25-Hour Full MCLE Compliance Package: Personal Injury Litigation and Trial Practice

In personal injury cases, clients often face trauma, loss, and uncertainty, making civility a cornerstone of effective advocacy. Eric V. Traut, founding partner of Traut Injury Law, will focus on how attorneys can guide clients to present themselves with composure during depositions, interactions with medical experts, and courtroom proceedings. Drawing from practical strategies, the Eric will highlight how respectful behavior builds credibility with judges and jurors while protecting the integrity of a case.

Eric Traut, Traut Injury Law

Demonstrative evidence can be a powerful tool—but only when used effectively. In this Trial Tutorial, Paul Kiesel of Kiesel Law demonstrates just how it’s done and walks attorneys through the mechanics and strategy of introducing and presenting exhibits in real-world trial scenarios. From timing and foundation to impact and clarity, the session offers practical demonstrations and expert commentary to help litigators make their evidence resonate with juries and judges alike.

Paul Kiesel, Kiesel Law LLP
Alla Policastro, Beverly Hills Bar Association

Experienced employment law practitioner Beth W. Mora will discuss the new Bias Incivility MCLE, what it is and why it matters to the legal community. Beth will share suggestions on how the legal community can promote civility, eliminate bias-driven incivility in the profession, including incivility and bias by and between at parties, counsel, and the judiciary.

Beth W. Mora, Owner/Managing Partner, Mora Employment Law

In September 2023, the Judicial Council of California approved new jury instruction CALCRIM 209 to be used in criminal cases. The pre-trial instruction advises jurors on the role implicit bias can play in their decision making process. In this program, criminal defense attorney Allison Margolin, will explore the new jury instruction and it's potential impact on jurors, attorneys, and outcomes, will discuss how implicit bias impacts jury selection, and will address implicit bias trends across the state.

Life as an attorney can be exhausting, overwhelming, and all-consuming. The constant stress and demands on your time can put any attorney in a never-ending cycle that can lead to burnout or otherwise harm the career you have worked so hard to build. In this program, family law attorney turned life coach and author Wendy Meadows will discuss what “burnout” really means, what it looks like in the legal profession, identify the signs to look for that might signal that burnout is on the horizon, and give you the tools you need to overcome burnout starting NOW! To delve even deeper into the discussion, special education lawyer and trained moderator Jackie Deam will be helping to facilitate the presentation to ensure Wendy answers the questions on everyone’s mind.

Attorneys today are experiencing unprecedented levels of anxiety, uncertainty, and pressure, both professionally and personally. These stressors can impair judgment, cloud critical thinking, and ultimately affect an attorney's ability to competently represent clients.

This program will help attorneys stay centered and grounded amid the unique demands of legal practice. Through guided techniques and practical tools, you'll expand your capacity to manage stress, regulate emotions, and maintain your professional effectiveness.

By participating in this program, you’ll walk away with the ability to:

Swiftly exit rabbit holes of fear and worry
Reduce physiological anxiety and regain calm, anytime, anywhere
Bring your higher reasoning back online so you can think more clearly, make sound decisions and experience greater personal control and freedom

Elena F. Deutsch, Deutsch Household

This presentation explores how artificial intelligence can be used effectively and ethically in the legal field. Topics include confirmation bias, token limits, hallucinations, context bleed, and personalization. Perhaps most controversial, how AI impacts work product, privilege, and client confidentiality. Learn AI’s best practices for safely integrating it into your legal work without compromising ethics or security.

Matt Whibley, The Vartazarian Law Firm

Usama Kahf, CIPP/US and Partner at Fisher & Phillips LLP, breaks down the urgent privacy and ethics concerns raised by attorneys using generative AI tools like ChatGPT. This program explores why AI chats fall outside the scope of attorney-client privilege and may be discoverable, putting confidential information—and your license—at risk. Kahf will walk attorneys through California’s applicable Evidence Code, Business & Professions Code, and CCPA protections, and provide a five-step action plan for safely navigating AI use in legal practice.

Usama Kahf, Fisher & Phillips, LLP

Whether you're AI-curious or already implementing these tools, this course provides the ethical framework and practical skills needed to maintain competence in an evolving legal landscape. Transform Your Practice with Confidence & Compliance.

