Hon. Angel M. Bermudez (Ret.) examines the critical role cultural awareness and shared identity play in dispute resolution. Drawing on judicial experience, mediation examples, and interdisciplinary research, he explores how cultural nuance can shape communication, trust, and perceptions of fairness—often influencing outcomes as much as legal arguments. Attendees will gain practical insight into how recognizing these dynamics can enhance advocacy and improve resolution efforts.

The Alternative Dispute Resolution Section is chaired by Robert Cohen and Jeffrey Kravitz.

Annual Family Law Case Update

Sarah L. Bruno and Grace D. Wiley of Reed Smith LLP examine California’s finalized CCPA regulations governing automated decision-making technology and mandatory cybersecurity audits, focusing on the legal and compliance questions attorneys are most likely to encounter, particularly in light of recent CPPA enforcement actions. The discussion addresses when these rules apply, how regulators evaluate risk, oversight, and accountability, and the practical implications for advising clients on governance, vendor relationships, and compliance timelines.

With the rise of AI, data breaches and social engineering schemes are becoming increasingly sophisticated and difficult to detect and prevent. Hear from a law enforcement cybercrimes and fraud detective, a former prosecutor, and a former United States Attorney and representative for a business advisory consulting firm about what can be done to protect yourself, your clients, and your business from these risks.

Notwithstanding California’s reputation as being friendly to policyholders, 2025 was marked by multiple decisions favoring insurers. This included cases barring coverage for damages arising from molestation, “compensated carrying,” and “going and coming” to work. However, there were also several decisions favoring policyholders, including important cases finding coverage for smoke damage from wildfires, as well as a title insurance decision which strongly reaffirmed the breadth of the duty to defend.

Join our insurance gurus and Past BHBA Presidents, who have been presenting BHBA's annual insurance program for more than a decade, for a deep discussion of those cases and others, and what they might suggest about the rights of insurers and policyholders in 2026 and beyond.

This program explores emerging trends in financial litigation affecting the motion picture and television industry. The distinguished panel will examine recent disputes involving profit participation, accounting practices, backend compensation, related party transactions, contract disputes, and other emerging topics, such Artificial Intelligence. The course also highlights how shifting distribution models and consolidation within the entertainment industry can reshape legal strategies and risk management. Attorneys will gain practical insights into current litigation patterns and the tools needed to navigate an increasingly complex entertainment finance landscape.

This program examines how implicit and systemic bias shapes key aspects of consumer litigation, from product safety standards and workplace practices to damages calculations, insurance claims handling, and medical treatment. Drawing on real-world examples and current data, Molly McKibben, partner at Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP, explores how unchecked assumptions can affect case valuation, liability theories, and client outcomes. The session challenges attorneys to critically evaluate the data, expert opinions, and institutional practices underlying their cases in order to more effectively advocate for fair and equitable results.

The Litigation Section is chaired by Rachael Kogen.

A practical, step-by-step overview of this exciting new process - how it works, what goes where on the forms, who it's right for, and why it has the potential to revolutionize divorce in California.

The Family Law Section is chaired by Jack McMorrow and Ryan Wedeking.