The Labor & Employment Law Section presents
Annual Labor and Employment
Law Conference - 2024
Dates |
Friday & Saturday, February 9 & 10, 2024 |
Location
|
Conference @ Yosemite Lodge
Friday Reception @ Yosemite Lodge, Garden Room
Saturday, Reception @ Ahwanee Hotel
Yosemite, CA |
MCLE
|
6.5 Hours of MCLE will be provided, of which 1.5 Hours in
Legal Ethics Credit, .5 is in Competence Credit.
Note: You must sign-in every day for
each panel you attend to receive MCLE credit. |
|
Message from your Chair, Mark Schickman
Our Annual BASF Labor and Employment Law Conference is back in Yosemite Valley for the first time since February 2020! Our vaunted conference will take place on February 9 and 10th 2024, at the Yosemite lodge and the Ahwahnee hotel. From 1:30 PM on Friday through 12:30 PM on Saturday we will offer 6 hours of expert CLE programming (including specialty credits). We will hold networking receptions Friday evening at the Lodge and Saturday evening at the Ahwahnee. There is much to see and do in Yosemite in the hours between our classes and our receptions.
We are excited about our expert, advanced programming, as our panels discuss, among other things: The practical and ethical considerations in performing workplace investigations, which must be fair and neutral, and are often independent; The legal and human relations issues involved in the return to office or hybrid work, and how it affects the welfare of employees; The limits of political and religious expression in the office, and how that affects DEI efforts.The workplace challenges caused by artificial intelligence. A review of the most significant legal developments in 2023. All of these topics will be discussed in the context of new cases and statutes which threaten to change the contours of employment law. In addition to the expert programming, attendees find the most valuable part of the weekend to be networking with colleagues at the evening receptions, or on Yosemite Valley trails. All in all, many attendees find this conference to be one of the most meaningful weekends of the year. Despite a great increase in cost at Yosemite, due to the generosity of our wonderful sponsors, listed below, we have kept our registration fees close to the pre-covid level. Please thank our sponsors when you see them. We have also negotiated reduced hotel room rates at both the Ahwanee and the Lodge; but our room block expires on December 15, 2023, so please register and book your room soon. Space is limited.
We hope you join us at our 47th annual Yosemite Employment Law conference!
CONFERENCE DETAILS
FRIDAY - Light Refreshments will be provided.
Location: Mountain Room at the Yosemite Lodge
TIME: 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. | MCLE: 1.5 Hours in Legal Ethics Credits
PANEL I: Is Your Workplace Investigation Truly Independent? The ethics and practicalities of attorneys acting in an independent role
Employers are tasked with investigating employee complaints in a fair and neutral manner. These investigations are often done by attorneys acting in an independent role and who are doing so under the attorney/client privilege. This panel will explore the legal ethics that apply to attorneys acting in these roles and discuss whether and when they can truly be independent.
Panelists
Chaya Mandelbaum, Rudy Exelrod Zieff & Lowe
Fred W. Alvarez, Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass
Amy Oppenheimer, Oppenheimer Investigations Group
Moderator
Ilona Turner, Oppenheimer Investigations Group
TIME: 3:15 - 4:45 p.m. | MCLE: 1.5 Hours of which 0.5 is in competence credit
PANEL II: Mental health in the new workplace: disability accommodations, return to work, and the unbearable lightness of well-being
Workplaces are returning to a new state of normal, including hybrid and remote work. Following the disruption of the pandemic and with new work from home policies, employers and employees are increasingly dealing with leave requests for mental and emotional conditions. The panel will cover the practical implications of leave and accommodation laws in this environment, along with practical tips for both employer and employee-side attorneys. We will also address how to create an inclusive workplace culture in the “new” workplace and how to maintain your own equilibrium.
Speakers
Hannah L. Jones, Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP
Hillary Benham-Baker, Principal, Benham-Baker Legal
Alison Cubre, Senior Director, Employment Law at Alteryx
Moderator
Michelle Lee, Rudy Exelrod Zieff & Lowe LLP
SATURDAY
TIME: 7:15 - 8:30 a.m. | Breakfast to be provided for Conference Attendees Only.
