Don’t Assume the Worst: Why Conversation Still Matters in Litigation

Finding Common Ground: Mediating the Complex Financial Case

Christopher C. Melcher, partner at Walzer Melcher & Yoda LLP, Hon. Joshua D. Wayser of LASC, and Anthony Storm, founding partner at Storm Palyan LLP, will examine how mediation can work in family law cases where the financial stakes are high and the issues are genuinely complicated. Melcher and Storm will draw on their litigation and settlement experience to address the structural and strategic challenges these cases present, from business valuations and complex asset divisions to the dynamics that push parties toward or away from resolution. Judge Wayser will offer a judicial perspective on what courts are looking for, how mediators and counsel can better prepare their clients, and where the process tends to break down. Attorneys will leave with a clearer framework for assessing when mediation is the right path, how to position a complex financial case for settlement, and what it takes to get sophisticated parties to the table and keep them there. 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.

2026 - Trust, Probate, & Conservatorship Annual Litigation Update

Scott Rahn and Nicholas Van Brunt provide a survey of appellate decisions concerning or relating to trusts, estates, and conservatorships in the last 12 months that are relevant to estate planners, administration counsel, and litigators. Credits: 1.00 Hours. Credit Type: General. Specialty Area: Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law. Original Air Date: 05/19/2026. Program Materials: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b5RAa06WXbXoWNR4tC1WlX-8fj7anEqb/view?usp=sharing 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.

Space Law 101 - What Attorneys Need to Know About the Legal Framework Governing Commercial Space Act

Mary-Christine (M.C.) Sungaila, a partner in the Complex Appellate Litigation Group and Space Law & Policy professor at LMU Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, will provide a foundational overview of the international and domestic legal frameworks governing outer space activity. Drawing on the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 and U.S. commercial space laws, she will cover core principles -- from state liability and private actor oversight to resource mining, orbital debris, and conflict resolution -- and flag the open legal questions that remain unsettled as commercial space activity accelerates. Attorneys will leave with a practical grounding in how space law works today and where the gaps are. 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.

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.