CLEs You Actually Want to Hear

Bringing It Home: Key Strategies for Securing Approval of Class and PAGA Settlements

Join Justin Marquez, mediator at Signature Resolution, and Vedang Patel, partner at Bibiyan Law Group, for a practical discussion on securing approval of class and PAGA settlements—and avoiding the common pitfalls along the way. They will walk through the preliminary and final approval process, key considerations in drafting the scope of release, managing related litigation, and navigating issues such as escalator clauses, enhancement awards, and settlement administration. The program will also cover strategies to help ensure a smooth path to final approval, including positioning the case for recovery of fees.

Understanding Attorneys’ Implicit Bias: A Practical Toolkit to Mitigate Harm

All humans have implicit bias; it’s part of how we developed as a species to understand the world and protect ourselves. Looking at the reasons why implicit bias forms, executive coach and attorney Karen Morris will discuss how operating subject to our implicit biases can harm us and our colleagues. This program will examine why implicit bias diminish attorneys effectiveness in the courtroom and undermine confidence in the legal profession. Participants will leave this program with practical tools to shift their perspectives and help eliminate the harmful effects of implicit bias. Credits: 1.00 Hours. Credit Type: Implicit Bias. Specialty Area: None. Original Air Date: 04/29/2026. Program Materials: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q2sT45yjEJeztT8kwN0yQaxwJJAtAy4l/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.

Untangling the Web: Managing a Single Construction Project with Multi Track Dispute Resolution

When a single construction project spawns multiple disputes, things get complicated quickly. This program breaks down the real-world challenges of multi-track construction disputes—where litigation, arbitration, and mediation intersect. Learn how recent case law is reshaping arbitration, how some courts manage competing proceedings, and how the mediation-arbitration model can offer a smarter, more efficient path to resolution.

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

In litigation, negotiations, and client interactions, conflict often escalates in ways that undermine professionalism and impair judgment, increasing legal risk. This program provides attorneys with a practical framework for recognizing how conflict develops, from early signals of misalignment to moments of escalation, and what to do in real time to maintain control and effectiveness. Through realistic scenarios, participants will learn how to identify early warning signs of escalation, manage communication during high-pressure interactions, and apply strategies to maintain civility with clients, opposing counsel, and other stakeholders. Attendees will leave with practical tools they can immediately use to navigate conflict and improve outcomes in high-stakes legal matters.

Finding Common Ground: High-Conflict Custody Disputes

Robin Sax, attorney and clinical therapist at Dear Co-Parent, Hon. Joshua D. Wayser of LASC, and Anthony Storm, founding partner at Storm Palyan LLP, will explore how integrating legal and therapeutic frameworks can lead to more durable resolutions in high-conflict custody matters. Sax will draw on her dual-discipline practice to address the emotional and psychological dynamics that drive conflict between co-parents, while Storm will cover mediation, arbitration, and collaborative strategies for steering disputes away from costly litigation. Together, they will walk through how a settlement-focused mindset, informed by both courtroom experience and therapeutic insight, can be applied at every stage of a custody dispute. Attorneys will leave with practical tools for identifying when a collaborative or therapeutic approach is appropriate, how to work alongside co-parenting professionals, and what it takes to help families reach agreements that actually hold. 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.