experiences and application of the laws and rules.” 

“The speakers were outstanding.  Everyone was very generous with time and information.” 

“Great, thanks so much. It was great to hear from all the speakers, especially nice to get the judge’s insight because that is a rare opportunity.” 

“Fantastic.” 

“I thoroughly enjoyed all the speakers!” 

“So well done. Bravo to all involved. I learned a lot and really enjoyed it.” 

“Great program.”  

“Being able to hear from judges about their perspectives and mindsets was extremely inciteful.” 

“Very informative! I liked how you went through the entire case history step by step.” 

“Great speakers!”

“The speakers were very good. It was extremely informative -and the speakers responded immediately to questions asked.”

“It was very informative, especially as a new lawyer who’s been practicing law for less than a year.”

“This program is excellent for helping a young lawyer develop a fuller picture of development of a case to trial.”

“It was good. Speakers were prepared and provided relevant and helpful information. I appreciated the judges.”

“Very clear and concise speakers, and willing to answer all questions.”

“Enjoyed listening to judges and speakers. Very good.”

“Very insightful for a young attorney like me.”

“I thought it was informative and engaging and just the right amount of time.”

“Insights from the judges were very helpful.”

“The speakers were excellent. Presentations were very thorough.”

“Great presentation.”

“Everything was great. I happen to really appreciate the speakers.”

“There was a lot of information shared and it’s very pertinent.”

“All speakers were great and very knowledgeable.”

“Great program! I really enjoyed it.”

“I learned a lot of new issues to consider being a young lawyer.”

“The overall experience was great and informative.”

“Excellent topics, and great speakers.”

“Useful content and informed speakers.”

“I thought it was very helpful and practical.”

“I appreciate the simple PowerPoint format for the program. Easy to follow.”

“I thought the program was great.”

“Great concise program. Useful information.” 

“This was a wonderful program I learned so much and appreciate your speakers sharing all of their knowledge and expertise.” 

“Very helpful.” 

“Great training and overview.  Thank you!” 

“Great materials and content.”  

“Knowledgeable and great speakers!” 

“The content was as advertised, and I learned important information that I will be able to immediately apply to my practice.”

“The information presented was concise and helpful as a new/young associate.” 

“Very informational! I appreciated the insider tips.”

“Engaging speakers and informative material; good practice pointers.”

“This course was perfect because it gave insights needed for California state practice as well as general practice tips I will incorporate into my practice.”

“Appreciated hearing everyone’s experience in practice while they explained civil procedure.”

“Program was well-paced and manage to pack in a lot of information on topics that could easily cover a day all their own.”

“Overall, great program and very helpful to me, as a sixth-year litigator.”

“I found it very informative, and some areas of the program, in particular, were helpful for areas of practice that were very relevant to my day-to-day.”

“Great bootcamp/crash course about civil litigation! I found all the presentations to be very informative and helpful.”

“I appreciate the diversity of the group – partners, judges, small firms, big firms, and their mutual respect for each other and the profession.”

“It is always such a great opportunity to hear from the bench. Thank you for having them and for their insights.”

“The PowerPoints were clear and the format felt less like a lecture and more like a discussion.”

“Great program! Very informative.”

“The program was, in general, informative and useful.”

“This was very helpful in putting together the ‘pieces’ of litigation.”

“I thought the folks giving the training did a great job.”

“Covering the contents was comprehensive.”

“Very well structed; excellent instructors.”

“Well organized and smoothly executed.”

“Very informative!”

“Great perspective on the topics from today.”

“Great program! Very happy with it.”

“I thought it was very well done and I appreciated them sticking to the schedule.”

“Excellent program.”

“I liked the order of the presentations and that it walked you through the life of a case.”

“This was a great program.”

“Practical and informative.”

“Great program content.”

Very helpful, informative, and practical overall!”

“I learned more than I expected.”

“Excellent details and thorough presentations.”

“Excellent coverage of a wide range of material.”

“Good program that covered a lot.”

“Very informative and educational. Great to have speakers who are active attorneys/judges in the jurisdiction.”

“The program was great. I was pleased with its ability to provide both basic and in-depth information. I enjoyed the real-life experiences.”

“I thought the program was very educational and I learned a few tips. I especially appreciated the insight from the judges.”

“Really great content.”

“Excellent.”

“This was incredibly helpful. As a junior litigator, I appreciated going through every step of a case.”

“It was very informative.”

“Helpful and straightforward.”

“I thought it was great.”

“Very informative.”

“I thought it was a good summary of civil litigation.”

“Very informative. I loved hearing the battle stories both good and bad.”

“Great overview of preparing for and handling a trial in superior court.”

“Great program.”

“Very good high-level overview of the litigation process.”

“Mostly helpful and engaging.”

“Very clear and concise.”

