Harry Chamberlain is our latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Harry Chamberlain from Buchalter!

Harry first spoke for us back in 2012, and has spoken every year since then at our appellate and insurance related programs.

Harry is next speaking at our upcoming Bad Faith Insurance Litigation in CA program on April 16 & 18, 2024. Harry is a joy to work with and attendees love his presentations. He is one of our regular faculty members, most recently speaking at our 9th Annual Advanced Appellate Practice programExam Prep: Appellate Law Certified Legal Specialist Exam (Civil), and our 8th Annual Advanced Appellate Practice (CA).

Thank you for joining us again, Harry! We know it is a lot of work to prepare a good presentation and materials and we appreciate you coming back over and over again!

Harry Chamberlain is a Shareholder of Buchalter, an Am Law 150 firm, with 11 offices across the Western U.S. For over 40 years, he has served as trial and appellate counsel on behalf of Fortune 500 companies, and a variety of public and private sector clients in complex litigation matters. He is certified as an Appellate Specialist by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization, handling hundreds of appeals around the country, including numerous cases before the California Supreme Court and the highest courts of other states.

Before joining Buchalter, Harry was general counsel for California based professional liability insurers and managed the law department of a national group of commercial insurance and financial service companies. He is past president of California Defense Counsel and the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel, preeminent associations of civil defense trial and appellate lawyers. He writes and lectures widely on topics regarding complex litigation and insurance law.

We are excited to have him with us!

Michael Colantuono is our Latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Michael Colantuono from Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley!

Michael spoke recently at our  Appellate Law Certified Legal Specialist Exam Four-Part Online Prep Course (CA) in August of 2023 as well as our February 2023 8th Annual Advanced Appellate Practice CA Webinar.

Michael is routinely rated as one of our most popular speaker – he is a fantastic teacher.  Because he is so popular, Michael is invited back time and again.  He’ll be speaking again at our upcoming 9th Annual Advanced Appellate Practice program, which has returned to an in-person with live streaming format in February of 2024. That program will be held in San Francisco on February 1st and in Sierra Madre/Pasadena on February 9th. It will also be live-streamed from both locations, if people cannot attend in person.

Thank you for joining us again, Michael!  We appreciate you coming back.

Michael is a shareholder at Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley where he specializes in municipal law. The Supreme Court appointed him the first Chair of the Board of Trustees of the State Bar of California; he was previously President of the Bar.

The State Bar has certified Michael as an Appellate Specialist and he is a member of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers, a prestigious association of fewer than 100 of California’s most distinguished appellate advocates.

In addition to his expertise in municipal law, Michael has mastery over a broad range of legal topics, including: local governments, constitutional law, land use regulation, open meetings, elections, conflicts of interest, public utilities, LAFCO issues, inverse condemnation, cannabis regulation, and various public finance issues involving taxes assessments, fees and charges.

 Michael is one of California’s leading experts on municipal revenues and has appeared in all six Courts of Appeal in California. In addition, he has argued nine public finance cases in the California Supreme Court since 2004 and briefed two others. 

We are excited to have him with us!

Athena Roussos is our Latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Athena Roussos from C. Athena Roussos Appellate Law!

Athena will be speaking at our upcoming Appellate Law Certified Legal Specialist Exam Four-Part Online Prep Course (CA) on August 22, 23, 24 and September 7, 2023. Athena has spoken in the past at our CA Appellate Specialist Exam Prep Courses to rave reviews! She is incredibly organized and a wonderful teacher.  He has also helped write and grade the Legal Specialist exams for the bar in the past. 

We are excited to have her back with us!

Athena Roussos is a Certified Specialist in Appellate Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Her practice is focused on civil appeals and writs, and law and motion. She has handled numerous appeals in both state and federal appellate courts, and has obtained several reported decisions in favor of her clients. She has represented individuals, businesses, associations, and public agencies in a variety of civil matters.

Athena handles civil appeals of nearly every type, representing businesses, individuals, and nonprofit organizations in appellate courts throughout California. She also works closely with trial lawyers to formulate winning strategies in civil cases at all stages of litigation.  

Additionally, Athena serves as a court-appointed mediator for the Third District Court of Appeal and is a member of the Court’s Mediation Program Committee.  Athena is also a member of the California Academy of Appellate Lawyers. She has been quoted by the Los Angeles Times and Sacramento Bee on appellate law issues and has been honored as a top appellate attorney in Sacramento by Sacramento Magazine, the Sacramento Business Journal, and Northern California Super Lawyers.

Thank you for joining us, Athena!



Claudia Ribet is our Latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Claudia Ribet from Complex Appellate Litigation Group!

Claudia will be speaking at our upcoming Appellate Law Certified Legal Specialist Exam Four-Part Online Prep Course (CA) on August 22, 23, 24 and September 7, 2023. Claudia will also be speaking at our 9th Annual Advanced Appellate program in February 2024, in San Francisco (in the works).  Claudia was highly recommended to us by many of our appellate specialist speakers so we are excited to have her join us!

Claudia is one of only four attorneys in California recognized by the State Bar as a certified specialist in both appellate law and family law!

Claudia is a counsel at Complex Appellate Litigation Group. Her dual qualification in appellate and family law gives her deep insight into effective presentation of complex arguments in high-stakes family law appeals. She wins a lot of the California family law appeals she litigates.

Additionally, Claudia authored an amicus brief in the California Supreme Court where the Court ruled in her client’s favor, holding a Special Juvenile Immigrant Status proceeding could go forward in the absence of the father. She is also a frequent author of articles about family law appellate issues, having penned more than a dozen for the Daily Journal, Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine, and Family Law News.

