CLEs You Actually Want to Hear

This program examines the unique professional obligations for associates and their supervising attorneys when using AI in legal practice. We’ll address supervisory responsibilities under ABA Model Rules, how to establish AI protocols and best practices, and implementation of quality control systems to maintain ethical compliance. The program will also provide practical tools and recommendations to associates for responsible and transparent AI use. 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.

As research and commerce move into orbit, familiar intellectual property rules become far less predictable. Ed Koellner, Franklin Pierce School of Law, uses a multinational space-research hypothetical to examine who owns inventions created aboard commercial spacecraft and how spacecraft registration and mission architecture affect patent jurisdiction. The effects when AI-assisted discoveries qualify for protection, and why data, telemetry, software, and trade secrets may be more valuable than the patent itself. Attendees will receive practical guidance for drafting space-ready licenses, allocating ownership and improvement rights, documenting human inventorship, preserving orbital evidence, and preparing for enforcement beyond Earth. 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.

Most IP disputes are won—or lost—long before trial. The decisions made in the first 100 days shape leverage, control costs, drive settlement opportunities, and position a case for success. Join Rebecca B. Horton and Manny J. Caixeiro of Venable LLP as they share a strategic playbook for the critical first moves in an IP dispute. Drawing on high-stakes technology and entertainment matters, attendees will gain practical insight on how to assess risk quickly, build early leverage, align litigation strategy with business objectives, and maximize the value of outside counsel from day one. 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.

The legal framework governing creative content is shifting fast, and entertainment practitioners are navigating questions the law has not fully answered. Generative AI adds a new layer of analysis to every stage of production, from clearance and chain of title to questions of authorship and ownership in works that never existed before. Lisa Callif, Donaldson Callif Perez, examines where this area of law has been, where it stands today, and where it is headed, tracing the practical realities of clearance, including fair use, and content creation in modern entertainment. Attendees will leave with a clearer framework for spotting clearance issues and advising clients on AI-related exposure. 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.

California's court reporter shortage has left more than a million civil, family, and probate proceedings a year with no means of creating an official transcript in Los Angeles County alone. In Family Violence Appellate Project v. Superior Court, the California Supreme Court held that a superior court has a duty to provide an official verbatim record to a litigant in all cases in all proceedings when the litigant cannot afford a private reporter. That includes electronic recording when no official reporter is available notwithstanding the Government Code’s prohibition to the contrary. The Honorable Lawrence P. Riff, Supervising Judge of Civil (Los Angeles Superior Court), and Alphonse F. Provinziano, CFLS, of Provinziano & Associates, will examine the decision, and its implications for the courts and practitioners handling family law, probate, and civil matters. 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.

Workplace discrimination doesn't work the way it used to. Much of it now runs on implicit bias and structural patterns rather than open hostility, but the law hasn’t kept pace. Title VII's burden-of-proof framework still expects employees to come forward with direct evidence of discriminatory intent. The mismatch is the problem, and it's a problem that the science on how bias actually operates makes hard to ignore. In this program, Dave Hall University of Tennessee College of Law, digs into the gap between Title VII's evidentiary framework and the psychology of implicit bias, and propose shifting the burden of proof to close it. This session turns that analysis into practical guidance — advising employers on bias-aware policies, representing employees in discrimination claims, and counseling clients on internal practices that lower litigation exposure. You'll leave with a clearer sense of where the doctrine stands, where it falls short, and how to counsel clients in light of both. 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.

Permanent disability ratings can make or break a workers' compensation case, yet the process of translating a medical impairment into a dollar figure trips up even experienced practitioners. This program provides a robust general overview of permanent disability rating in California, and then breaks down the relationship between impairment and disability. Erik Wochna, of Albert & Mackenzie, LLP, walks through applying the AMA Guides 5th Edition under California’s Permanent Disability Rating Schedule, and shows attendees how to calculate a permanent disability rating from start to finish. Participants will also learn to spot the rating disputes, substantial evidence problems, and other common issues that arise most often with permanent disability ratings. 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.