“I like the speakers and how they each bring a unique perspective. It helps when they all discuss their own opinion on a topic to hear different takes.”

“Excellent comprehensive program.”

“Great presentations overall. I have been practicing civil litigation for one year and had many “aha!” moments.”

“I enjoyed hearing thoughts from the judges and other attorneys on each topic presented.”

“So far it has been great! Especially getting the hard copy and handout. When it comes up in practice, I can go back and listen and read about the specific area.”

“I thought it was a great overview of all the different topics. The resource material looks to be very thorough and will be a good reference.”

“I really appreciated the real-world portions of the program.”

“Great to hear all sides- defense, plaintiff’s and judges. This was VERY helpful!”

“The slides are a useful reference material after the fact, and the speakers’ personal experiences were informative.”

“Delivered what was promised.”

“Given this was only about seven hours, I didn’t expect anything to be covered in depth. However, I now know what I need to delve deeper into and will take the necessary courses before my trial, which is set to occur in six months.”

“Excellent coverage of a wide range of material.”

“The speakers all exceeded expectations.”

“Good program. Covered a lot.”

“Very informative and educational. Great to have speakers who are active attorneys/judges in the jurisdiction.”

“I learned a lot and the handouts/slides will undoubtedly help in the future.”

“The program was great. I was pleased with its ability to provide both basic and in-depth information. I enjoyed the real-life experiences.”

“I thought the program was educational and I learned a few tips. I especially appreciated the insight from the judges.”

“Really great content.”

“I enjoyed the program.” – Indoo Desai, Esq.

“Excellent!”

“Learned from the speakers’ very valuable experiences.”

“All the speakers were excellent. The war stories were great, and so were all the tips about the rules.”

“Engaging speakers and informative material; good practice pointers.”

“This was incredibly helpful. As a junior litigator I appreciated going through every step of a case.”

“Very informative.”

“Enjoyed!”

“Learned a lot.”

“The morning panel was the best. They were well-tempered and informative.”

“I got a nice overview of civil litigation.”

“It thought it was a good summery of civil litigation.”

“Very informative. I love hearing battle stories both good and bad.”

“Great overview of preparing for and handling a trial in a superior court.”

“Great program! A lot of information.”

“Very helpful for a junior attorney like me.”

“I enjoyed hearing about their actual experiences and real world examples.”

“Very good high-level overview of the litigation process.”

“Satisfied with the practical pointers.”

“Helpful and engaging.”

“Very clear and concise.”

“It was simultaneously an excellent refresher course while still teaching many new things. It was also great to hear comments from multiple judges.”

“Thank you for providing a pro bono discount for nonprofit organizations like the Public Law Center!”

“I felt the speakers did a good job reiterating the questions so that everyone knew what was asked (and the provided closed captioning was excellent and quickly displayed).”

“It was very interesting and informative.”

“Speakers are great.”

“The program is great and incredibly informative.”

“Great seminar.”

“Great!”

“Good content and speakers.”

“Excellent. A++.”

“Very good program. I really liked all the advice the judges and attorneys gave.”

“All the speakers were great and provided a lot of insight on their respective presentation.”

“Very informative. One of the better or best CLE I have attended.”

“Good materials.”

“Learned a lot and will definitely recommend.”

“Helpful.”

“I was happy to have the speakers answer questions quickly, and to provide many secondary resources to look for after the webinar.”

“Informative, but more specific to the speakers, they are good at speaking and take into consideration the listener and things that might be annoying on a webinar.”

“It was great to hear direct practice advice and pointers from experienced lawyers and judges. I also thought the deposition and summary judgment sections were very helpful.”

“It was a nice run down of key components of litigation.”

“Good solid program.”

“I got basic information, but I also got very specific advice, which I really liked.”

“I gained resources that will be extremely helpful regarding timing of motions.”

“This is precisely the kind of extra training I need, especially with the handouts. I have confidence that this will be my first step in research when these issues come across my desk because I will know exactly what the Judges are looking for.”

“I thought it was a great overview of all the different topics. The resource material looks to be very thorough and will be a good reference.”

“I enjoyed hearing thoughts from the judges and other attorneys on each topic presented.”

“So far it has been great! Especially getting the hard copy and handout. When it comes up in practice, I can go back and listen and read about the specific area.”

“Excellent presentations!”

“An excellent presentation. Informative and organized with compelling panel of speakers.”

“The program is great and incredibly informative.”

“Very good program. I really liked all the advice the judges and attorneys gave.”

“All the speakers were great and provided a lot of insight on their respective presentation.”

“I was happy to have the speakers answer questions quickly, and to provide many secondary resources to look for after the webinar.”

“Informative, but more specific to the speakers, they are good at speaking and take into consideration the listener and things that might be annoying on a webinar.”

