DECEMBER 6, 2023
MCLE Registration| 4:30 - 5:00 p.m.

Keynote Session 
Time: 5:00 - 6:15 p.m. | MCLE: 1 Hour in Elimination of Bias
The Supreme Court's Ban on Affirmative Action
Implications for Diversity in Law School Admissions

Join Dean of Berkeley Law, Erwin Chemerinsky for his in-person keynote address at this year's conference, which will discuss the Supreme Court's two recent decisions striking down affirmative action (Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina).  While space is limited at this in-person event, Dean Chemerinsky's keynote, which also qualifies for CLE credit, will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person.  Dean Chemerinsky will not only analyze the Supreme Court's decisions, but also offer a path forward.  California banned affirmative action prior to the Supreme Court's rulings, and Dean Chemerinsky will elucidate how Berkeley Law has learned to build a diverse class without considering race as a factor in its admissions.

Speaker
Erwin Chemerinsky,  Dean, Berkeley Law 

Outstanding Diversity Advocate Award Presentation
Time:  6:30 - 7:00 p.m.

Please join the Barristers Club Board of Directors in honoring Sydney Allen and Michael Nguyen (aka Juicy Liu) at the 15th Annual Barristers Club Diversity Reception. This award reflects an individual’s efforts to increase awareness of diversity issues in the Bay Area Legal Community. 

Honorees

Sydney Allen	Michael Nguyen (aka Juicy Liu)

Reception and Networking | 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.

DECEMBER 7, 2023
MCLE Registration 8:45 - 9:15 a.m.

Time: 9:15 - 10:30 a.m. | MCLE: 1 Hour in Elimination of Bias
Session 1: Defending Reproductive Rights Post Roe
Join Professor Mariah Lindsay of UCI Law, Adam Laughton of Greenberg Traurig as well as representatives from Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California and the Black Women for Wellness Action Project for a discussion of both the practical and policy implications of the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. This panel will also focus specifically on the impact of the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade on women of color. Additionally, moderator, Mary McNamara, brings her unique perspective as a member of the Bar Association of San Francisco's Legal Alliance for Reproductive Rights.

Speakers
Mariah Lindsay, Senior Executive Policy Fellow, Center for Biotech and Global Health Policy, University of California, Irvine School of Law
Lisa Matsubara, Chief Legal & Advocacy Officer, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California
Adam H. Laughton, Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig
Onyemma Obiekea, Policy Director, Black Women for Wellness/Action Project

Mary McNamara, Member, Bar Association of San Francisco, Legal Alliance for Reproductive Rights; Partner, Swanson & McNamara; 2022 President, Bar Association of San Francisco

Time: 10:40 - 11:55 a.m. | MCLE: 1 Hour in Elimination of Bias
Session 2:  Defending and Ensuring Equitable Access to Court
Ensuring equitable and fair access to courts is an ongoing challenge for our system and is key to living up to the promise of equal justice under law. Join Judge Suzanne Bolanos, who chairs the San Francisco Superior Court Committee on Elimination of Bias, and Betsy Wolkin, administrator for Indigent Defense Administration at the Bar Association of San Francisco to learn about various approaches and strategies being taken to ensure equitable access to courts.
Topics discussed will include elimination of bias, training and education, as well as the San Francisco pilot program Be the Jury, which increased juror pay in an attempt to produce more representative and diverse juries.

Speakers
Honorable Suzanne Bolanos, San Francisco Superior Court 
Betsy Wolkin, Indigent Defense Administration, The Bar Association of San Francisco 

Kevin Benedicto, Morgan Lewis & Bockius

11:55 - 12:05 p.m.
Yoga Break
A brief yoga practice that you can do right from the comfort of your desk

Facilitator
Jacqueline M. Simonovich, Yoga for Lawyers

Time: 12:05 p.m. - 1:20 p.m. | MCLE: 1 Hour in Elimination of Bias
Session 3: Equitable Frameworks: How Cannabis & Psychedelics Became a Model for Equitable Legislation
The panel will explore how legislation in this space has and can help redress failed legislative policies (e.g., war on drugs, etc.) disproportionately impacting underrepresented communities (e.g., communities of color, native communities, the neurodivergent) and how this can provide a model for similar or even improved equitable legislation in other areas. Some examples: including communities in rule making processes, requiring regulators consider social / cultural impacts in administration, and designing licensing and tax regimes that help rebuild impacted communities.   

