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!

Megan E. Thibert-Ind is our Latest Featured Speaker

Our latest featured speaker is Megan E. Thibert-Ind from Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP!

Megan is a frequent speaker at our Illinois circuit court boot camp programs, most recently at our 12th Annual Illinois Circuit Court Boot Camp in December 2022.

Because of her in-depth knowledge and insight on civil litigation, Megan will be speaking at our upcoming 13th Annual Circuit Court Boot Camp program, which will be held in-person with a live streaming format in Chicago on December 8, 2024.

Megan Thibert-Ind is a health care and civil litigation partner in Manatt, Phelps & Phillips’s Chicago office. She has extensive experience representing businesses across Manatt’s industry sectors, including a focus on health care stakeholders—such as hospital systems and academic medical centers, ambulatory surgery and urgent care centers, pharmacy services providers, and life sciences companies—as they navigate a variety of complex business controversies, contractual and regulatory disputes, and post-acquisition challenges.

Megan also advises pharmaceutical companies on 340B Drug Pricing Program reimbursement and indemnification claims and provides guidance to life sciences companies facing product liability exposure.

Megan represents clients in litigation pending in state and federal courts nationwide and has handled numerous matters before the American Arbitration Association and other alternative dispute resolution tribunals. Additionally, she regularly navigates complex expert witness issues, including financial analysis, lost profits and damages, and causation and other liability issues.

Alongside her litigation work, Megan is noted for her service as an active member of the Chicago community and is dedicated to providing pro bono services across a range of subject matters. She has represented undocumented immigrants; victims of gender-based hate crimes, domestic violence and employment discrimination; not-for-profit arts organizations; and parents wrongfully indicated for abuse. She also serves on the board of directors of Legal Aid Chicago, the largest nonprofit civil legal services provider in Cook County.

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

 

Kimberly Valentine is our Latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Kimberly Valentine from Valentine Law Group!

Kimberly spoke most recently our 18th Annual Superior Court Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts (CA) webinar on October 13, 2023 as part of the Southern California faculty. The program was also held late October with Northern CA judges and faculty. Both programs are available as Recorded Packages.

Kimberly has taught a few times at our annual Superior Court Boot Camps every October, to rave reviews, which is why we keep inviting her back.  Kimberly is a terrific teacher who always provides a ton of practical information and is very much appreciated by our attendees.

Kimberly  is the principal attorney at Valentine Law Group where she has dedicated her career in the practice of law to advocating for the vulnerable, the injured and the infirm. She practices in the areas of elder abuse, medical malpractice, products liability, serious personal injury, and government tort claims litigation.

Outside of the firm, Kimberly is an Associate with the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and serves as the National Board Representative for the Orange County ABOTA Chapter. She has received the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association’s Top Gun award as an exceptional Elder Abuse litigator multiple times and has been recognized as a California Trial Lawyers Associations “Street Fighter” Award finalist. She was also named a Super Lawyer each year since 2014. Super Lawyers Southern California Magazine named her as one of the top 50 Orange County lawyers and Top 50 Women lawyers in Southern California multiple times and did so again in 2021.

Kimberly’s passion for supporting the community led her to found Operation Helping Hands, a non-profit providing community college scholarships/stipends to housing insecure students as well as providing backpacks full of necessity items to the homeless population. Kimberly received the 2019 Trial Lawyers Care award from the American Association for Justice for her work in the community with Operation Helping Hands. She is one of the founding members and serves on the Board of Directors for Stop Elder Abuses, a non-profit organization which educates the public on the issue of abuse. She also sits on the Advisory Committee to the Los Angeles Elder Abuse Forensic Center. Ms. Valentine also serves on the advisory board for the non-profit organization Together We Rise which is dedicated to improving the lives of foster children.

Thank you for joining us again, Kimberly and we hope to see you again next year!

Ryan Moore is our Latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Ryan Moore from Fox Rothschild LLP!

Ryan most recently spoke at our 18th Annual Superior Court Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts (CA) webinar on October 13, 2023 as part of the Southern California faculty. The program was also held late October 2023 as a webinar with Northern California judges and attorneys teaching.  Both programs are available as Recorded Packages.

Ryan received top-notch reviews at this program and we can’t wait to have him back.

Ryan is a partner at Fox Rothschild LLP, where he defends businesses against personal injury, product liability, toxic tort, property damage and other claims at trial and on appeal in state and federal courts as a seasoned commercial litigator.

With his vast experience representing businesses in the manufacturing and rail transportation industries, Ryan has garnered much success in complex commercial litigation. He has achieved summary judgment in the Western District Court of Washington in FELA lawsuit involving railroad defendant. Successfully drafted 9th Circuit Respondent’s Brief and Opposition to Appellant’s Motion to Certify Issues to State Supreme Court. Achieved summary judgment in Los Angeles Superior Court in FELA toxic injury (benzene) lawsuit involving railroad defendant. Summary judgment granted based on procedural argument raised in reply papers.

Thank you for joining us again, Ryan!

Chaya Mandelbaum is our Latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Chaya Mandelbaum from Rudy, Exelrod, Zieff & Lowe, LLP!