“It was a nice run down of key components of litigation.”

“I got basic information, but I also got very specific advice, which I really liked.”

“I gained resources that will be extremely helpful regarding timing of motions.”

“It was good. I always look for trainings about jury selection and trial tips.”

“I thought this second part of the program was extremely helpful and we received a ton of great advice from the panelists. I thought that it was very conversational and informative and engaging.”

“A great program that I would recommend to others.”

“Excellent.”

“Great program.”

“Learned a lot and will definitely recommend.”

“This was great, I’ll be looking forward to the next one.”

“I really enjoyed today’s program. So much helpful information was provided.”

“I really liked the program and found it very helpful.”

“Good content and speakers.”

“It was very interesting and informative.”

“Great seminar.”

“Good, solid program.”

“Good materials.”

“The interactive nature of the panel was helpful (i.e., this was NOT a set of canned presentations by individuals while the other panelists just sat there). Each of the judge-panelists were quite good.”

“This was the only valuable MCLE I have attended in years.”

“Very good review and I learned many new points and tips. Very satisfied. Good refresher for myself who does less litigation and more transactional work.”

“Excellent in every respect.”

“I really appreciated the concrete practice tips and exemplars.”

“Great program today. Appreciated the conciseness of the massive amount of material covered. Details on the MSJ process and quick answers to the questions was nice. Great to hear the court’s perspective.”

“The mix of speakers provided for varied perspectives that were illuminating. I especially benefitted from the interactions among the panelists. It brought out more details, made it practical, and maintained the audience’s attention. Erickson and Burbidge were very engaging.”

“Program was very informative. I liked the progress of moving an entire case through trial/appellate review. Good practical tips. Exemplars are very helpful. Good tips on preparing for trial. I liked the timeline as a guide of what to think about for trial. Good insights regarding jury selection; good practice pointers regarding when to use jury questionnaires. I liked hearing the judge’s perspective regarding what he reads first in MSJs. Good to learn about his dos and don’ts.  I liked hearing about the pros and cons of juror questions and learning about how to prepare witnesses and how to get a witness to engage the jury.”

“Real life situations combined with humor – thanks! Thanks also for reminders of pertinent code sections and insight into judge’s preferences.”

“The seminar gave me good insight as to what the court looks for in reading papers. My objective was to improve motion writing and the comments of the presenters were very helpful.”

“Well done and great panel.”

“Great content and tips. Great speakers! Great to hear a judge’s POV. Excellent substantive additions. Complex topics presented very well (trial session).”

“Really helpful/practical information. Good lecture on oral argument and heading to trial. Very good presentation. Very knowledgeable speakers.”

“I appreciated the valuable details shared in each step of the trial process. The speakers’ firsthand experiences and anecdotes were very valuable.”

“Always helpful to get judges’ insight…The judges gave very helpful tips.”

“Very informative and speakers had vast experience and were able to provide practical tips and advice. The information was invaluable for someone like me who is a long-time attorney but not regularly in trial.”

“Really good program and everyone was great. Concise but fully informative. Did a great job answering questions. I think the webinar format is great for the questions. Very satisfied. Wanted a refresher in everything and I got that. A good seminar which I will recommend.”

“Great experience. This was my first superior court boot camp, so all information was relevant and interesting.”

“Judges gave good insight from the perspective of the bench. Honest conversation was a good way to keep everyone engaged.”

“Speakers were engaging and gave very insightful tips. Great presentations with respect to opening and closing arguments.”

“Great, excellent advice and tips. Practical advice and a good review of the details necessary to know when planning and anticipating each stage of trial.”

“The advice was practical, perfect for new attorneys.”

“Great intro to state court practice. I was looking for broad coverage and issues to look out for, and this course delivered.”

“All the things law school should have taught you, but didn’t.”

“Even after practicing for several years, it was good to have a discussion regarding the nuts and bolts.”

“Really helpful tips with the trial prep timeline. Great handouts that I will use all the time. Loved hearing the judge’s war stories. Very helpful tips for dos and don’ts.”

“The training was great! I appreciated all of the practical tips, and the speakers were engaging.”

“Good, practical advice regarding documents that judges want to see and ways to practice that judges appreciate.”

“This program provided a very helpful overview of the anatomy of a case through trial.”

“Helpful to have judges’ perspectives.”

“Great CLE.”

“This was a great and practical presentation.”

“I’ve done transactional work my whole legal career, so this was great. I’ve started taking on more litigation work. Very good information. Effective structure and presentation.”

“I got an overview of California Superior Court practice from many panelists with excellent backgrounds.”

“A lot of helpful insight on things that I haven’t learned yet in practice.”

“This is extremely helpful, especially for new attorneys.”

“This is very helpful, especially since I just started at my firm 2 weeks ago.”

“Very good examples and practical advice.”

