Preserving the Trial Record for Appeal (CA) [Two-Part Webinar] (OnDemand Streaming and Recorded Packages)

What You Will Learn

Part 1: Wednesday, January 21, 2026
1:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Pacific Time

1:00 p.m. – 2:05 p.m.
Appeals
Judy Posner and Charles Kagay 

• What is the record on appeal
• Consequences of an inadequate record.
  • For the appellant
  • For the respondent

• The components of the record

• • Documents filed and lodged in the trial court
    • Clerk’s transcript
    • Appendix
  • Oral proceedings
    • Reporter’s transcripts
    • Settled or agreed statement
  • Trial exhibits
  • Judicial notice

• How the record gets to the Court of Appeal

• • Designation of record
  • Designation of exhibits to be transmitted
  • Motions to correct or augment
  • Request for judicial notice

2:05 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
BREAK 

2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Early On: Pleadings through Motions
Matthew Slentz 

• The Pleadings
  • When Must You Amend?
  • Challenges to the Pleadings
• Summary Judgment
  • Effect if denied
  • Effect if granted as to less than all of the parties
• Partial summary judgment—interlocutory
• Motions for reconsideration of interlocutory ruling
  • As distinguished from motion for rehearing
  • Non-final orders—must you appeal / petition for writ of mandate?

3:15 p.m. – 3:20 p.m.
BREAK 

3:20 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Pre-Trial
Arezoo Jamshidi  

• Daubert Motions
• Motions in Limine
• Order definitively admitting, or excluding, evidence
  • Effect if granted
  • Effect if denied or ruling is reserved

• Jury instructions
  • Submitting instructions
  • Objections
  • Are standard jury instructions required to be used?
• Jury Selection
  • Challenges for cause
  • Peremptory challenges
  • Claim of racial, ethnic, gender, or other bias

Part 2: Thursday, January 22, 2026
1:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Pacific Time

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
During Trial
Adam Hofmann 

• Waiver and forfeiture basics
• Opening argument objections
• Preserving evidence and objections
  • Motions in limine
  • Exhibit management
  • Objections
  • Motions to strike
  • Speaking objections and sidebar conferences
  • Offers of proof
• Limiting instructions and jury admonitions
• Closing argument objections
• Other trial motions

2:00 p.m. – 2:10 p.m.
BREAK  

2:10 p.m. – 3:05 p.m.
End of Trial and Post-Trial Proceedings
John Stobart  

• Motions at End of Trial
  • Motion for Nonsuit
  • Motion for Directed Verdict
  • Motion for Involuntary Dismissal in a bench trial
• Verdicts
  • Requirements/Record
  • Inconsistent verdict
  • Objections needed
  • Inconsistent v. inadequate v. excessive verdict
• Posttrial Motions
  • Motion to Alter or Amend Judgment
  • Motion for New Trial / Remittitur
    • Does motion need to specify amount?
  • JNOV
• In nonjury case, when may appellant raise on appeal the sufficiency of the evidence?

3:05 p.m. – 3:10 p.m.
BREAK 

3:10 p.m. – 4:10 p.m.
Statements of Decision
Robin Meadow and Stefan Love  

4:10 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Ensuring the Record is Complete
Michelle LiVecchi-Raufi and Brendan Begley 

• Practical tips on getting the record prepared
• Preparing a Statement of Evidence where a transcript is incomplete

Testimonials

The following testimonials are from this program held in Florida and Illinois, with the same agenda and different faculty:

“Very good and valuable seminar.  Excellent program. The course was well-structured and concise. Excellent faculty! Well worth the time!” – William Gray, Esq.

“This was a very good program. It hit on the topics I had hoped the speakers would discuss.” – David Persky, Esq.

“Very clear presentation of how to approach appeals.” – Nathan H. Nash, Esq.

“I thought the speakers were all very good.” – Kevin Fitzsimmons, Esq.

“I will do business with you again. I get bombarded by seminar offerings, and I recognize some speakers whom I find less than acceptable, shall we say? Your presenters were great. As I told you, I’ve been doing similar seminars for a long time.” – Gerald Pierce, Esq.

“Very organized program with excellent speakers.” – McKenzie Blau, Esq.

“The information was concise and well-organized…The handout provides great information as to how lawyers are to navigate the case procedurally to preserve issues for appeal. Great organization and very useful presentation.”

“Excellent update on a subject that is most relevant. Excellent program. Extraordinary seminar on a subject that is most relevant. The speakers dropped little hints as to keys to being successful in this crucial area of legal practice. I loved it.”