Join Steno expert, Joe Stephens, for a comprehensive exploration of AI in litigation that bridges ethical obligations with practical implementation. This hands-on session delivers both the ethical framework and tactical skills, like security evaluation and prompt writing, you need to leverage AI tools safely and effectively in your practice. As AI reshapes legal practice, understanding both the ethical implications and practical applications isn't just beneficial—it's becoming essential to maintaining competence. This course directly addresses your professional obligations while providing immediately applicable skills.

In this presentation, attorneys will learn:

Ethical AI Implementation: Navigate client confidentiality, data security, and professional responsibility in the AI era
Security-First Approach: Master protocols for protecting client information when using AI tools
Practical Prompt Writing: Learn hands-on techniques for crafting effective AI prompts for legal tasks
Real-World Applications: See live demonstrations of AI tools in litigation contexts
Risk Management: Identify and avoid common pitfalls in AI implementation.

Joe Stephens, Steno

At its core, calendaring is not just about managing appointments; it is about safeguarding the rights and interests of your clients, maintaining professional integrity, and ensuring compliance with legal deadlines. The practice of law is inherently deadline-driven. Whether it’s filing a motion, responding to discovery requests, or appearing at a hearing, missing a single deadline can have catastrophic consequences for your client and your practice

Annie Thompson, Chief Claims Officer, Lawyers' Mutual Insurance Company & Certified Specialist, Legal Malpractice Law, State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization

Join trial attorneys Bobby Reagan and Dustin Thordarson of Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP for a hands-on seminar focused on strategic discovery in trucking cases. Drawing on real-world experience, this session will guide attendees through targeted methodologies for obtaining critical records, leveraging regulatory frameworks, and uncovering broker and carrier liability. Learn how tailored discovery, preservation tactics, and effective depositions can shape the narrative and drive results in catastrophic injury and wrongful death trucking litigation. Whether you’re new to trucking cases or looking to elevate your approach, this is an essential guide for winning where it matters most—before trial even begins.

Dustin Thordarson, Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP
Bobby Reagan, Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP

Malosack Berjis, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Berjis | Myers, unpacks the legal and medical significance of motorcycle helmets in personal injury cases. This session explores the evolution of helmet laws, modern helmet technology, and the key factors attorneys must evaluate when handling injury cases involving motorcyclists. Learn how helmet use—or lack thereof—can influence liability, damages, and comparative fault, especially in cases involving traumatic brain injuries.

Malosack Berjis-Myers, Berjis | Myers, PLC

As e-bike usage surges across California, so do bicycle-related accidents—and the legal complexity that follows. Kiran Bisla offers a comprehensive overview of California’s evolving bicycle laws, including recent legislative changes, classifications of e-bikes, and shifting standards for liability and municipal immunity. This program will guide attorneys through the nuances of litigating bicycle injury cases, from statutory exceptions and right-of-way rules to sidewalk cycling regulations and helmet use trends.

Kiran Bisla, Sky Law Group, A.P.C.
Beverly Hills Bar Association, Hills Bar Association Household

Neutralizing the power of sub rosa surveillance is crucial to protect your client's claim for damages. Minimizing the impact of sub rosa requires a multifaceted game plan spanning from discovery to trial. This seminar is your road map to identifying sub rosa in litigation, keeping it out at trial, and adapting if the court lets it in.

Arnold Reed II, BD&J, PC.

Hon. Margaret L. Oldendorf (Ret.) offers a candid and practical look at how judges evaluate personal-injury damages in both trial and mediation. Drawing from her experience on the bench, she explores how attorneys can effectively handle damages—economic and noneconomic—while avoiding common missteps that may undermine credibility or risk reversible error. This program will cover key topics such as tailoring your approach to the judge’s style, using CACI jury instructions to frame damages, handling preexisting conditions, and presenting persuasive yet measured arguments that resonate with jurors and neutrals alike.

Hon. Margaret Oldendorf (Ret.), ADR Services, Inc.

Medical records are at the core of every personal injury and medical malpractice case. The key to building a strong case lies in the ability to effectively interpret and extract critical information from these often complex documents. This program is designed to guide legal professionals through the various types of medical records, highlighting the most relevant and actionable content. With thousands of pages to review, the process can be overwhelming—but through this training, we aim to simplify and streamline the review process, equipping you with the tools to better advocate for your clients.

Genna Kluchnikov, Beverly Hills Bar Association
Maryjane Duquette, MJD Legal Nurse Consulting

Join renowned trial attorney Steve Vartazarian for a practical look at how to effectively cross-examine defense experts. Drawing from real cases and courtroom experience, this program offers proven techniques for exposing weaknesses in expert testimony and strengthening your position at trial.