“Very good, practical advice for practicing in the Superior Court.”

Speakers had great info. I particularly enjoyed hearing about how these rules play out in their practices. I enjoyed hearing about the judges’ expectations during litigation.”

“The program was very informative and engaging. The webinar platform worked without any issues. I learned some very useful tips that I can immediately apply to my current case load.”

“Great program.”

“Excellent presentation.”

“Great and comprehensive. A lot of good information and tips outside of the code provisions. Great practical tips and knowledge from the judges – wonderful and instructive. Good to hear insight from an experienced judge’s perspective.”

“It was engaging.”

“Very informative. Informative and easy to understand/well-explained.”

“I got a lot of useful specific information.”

“All speakers were very interesting and enjoyed the subject matter.”

“I thought the topics covered were helpful.”

“All speakers kept me engaged and interested.”

“I think that as a young professional, the speakers did a good job of covering the basics and a few ‘should-knows.’”

“Very helpful refresher course for someone getting back into the courtroom.”

“It was good and informative and helpful refresher.”

“Appreciated the significant number of female panelists. Useful info, easy to follow. This was a great program. Immensely helpful.”

“I appreciated getting insight from the judges and what they like or don’t like to see.”

“It was very informative and I appreciated the panelists/presenters’ time.”

“The panelist covered everything! They were quite thorough and respectful of the time constraints.”

“I found the speakers to be knowledgeable and effective at teaching and breaking down how to approach pre-trial and trial.”

“I learned new things, such as motion for recovery costs to prove bad faith defense.”

“I liked the content and it was a well-organized refresher for me. It was well done.”

“Speakers shared clear, succinct and useful war stories.”

“Speakers did a great job explaining how to put together and deal with a Motion for Summary Judgment.”

“The speakers were all clear and concise regarding topics. The program was very informative and found it helpful that each step to the process was broken down and straight forward.”

“Very satisfied. I learned a lot of new information and getting the judge’s perspective is very helpful.”

“It was good. Especially the discussion on jury instructions. It reiterated points from prior session but then talked about them more in-depth.”

“I appreciated the combination of experiences and practice areas.”

“Very helpful practice pointers. Everything was interesting and helpful.”

“Entire seminar was very helpful and informative.”

“Very satisfied. Really enjoyed the panel format.”

“The speakers were all great and equally interesting.”

“Invaluable insight from judges.”

“Great. The speakers were very knowledgeable and informative.”

“Program was informative. Program was informative, speakers were personable and knowledgeable.”

“Very helpful. Great information. I particularly like the direct and cross-examination sections.

“Great program and panelists.”

“Great, knowledgeable speakers.”

“A very good program for beginners; very helpful.”

“Very helpful advice as to motions in limine and tips for same.”

“Great/excellent presentation as to appeal and post motions that is rarely reviewed and explored.”

“I thought it was helpful that Ms. Adams spoke about jury selection through a more practical lens based on her own experience rather than an abstract concept. For example, when she showed us how she keeps track of potential jurors; extremely helpful advice for a new attorney!”

“Excellent advice and tips; enjoyed hearing stories from the bench.

“All speakers were great!”

“A good refresher.”

 

“All presenters were very clear and professional.”

“Great speakers, very professional!”

“Clear, direct, and relevant information.”

“Very engaging and useful tips.”

“Everything I can think of is covered.”

Faculty

Hon. Kira L. Klatchko (Ret.)
Retired Judge, Certified Legal Specialist in Appellate Law
JAMS

Hon. Kira L. Klatchko (Ret.) is a retired California Superior Court judge and serves as a neutral with JAMS. She has conducted hundreds of mediations and settlement conferences in civil, probate, family and appellate matters, bringing extensive judicial and appellate experience and a practical, court-informed approach to dispute resolution.

Judge Klatchko served nine years on the Superior Court of California, Riverside County. For seven years, she presided over an unlimited civil department, managing thousands of cases from inception through resolution and developing deep experience in business, real estate, land use, construction, contract, employment, catastrophic personal injury, professional negligence, civil rights, insurance, trust, government and complex matters. She also sat for two years in an independent family law department, handling marital dissolution, custody and support, asset division, premarital and postmarital agreement, domestic partnership, adoption, move‑away and international custody, and domestic violence matters.

Judge Klatchko twice served as a justice pro tempore on the California Court of Appeal, Second District, where she reviewed appellate briefs and writ petitions and drafted opinions in civil, criminal, family, juvenile and complex matters.

Before taking the bench, Judge Klatchko was a certified civil appellate law specialist and appellate practice leader, founding and chairing an appellate practice group at a California firm and later serving as partner and vice chair of a national appellate practice. She handled and oversaw appellate matters in California and federal courts, including the Ninth Circuit, and U.S. Supreme Court, among others, and is co-editor of a leading California appellate treatise. She has written and taught extensively on civil procedure and appellate law, including as a senior research fellow at UC Berkely Law’s California Constitution Center.