Anna Liu and Olivia Dopler of LDY Law, PC again bring us the prior year’s most important and notable California court decisions affecting real estate. This program walks through the published opinions that matter most and explain what each one means for day-to-day practice, breaking down the rulings and the reasoning behind them. Real Estate Section Co-Chair Elizabeth Dryden of Glaser Weil moderates. 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.

Jeffrey Hunt, Ph.D., P.E., Principal Engineer at Exponent, and Saj Salam, Ph.D., P.E., Managing Engineer at Exponent, explore the intersection of engineering and construction law. They examine how technical issues influence construction litigation involving differing site conditions, design errors, construction defects, and unsatisfactory project performance. Participants will gain an overview of the forensic engineering investigation process, including determining failure mechanisms, identifying root and contributing causes, and developing engineering opinions supported by technical evidence. Through representative case studies, the program will illustrate the parties commonly involved in construction disputes, the engineering evidence relied upon during litigation, and the role of forensic engineers in assisting attorneys with evaluating claims, establishing causation, and supporting dispute resolution through mediation, arbitration, and trial. 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.

What do experienced PAGA litigators actually do — and why? This program focuses on the practical realities of handling Private Attorneys General Act cases from initial evaluation through trial. A retired superior court judge, plaintiff's counsel, and defense counsel share their approaches to filing decisions, settlement strategy, trial evidence presentation, monetary penalties, and attorney fee awards. No case law survey — just real-world practice. 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.

A single campaign contribution can now disqualify a client from a government contract or force an official off a proceeding entirely. SB 1439 extended the Levine Act's pay to play restrictions to city councils and boards of supervisors, and the 2025 amendments raised the stakes further with a higher contribution threshold, new contract exclusions, and an outright ban on contributions by agents, a category that includes the attorneys representing parties in covered proceedings. Amber R. Maltbie, Nossaman LLP, breaks down who is covered, what triggers disqualification, and how the rules reach matters pending before Los Angeles city and county bodies. Attendees will leave able to spot Levine Act exposure before a contribution is made and to advise clients, and themselves, on staying compliant. 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.

Client conversations are where trust is built, relationships are strengthened, and business is won. Increasingly, these conversations are attended by a third party: the AI notetaker. This program goes beyond whether attorneys can use AI in client conversations and tackles how certain AI technology can be used responsibly to support these critical moments of legal practice. Attendees will learn how to: - Identify AI tools designed to support client conversations - Navigate the legal and ethical considerations surrounding their use by California attorneys - Conduct meaningful vendor due diligence (of any AI technology); and - Implement the technology responsibly within their practice The program will also explore practical strategies for having better conversations, building stronger client relationships, and producing more valuable legal work. Attendees will walk away with a practical framework for evaluating, adopting, and using AI responsibly to make the most out of every client conversation. 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.

Brands face increasing global pressure and risks around sustainability claims. Greenwashing has emerged as one of the most actively litigated areas of environmental policy. As companies face growing pressure from investors, consumers, and regulators to demonstrate their environmental credentials, the risk of making false, misleading, or unsubstantiated sustainability claims has never been higher. At the same time, the regulatory and enforcement landscape governing those claims has grown increasingly complex and politically charged. Sam Houshower and Jennifer King, Freshfields, provide an overview of the regulatory and enforcement landscape in the United States, discuss the latest litigation, and highlight emerging cross-border considerations from Europe. The program closes by addressing steps companies can take to mitigate their risk. Attendees will leave better prepared to advise clients on managing greenwashing risk in an inherently global and multijurisdictional enforcement environment. 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.