Chaya will be speaking at our upcoming 18th Annual Superior Court Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts (CA) webinar on October 27, 2023 as part of the Northern California faculty. The program was also held on October 13, 2023 as a webinar with Southern California judges and attorneys teaching. 

Most recently, Chaya spoke at our 19th Annual Federal Court Boot Camp (CA) program, where he was complimented for his practical strategies. Chaya is a frequent speaker with Pincus – he has taught at our Annual Federal Court Boot Camp for almost a decade.  We always invite him back because the attendees always give him great reviews and he is such a great teacher.

Chaya Mandelbaum is a Partner at Rudy, Exelrod, Zieff & Lowe, LLP where he represents employees in individual and class action litigation and negotiations across the spectrum of employment law. He has extensive experience in wage and hour, discrimination, retaliation, harassment and leave of absence matters.

Before joining Rudy, Exelrod, Zieff & Lowe, Chaya was a Senior Litigation Counsel at Sanford Heisler.  At Sanford Heisler, he represented employees in class actions involving wage and hour, discrimination and other civil rights claims.

Previously, Chaya was a Trial Attorney in the Office of the Solicitor for the United States Department of Labor.  In that capacity, he successfully represented the Secretary of Labor in numerous significant enforcement actions, including a multi-million dollar wage and penalty recovery based on violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.  He obtained successful results in both jury and bench trials during his tenure. 

Chaya also recently served as Chair of the California Fair Employment and Housing Council.  He was appointed and re-appointed to the position by former California Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. and his appointment and re-appointment were confirmed by the California Senate.  The Council promulgates regulations related to employment and housing discrimination and holds hearings on civil rights issues confronting the state.

Thank you for joining us again, Chaya!

Barbara Adams is our Latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Barbara Adams from Steptoe & Johnson LLP!

Barbara will be speaking at our upcoming 18th Annual Superior Court Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts (CA) webinar on October 27, 2023 as part of the Northern California faculty. The program started on October 13, 2023 as a webinar with Southern California judges and attorneys teaching. 

This will be the sixth time Barbara has taught this program. Barbara is a frequent speaker with Pincus and we have continued to invite her back because the attendees always have great things to say about her. Recently, Barbara spoke at our The Art of Jury Selection in California program, where she was praised by attendees for her knowledge and excellence as an attorney. 

We are excited to have her back!

Barbara is of counsel at Steptoe & Johnson LLP, where she specializes in the defense of toxic tort and product liability litigation involving asbestos, lead, food toxins, underground tanks, and other chemicals in personal injury, property damage, and long-term/latent injury litigation actions. Barbara has completed numerous jury trials in most of the Bay Area Superior Courts, otherwise successfully resolved complex cases, and has participated in the development of complex litigation rules for the Superior and Federal courts.

Barbara has a diverse litigation background that includes an emphasis on Proposition 65 litigation and toxic torts claims involving asbestos, lead, and mold. Barbara’s courtroom background is extensive. An experienced lead trial and appellate attorney, she has taken over 20 cases to verdict and has commenced more than 30 trials. She also has experience litigating personal injury, product defect, premises liability, and wrongful termination claims, as well as claims arising under California’s Lemon Law.

With a keen focus on providing superior quality work, Barbara is equally adept at resolving cases without resort to litigation. Barbara has briefed and argued cases before the California Courts of Appeal and the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Northern California Super Lawyers has included Barbara among the area’s top attorneys for many years in recognition of her litigation excellence.

You can read Barbara’s views on toxic tort and chemical exposure issues at her blog, Toxics Defense.

Thank you for joining us again, Barbara!

Courtney Abrams is our Latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is Courtney Abrams from Courtney Abrams, PC!

Courtney will be speaking at our upcoming 18th Annual Superior Court Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts (CA) program on October 13, 2023 . The program is also scheduled for October 27, 2023 with Northern CA judges and faculty. Courtney has spoken several times at ours seminars, most recently spoke at our 17th Annual Superior Court Boot Camp program, where she received compliments on her breakdown of good and bad motions, her beneficial advice throughout the presentation, as well as her terrific teaching style.

Thank you for joining the program, Courtney!

Courtney is the owner of Courtney Abrams, PC, where she specializes in employment representation. 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.

Additionally, 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. 

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 (currently Hadsell, Stormer, Renick, and Dai).

We are looking forward to her promising presentation!

Matthew Slentz is our Latest Featured Speaker!

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

Matthew will be speaking at our upcoming 18th Annual Superior Court Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts (CA) program on October 13, 2023 in Sierra Madre/Pasadena, California. The program will also be held in San Francisco on October 27th (Matthew is speaking at our Sierra Madre/Pasadena program. Most recently, Matthew spoke last at our 17th Annual Superior Court Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts (CA) program as well as our Art of Jury Selection in California: The Nuts and Bolts Webinar. Matthew has been consistently described as a knowledgeable and informative speaker.

We are excited to have him back with us!

Matthew is an associate with Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley’s litigation practice group. 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.

Thank you for joining us again, Matthew!

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!