Judge Klatchko is known for her preparation, procedural expertise, and thoughtful, efficient approach to dispute resolution.

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Hon. Laura A. Seigle
Judge
Superior Court of California, Los Angeles County

Laura Seigle is a judge on the Los Angeles Superior Court assigned to a civil courtroom and has sat pro tem on the California Court of Appeal.  Judge Seigle is chair of the Los Angeles Superior Court’s Ethics Review and Comment Committee and a member of the Court’s Local Rules Committee. She is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association Litigation Section’s Executive Committee, the Board of Governors of the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, the LACBA-WLALA Joint Task Force on the Retention and Promotion of Women Lawyers, the Chancery Club of Los Angeles, and the Board of the Library Foundation of Los Angeles. She is Chair of the Yale Law School Association Executive Committee and was President of the Los Angeles County Bar Foundation.  Judge Seigle regularly teaches on a variety of topics including evidence, torts, and professional ethics.

While in practice, Judge Seigle was named one of The National Law Journal’s 75 "Outstanding Women Lawyers" in the country, Intellectual Property Litigator of the Year by the Century City Bar Association, one of the 20 "Most Influential Women in IP Law" nationally by Law360, one of 75 "Top Intellectual Property Litigators" by the Daily Journal, one of the "50 Women Leaders in Tech Law" by The Recorder, and a Top 100 Women Lawyer in California by the Daily Journal. For many years Judge Seigle was included on the Southern California "Super Lawyers" list.

Prior to her appointment, Judge Seigle was a partner at Irell & Manella LLP and clerked on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Judge Seigle graduated from Yale Law School where she was an editor of the Yale Law Journal, and from Harvard University, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa.

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Courtney Abrams, Esq.
Owner
Courtney Abrams, PC

 As a native of Los Angeles, California, Courtney is proud to serve the community in which she was raised. Courtney resides in Manhattan Beach, California with her husband, son and daughter, and devoted dog.

After attending Marlborough High School, and graduating from UCLA’s Honors Program with a degree in Economics and English Literature, Courtney received her J.D. from Southwestern Law School.

During law school, Courtney worked for the ACLU of Southern California on federal cases involving wrongful deportation, mental health and prison reform, and she clerked in the Office of the Los Angeles County Public Defender. Courtney also served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Terry Hatter, Jr., U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, and clerked for civil rights firm Hadsell, Stormer, Keeny, Richardson and Renick.

After graduation from law school, Courtney litigated for nearly ten years before starting her own practice offering representation to individuals who have experienced unlawful employment practices and estate planning clients.

Courtney has been quoted in Forbes and Variety, and from 2014-2019, she was recognized as one of the top Women Attorneys by Los Angeles Magazine and named to the Southern California Rising Star list, an honor received by no more than 2.5 percent of lawyers in California.  In 2020 and 2021, Super Lawyers, a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement selected Courtney as a Southern California “Super Lawyer” in the category of Labor and Employment law. 

In February 2020, Courtney appeared in Nevertheless, a documentary by Emmy-award winning filmmaker Sarah Moshman, which examines the stories behind the headlines of the #MeToo movement and Times Up, and follows seven individuals who have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace or school context. 

Courtney is committed to working with her clients in a compassionate, strategic and meticulous manner. 

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Damian D. Capozzola, Esq.
Founder
The Law Offices of Damian D. Capozzola

Damian D. Capozzola is a sole practitioner in his nineteenth year of litigation practice. Damian has handled significant litigation matters across a broad spectrum of industries and has represented some of the world’s largest defense contractors, food manufacturers and wholesalers, and telecommunications companies.

Damian has successfully first-chaired nine jury trials, three bench trials, and two arbitrations, and has contributed to successful trial results and settlements in a number of other matters while practicing at three leading national law firms and then since 2013 as founder of his own firm.  He has extensive experience in taking and defending depositions, and he has written and lectured on litigation strategies — including the effective use of technology in the courtroom — and working with experts.  Since 2006 he has been the co-author of the Thomson Reuters/West Trial Practice Series treatise Expert Witnesses in Civil Trials: Effective Preparation and Presentation.

Damian also has experience with a range of employment, personal injury, and environmental issues, from mass tort litigation to multi-party groundwater contamination mediations to advising clients on discrete issues.  Finally, through the years, he has devoted a significant amount of pro bono time prosecuting misdemeanor crimes for two local municipalities. Most recently, Damian secured guilty verdicts on both counts in a two-day bench trial in which the defendant was represented by an attorney with an established track record of filing civil rights lawsuits alleging officer misconduct.

