2024 California CLE Blitz virtual program

While January is the start of a new year, it is also the end of the three-year MCLE compliance period. Please join Norton Rose Fulbright for our January California CLE blitz with virtual programming including ethics, elimination of bias and much more.

Day 1 | Tuesday, January 23, 2024

Is it me or my job? | 9:00 – 10:00 am PT

This competence program will explore what anxiety and depression look like - and how they can often be overlooked as part of the “regular” stress that many lawyers associate with practicing law. It will explore options for assistance to help lawyers identify and address their anxiety and depression - and enable them to keep practicing, rather than concluding to pursue other careers they think will make them happier.

Speakers

John Boylston, Wealth Advisor, Corient

Will Troutman, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright

Elimination of bias: Implicit bias and the promotion of bias-reducing strategies | 10:15 – 11:15 am PT

This program will address how the bench and members of the bar can help each other foster professionalism and civility in the legal profession through heightened awareness and mitigation of implicit biases. The presentation will draw on insights from the Initial Report of the California Civility Task Force entitled “Beyond the Oath: Recommendations for Improving Civility.” The panel will highlight some of the Report’s concrete, realistic, achievable and powerful proposals to improve civility in California’s legal profession.

Speakers

Helen B. Kim, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright

Eric Johnson, Principal Owner, DEI Director and Certified Executive Coach, Insighted

Ani Galoyan, Associate, Norton Rose Fulbright

2024 California employment law update: New year, new challenges | 11:30 am – 12:30 pm PT

California has long posed unique compliance challenges for employers, and this year is no different. In September-October 2023, Governor Newsom signed hundreds of bills, many which impact employment law. During this presentation, we will provide an overview of the new laws and provide you with key takeaways on how to be compliant. Our presentation will cover the major expansion of California’s Paid Sick Leave laws; the requirement to create and implement a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan; new protections for cannabis users; and additional disclosures required for agricultural employees working pursuant to an H-2A visa.

In addition, there are a number of industry specific laws that effect fast food workers, healthcare workers, grocery and certain retail workers. Finally, we will discuss the California Employee Civil Action Law Initiative, which has qualified for the ballot in the November 2024 election - and, if passed, will repeal PAGA. We will discuss how this pending initiative may impact PAGA cases filed before the vote.

Speakers

Debbie Birndorf-Zeiler, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright

Phillip Di Tullio, Senior Associate, Norton Rose Fulbright 

Break | 12:30 – 1:30 pm PT

How to address ethical issues during internal and external investigations | 1:30 – 2:30 pm PT

This program will focus on information regarding defining and maintaining the lawyer-client relationship, providing counsel to employees and ex-employees, when to create special committees and report lines and most recent cases.

Speakers

Brian A. Sun, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright

Christopher Pelham, Head of Litigation and Disputes, Los Angeles, Norton Rose Fulbright

Day 2 | Wednesday, January 24, 2024

AI, deepfakes and the legal landscape: Navigating the new frontier in the entertainment industry | 9:00 – 10:00 am PT

This program will examine the current landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) and deepfake technology within entertainment and the law. We will explore legal strategies employed by creators aiming to benefit from this technological innovation and those seeking to protect themselves against unauthorized use of their intellectual property.

Speakers

Alesha Dominique, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright

Rebecca Lawlor Calkins, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright

"Did I just hear that?” Practical considerations and impediments from bias in the courtroom during arbitrations or in mediations | 10:15 – 11:15 am PT

Practical approaches to identifying, anticipating and counteracting unconscious and conscious biases when managing risk based on real life experiences and examples. We review bias from a practical perspective, beyond the more recognizable protected classes to the kinds of biases that influence decision-making by a trier of fact, arbitrator or mediator.

Speaker

Jayesh Patel, Senior Counsel, Norton Rose Fulbright

Rebecca Winthrop, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright

Current developments in legal ethics | 11:30 am – 12:30 pm PT

This program will examine topics including privilege issues, conflict waivers, ethical issues in discovery and consumer arbitration agreements and remote work and the unauthorized practice of law in California.

Speakers

Joshua D. Lichtman, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright

David Plick, Associate, Norton Rose Fulbright

Break | 12:30 – 1:30 pm PT

Anatomy of a workout: Staying alive til ‘25 | 1:30 – 2:30 pm PT

After assessing the current commercial real estate lending market, the program will present for the benefit of lenders, borrowers, and investors a “nuts’ and “bolts” approach to working out a defaulted commercial real estate loan. This analysis will start with the importance of a loan file audit and execution of a Pre-Negotiation Agreement and continue with various workout strategies available to both lenders and borrowers. We will review treatment of existing guaranties and cash flow reserves, ultimately resulting in either a loan modification or an enforcement action by the lender. In the event of the latter, the program will explore the unique risks and pitfalls for lenders in enforcing their remedies under loan documents secured by real property in California.

Speakers

David A. Barksdale, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright

Joseph R. Bini, Senior Associate, Norton Rose Fulbright

Continuing education information

For those attending the live webinar, these programs are eligible for up to 8 CLE credits including 1 Ethics credit, 2 Recognition and Elimination of Bias credits and 5 General credits in California.