TIME: 7:55 - 8:30 a.m. | Executive Committee Meeting with Mark Schickman
Location: Mountain Room at the Yosemite Lodge
Light Refreshments will be provided during the Conference
Location: Clift Room at the Yosemite Lodge
TIME: 8:30 - 10:00 a.m. | MCLE: 1.5 Hours
PANEL III: A.I.’s Emerging Impact on the Workplace
Artificial Intelligence is increasingly pervasive in working environments of every description. To an extent that until recently seemed impossible, much of our intellectual labor can now be simply delegated to one A.I. tool or another. The rapid emergence of this technology promises unprecedented efficiencies, but also brings novel ethical and compliance challenges. Many traditional HR functions such as recruitment, hiring, training, management and evaluation can now be automated: Should they be? This panel will address the impact of these new technological tools on workplaces still populated by human workers. We’ll identify emerging efforts to regulate in this realm, and consider the broader social impacts of our new reliance on the algorithms.
Speakers
Matt Flairty, Head of Legal, Gem Software, Inc.
Rachel Capler, Senior Associate, Orrick
Jonah J. Lalas, Partner, Rothner, Segall & Greenstone
Moderator
N. William Metke, Partner,The Mitzel Group LLP
TIME: 10:10 - 11:10 a.m. | MCLE: 1 Hour
PANEL IV: How the Culture Wars Are Playing Out in the Workplace: Employees and Employers’ Rights and the Roles of Unions
Hot topics—ranging from LGBTQ+ rights, to affirmative action and DEI initiatives, to international relations, and more—are all natural topics for discussion in the workplace. But how those topics are discussed can present difficult legal and practical issues—particularly in the context of schools and universities, as well as in the private sector. What rights do employees, unions, and employers have to engage in political and religious expression in the workplace, and what rights do they have to stay clear of such expression? Panelists will share their experiences tackling these difficult questions.
Speakers
Jennifer M. Martinez, Chief Diversity, Equity and
Inclusion Officer, Partner, Hanson Bridgett
Diana S. Reddy, Assistant Professor of Law, UC Berkeley School of Law
Terri Witherspoon, Counsel, California Teachers Association
Moderator
B.J. Chisholm, Partner, Altshuler Berzon
TIME: 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. | MCLE: 1 Hour
PANEL V: 2023 Employment Law Update
Dean Chemerinsky will discuss recent U.S. Supreme Court cases, including those decided last term and those being heard this term, that bear on labor and employment law issues.
Speaker
Erwin Chemerinsky, Dean, Berkeley Law & Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor
12:20 - 12:30 p.m. BASF's Labor and Employment Business Meeting
RECEPTION DETAILS
Friday, February 9th: Reception: 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. @ Garden View at the Yosemite Lodge
Saturday, February 10th: Reception: 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. @ The Ahwanee Hotel
Saturday, February 10th: Speakers Dinner: 7:00 p.m. Note: Invite Only. RSVP required by 1/11/24.
PLANNING COMMITTEE
Mark Schickman, Schickman Law, BJ Chisholm, Altshuler Berzon, Peter Rukin, Sequitur Resolutions, Aaron Minnis, Minnis and Smallets and William Jhaveri-Weeks, The Jhaveri-Weeks Firm; Ilona Turner, Oppenheimer Investigations Group; Michelle Lee, Rudy, Exelrod, Zieff & Lowe; and William Metke, The Mitzel Group
REFERENCES
- 46th Year Highlights and Article
- For a printable flyer, click here.
We hope you will join us and secure you spot today!
Thank you to our Sponsors
(as of 2/5/24)
GOLD LEVEL




SILVER LEVEL


BRONZE LEVEL
Judicate West
Emily Nugent Law
Feinberg Jackson
We invite you to explore our sponsorship opportunities. For a printable sponsorship form, click here.
Any questions, email cle@sfbar.org
LODGING & HOTEL RESERVATIONS
Reservations can be made online at www.travelyosemite.com or via phone 888-413-8869 option 1.
The group code that attendees can use to make their reservations is 14R0SM. Space is limited. Expires 12/21/23.
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK
PARK ENTRY FEE: 7 day pass: $35 per vehicle (no per-person fee). Annual Pass: $70
For more information, visit https://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm
FACULTY AND SCHEDULE CHANGES
Factors beyond our control sometimes necessitate changes in the schedule and faculty. If time permits, we will inform all registrants of any changes prior to the program. Changes on site due to local conditions will be announced in class.
For questions about registration and logistics, email cle@sfbar.org.
Event Code: G240301
To Register
- Sign-in to your account and select Register Myself at the bottom of the page.
- Use Forgot Username or Forgot Password if you don't know your account information. Don't have an account? Select Create Account.
- Select Proceed to Checkout to enter payment information, submit your order and complete the registration process.
Substitution, Cancellation, and Refund Requests
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 1 month prior to the event. Please complete the Event Cancellation Form. If you are unable to attend anytime after 1/10/23, 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.