In 2011 Damian was appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger (and was subsequently reappointed by Governor Brown) to the California Law Revision Commission, which he chaired in 2014.  He is also a Past-President of the Los Angeles Italian-American Lawyers. 

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Brad Estes, Esq.
Partner
Lewis & Llewellyn LLP

Brad Estes is an experienced litigator, representing plaintiffs and defendants across a wide variety of industries at every stage of complex commercial litigation, including business tort, contract, fraud, regulatory, trade secret, trademark, employee mobility, and competition disputes.

Brad has a proven track record of counseling senior leadership, orienting his litigation approach to the strategic needs of the business and emphasizing tenacity, creativity, and pragmatism. He prides himself on his subject matter adaptability and ability to dive deep into the facts of a case at any stage. Brad’s practice has been uniquely trial-focused, providing insight at every stage of the case of the ultimate risks and rewards his clients face. He is also experienced at performing pre-litigation investigations to identify claims, mitigate liability, and resolve disputes at an early stage. He has been recognized as a Northern California Rising Star by Super Lawyers in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Brad also founded and runs Lewis & Llewellyn’s annual fellowship, which is designed to promote access to the legal profession by providing hands-on litigation experience, law school preparation, and general professional development to high-achieving young adults from a diverse array of backgrounds.

Before joining Lewis & Llewellyn, Brad clerked for the Honorable Lawrence J. O’Neill of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. Prior to clerking, Brad practiced at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP in San Francisco, California, representing a range of clients from Fortune 500 companies to privately held corporations, including pharmaceutical, consumer product, professional, and technology companies. The vast majority of Brad’s time at Quinn Emanuel was spent in or preparing for jury trials in state and federal courts across the country.

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Becca Furman, Esq.
Partner
Lewis & Llewellyn LLP

Becca Furman is a skilled litigator who regularly represents clients in complex trade secret and commercial litigation disputes involving cutting edge technology. Becca prides herself on bringing a down-to-earth perspective to her cases, allowing her to distill complex technology so that it’s understandable for a jury. Becca combines tenacious advocacy with a pragmatic understanding of client goals, and develops a legal strategy that aims to achieve quantifiable results.

Her representation includes both plaintiff- and defense-side work. Recent examples include:

Co-lead counsel defending technology company in highly-technical trade secret matter in Santa Clara Superior Court involving aluminum anodization. Potential damages were estimated to be approximately 0 million. The Court granted the company’s summary judgment motion in its entirety and completely dismissed the Plaintiff’s claims one month before trial.

Lead counsel defending former employees of an electric car manufacturer against accusations of trade secret theft by a competitor in California state court. The case involves EV battery development and sales data.

Lead trial counsel in defense of one of the world’s largest technology companies against fraud allegations in Florida state court.

Defended a developer of innovative electron microscopes against allegations involving contractual breaches and trade secret misappropriation in federal court.

Defended a leading software consultant against breach of contract, trade secret misappropriation, and CFAA/CDAFA claims in a multi-million-dollar federal trial.

Litigated a two-month jury trial against a local school district involving the sexual assault of multiple students at the hands of their teacher.

Outside of the office, Becca spends her time drinking far too much coffee and exploring trails on Mt. Tam with her two children and husband.

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Pamela K. Graham, Esq.
Senior Counsel
Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, PC

Pamela Graham is Senior Counsel and a member of Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley’s litigation practice group.  Pamela’s practice covers a wide range of litigation matters, including land use, employment law, municipal finance and public revenues, medical marijuana, and water issues. Her current engagements include defending Goleta Water District and the City of Santa Barbara against challenges under Proposition 218 to their water rates; litigating civil code enforcement actions for the City of Pasadena against illegal medical marijuana dispensaries; defending the City of South Pasadena in a writ of mandate action challenging aspects of the City Council’s approval of a conditional use permit for a hydrogen fueling station; and defending the City of Sierra Madre in a dispute arising from a code enforcement action against an unpermitted home improvement project.

Pamela has broad litigation experience in both state and federal courts, handling all phases of litigation from the pleading stage through appeal. She has successfully defended a number of jury and bench trials.

Prior to joining Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, Pamela was an attorney in the commercial litigation workgroups at Irell & Manella LLP for seven years and at Drinker, Biddle & Reath LLP for five years. There, Pamela represented a diverse range of clients in the entertainment, retail, and other prominent Southern California industries in a variety of commercial litigation matters, including cases involving business torts, employment disputes, securities fraud, and trademark and copyright litigation.

Pamela earned her law degree magna cum laude from Loyola Law School in 2001. While at Loyola, Pamela served as the Chief Production Editor of the Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review. She was also the recipient of the Dean’s Academic Scholarship from 1999 through 2001, as well as the First Honors Award in legal research and writing, torts, and federal courts. Pamela earned her Bachelor of Arts in journalism and mass communication and political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1996.

