Jeffery Bast is our Latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Jeffrey Bast from Bast Amron!

Jeff will be speaking at our upcoming Business Bankruptcy 101 Chapter 11 Nuts and Bolts Webinar on September 19 & 21, 2023.  Previously, Jeff spoke at our Business Bankruptcy 101: Chapter 11 Nuts and Bolts program in 2020 as well as at prior Circuit Court Boot Camps and Bankruptcy programs.

We are excited to have him back!

Jeff is a partner at Bast Amron, where he focuses his practice in corporate and bankruptcy law.

With 30 years of experience, Jeff is a seasoned expert in the insolvency and litigation arena. Jeff guides business clients through all types of insolvency-related issues including bankruptcy and bankruptcy avoidance, emphasizing corporate reorganization, workouts, and liquidation. Jeff has also been recognized by his peers and numerous publications for professional excellence including: Best Lawyers in America, Chambers and Partners, Martindale Hubbell, South Florida Legal Guide, and Florida Super Lawyers. 

Jeff is a frequent speaker and writer both in the U.S. and abroad on topics related to insolvency. He recently wrote an article about Subchapter V bankruptcy. If you’d like to learn more about Subchapter V. For more information on the topic,  Jaime Leggett, also at Bast Amron, will spend a good 90 minutes on this topic at our upcoming Business Bankruptcy 101 Chapter 11 Nuts and Bolts Webinar on September 19 & 21, 2023 (the same one at which Jeff is speaking again).

It promises to be an excellent seminar, and we are glad to have him join us!

Nicole Mariani Noel is our Latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Nicole Mariani Noel from Kass Shuler!

Nicole will be speaking at our upcoming Business Bankruptcy 101 Chapter 11 Nuts and Bolts Webinar on September 19 & 21, 2023. Most recently, Nicole spoke at our Bankruptcy 101: Chapter 7 and 13 Nuts and Bolts program.

We are excited to have her back with us!

Nicole is a Shareholder at Kass Shuler, where she heads the Bankruptcy practice group for the firm and handles cases throughout the State of Florida, including the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts.

Since 2009, Nicole has honed her practice in various legal fields, including: bankruptcy, creditors’ rights and insolvency, real estate, consumer and business litigation. 

Outside of the firm, Nicole is an adjunct professor at Stetson University College of Law, St. Petersburg College and Hillsborough Community College teaching bankruptcy, real property finance, business law and civil litigation. She participated in the 2016 NextGeneration program held by the Bankruptcy Judges during the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges (NCBJ). Nicolel was honored to become a Fellow for the Florida Bar Leadership Academy. She has also been named one of ALFN’s Junior Professionals and Executives Group (JPEG)’s stand-out young professionals to watch in 2016. Nicole also frequently volunteers her time to speak at local Universities on topics which include ethical concerns facing young attorneys, time management, and first year law practice pointers.

Thank you for joining the program, Nicole!

Reno Fernandez is our Latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Reno Fernandez from Complex Appellate Litigation Group (CALG)!

Reno will be speaking at our upcoming Business Bankruptcy 101 Chapter 11 Nuts and Bolts Webinar on September 19 & 21, 2023. This will be his first time speaking with us and we have had many attorneys from CALG speak over the years and everyone has been terrific.

Welcome, Reno!

Reno is a counsel at Complex Appellate Litigation Group where he focuses his practice on protecting the interests of creditors, debtors, trustees, and other parties in bankruptcy-related appellate matters. He is also a certified specialist in bankruptcy law by the California Board of Legal Specialization. 

Throughout his career, Reno has appeared in the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the Ninth Circuit, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, and other courts sitting in an appellate capacity under the Bankruptcy Code. He also consults on general bankruptcy litigation in the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts.

Reno’s experience includes representing technology companies, equipment manufacturers, equipment lessors, banks, hedge funds, medical clinics, residential care facilities, shopping centers, apartment and office buildings, hotels, food and beverage, retail chains, farms, wineries, churches, and nonprofits. Reno has also overseen creditor recovery, receiverships, and assignments for the benefit of creditors.

Additionally, Reno was chair of the Insolvency Law Committee of the State Bar of California, a member of the organizing committee of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges’ Next Generation Program, a member of the board of directors of the Bay Area Bankruptcy Forum, and chair of the Commercial Law & Bankruptcy Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco.

We are excited to have him join us!

Andrew Friedman is our Latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Andrew Friedman from Helmer Friedman!

