Litigation Section of the California Lawyers Association

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Litigation Section of the California Lawyers Association Established in 1983, the Litigation Section is a voluntary membership association for attorneys. We are committed to accessibility!

Learn more at https://calawyers.org/accessibility/ The section is led by a fifteen-member Executive Committee comprised of attorneys from across the state and by a distinguished panel of advisors who are prominent attorneys and state and federal judges. Goals:

-- To further the knowledge of its members in all aspects of dispute resolution and litigation before judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative tribunals;

-- To assist in the formulation and implementation of programs, forums, and other activities for the education of members;

-- To encourage bench-bar collegiality;

-- To assist in the formulation, administration and implementation of legislation;

-- To act upon all matters germane to its purposes as well as those referred to it, through the Secretary of the State Bar, by the Judicial Council, the courts, governmental agencies, professional associations, and others;

-- To encourage diversity in its membership;

-- To make recommendations to the State Bar Board of Trustees. General Information


With approximately 10,000 members from the bench and bar, the Litigation Section is the largest section of The State Bar of California. The Litigation Section provides high quality education programs, including Best Practices and Coaching for the New Practitioner seminars and webinars on various topics of interest to litigators. We publish California Litigation three times annually, presenting articles on major trends in litigation, and also publish California Litigation Review, an annual journal summarizing important caselaw developments. The Section also analyzes and comments on proposed legislation affecting the practice of litigation and on proposed new or amended California Rules of Court and CACI jury instructions.

In arbitration, how you advocate matters as much as what you argue.Arbitration's flexibility can speed things up. It can...
09/30/2026

In arbitration, how you advocate matters as much as what you argue.

Arbitration's flexibility can speed things up. It can also test professionalism in ways that affect your credibility, case management, and outcomes. This panel covers strategies for handling difficult interactions, advocating with integrity, and using civility as a strategic advantage in ADR.

🗓️ Session 1: Civility as Strategy in Arbitration: Balancing Zealous Advocacy with Professionalism
⏰ Friday, November 6, 2026 | 9:00 – 10:00 AM PST

đź“Ť 2026 California ADR Forum | Morrison Foerster, San Francisco
âś… MCLE: 1.0 Hour Civility in the Legal Profession

Speakers:
Robert Amador, Amador Law Corporation
Ruth Glick, Arbitrator and Mediator, American Arbitration Association
Megan Kelly, Director, Operations, JAMS
Jill Manning, Mediator/Arbitrator, JAMS; The Manning Law Firm

The full-day forum also covers mass arbitration, AI in dispute resolution, ethical challenges, and complex dispute strategy, with 7.0 hours of MCLE and a networking reception.

Register now: https://calawyers.org/2026-california-adr-forum/

Dispute resolution is evolving. Is your ADR practice keeping up?Join California Lawyers Association for the 2026 Califor...
09/24/2026

Dispute resolution is evolving. Is your ADR practice keeping up?

Join California Lawyers Association for the 2026 California ADR Forum on November 6 in San Francisco for timely insights on:

• Civility and professionalism in arbitration
• Mediation best practices and California court mediation
• Ethical issues in mediation
• Mass arbitration and coordinated dispute resolution
• AI in mediation and arbitration
• Civility and professionalism in arbitration
• Mediation best practices and California court mediation
• Ethical issues in mediation
• Mass arbitration and coordinated dispute resolution
• AI in mediation and arbitration

Earn 7.0 Hours of MCLE. Includes 1.0 Hour Legal Ethics, 1.0 Hour Civility in the Legal Profession and 1.0 Hour Technology in the Practice of Law.

Register today and connect with colleagues, neutrals, and ADR leaders at the networking reception. https://hubs.la/Q04yfsXX0

Where will the next generation of AI disputes be fought, and how will they be resolved?Join us October 6 for “AI and IP ...
09/23/2026

Where will the next generation of AI disputes be fought, and how will they be resolved?

Join us October 6 for “AI and IP Disputes: From Training Data to Outputs”, a timely discussion on forum strategy, global AI disputes, and rethinking dispute resolution beyond the courtroom.

October 6 | 5:00–6:00 pm
1 Participatory MCLE Credit
Organized with IPOS (Intellectual Property Office of Singapore)

Featuring Dr. Stanley Lai, Paul McClelland, Ken Korea, and Thara Gopalan, moderated by Jeffery Daar.

Don’t miss this conversation on where and how the future of AI disputes will be decided.

Register now: https://hubs.la/Q04y8ytl0

We look forward to welcoming Hon. Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Former Chief Justice of California, today to Pathways to the Benc...
09/18/2026

We look forward to welcoming Hon. Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Former Chief Justice of California, today to Pathways to the Bench!

She will discuss the Rule of Law as our societal plumb line — and the primary guiding principle for judges.

Pathways to the Bench | Sept. 18, 2026 | Sacramento, CASession 3: Pathways to the Federal BenchDistrict Judge Dena Coggi...
09/18/2026

Pathways to the Bench | Sept. 18, 2026 | Sacramento, CA

Session 3: Pathways to the Federal Bench

District Judge Dena Coggins and Magistrate Judge Sean C. Riordan share their personal paths to the federal bench, joined by Angela Scott, recent chair of a magistrate judge selection committee, for insight into the federal judicial selection process.