Immediately following law school, Pamela served as a law clerk to the Honorable Ronald S.W. Lew of the United States District Court, Central District of California.

During her legal career, Pamela has advocated pro bono for the rights of children in the foster care system. Partnering with the Alliance for Children’s Rights, Pamela has assisted over 25 families with the finalization of adoptions and advocated for lawful individualized education plans and services. Pamela has also worked with the March of Dimes for the past 10 years, bringing awareness to and fundraising for the fight against premature birth.

Pamela has served as adjunct faculty at Southwestern Law School, where she taught legal analysis, writing and skills, and at California State University, Northridge, where she taught advanced business law.

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Jesse Lanier, Esq.
Deputy City Attorney
San Francisco City Attorney’s Office

Jesse Lanier is a Deputy City Attorney wirh the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office Complex and Affirmative Litigation Team. Prior to joining the City Attorney’s office, Jesse was a partner with Conrad|Metlitzky|Kane where her practice focused on complex civil litigation including business torts, contracts, and intellectual property disputes.

Jesse has over a decade of experience in all aspects and stages of litigation, including trial. Her keen ability to present a cogent and compelling narrative, honed by her time as a journalist, makes her an effective advocate for her clients.

Before joining Conrad|Metlitzky|Kane, Jesse was a litigator at Durie Tangri (which was acquired by Morrison Foerster), and served as a law clerk to the Honorable Jeffrey S. White on the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Prior to her clerkship, Jesse was an associate at Holland & Knight.

Jesse received her law degree, cum laude, from the Boston University School of Law, where she served as an Articles Editor for the Journal of Science & Technology Law and directed the law school’s sketch comedy show. She has a master’s degree in documentary filmmaking and a bachelor’s degree in journalism—both from New York University, where she was elected Phi Beta Kappa. She is currently a member of the Edward J. McFetridge American Inn of Court and serves on the Association of Business Trial Lawyers Leadership Development Committee. 

 

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Dan Lawton, Esq.
Shareholder, Certified Specialist in Appellate Law
Klinedinst PC

 Throughout his career in private practice, Dan Lawton has focused on civil trial work and complex commercial and intellectual property litigation on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants. He also has a deep background in civil appeals, and is certified as a legal specialist in Appellate Law by the State Bar’s California Board of Legal Specialization. The certification is a distinction held by only 36 lawyers in San Diego County. His first job out of law school was a clerkship with Ninth Circuit Judge Thomas Tang.

Dan regularly counsels both corporate and individual clients in a variety of settings, often in negotiations and sometimes in transactions. His corporate clients have included companies whose stock is publicly-traded and companies whose stock is closely-held. They have included life sciences companies, pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers and distributors of various products, landowners and property developers, large corporations, a local major league baseball franchise, automobile dealerships, and “mom-and-pop” businesses. His individual clients have included officers, directors, and shareholders (both majority and minority) of corporations, bankers, elected officials, politicians, professional athletes and coaches, attorneys, accountants, land owners, entrepreneurs, and entertainers.

Dan has tried multiple jury trials, bench trials, and arbitrations, and litigated many cases to disposition short of trial (by way of motions to dismiss and for summary judgment). Dan has obtained settlements and judgments in his clients’ favor totaling tens of millions of dollars, and obtained what is believed to be the third-largest jury verdict in the legal history of Imperial County (for ,286,461, after a nine-week jury trial). Over the span of more than 30 years, his caseload has included cases involving patent infringement, copyright infringement, trade secret theft, unfair competition, defamation, and business torts (such as trade libel and intentional interference with contractual relations). Dan has handled civil appeals and writs in both the California and federal courts. Dan has successfully litigated cases against some of the largest law firms and government agencies in the State of California.

In January 2009, Dan learned of his nomination for inclusion in 2009 San Diego Super Lawyers based on anonymous peer evaluation. He was so honored again in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 in the primary practice area of intellectual property litigation. Nominations for SuperLawyer designation are peer-driven, and fewer than 5% of lawyers in California earn the distinction. In 1997, two years after opening his own practice, Dan earned an “AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell.

Dan has been a team leader in the J. Clifford Wallace Chapter of the American Inns of Court since 2015. In that role, he has been responsible for putting on mandatory continuing legal education programs for the Inn, a group whose membership consists of lawyers and Judges and is by invitation only. In September 2015, Dan won an award for Best Program via anonymous peer vote for a short documentary he produced entitled “Avoiding Deathbed Regrets and Having Work/Life Balance.” The documentary combined excerpts of interviews with 25 local lawyers and Judges with data concerning work/life balance for attorneys and jurists.