Andrew will be speaking at our upcoming18th Annual Superior Court Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts (CA) program on October 13, 2023 in Sierra Madre, California. Most recently, Andrew spoke at our Employment Law Year in Review – 2022: New Cases and Laws (CA & Federal), which showcased a comprehensive review of the most significant developments in California and Federal employment law for 2022.  Andrew is so popular that he has also spoken at our Annual Superior Court Boot Camps for the past several years.

He is also scheduled to speak at our January 2024 Employment Law Year in Review for 2023.

We are excited to have him back with us!

Andrew is a partner with the law firm of Helmer Friedman LLP. He primarily represents employees in all aspects of employment law, including not only individual discrimination, harassment, and retaliation cases but also complex multi-party wage and hour class actions. He also represents clients in catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, civil rights, and product liability cases.

Through his extensive experience in employment-related litigation in state and federal courts, Andrew recently won (with Tony Lewis of The Lewis Law Firm) a $4.1 Million jury verdict in a fraud and breach of employment contract lawsuit in the Los Angeles Superior Court and he also prevailed (along with his law partner, Gregory D. Helmer) in a three week sexual harassment jury trial in the Orange County Superior Court. He also settled a $2.4 Million wage and hour class action lawsuit in federal court (U.S. District Court for the Central District of California), a $1.575 Million class action discrimination lawsuit in the Orange County Superior Court and he recovered a $1.5 Million settlement in federal court (U.S. District Court for the Central District of California) in a wage and hour class action.

Andrew has received the highest possible Martindale-Hubble rating (“AV”), indicating that he is ranked at the highest level of professional excellence with “very high to preeminent legal ability” and “very high” ethical standards as established by confidential opinions from members of the Bar. Law & Politics Magazine and the publishers of Los Angeles Magazine selected Andrew as a 2006 – 2021 Southern California “Super Lawyer” in the category of Labor and Employment Law. 

Additionally, in 2020 & 2021, Super Lawyers named Andrew H. Friedman to its list of the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Southern California and Lawdragon named Andrew to its list of the nation’s top 500 plaintiff employment and civil rights attorneys.

Thank you for joining us again, Andrew!

Judy Posner is our Latest Featured Speaker

Our latest featured speaker is Judy Posner from Benedon & Serlin!

Judy recently spoke at our Appellate Law Certified Legal Specialist Exam Four-Part Online Prep Course (CA) (Parts 1-3 held August 22, 23, 24 with Part 4 coming up on September 7, 2023). Judy received terrific reviews and we can’t wait to have her speak again.

Judy is a partner at Benedon & Serlin where she focuses her practice on appellate law. She is also a certified appellate specialist by the State Bar of California. Among her many accolades, Judy has been recognized by the U.S. News & World Report as “Best Lawyers in America, Appellate Law” as well as being selected as one of Southern California’s “Super Lawyers” in appellate law by Law & Politics. 

Before starting at Benedon & Serlin, Judy clerked with Hon. Melvin Brunetti (Dec.) in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. 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 and for Presiding Justice Dennis M. Perluss in Division Seven. In addition, Judy was of counsel at Crosby, Heafey, Roach & May and Reed Smith and an associate at Horvitz & Levy LLP and Sidley & Austin.

Thank you for joining us, Judy!

John Querio is our Latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is John Querio from Horvitz & Levy!

John will be speaking at our upcoming 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts Webinar on September 26 & 28. He most recently spoke at our previous 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Boot Camp in November of 2021 where attendees praised his teaching efficiency and knowledge on the topic.

We’re excited to have him back with us!

Additionally, John is co-author of the leading treatise on civil appeals before the Ninth Circuit, the Rutter Group’s Ninth Circuit Civil Appellate Practice. Because John is speaking at our 9th Circuit program, along with co-author Peder Batalden, the Rutter Group will give attendees at that program 40% off the Guide.  Attendees will learn how to take advantage of this discount during the seminar.

John is a partner at Horvitz & Levy, where he has worked on dozens of civil appeals in state and federal court. He has special expertise in federal, civil, and appellate procedure. John has argued numerous appeals in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

John’s proficiency in a wide range of practice areas, including commercial contract disputes; arbitration and class actions; defense of claims based on professional conduct (including the anti-SLAPP statute and First Amendment issues, legal malpractice, and malicious prosecution); defense of insurance coverage and bad faith litigation; products and premises liability defense; civil rights litigation defense; and punitive damages. 