“Good program. I found this conference to be very helpful to an appellate practice – it would also be good for those who only do trial work to know what is necessary to present a case/issue for appeal.”

“Great review and tools to prepare appellate briefs.”

“The speakers were excellent. They spoke clearly (no audio issues) and their content was direct, which is greatly appreciated.”

“I thought all the speakers were wonderful, well versed, and very experienced. It was obvious that they knew their materials from practical experience as well as preparing for the presentation. This was a wonderful program for appellate practitioners that went a little deeper into some nuances than others.”

“I thought the program was very informative and easy to follow along. I like the easy-to-follow case law blurbs that are included, that way they can be easily jotted down and cited to for future use.”

“Excellent program! Really gives a great guide to all things preservation!”

“Thank you. Great seminar. Fabulous speakers. Well-presented. Excellent supplementary material.”

“Great topics that are important to appellate practitioners.”

“Very satisfied as it touched on all aspects of appellate practice and providing litigation support to trial attorneys.

“I thought the speakers were outstanding.”

“Excellent and thorough.”

“I thought the speakers were great.”  

“Excellent speakers and materials.” 

“Great program and very good topic.” 

“I enjoyed the program. It was insightful.” 

“Great and thorough content.”  

“Very good.”  

“Extremely informative and helpful.”

“This was a wonderful presentation, particularly on the post-verdict motions.”

“Great seminar.”

“I thought it was informative and clear.”

“Excellent!”

“The program was very useful and engaging.”

“Easy to follow. Good presenters.”

“Very informative.”

“Very organized. Great tips.”

“Very good speakers.”

Faculty

Brendan J. Begley, Esq.
Shareholder / State Bar Certified Specialist in Appellate Law
Weintraub | Tobin

Brendan spearheads the Appeals and Writs group at Weintraub Tobin and is a member of his firm’s labor and employment, probate and trusts, and litigation groups. He is an Appellate Law Specialist certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization and previously was President of the Sacramento County Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Section. He has handled a number of anti-SLAPP motions and appeals, one of which resulted in a published opinion. See Vergos v. McNeal, 146 Cal. App. 4th 1387 (2007).

Brendan has delivered numerous public presentations to lawyers, executives, managers, and supervisors on the topics of anti-SLAPP motions, appellate law, and best employment practices. He is a senior contributing editor to The Rutter Group’s California Practice Guide on Employment Litigation. He is admitted to the State Bar of California, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

In litigation, Brendan has prevailed on numerous anti-SLAPP and dispositive motions and saw two jury trials through to successful verdicts. At the appellate stage, he has handled both briefing and oral argument before all manner of appellate courts. The U.S. Supreme Court granted Brendan’s petition for a writ of certiorari that led to the high court hearing and resolving the “Pledge of Allegiance” case in Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow, 540 U.S. 945 (2003).

Brendan received his J.D. (with honors) from the University of California at Davis, where he was a law-review writer. Prior to law school, Brendan worked as a newspaper reporter for The Sacramento Daily Recorder. While in law school, he worked as a law clerk at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii. After law school, he served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable John M. Gerrard, Associate Justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court, and later as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Connie M. Callahan, Circuit Judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Adam W. Hofmann, Esq.
Deputy Judicial Appointments Secretary
Office of California Governor Gavin Newsom

Adam serves in the Office of California Governor Gavin Newsom as the Deputy Judicial Appointments Secretary, supporting the work of Judicial Appointments Secretary Luis Céspedes.Adam is an Appellate Specialist, certified by the California Board of Legal Specialization.

Previously, Adam served as the Co-Chair of Hanson Bridgett’s appellate practice group. He represented both public and private clients in civil writs, appeals, and mandate proceedings. He has briefed and argued cases in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and every District Court of Appeal in California and has filed merits briefs in two U.S. Supreme Court cases.

His practice focused on representing cities, counties, and special districts in writs and appeals relating especially relating to public finance and revenue measures, as well as land use, civil rights, employee benefits, labor standards, and election law. He has represented water districts and cities in a range of disputes regarding rates, fees, and charges, including work on some of the leading cases interpreting related provisions of the California Constitution, including the California Supreme Court’s decisions in Jacks v. City of Santa Barbara and City of San Buenaventura v. United Water Conservation District.