The Supreme Court's 2025-2026 term produced a series of critical decisions with far-reaching consequences for health care and public health law. James G. Hodge, Jr., JD, LLM, Peter Kiewit Foundation Professor of Law at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, examines the term's most consequential rulings for practitioners. Topics include the scope and limits of presidential emergency authority, First Amendment constraints on state regulation of medical professionals and vaccination mandates, prospective impacts and limits among LGBTQ+ populations; Second Amendment rights and limitations; and federal preemption of state product liability claims in health-related contexts. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for advising clients on compliance, regulatory exposure, constitutional implications, and litigation strategy in light of these decisions. 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.

California HOA law is shifting fast, and the past year has opened new fronts in the conflict between homeowners and their boards. This session cuts straight to the fights that matter right now, covering hot emerging issues alongside the recurring board tactics every homeowner-side practitioner needs to know. Michael B. Kushner of MBK Chapman, one of California's most experienced and widely respected homeowner-side HOA attorneys, breaks down several fast emerging topics from the homeowner's side of the table. These include HOA use of flock cameras, or automated license plate readers, e-bikes and e-scooters, and other new battlegrounds where boards are reaching into technology and issues that neither the governing documents nor the Legislature ever anticipated. Attorneys on both sides of HOA disputes will benefit, but the perspective here is unapologetically homeowner-side. Bring your questions. The session closes with an open Q&A. 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.

Oral argument does not begin when counsel steps to the lectern. It begins with the themes, credibility, and framework established in the briefing. The most effective advocates understand how oral argument complements the written presentation and helps decisionmakers resolve the questions that matter most. Building on the principles discussed in Part One, M.C. Sungaila and Melanie Gold of Complex Appellate Litigation Group LLP examine oral argument through the lens of those evaluating the case. Participants will learn how to respond effectively to judicial concerns, reinforce key themes from the briefing, and view oral argument as a critical component of a unified persuasive strategy. 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.

Effective advocacy depends on credibility, and credibility is easily lost. When attorneys overstate their case, stretch the record, or promise more than the facts can support, judges and opposing counsel notice, and the cost carries into every argument that follows. This program offers practical techniques for written and oral persuasion that hold up under scrutiny. 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.

Artificial intelligence has moved from a drafting aid to an autonomous actor capable of executing workflows and triggering real-world actions without continuous human oversight, raising pressing questions for the attorneys tasked with managing legal risk. This program examines what in-house counsel need to understand about agentic AI, from the access controls that govern how these systems operate to the vulnerabilities that arise when an agent can send communications, modify records, or move funds on its own. John Pavolotsky, Stoel Rives, guides participants through the contractual mechanisms that address these risks, including audit clauses, kill switch provisions, and the ongoing monitoring obligations that separate meaningful protection from a false sense of security. Attorneys will leave with a practical framework for evaluating, negotiating, and enforcing agreements involving autonomous AI systems. 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.

This wellness program, led by Lita Abella of Lita Abella Coaching, Consulting, and Mediation Services, explores how regular physical activity enhances an attorney's ability to competently perform legal services. Participants will learn the science-backed benefits of aerobic exercise, strength training, stretching, and other accessible forms of movement. The session highlights how exercise reduces stress, sharpens cognition, boosts decision-making, and supports emotional resilience, key components of competent legal practice. 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.

Credibility is built, not claimed. In an era where copyright, technology, and artificial intelligence collide in the courtroom, the lawyers who win are the ones who can make a judge or jury trust them on subjects most people find bewildering. Angela Dunning, Cleary Gottlieb, examines how oral advocacy and authenticity translate into results in high stakes AI litigation, drawing on the bedrock holdings now shaping how courts treat ownership, copyright, and emerging technology. The program leans into craft: how to break down a difficult technical concept so it lands, how to project authenticity under pressure, and how to build credibility that survives cross examination. It also takes up the AI ownership and copyright questions directly, where the law stands now and where it is headed. Learn how to present complex technical issues persuasively, establish credibility with the court, and navigate the unsettled questions at the center of AI litigation. 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.