Due to John’s extensive experience in appellate procedure, he has counseled many significant companies on appellate matters, including Ford Motor Company, State Farm, American General Life Insurance Company, Hospital Corporation of America, QBE Insurance Corporation, Travelers, Kiewit, Dow Chemical Company, Philip Morris, and San Diego Gas & Electric Company. 

John has also represented cities, counties, and peace officers in federal civil rights actions; major hospitals and providers in healthcare matters; and large insurers in coverage disputes. He has worked with major trade associations to position cutting edge issues for appellate review, including the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America, DRI-The Voice of the Defense Bar, the Washington Legal Foundation, the California Hospital Association, and the California New Car Dealers Association.

Thank you for joining us again, John!



Janet Schorer is our Latest Featured Speaker

Our latest featured speaker is Janet Schroer from Hart Wagner!

Janet will be speaking at our upcoming 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts Webinar on September 26 & 28. She previously spoke at our 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Boot Camp, where attendees gave her rave reviews for her teaching skills and terrific materials. 

We’re excited to have her back with us!

Janet is a partner at Hart Wagner, where she frequently serves the firm’s clients in the Oregon Court of Appeals and Oregon Supreme Court, and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.  She also represents her clients’ business, professional and personal interests before various trial courts and professional licensing agencies.

Over the course of her career, Janet has handled well over 50 cases to final decision in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.  She has argued over 30 cases and taken them to final opinion in the Oregon Supreme Court, and argued over 130 cases resulting in opinions in the Oregon Court of Appeals.  She has also handled appeals in the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, Idaho Supreme Court, Nevada Supreme Court, and Washington Court of Appeals and Supreme Court.

Janet defends doctors, lawyers and other professionals in Oregon state and federal trial courts. She also handles all aspects of professional malpractice, commercial litigation, products liability and general litigation.

Janet also represents Oregon professionals in matters involving their licensing Boards. She works frequently with the various Oregon professional licensing Boards.

Thank you for joining us again, Janet!



Sean SeLegue is our Latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Sean SeLegue from Arnold & Porter!

Sean 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. This will be his first time speaking with us. He is also set to speak at our 9th Annual Advanced Appellate program in February of 2024 (in the works).  Welcome, Sean!

Sean is a partner at Arnold & Porter. He has honed his skills in appellate practice with a career of over 30 years and has extensive experience in defending malpractice and malicious prosecution actions and attorney discipline defense.

A former Chair of the State Bar of California Board of Trustees and the Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct, Sean has advised and represented dozens of lawyers and law firms. He has overseen internal investigations for law firms and has advised firms and appeared on their behalf, in investigations and inquiries by the State Bar and federal judges. Sean also has served as an expert witness.

Additionally, Sean is a certified appellate specialist, State Bar of California, a member and officer of the selective California Academy of Appellate Lawyers and a member of the invitation-only American Academy of Appellate Lawyers.

Sean began his career in appellate law in 1991 with a clerkship for the fantastic Judge Cynthia Holcomb Hall of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Since then, he has handled appeals in many areas, including energy law, products liability, real estate, partnership disputes, securities law, contract law and high-asset community property disputes in marital dissolution (divorce) cases.

Thank you for joining us, Sean!



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!



Jocelyn Sperling is our Latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Jocelyn Sperling from Complex Appellate Litigation Group!

Jocelyn 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. This will be her first time speaking for Pincus and comes highly recommended. Many of her colleagues at CALG have spoke at our appellate programs over the years. Welcome, Jocelyn!

Jocelyn is a counsel at Complex Appellate Litigation Group. She handles a wide range of civil appeals. Her diverse practice includes employment, tort, contract, real property, and attorney fee matters.

 For more than a decade, she has represented clients in civil appeals and writ petitions in the California Courts of Appeal and Ninth Circuit. Before joining CALG, she was an appellate lawyer at Bien & Summers and at her own firm, and litigated cases at a boutique employment firm earlier in her career.

Additionally, Jocelyn serves on the Committee on Appellate Courts of the California Lawyers Association’s Litigation Section, where she has led key access-to-justice projects. She is co-founder and vice chair of the Alameda County Bar Association’s Appellate Law Section, and chair of the ACBA’s Judicial Appointments Evaluation Committee.

Jocelyn also co-authors a chapter on appealability in CEB’s highly regarded California Civil Appellate Practice and frequently speaks on appellate issues. In addition to her retained work, she routinely handles pro bono work for Centro Legal de la Raza, a nonprofit organization in Oakland that provides free legal services to low-income communities.

Thank you for joining us, Jocelyn!