Alameda County
Bar Association

June Upcoming Programs and Events at the ACBA 

Important Dates

New events are added daily! For more information about upcoming programs, or to register, please call 510-302-2201, visit www.acbanet.org/calendar. Lunch (or snacks for evening events) will be provided for most MCLE programs. Registration begins 30 minutes prior to program start time, and events are held at the ACBA office, at 1000 Broadway, Suite 480, in Oakland, unless stated otherwise. Please note, there is an extra $10 fee for day-of and walk-in registrations.

ACBA Annual Barristers and Judges Social

Location: Lungomare Restaurant
Cost: $0 – 30, depending on membership status, ACBA members are FREE!
MCLE: No CLE
Date: Thursday, June 2, 2016 from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Please join the ACBA Barristers Section for an evening with judges from the civil, criminal, family, juvenile and federal benches for a networking and mentorship cultivating experience. Appetizers provided, and the first 60 people in the door get a free drink ticket. Otherwise, no host bar. This event is an excellent opportunity meet members of the Alameda County Bench! Approximately 20 judges will be in attendance, and we’ve scheduled “Break Out Sessions” with 2-4 judges at a time. This is a popular event, reserve your spot today. Register/Learn More

Mediator Roundtable

Location: Boxer Gerson
Cost: $0-25, Free for ACBA members
MCLE: No CLE
Date: Monday, June 6, 2016 from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Please join the ACBA ADR Section for a Roundtable Discussion on building and maintaining an ADR practice. Seasoned mediators and arbitrators Malcolm Sher and Frank D. Russo will share their knowledge and experiences about how to build and market an effective mediation practice in today’s competitive environment. Register/Learn More

Drafting Tips From the Trenches: What We Learned From Contracts Gone Bad

Sponsors: ACBA Business Section
Cost: $0-65, depending on membership status
MCLE: 1 hr general CLE credit
Date: Wednesday, June 8, 2016 from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Please join the ACBA Business Law Section for a lunch hour seminar presented by Jonathan Levine on improving your drafting skills. Ever wonder what will happen to the documents you’re drafting if the parties fall into a dispute after a few years? Or how you can tweak your contracts to head off upcoming problems and future interpretive issues? Presenter Jonathan Levine recently conducted a trial that provided insights on drafting issues and practical problem resolution, and he will pass long valuable tips you can use now to minimize your clients’ legal problems stemming from commercial disagreements. Register/Learn More

June Side Bar Social at Woods Bar & Brewery

Location: Woods Bar & Brewery
Cost: $0-25, ACBA members are FREE
MCLE: No CLE
Date: Wednesday, June 8, 2016 from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Enjoy a cold brew or a nice glass of wine with us at Woods Bar & Brewery in Oakland. Serving one-of-a-kind locally brewed beers, Woods Bar & Brewery is sure to please. Come join us for our fifth monthly ACBA social event, newly dubbed Side Bar, sponsored by the ACBA Real Estate Section. Register/Learn More

Meet the Mediators Social

Sponsor: ACBA ADR and Barristers Sections and the Alameda County Superior Court
Cost: FREE
MCLE: No CLE
Date: Tuesday, June 14, 2016 from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

The evening will provide an overview of the Court’s various ADR Programs, tips and pointers from experienced mediators and litigators on how to choose the right mediator for your case and an opportunity to meet and greet our local mediators. Please come and learn about the importance of ADR for your litigation practice. Register/Learn More

VLSC Domestic Violence Restraining Order Clinic Training

Sponsor: VLSC
Cost: FREE with volunteer commitment
MCLE: 2 hrs general MCLE credit
Date: Wednesday, June 15, 2016 from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Speakers: Stephanie Penrod, Staff Attorney with the Family Violence Law Center
Blanca Rodriguez, Management Analyst at Alameda County Superior Court’s Self-Help Center

This free 2 hour CLE training will provide an overview of the Domestic Violence Prevention Act and prepare volunteers to assist low income people seeking restraining orders at VLSC clinics. Pizza will be provided.  Register/Learn More

Volunteer Commitment:
Those who take the FREE training make a commitment to volunteer at the DV Clinic in Fremont at least six times in the next year.

Materials: To keep this training free, materials will be emailed to participants prior to the training. Hard copies will be available for an additional fee at the training.

Litigation Strategies in Employment Cases: From a Plaintiffs, Defenses and Judicial Perspective

Sponsor: Trial Practice and Labor and Employment Sections
Cost: $0-90, depending on membership status
MCLE: 2 hrs general MCLE credit
Date: Thursday, June 16, 2016 from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Speakers: Judge Robert B. Freedman, Superior Court of California, County of Alameda (Dept 20); Margaret Jean Grover, Wendel Rosen Black & Dean LLP; and J. Gary Gwilliam, Gwilliam, Ivary, Chiosso, Cavalli & Brewer

Please join us for a discussion on proven litigation strategies in employment cases. Our experienced panel of speakers will cover: Case Evaluation, Early Settlement Strategies, Filing and Responding to Complaint, Selecting Claims and Venue, Responding to the Complaint, Judicial Perspective on Early Motion Practices, Discovery Perspectives, Settlement Conference/Mediation, Trial, Jury/Non jury, Bifurcation,  Association of Counsel, Judicial Thoughts on Trial. Learn more/Register

Trusts and Estates June Study Group

Sponsor: ACBA Trusts and Estates Section

Cost: FREE

MCLE: No CLE

Date: Tuesday, June 21, 2016 from 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Members of the ACBA Trusts and Estates Section and EBTEL are invited to attend monthly meetings of the ACBA Trusts and Estates Study Group. The Study Group meets on the third Tuesday of each month. The study group is an opportunity for both new and experienced practitioners to ask practice questions, collaborate and learn. Learn More/Register

Recent Changes in Testamentary Capacity Rules: From drafting through trial

Sponsor: ACBA Trusts and Estates Section

Cost: $0-150, depending on membership status

MCLE: 3 hrs general credit

Date: Tuesday, June 21, 2016 from 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Speakers: Elaine Rushing, (Ret.), JAMS; Jonathan Canick, PhD; Walter Cook, Law Office of Walter C. Cook; Ronald P. Wargo II, Friedemann Goldberg

Estate planners and litigators face new challenges in light of recent developments in case law and statutory changes affecting the law of testamentary capacity. Gone are the simple rules that estate planners have used for their entire career. In are new rules that challenge even the most experienced lawyers.

This program will address evidencing and demonstrating a testator’s/settlor’s capacity to make, amend or revoke estate planning instruments. The panel will walk you through the new rules and how to apply them at every stage of the process from drafting to a contest. Specific topics include developing a record, anticipating a capacity contest, working with experts, taking useful depositions, and effectively examining lay and expert witnesses at trial. Learn More/Register

Barristers Night Out: Oakland A’s v SF Giants

Sponsor: ACBA Barristers Section

Cost: $50-60, depending on membership status

Location: Oracle Arena

MCLE: No CLE credit

Date: Thursday, June 30, 2016 from 5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Please join the ACBA Barristers Section for a night out at the Oakland Athletics game against the San Francisco Giants on June 30, 2016. The Battle of the Bay, or Bay Bridge Series, is a great opportunity to socialize and network with your peers while enjoying a fantastic evening of baseball. Please join us for a pregame tailgate from 5:30 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. in the parking lot (exact location TBA) with food and drinks before the game.

We have reserved a limited block of discounted seats in Section 129 Rows 31-35 for our Barristers and their guests. Due to high demand for 2016 season tickets, any tickets that are not purchased by the deadline must be released to the public, so don’t delay! Learn more/Register

For the full calendar of events, please visit: https://alamedacountyb.wpengine.com/Calendar/. To learn more about our practice area sections, please visit: or contact our Membership and Education Manager Hadassah Hayashi at hadassah@acbanet.org or (510) 302-2200.