Webinar: Dismissed with Prejudice: A Discussion on Race and the Trial of Civil CasesTM

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THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN BOARD OF TRIAL ADVOCATES PRESENTS ABOTA’S PROGRAM: Dismissed with Prejudice: A Discussion on Race and the Trial of Civil CasesTM

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

LEADERS IN THE LEGAL COMMUNITY WILL DISCUSS TOPICS IN LITIGATION PRACTICE, INCLUDING:

• Tools for handling racism and bias

• Jury instructions and the potential effect of CCP 231.7

• The value of diverse juries

COMPLIMENTARY WEBINAR/ONE HOUR OF ELIMINATION OF BIAS CLE AVAILABLE

MODERATOR:  LINDA J. L. SHARPE, Law Offices of Jill A. Wood

Linda Sharpe began her legal career at a large insurance defense firm in Los Angeles. After relocating to Sacramento, she had her own civil litigation firm for 20 years before joining the staff legal team of a major insurance company. Ms. Sharpe has litigated cases involving motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, products liability, construction defect and wrongful termination. She has been a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) since 2004 and received the Sacramento Valley ABOTA Chapter’s 2012 “Civility Award” for exemplary professionalism and conduct in the practice of civil law.

PANELISTS:

• HON. SATNAM S. RATTU, Sacramento County Superior Court Judge

  Satnam Rattu was appointed to serve as a Judge in the Sacramento County Superior Court in 2022.  He served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office from 2008 before his judicial appointment.  Judge Rattu was born and raised in Yuba City, California.

  
  

• DORIS CHENG, Walkup Melodia Kelly & Schoenberger

  Doris Cheng is a partner in the San Francisco law firm of Walkup Melodia Kelly & Schoenberger. She has obtained 8 and 9 figure settlements and verdicts for personal injury clients throughout California. Ms. Cheng is the National Vice President of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). She is a past President of the San Francisco Trial Lawyer Association, Bar Association of San Francisco, Justice & Diversity Center, and San Francisco Chapter of ABOTA. She has been inducted into the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the American College of Trial Lawyers. Ms. Cheng has been ranked as one of the top 10 lawyers in Northern California. She is a co-author of the eminent treatise, The Rutter Group California Practice Guide on Personal Injury, and the trial practice guide, Mastering the Mechanics of Civil Jury Trials.

• JESSE M. RIVERA, Rivera, Hewitt, Paul, LLP

  Jesse Rivera began his legal career at the Sacramento County Public Defender’s Office where for a decade he tried hundreds of cases in all areas of criminal law including serious felonies and homicides. Since entering private practice and opening his own civil litigation firm, Mr. Rivera has tried cases in state and federal courts, including successfully defending to verdict over ten civil rights jury trials in federal court. He has been a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) since 2007 and served as President of the Sacramento Valley Chapter of ABOTA in 2016. He is currently a National ABOTA Board Member. Mr. Rivera is a former President of Cruz Reynoso Bar Association and received its 2024 “Defensor de Justicia” award.

  
  

• SHAFEEQ SADIQ, Sadiq Law Firm, PC

  After admission to the California State Bar in 2004 Shafeeq Sadiq began working in-house for a well-known insurance company litigating personal injury cases. Since 2011, he has dedicated his law practice to advocating for personal injury and wrongful death victims and their families. In 2022, Mr. Sadiq obtained the highest personal injury verdict in the history of San Joaquin County when a jury awarded his client, a motorcyclist, just under $24 million. Mr. Sadiq is a member of the Capital City Trial Lawyers Association (CCTLA) and the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). He was awarded CCTLA’s 2022 “Advocate of the Year” and the Sacramento Valley ABOTA Chapter’s 2023 “Trial Lawyer of the Year.”

Register here.