ABA 10th Annual Section of Labor and Employment Law Conference

The Section’s 10th Annual Labor and Employment Conference will take place during an unusually interesting time, convening the day after the 2016 election. Our Conference presents a great opportunity to discuss potential government initiatives with agency representatives. Attendees also will have the chance to confer with top practitioners representing employees, employers, unions and government agencies, as well as neutrals, in-house counsel and academics.

• Wednesday, November 9, 2016
  4:30 PM - 8:00 PM CST
  
  Thursday, November 10, 2016
  9:30 AM - 10:00 PM CST
  
  Friday, November 11, 2016
  8:00 AM - 8:00 PM CST
  
  Saturday, November 12, 2016
  8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CST

• Mediation of the Most Difficult Cases and How They Settle
  Friday, November 11, 2016 | 11:15 AM - 12:30 PM CST
  
  

  Although current statistics continue to show that over 95 percent of cases settle before trial, the odds alone rarely aid in the resolution of the most difficult cases, which sometime require multiple sessions and a mediator’s persistence. In this advanced program, experienced mediators will speak candidly about techniques and strategies utilized to settle very contentious and complex cases, answering questions posed by lawyer moderators.

• Litigating/Arbitrating Collective and Class Action Wage and Hour Cases
  Saturday, November 12, 2016 | 8:00 AM - 9:15 AM CST
  
  

  Panelists will discuss the most recent developments related to litigation of wage and hour collective and class action cases, which may include the overtime exception under FLSA §7(1), trial by representative proof, use/need for experts, trial by formula, bifurcated trials, arbitration of independent contractor cases, and confirmation of awards in arbitration.  

• The Pursuit of Compromise: An Examination of Settlement Strategies and Techniques in Single-Plaintiff Litigation
  Saturday, November 12, 2016 | 9:30 AM - 10:45 AM CST
  
  

  Although most claims are resolved through settlement, attention to effectively and efficiently steering a case toward a negotiated resolution often takes a back burner to the press of litigation. This panel will explore settlement strategies in individual litigation, including the proper use, valuation and timing of offers of compromise, strategy and timing for alternative dispute resolution, how much pre-settlement formal and informal discovery is sufficient, insurance considerations and general negotiation strategies.