0.75 Hours MCLE

🔹 Hon. Dena Coggins, Judge, U.S. District Court, E.D. Cal.
🔹 Hon. Sean C. Riordan, Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, E.D. Cal.
🔹 Angela Scott, Assistant General Counsel, California Dept. of Alcoholic Beverage Control; Recent Chair, Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel, Eastern District, Cal.

Moderator: Christina McCall, Deputy Attorney General, Government Law Section, California Department of Justice

Onsite registration available.

Pathways to the Bench | September 18, 2026 | Sacramento, CASession 1: Pathways to the Superior Court BenchA captivating ...
09/17/2026

Pathways to the Bench | September 18, 2026 | Sacramento, CA

Session 1: Pathways to the Superior Court Bench

A captivating conversation about the appointment and election pathways to the Superior Court bench. Three Superior Court judicial officers share their personal stories, including the challenges they faced along the way — plus insight into the judicial appointment process from California's Deputy Judicial Appointments Secretary and the Immediate Past Chair of the Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation (JNE).

1.25 Hours MCLE

🔹 Adam Hofmann, Deputy Judicial Appointments Secretary, Office of Governor Newsom
🔹 Hon. Lee Bickley, Judge, Superior Court of Sacramento
🔹 Hon. Heath T. Langle, Commissioner, Superior Court of Sacramento
🔹 Hon. Jose Olivera, Judge, Superior Court of Sacramento
🔹 Lorena Peñaloza, Chief Campus Counsel, UC Riverside; 2025 Chair, Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation (JNE)

Moderator: Terrance J. Evans, Partner, Duane Morris LLP; CLA President

Register at: https://calawyers.org/pathways-to-the-bench/

Onsite registration is also available!

Last day to register for Pathways to the Bench, this Friday, September 18!Session 4: Diverse Perspectives: Diversity as ...
09/16/2026

Last day to register for Pathways to the Bench, this Friday, September 18!

Session 4: Diverse Perspectives: Diversity as a Pillar of Legitimacy of the Rule of Law

Register at: https://calawyers.org/pathways-to-the-bench/

This panel explores how a judiciary enriched by diverse professional, geographic, cultural, and life experiences strengthens the legitimacy of the courts, helps preserve the Rule of Law, and reinforces public trust in the judicial system.

1.25 Hours MCLE | 1.25 Recognition and Elimination of Bias

Speakers:
🔹 Hon. Brenda Dabney, Judge, Superior Court of Sacramento
🔹 Hon. Shama Hakim Mesiwala, Associate Justice, Cal. Court of Appeal, Third App. Dist.
🔹 Hon. Andi Mudryk, Judge, Superior Court of Sacramento
🔹 Hon. Jerome Price, Judge, Superior Court of Sacramento
🔹 Hon. Leon A. Dixson, Judge, Superior Court of Placer County

Moderator:
🔹 Mary T. McKelvey, Partner, Polsinelli Law Firm

What happens when AI, intellectual property, and cross-border disputes collide?Meet the distinguished speakers joining u...
09/11/2026

What happens when AI, intellectual property, and cross-border disputes collide?

Meet the distinguished speakers joining us for “AI and IP Disputes: From Training Data to Outputs” on October 6.

From landmark IP litigation and AI advisory work to international arbitration, mediation, and dispute resolution strategy, Dr. Stanley Lai, SC, Paul McClelland, Ken Korea, and Thara Gopalan bring decades of experience across courts, government, private practice, and global ADR.

Moderated by Jeffery Daar, a cross-border disputes lawyer and international arbitrator with 30 years of experience.

Together, they’ll explore where global AI disputes should be resolved and what dispute resolution could look like beyond the courtroom.

October 6 | 5:00–6:00 pm
1 Participatory MCLE Credit
Organized with IPOS (Intellectual Property Office of Singapore)

Register now: https://hubs.la/Q04xj8jT0

09/10/2026

We're just a week away from the 2026 Pathways to the Bench! Join CLA President Terrance J. Evans and the Litigation Section on September 18 in Sacramento for this incredible program designed to demystify the judicial appointment process and connect attorneys with judges and leaders who have traveled the path themselves.

Seats are filling quickly! Register now to secure your spot: https://hubs.la/Q04x8KF50

Save the Date: 2027 Litigation and Appellate SummitJoin the California Lawyers Association’s Litigation Section and Comm...
09/08/2026

Save the Date: 2027 Litigation and Appellate Summit

Join the California Lawyers Association’s Litigation Section and Committee on Appellate Courts in Los Angeles for two days of engaging programming and opportunities to connect with litigators and appellate practitioners from across California.

May 13–14, 2027
Westin Bonaventure | Los Angeles

Mark your calendar — full conference details coming soon.

Address

160 Promenade Circle, Suite 115
Sacramento, CA
95834

Telephone

+19165161750

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