Season 2
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.