Outside of the office, Adam has coached regionally and nationally competitive moot-court teams at UC Davis School of Law. He also speaks and writes on questions of local government authority and policy under the California Constitution and is an adjunct professor who taught courses in local government and land use law at the University of San Francisco School of Law. Prior to joining Hanson Bridgett, Adam was also an extern in the chambers of the Honorable Martin J. Jenkins.

Arezoo Jamshidi, Esq.
Partner
HansonBridgett

Arezoo is a Certified Specialist in Appellate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Arezoo brings strategic insight and sharp legal writing to complex appellate matters in state and federal courts. Her appellate practice spans a wide range of subject areas, including complex business disputes, product liability, employment and labor, civil rights, constitutional law, toxic torts, environmental law, public entity litigation, probate litigation, and construction law.

Arezoo is also a trusted partner to trial counsel, bringing an appellate lens to litigation from the outset. She works alongside trial teams to identify and preserve appellate issues. She regularly contributes to dispositive motions, trial briefs, jury instructions and verdict forms and monitors trial proceedings. Her involvement continues through post-trial motions and appeals, ensuring continuity and precision at every stage. Whether drafting motions, writs, or briefs, or arguing before the appellate courts, Arezoo is valued for her strategic guidance, exceptional advocacy, and commitment to excellence.

Charles Kagay, Esq.
Partner
Complex Appellate Litigation Group LLP

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

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

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

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

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

Michelle LiVecchi-Raufi, Esq.
Senior Appellate Counsel, Certified Appellate Specialist
Counsel Press

Mrs. LiVecchi-Raufi has personally litigated over 150 appeals in California’s appellate courts and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. She is currently recognized by the California State Bar as one of only 290 Certified Appellate Specialists.

Michelle graduated Dean’s Honors List from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, where she recognized her passion for appellate advocacy early on. By her second year of law school, she secured a spot on the appellate Scott Moot Court Team and led her team to win “Best Brief” in the National Moot Court competition. Upon graduation, Michelle opened her own appellate law practice and has devoted all of her career to litigating appeals ever since.

Coupled with Michelle’s recognized knowledge and expertise concerning the rules and procedures of appellate practice, Michelle brings a wide range of practical knowledge in numerous substantive areas of law. She now brings her extensive experience here to guide Counsel Press clients through the complexities of navigating all appellate matters.

Stefan C. Love, Esq.
Partner
GMSR Appellate Lawyers

Stefan C. Love has briefed and argued cases in California’s Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal as well as in the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Like most appellate litigators, Stefan is a subject area generalist whose true specialty is appellate practice itself. The issues in his cases have included contract law, family law, securities fraud, constitutional law, and more. Many of his recent wins have involved disputes over insurance coverage. For insurance clients, Stefan secured a series of wins establishing that pandemic-related business losses were not covered by property insurance. On the policyholder side, Stefan obtained a Ninth Circuit reversal that allowed GMSR’s bank client to proceed with a million coverage claim against its forgery insurer.

In addition to his work for clients, Stefan joins GMSR partner David Hackett each winter to present a “year in review” summary of notable civil appellate decisions to members of the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel (ASCDC).

After graduating first in his class from the UCLA School of Law, Stefan worked at a BigLaw firm and clerked for Judge Paul J. Watford at the Ninth Circuit.

Before going to law school, Stefan was a professor of music theory, most recently at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He has yet to encounter a legal issue more arcane than the dustier corners of music theory.

Outside of work, Stefan enjoys playing the piano, cooking, and spending time with his wife and two sons.

Robin Meadow, Esq.
Partner/Certified Appellate Specialist
GMSR Appellate Lawyers

Few appellate specialists have ever examined a witness, much less litigated multiple trials and arbitrations. Robin Meadow did all of these things for over 20 years at a major commercial firm, while also handling all of the firm’s appellate work. He joined GMSR when he decided to limit his practice to civil appeals.

Robin’s trial court experience gives him a unique perspective on appellate work. He understands the demands and pressures trial lawyers face and the countless ways things can go wrong at trial. He’s very much at home consulting with trial lawyers during trial and in the post-trial phase, helping them protect their appellate record so they’re well positioned to preserve a victory or challenge a defeat.

Robin’s practice at GMSR continues the substantive focus he developed in his earlier years—business disputes, real estate, partnerships, probate and entertainment. But, like most appellate lawyers, he’s a generalist. At GMSR, he has also handled significant appeals involving healthcare, family law, personal injury and bankruptcy.

When he isn’t practicing law, Robin enjoys spending time with his family, reading about history, and playing bass guitar.