Outside of her work in the courtroom, Claudia has been a member of the California State Bar’s Judicial Nominees Evaluation Commission (the “JNE Commission”) and, for many years was Chair of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s State Appellate Judicial Evaluation Committee (“SAJEC”). She is a Fellow of both the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the International Academy of Family Lawyers.

Thank you for joining us again, Claudia!

Adam Hofmann is our Latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Adam Hofmann from Hanson Bridgett!

Adam will be speaking at our upcoming Appellate Law Certified Legal Specialist Exam Four-Part Online Prep Course (CA) on August 22, 23, 24 and September 7, 2023.  In addition to the exam prep course, Adam will be speaking at our Fall 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts Webinar on September 26 & 28, 2023.

In fact – Adam has spoken at many of our appellate programs over the past few years, including our 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Boot Camp in 2021,  where he was praised by the attendees for his engaging presentation of course!

We’re excited to have you with us again, Adam!

Adam is a partner and a Co-Chair of the Appellate Practice Group at Hanson Bridgett. He has briefed and argued cases in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and every District Court of Appeal in California, and has filed amicus briefs on the merits in several cases before the U.S. and California Supreme Courts.

Throughout his career, Adam has represented cities, counties, and special districts in writs and appeals relating to public finance and revenue measures, 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 published cases interpreting related provisions of the California Constitution.

Outside of his work at Hanson Bridgett, Adam coaches 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 has taught courses in local government and land use law as an adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco School of Law.

Thank you for joining us again, Adam!

Catherine Basque Weiler is our Latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Catherine Basque Weiler from Swanson, Martin & Bell!

Catherine will be speaking at our upcoming Preserving the Trial Record for Appeal in Illinois Civil Cases Two-Part Webinar on July 18 & 20, 2023. This will be her first time speaking with us. We are looking forward to it, Catherine!

Catherine is a Partner and the chair of Swanson, Martin & Bell’s Appellate Practice Group. Her practice area focuses on trial practice and appeals. She has briefed more than 200 cases involving a wide range of litigation topics in various state and federal courts of appeal, including the Seventh Circuit, all Illinois Appellate Districts, the Colorado Appellate Court and the North Carolina Appellate Court.

In addition to her appellate practice, Catherine actively represents clients in the state and federal trial courts through all phases of litigation, from case inception through trial, primarily defending legal malpractice, commercial, product and premises liability claims. Catherine’s wide-ranging appellate practice and knowledge of procedure gives her a unique perspective on case strategy.

Prior to joining the Swanson, Martin & Bell, Catherine acted as an Assistant Illinois Attorney General in the Civil Appeals Division, representing state agencies and representatives, and the People of Illinois, before all Illinois Appellate Courts and the Seventh Circuit.

Thank you for joining the program, Catherine!

Harry Chamberlain is our Newest Featured Speaker

Harry Chamberlain of Buchalter Nemer P.C. is our latest Featured Speaker!

Harry is another Appellate Specialist who will be speaking at the upcoming Advanced Appellate Conference in January.

Harry first spoke for us back in 2012. Harry was a joy to work with and attendees loved his presentation. He has been back to speak at multiple appellate seminars, including our 2016 and 2017 Advanced Appellate Conferences and our 2017 Exam Prep course in Appellate law.

Harry Chamberlain II
Buchalter Nemer P.C.

Harry Chamberlain co-chairs the Appellate and Complex Litigation Practice Group at Buchalter Nemer, P.C. with regional offices across California. Harry is an experienced litigator who has represented Fortune 500 companies, public and private sector clients in complex litigation for 35 years. His trial and arbitration practice focuses on the representation of business, professional and public entity clients with special concentration in post-trial remedies, writs and appeals.

He is certified as an Appellate Specialist by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization, having argued hundreds of appeals in state and federal courts around the country, including numerous cases before the California Supreme Court and the highest courts of other jurisdictions.

Before joining Buchalter Nemer, Harry’s experience included in-house corporate practice as general counsel, and managing the law department of major market U.S. liability insurers and financial service companies.

Harry serves on the Board of Trustees of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and is past president of the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel and California Defense Counsel, preeminent regional associations of civil defense trial attorneys.

Robin Meadow is our Newest Featured Speaker

Robin Meadow of Greines, Martin, Stein & Richland LLP is our latest Featured Speaker!

Robin first spoke at one of our appellate seminars in 2008 and has been a regular ever since. Seminar attendees continually rave about his teaching style and the excellent handouts he provides.

In addition to being a Certified Appellate Specialist, Robin is also well-versed in the use of technology during an appeal. Attendees always appreciate his discussion about technology during our seminars. Robin has spoken at The Complete Appeal and the Advanced Appellate Roundtable multiple times. Coming up in January, Robin will be at our Third Annual Advanced Appellate Conference, where he has spoken each year.

Robin Meadow
Greines, Martin, Stein & Richland LLP

Few appellate specialists have successfully tried a jury case. Robin Meadow tried jury cases for over 20 years at a major commercial firm, while also handling appeals, in many fields of law. Over time, he realized that it’s nearly impossible to excel at both trials and appeals, because the skill sets and practice rhythms differ completely and often clash. Concluding that his greatest strengths lay in appellate work, Robin joined GMSR in 1994, handling his last trial late that year.

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

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

He is also an expert in technology for appellate lawyers and courts. A pioneer in the use of electronic records and briefs, Robin co-authored the California Second District Court of Appeals first protocol for electronic briefs (since adopted by other California Courts of Appeal), and he filed the first electronic brief ever accepted by a California appellate court.

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