Active within the legal and business community. Dan has participated in numerous charitable and pro bono programs. Dan has earned multiple Wiley W. Manuel awards for community service from the State Bar of California for pro bono work on behalf of indigent refugees fleeing persecution and seeking asylum in the United States. The San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program awarded Dan its Distinguished Service Award in three separate years for his pro bono work on behalf of refugees.

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Meghan Féronie Loisel, Esq.
Senior Litigation Counsel
Rudy Exelrod Zieff & Lowe LLP

Meghan Féronie Loisel started Loisel Employment Law in 2024. She provides advice to employees navigating employment separations and represents employees in negotiations and litigation against their employers. She also is Of Counsel to Rudy, Exelrod, Zieff, and Lowe LLP, which she joined in 2016. Meghan’s litigation practice has included both individual cases and class actions in court and arbitration.

Meghan focused on employment law during law school, working as a law clerk with Legal Aid at Work. After completing a litigation fellowship with the American Civil Liberties Union’s Reproductive Freedom Project in New York City, she returned to the Bay Area and worked for Santa Clara County as a deputy county counsel. This role provided Meghan with insight into public employee representation as well as experience as defense counsel. Meghan relies on this balanced view of employment litigation to provide her clients with even-handed assessments of their cases.

Meghan graduated from New York University School of Law and is a member of the California Bar and New York Bar.

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Zachary A. Streiff, Esq.

Downey Brand LLP

Zachary Streiff excels at resolving complex business disputes both in and outside the courtroom. Whether through negotiation, mediation, or vigorous litigation, Zach is tireless in pursuing the best possible results for his clients.

Zach’s clients are diverse, ranging from technology companies and Silicon Valley startups to California public entities, retail and hospitality businesses, as well as legal, healthcare, and financial professionals. His broad litigation experience includes actions involving breach of contract, harm to business interests, real property, and family trust disputes, among others.

Prior to joining Downey Brand, Zach practiced law for five years at a small firm in Monterey County. Before that, he served as a research attorney for the Civil Department of the Monterey County Superior Court. After graduating from law school, Zach practiced for two years with the U.S. Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review, through the U.S. Attorney General’s Honors Program.

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Fees

Fees & Format Options – Live Two-Part Webinar

🎯 Early Bird Rate Deadline: Save $25 through July 31, 2026
Discount applied automatically at checkout.

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🎓 Registration Fees (Per Person)

💼 Standard Individual Registration

• Standard Rate: $429
• Early Bird Rate: $404*

👥 Group Rate (2+ from same firm/agency)

• Standard Group Rate: $404 per person
• Early Bird Group Rate: $379 per person*
  All attendees must pre-register together.

🏛️ Government / Legal Aid Attorneys**

• Standard Rate: $380
• Early Bird Rate: $355*

📚 Law Students / Paralegals*

• Standard Rate: $240
• Early Bird Rate: $215*

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📦 Pre-Order the Recording (Attendee-Only Special)

When registering for the live webinar, you can pre-order the Recorded Package (Download or OnDemand) for just $99.

This special rate is only available to registered attendees for their own use.

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📩 Program Materials & Access

• A PDF copy of the seminar handbook will be emailed to you a few days before the program.
• We’ll also send your login instructions and any exercises approximately one week prior.
• Please check your spam folder and add info@pincusproed.com to your contacts.

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💼 Group Access & Licensing (Live or OnDemand)

Discounted rates are available for 3–4 attorneys from the same organization.

Licenses are also available for firms or agencies with 5+ attorneys who wish to attend live or access the OnDemand recording.

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

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⚠️ *Important Notes

• Registration fees are per person, unless a group license is purchased.
• Law Student Rate is for currently enrolled law students only. Please be prepared to provide student ID after registering via email.
• Legal Aid Rate applies only to attorneys employed full-time by legal aid or nonprofit organizations.
  

  It does not apply to private firm attorneys volunteering time, taking pro bono cases, or serving on nonprofit boards.

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🎓 Scholarships for Legal Aid Attorneys

Full or partial scholarships may be available for a limited number of legal aid attorneys.

Please contact us to inquire:
📧 info@pincusproed.com | ☎ (877) 858-3848

CLE Credits

 CLE Credit Information

California:

CA General:  This program is approved for 7.0 units of general CLE in California.

New York:
This program is eligible for 7.0 General CLE credits under New York’s Approved Jurisdiction policy.

Pincus Professional Education is a California Accredited Provider, and California is an approved jurisdiction under Section 6 of the New York State CLE Board Regulations and Guidelines.

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🌎 Other States

CLE credit is officially approved in the states listed above.
If you practice in a different state, we’re happy to help—upon request, we will provide the materials and information you need to apply for CLE credit on your own. Many of our past attendees have successfully obtained credit in other jurisdictions.

To request assistance:
📧 info@pincusproed.com | ☎ (877) 858-3848