Judy E. Posner, Esq.
Partner, Certified Legal Specialist in Appellate Law
Benedon & Serlin, LLP

Judith (Judy) E. Posner has been an attorney at the appellate boutique law firm of Benedon & Serlin, LLP since 2015 and a partner since 2021. She previously worked as a Senior Judicial Attorney at the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, for Presiding Justice Frances Rothschild in Division One (2010-2015) and for Presiding Justice Dennis M. Perluss in Division Seven (2001-2007). In addition, Judy was of counsel at Crosby, Heafey, Roach & May (2001) and Reed Smith (2007-2010) and an associate at Horvitz & Levy LLP (1995-2001) and Sidley & Austin (1994-1995). 

Judy previously served as a law clerk to the Hon. Melvin Brunetti (Dec.) on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (1993-1994). Judy is a member of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers, currently serving as an officer, and a Certified Specialist in Appellate Law by The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. She was selected to the Southern California Super Lawyers, in Appellate Law, 2005-2006, 2019-2025 and recognized by Best Lawyers in America, in Appellate Law, 2019-2025, U.S. News & World Report – Best Lawyers.

Judy attended the University of California, Los Angeles (B.A., History, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, College of Honors 1990) and UCLA School of Law (J.D. 1993), where she was a member and editor of the UCLA School of Law, Women’s Law Journal.

Matthew C. Slentz, Esq.
Senior Counsel
Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, PC

Matthew is an associate with Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley’s litigation practice group and resident in our Pasadena office. Matthew litigates a range of disputes for our public agency clients in both trial and appellate courts, including suits involving inverse condemnation, utility user taxes, Public Records Act disputes, post-redevelopment disputes, rates and fees, government contracts, land use and cannabis regulation.

Before joining CHW, Matthew served as Chief Deputy Public Defender for Stanislaus County.  In this role, Matthew managed a team of attorneys defending misdemeanor cases, including violations of local ordinances, coordinated with city and county officials on nuisance abatement strategies, and helped formulate his agency’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a deputy public defender, Matthew conducted 25 jury trials to verdict in felony and misdemeanor cases. He has filed writs and appeals in local and appellate courts and has extensive motion-practice, including Pitchess motions and Cervantes hearings.

While in law school, Matthew worked as a legal assistant for the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Inspector General.  He also served as the Executive Senior Editor for the Georgetown Journal of International Law and on the board of the Equal Justice Foundation.

Matthew graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center. At graduation, he received the Alan Goldstein Award for excellence in criminal defense and was inducted into the Order of the Coif. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of California, Irvine, where he was a Regents’ Scholar and graduated with Scholastic Merit.

John Stobart, Esq.
Senior Counsel
Capstone Law APC

John Stobart is a senior counsel with Capstone Law. His practice focuses on representing employees and consumers in complex litigation, primarily wage-and-hour class actions and PAGA representative actions. He has significant complex and long-cause trial experience gained through an entire career dedicated to litigation. John is also a Certified Specialist in Appellate Law, as designated by the State Bar of California, and has extensive experience, having drafted over two dozen writs, petitions, and appeals. His appellate experience includes amicus work in the California Supreme Court on behalf of Bet Tzedek on Kim v. Reins, 9 Cal.5th 73, and the 2019 Daily Journal Reversal of the Year Award for his work in the Ninth Circuit on Nguyen v. Nissan N.A., No. 18-16344 (9th Cir. 2019).

Prior to joining Capstone, John defended against civil liability in catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases brought against his clients, which included the railroad, public schools, small businesses, and commercial and residential landowners. He has drafted and argued scores of dispositive motions at the trial court level and had success in upholding judgments and verdicts on appeal. He graduated cum laude from Thomas Jefferson School of Law where he was on the mock trial competition team and earned his undergraduate degree from the Ohio State University.

John is admitted to practice law in California and before the United States District Court for the Eastern, Central, and Southern Districts of California and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third and Ninth Circuits.

Fees

Fees & Format Options

🎯 Early Bird Rate Deadline: Save $25 through October 31, 2025.
Discount applied automatically at checkout.

💻 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

Licenses available for 5+ attorneys—contact us for details.

📦 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)

🗓️ Availability

This program will be recorded live on January 21 & 22, 2026.
OnDemand Streaming and Recorded Packages will be available approximately one to two weeks after the seminar. If you need access sooner, temporary Zoom links will be provided.

⚠️ 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.

💼 Group Access & Licensing

Discounted rates are available for 3–4 attorneys watching together.
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