Steven Vartazarian, The Vartazarian Law Firm

Sarin Goncuian and Jonathan Bakhsheshian dissect the implications of Qaadir v. Figueroa on the admissibility of attorney-referred medical treatment evidence in personal injury cases. Attorneys will gain practical strategies to assert privilege objections effectively during depositions and understand how to counter defense arguments that misinterpret Qaadir's scope. The program will also explore how courts may balance relevance against potential prejudice under Evidence Code § 352 when considering the admissibility of referral evidence.

Sarin Goncuian, Ellis & Bakh, LLP
Jonathan Bakhsheshian, Ellis & Bakh, LLP
Jonathan Baksheshian, Ellis & Bakh, LLP

Medical damages valuation is a critical issue in litigation, affecting both plaintiffs and defendants. Attorneys must navigate Sanchez, Cuevas, and California’s jury instructions to ensure that expert testimony on price is admissible, defensible, and persuasive.

This CLE provides practical tools for litigators to effectively present, challenge, and defend medical cost valuations, covering:

Building a Strong Medical Damages Case – Ensuring expert testimony meets legal and evidentiary standards.
Challenging and Defending Expert Testimony – Using Sanchez strategically to exclude unreliable opinions or protect credible valuation reports.
The Failure of Medicare Plus – Understanding why courts reject it and how to argue for a fair alternative.
Structuring Admissible Expert Reports – Leveraging Fair Market Value (FMV) for credible and legally sound valuations.
Using Third-Party Data Sources (FairHealth & Others) – When they can and cannot be used as benchmarks.
Cross-Examining Experts and Medical Providers – Effective techniques to challenge inflated claims or defend reasonable valuations.

Through real-world case studies, expert cross-examinations, and trial-ready strategies, this session equips both plaintiff and defense attorneys to argue reasonable medical prices effectively in settlement negotiations and at trial.

Thomas J. Dawson III, JD, MPH, MA, Founder and CEO, TD&P Consulting Inc.

Ask the speaker a question. Email and be sure to include the program name in the subject line.

This presentation shall address what types of digital data may be acquired relating to traffic collisions. The data sources include Event Data Recorder data from cars, heavy trucks, motorcycles, sportcraft and traffic signals. Data sources also include Video analysis which can be used to determine data such as speed and location. The goal is to make people aware of potential data sources so they can be secured and preserved as soon as possible.

This program will cover:

- Why are Attorneys Missing the mTBI Diagnosis?
- Why are Doctors Missing the mTBI Diagnosis?
- Understanding the Bad Facts.
- How to Isolate Current Symptoms from the Pre-Existing.
- Understanding the mTBI Brain:
- TBI related Depression vs Non-TBI Depression
- Brain Hormones
- Brain Repair Mechanisms
- Medication Side Effects
- How Brain affects Pain
- Cranial Nerves

Ask the speaker a question. Email and be sure to include the program name in the subject line.

Premkiran B. Reddy, M.D., J.D., F.C.L.M., Founder, Reddy's Law Firm, P.C., Traumatic Brain Injury Trial Lawyer
Daniel Kramer, Owner, Kramer Trial Lawyers, A.P.C

From sign-up to investigation to treatment, this program will cover everything you need to do to win your case from the beginning.

Ask the speaker a question. Email and be sure to include the program name in the subject line.

This panel of top plaintiff and defense attorneys discuss best practices for depositions of medical expert witnesses from orthopedic surgeons to neurologists. Edward E. Ward, Jr. will review from the perspective of the defense and Daniel K. Kramer from the perspective of the plaintiff.

Edward E. Ward, Jr., Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP
Daniel K. Kramer, Kramer Trial Lawyers APC
Brandon Salumbides, Kramer Trial Lawyers APC (Moderator)

In this program, Kenneth P. Williams of Segal McCambridge breaks down the accelerating legal challenges created by autonomous vehicles and the technologies that support them. The program explores how liability is shifting toward manufacturers, software providers, fleet operators, and other participants in the AV ecosystem as traditional negligence concepts evolve. It also examines emerging insurance coverage disputes, subrogation pitfalls, regulatory scrutiny, and the rise of complex commercial litigation tied to AV defects and data-driven failures.

Kenneth Williams, Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney