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Justice at Work: Defending Rule of Law Principles in Labor and Employment (2025 State Bar Convention)
Original Program Date :
This CLE program offers a comprehensive examination of critical issues in labor and employment law, providing practitioners with the tools and strategies necessary for effective advocacy and client representation. The program will include a session that focuses on spotting ERISA and employment benefits issues, helping attendees identify and address common compliance challenges and benefit-related disputes. This session will also include updates from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), highlighting recent developments and their practical implications. Participants will gain insights into navigating mediation, including techniques for valuing cases and managing client expectations to achieve favorable outcomes. The program also delves into best practices for conducting internal workplace investigations, ensuring thoroughness and compliance while mitigating legal risks. A discussion on the optimal use of experts provides guidance on leveraging specialized knowledge to strengthen case strategies. The session further explores trial and arbitration strategies tailored to employment disputes. Lastly, this session will provide a review of common ethics issues, focusing on conflicts of interest, confidentiality, and adherence to professional responsibility standards. This CLE equips attorneys with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the complexities of employment law while maintaining ethical integrity.
What You’ll Learn:
• How to best navigate mediation, arbitration, and use of experts in employment disputes
Tips for navigating common and unusual issues, including ERISA/employee benefits, internal workplace investigations, ethical issues, and other employment trends
• The latest updates from the EEOC and NLRB
Presented By: Employment and Labor Law Section
Kristine Beaudoin, Perkins Coie LLP
was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, before attending college at Fordham University in New York City and Duke Law School in Durham, North Carolina. Kristie was a litigator at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in its New York and Washington, D.C. offices before moving back to Phoenix to join Perkins Coie LLP, where she specializes in employment law and commercial litigation. Kristie is an active member of the State Bar of Arizona, serving on the Labor & Employment Law Section’s CLE Committee and on the State Bar Convention Working Group. She frequently presents CLEs and authors articles on employment-related issues and is a regular contributor to the Workplace Rules podcast series, where leading experts discuss the most recent trends and regulations in employment.
Clara Stephanie Bustamante
Samantha Elizabeth Cote
Samantha Cote is an associate in Snell & Wilmer’s labor and employment group. She has litigated various matters including personal injury disputes. Samantha assists clients in all phases of litigation including oral arguments, depositions, and motion practice. She has experience handling matters before the Office of Administrative Hearings and oral arguments before the Maricopa County Superior Court. Samantha also represents clients in mediations and settlement negotiations.
J Alexander Dattilo
Nicholas Jason Enoch, President, Lubin & Enoch PC
Kristi L Hill
Lawrence A Kasten
Erich Andrew Knorr
Michelle Ray Matheson, Matheson & Matheson PLC
, managing partner with Matheson & Matheson, P.L.C., has significant employment and labor law experience in private practice and as a Director of Legal Affairs for America West Airlines and US Airways. Immediately following law school, Ms. Matheson served for two years as a law clerk for the Hon. Kathryn H. Vratil, U.S. District Court of the District of Kansas. In her capacity as Director of Legal Affairs for the airline, Ms. Matheson both defended and managed employment litigation across the United States. She has handled more than 200 grievance and arbitration hearings with the Airline Pilots Association, the Association of Flight Attendants, Communications Workers of America, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and the Office and Professional Employees International Union. Ms. Matheson has also tried jury trials in both Arizona state and federal courts, and argued appeals before the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Ninth and D.C. Circuits. Prior to forming Matheson & Matheson, P.L.C., she was a shareholder with the Phoenix based law firm Gallagher & Kennedy, P.A. Ms. Matheson is also AV Peer Review Rated* by Martindale Hubbell. She received her J.D. from University of Kansas School of Law. 01/16
Alexis L Pheiffer, Managing Partner, Mediator, Law Office of Alexis Pheiffer PLLC
Alexis Pheiffer is a mediator, facilitator, and investigator based in Phoenix, Arizona. She focuses her mediation practice on resolution of workplace disputes. Alexis is an AAA Affiliate and MC3 certified mediator and a member of the SheResolves mediator network. She is also the immediate Past Chair of the Executive Council for the ADR Section of the State Bar of Arizona and an active member of the Southern California Mediation Association (SCMA), recently completing her second stint as co-chair of SCMA’s Employment Mediation Institute. Learn more about Alexis and her approach to dispute resolution at alexispheiffer.com.