Speakers
Ismail Ali, Director of Policy & Advocacy, Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies
Sam Chapman, Executive Director, Healing Advocacy Fund
Robert Haferd, Restorative Justice Coordinator, Office of the D.C. Attorney General 
Christine De La Rosa, CEO & Co-Founder, People’s Ecosystem                                                             

Anthony Guzman, Greenberg Traurig

Time: 1:30 - 2:45 p.m. | MCLE: 1 Hour in Elimination of Bias
Session 4: Don’t Say Hate: Inclusive & Educational Responses to a National Conversation on LGBTQ+ Rights
This panel will explore the national conversation on LGBTQ+ rights in education, it’s impacts on students and LGBTQ+ members, and how certain legislatures have responded through inclusive legislation, like CA’s recent suite of LGBTQ+ bills touching on everything from book bans to cultural competency trainings, inclusive restrooms, name / gender affirmation, and anti-outing protections.

Speakers
Amanda Goad, Director of LGBTQ+, Gender, and Reproductive Justice Project, ACLU SoCal
Alice Kessler, Head of Government Law & Policy Group, Greenberg Traurig
Dr. Corey Jackson, Assemblymember, 60th District, California State Assembly 

Moderator
Paton Moody, Legal Fellow, Equality California

Time: 2:55 - 4:10 p.m. | MCLE: 1 Hour in Elimination of Bias
Session 5: Defending Diversity in a Downturn 
It seems that every organization says DEI is important to them, yet many scale back investments in this area when economic uncertainty looms. That seemed to happen this year as the economy soured. Join Tiseme Zegeye, Partner at Lieff Cabraser, John Palmer, Partner-in-Charge of Inclusion & Belonging at Orrick, and Oyango A. Snell, immediate past Executive Director of the California Lawyers Foundation, for a discussion on why and how organizations can push through even in economic downturns.

Speakers
Tiseme Zegeye, Partner, Lieff Cabraser
John Palmer Partner-in-Charge of Inclusion & Belonging, Orrick                                                             

Oyango A. Snell, Former CEO & Executive Director, California Lawyers Association 

Conference Committee Chairs
Anthony Guzman, Greenberg Traurig and Jacqueline Simonovich, Weintraub Tobin

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
(as of 11/15/23)

BENEFACTOR SPONSORS

                   

PARTNER SPONSORS

               


FRIEND SPONSOR

Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Fill out the Sponsorship Form and email to barristers@sfbar.org
For more information, email barristers@sfbar.org

Event Code: B230212

For a printable flyer, click here.

For related events, click here. 

Cost:

In Person Event on December 6

Virtual Conference
FREE, registration required.

FREE

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Program Access
A link to access the Zoom webinar will be sent in your confirmation e-mail prior to the start of the event. If you do not receive login credentials, please double check your Spam Folder. If you have any trouble, please contact cle@sfbar.org as soon as possible before the program starts so we can assist with troubleshooting. You may need to consult your local IT technician for connection issues.

Program recordings are not guaranteed, nor immediately accessible to registrants. Approved recordings of live programs are converted to On-Demand CLE Courses and available for separate purchase through a third-party library 30 business days after the live recording. Thank you for your support.

Substitution, Cancellation, and Refund Requests
For CLE events of 1.5 hours or less, Lunch & Learn programs, Happy Hours, Receptions, and Mixers, a refund is available if you submit your cancellation request at least 48 hours prior to the event. A $10 handling fee will deducted from your refund. Please complete the Event Cancellation Form.

For CLE events longer than 1.5 hours, and for special events such as conferences, symposiums, professional development training programs, a 50% refund is available if you cancel at least 10 business days prior to the event. Please complete the Event Cancellation Form.

If you are unable to attend, you may send a substitute. Please complete the Event Cancellation Form.

MCLE Notice
To receive MCLE credit, you must sign in during the designated MCLE registration period. This activity is approved for Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit by the State Bar of California. BASF is a certified provider: Provider #103

Accessibility
People with disabilities and/or special requests should contact BASF regarding reasonable accommodations.