The California Workers’ Compensation Institute has announced it will conduct a one-day case law seminar in May in both Long Beach and San Francisco. The program will examine how recent trends in decisional law are reshaping California workers’ compensation, and discuss appropriate negotiation and defense strategies for claims personnel, attorneys, hearing reps, case managers, nurses, rehab professionals and others with negotiating authority.

This is the 13th consecutive year that CWCI has conducted the program, and Institute General Counsel Mike McClain has moderated the seminars since their inception. McClain notes, “These seminars provide an update on recent rulings, with a focus on the practical impact of case law for those with negotiating authority. Our faculty includes attorneys Michael Marks and Saul Allweiss of the Offices of Saul Allweiss, and Richard Jacobsmeyer of Shaw, Jacobsmeyer, Crain, Claffey & Nix, all of whom have both applicant and defense experience. We use a debate-style format to present alternate views on recent decisions and insights into what they mean for those trying to deliver benefits or defend claims.” The 2011 program will explore a wide range of cases and topics, including Ogilvie & the Diminished Future Earning Capacity Variant; Almaraz/Guzman: Rebutting the AMA Guides; Medical Care Issues and Utilization Review; Settlement Complexities & Consequences; and Lien Procedures and Practice.

The Institute will present the 2011 Case Law Seminar from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Monday, May 16 at the Grand Event Center in Long Beach, and repeat the program on Wednesday, May 18 at the Hotel Nikko in San Francisco. Tuition is $395, with a $75 discount available to CWCI member company employees. The fee includes a syllabus with summaries of significant decisions and full citations, Continental breakfast and lunch. Continuing education units will be available for attorneys, as CWCI is a State Bar of California approved MCLE provider (5 hours). CWCI also will provide certificates of attendance for Department of Insurance workers’ compensation claims administrator credits, and for submission to the Association of Hearing Reps of California. Preregistration and prepayment are required. For more details or to register online, click the “Seminar” button at www.cwci.org. For additional information or to request accommodation of special needs, call Mel Long at 510-251-9470.