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

International Family Law - Family Law Across the U.S. and India

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, Ranjit Malhotra and Mrunalini Deshmukh explore international family law disputes between India and the United States. The conversation covers forum selection and jurisdictional strategy across India's personal law frameworks, international child abduction in the context of India's non-signatory status under the 1980 Hague Convention, child custody standards and the recognition of foreign custody orders, relocation and move-away considerations, marital property and asset division, support obligations, and the enforcement of California judgments in India. Alphonse Provinziano of Provinziano & Associates moderates the conversation by drawing comparisons to California law, contextualizing India's diverse legal frameworks for U.S.-based practitioners, and probing practical enforcement and litigation strategies across borders.

How Do You ... Deposition?

Learn what you can and cannot ask, and what to do when someone refuses to answer your deposition question. Evan Walker, of The Law Office of Evan Walker, leads this program on essential deposition skills for every attorney. From how to utilize the court reporter to using the written transcript to your full advantage, this program discusses techniques every litigator should know. Attendees will walk away empowered with applicable directives to conduct their depositions like seasoned professionals. 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.

When Lawyers Protest: Professional Responsibility and Ethics

Lawyers are increasingly visible in moments of public protest, civic action, and political expression. Join law professor and ethics expert Renee Knake Jefferson for a timely and practical examination of how professional responsibility rules apply when lawyers engage in protest and other forms of public participation. This program goes beyond the question of whether lawyers may protest to explore what the legal profession owes to the public when its members do. Drawing on recent, real-world examples, the ABA Model Rules, disciplinary cases, and emerging scholarship, the session will examine how ethical duties related to professionalism, public confidence in the justice system, and lawyer conduct intersect with civic engagement. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of where ethical boundaries lie, how those boundaries are shifting, and how to navigate public action without jeopardizing professional standing or public trust.

Social Media on Trial: Unpacking the Landmark 2026 Decisions

In the span of 24 hours in March 2026, juries returned historic verdicts against Meta in both New Mexico and Los Angeles, reshaping what platform liability looks like in practice. Eric Goldman (Santa Clara University School of Law), Jess Miers (University of Akron School of Law), and Jeremy Rosenthal (Texas Defense Firm) break down what these decisions mean for practitioners, covering the product defect theories that circumvented Section 230, what plaintiffs must prove, the pending cases to watch, the science behind the addiction framing, and the criminal defense implications for attorneys advising clients today. Participants will leave with a comprehensive understanding of the evolving legal landscape around social media liability and practical tools for advising clients in this rapidly developing area. Audio versions of Beverly Hills Bar Association programs are eligible for Self-Study CLE credit in California. Visit www.bhba.org/podcasts [http://www.bhba.org/podcasts] for more information.

Lessons from Villarreal v. Texas: Defendant Testimony, Witness Preparation, and Cross-Examination

Join Michael G. Freedman (The Freedman Firm), Prof. Vince Farhat (LMU Loyola Law School), and Cassie D. Palmer (Kendall, Brill & Kelly) for a discussion of the strategic and ethical issues that arise when a defendant testifies and faces cross-examination in a criminal trial. This program will begin with a high-level overview of the Supreme Court’s recent opinion in Villarreal v. Texas and its key holdings. It will then turn to practical decisions facing criminal practitioners: whether a defendant should testify, how to prepare a client effectively without crossing the line into coaching, and how to help a client withstand cross-examination by the prosecutor. Although rooted in criminal practice, the discussion will also address witness preparation, attorney-client consultation, and cross-examination principles that broadly resonate across trial practice. Whether you are defending a client, cross-examining a witness, or preparing a witness to face aggressive questioning, this session will offer experience-driven insights into one of the most demanding skills in the courtroom.