Managing Conflict Escalation in Legal Matters: Practical Strategies for Maintaining Civility Under Pressure

International Family Law – Navigating Japan–U.S. Family Law

International Family Law examines how family law disputes are handled across different legal systems, cultures, and jurisdictions. Through in-depth conversations with leading international practitioners, the series explores forum selection, property and support regimes, child custody, enforcement challenges, and conflicts of law, with each discussion grounded in practical comparisons to California family law. In this episode, Makiko Mizuuchi of Legal Profession Corporation CastGlobal explores international family law disputes between Japan and the United States. The conversation covers forum selection and jurisdictional strategy, child custody frameworks and the concept of sole custody post-divorce, international child abduction and Hague Convention proceedings, relocation and move-away standards, marital property and asset division, support obligations, and the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. Alphonse Provinziano of Provinziano & Associates moderates the conversation by drawing comparisons to California law, contextualizing cultural and procedural differences within Japanese family courts, and framing cross-border enforcement realities for U.S.-based practitioners.

California Workers’ Compensation: A Basic Overview

Workers’ compensation issues come up more often than you think, even if you don’t practice in workers’ comp. Join Alex McKay of NorCal Advocates, for a practical, straightforward overview of the California workers’ compensation system. Understanding how California workers’ compensation works can help you spot issues, avoid missteps, and better advise clients (and yourself). Whether you represent clients in personal injury, employment, business litigation/transactions, construction, civil litigation, etc. or you run your own firm with employees, this CLE offers practical value for attorneys at every level. Audio versions of Beverly Hills Bar Association programs are eligible for Self-Study CLE credit in California. Visit www.bhba.org/podcasts for more information.

Family Law Transfers . . . All Good Maybe Not – Clawback Litigation in Bankruptcy

Attorney James (Jim) Menton explores the complex intersection of bankruptcy and family law when there is threatened or actual preference or fraudulent transfer litigation by the trustee in bankruptcy. In this insightful [article/program], Jim unpacks how this litigation could potentially impact transfers between spouses and at divorce and outlines what family law attorneys need to know. Key topics include: Preferential transfers under § 547 of the Bankruptcy Code. Domestic support obligation exception to bankruptcy preference laws. Fraudulent transfers under §§ 544 and 548 of the Bankruptcy Code. Practical considerations for handling preference and fraudulent transfer issues in divorce and bankruptcy proceedings.

Brown Act 2026 Updates

The newest provisions to the Brown Act aim to modernize teleconferencing options and expand public access to government meetings. Kelly Doyle, Attorney at Cole Huber LLP, reviews the latest updates to the Brown Act under SB 707, with a focus on adapting meeting practices to fulfill the newest legal requirements. Participants will leave with an understanding of best practices for hybrid meetings, policies to handle disruptions, and expanded language access provisions.

What Every Construction Lawyer Should Know about Mandatory Mediation Under SB440

With the enactment of SB 440, owners, contractors and subcontractors and their counsel must now navigate a mandatory claim dispute process defined by newly-enacted SB 440 (Civ. Code sections 8850 and 8851). The Legislature has made clear that it is in the best interest of the “state and its citizens” to ensure that claims on many private construction projects are “paid in full and in a timely manner”. This program will provide construction lawyers, their clients, insurers, and neutrals with a practical overview of the mandatory dispute resolution process enacted in SB 440, the strategies for how to best use those procedures, and the opportunities created for resolution of claims during the pendency of a project, without the accumulation of claims and the risk of additional draconian interest charges that will only make them much more difficult to resolve in the future. Audio versions of Beverly Hills Bar Association programs are eligible for Self-Study CLE credit in California. Visit www.bhba.org/podcasts for more information.