PROVISIONAL AGENDA
Experts 3.0 @ UCLA Law School
May 20, 2027
7:30 – 8:30
Breakfast & Registration
8:45 – 9:00
Introductory Remarks
Paul Habibi, Sr. Lecturer, UCLA and Principal, Grayslake Advisors LLC, Los Angeles (bio)
9:00 – 9:30
Keynote Address
Morgan Chu, Chair of Litigation, Irell & Manella LLP, Los Angeles (bio)
9:30 – 10:00
Special Session on Expert Evidence. Experts using statistical models to explain behavior. Where is the line? Lessons from the U.S. v Leech.
Nikolai Caswell, Principal, Charles River Associates, Oakland (bio)
Jonathan Sack, Partner, Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello PC, New York (bio)
10:00 – 11:00
Judge's Panel. Perspectives, from the bench, on expert evidence
Moderator: Uri Itkin, Partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, New York (bio)
Alan Albright, Partner, A&O Shearman and former U.S. District Court Judge for the Western District of Texas, Austin (bio)
Hon. David Carter, Judge, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Santa Ana (bio)
Hon. Christopher Sontchi, Judge, Singapore International Commercial Court and former Chief Judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (bio)
11:15 – 12:00
Litigators Panel. Navigating your first case, deposition or trial with a particular expert; Guidance for driving effective performance.
Andrew Carron, Affiliated Consultant, NERA Economic Consulting, New York (bio)
Shaimaa Hussein, Co-Chair of M&A Litigation, Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, New York (bio)
Will Johnston, Partner, Bird, Marella, Rhow, Lincenberg, Drooks, & Nessim LLP, Los Angeles (bio)
Nima Mohebbi, Partner, Sidley Austin LLP, Los Angeles (bio)
12:00 – 1:00
Lunch & Learn. Mr Bates v. the Post Office: How lawyers (mis)instructed expert witnesses in the UK's largest miscarriage of justice.
Mark Tottenham, Barrister-at-Law, Expert Witness Consultant and Author of The Reliable Expert Witness, Dublin (bio)
1:15 – 1:45
Special Session on Usage of Experts. Lessons learnt in instructing our experts in the report phase versus at trial; and in strategizing our approach to opposing experts at deposition and then at trial.
Paul Genender, Co-Chair of Complex Litigation and Arbitration, Paul Hastings, LLP, Dallas (bio)
Adam Wolfson, Chair of Plaintiff’s Litigation Practice, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart and Sullivan, LLP, Los Angeles (bio)
2:00 – 2:30
Experts Session. Building a practice, profile and reputation as a credible expert; and how to separate yourself from the pack. Interacting with counsel: tips for the first call (pre-engagement) and positioning yourself to be most effective once engaged.
Jim Bergman, Executive Vice President, Aperture LLC, Irvine (bio)
Jeffrey Kinrich, Managing Principal, Analysis Group, Los Angeles (bio)
2:30 – 3:30
Litigators Special Topics. The changing nature of complex commercial litigation and usage of expert witnesses abroad. Conclaves, hot-tubbing and war stories.
Nicholas Mavrakis, Partner, Ashurst Perkins Coie Group, Sydney (bio)
David Wingfield, Partner, Strosberg Wingfield Sasso LLP, Toronto and Barrister, Fountain Court Chambers, London (bio)
How we can use experts more effectively: working with experts and judges to ensure our experts’ evidence is relevant and relatable to the triers-of-fact.
Doru Gavril, Partner, Freshfields US LLP, Silicon Valley (bio)
David Tabak, Senior Managing Director, NERA Economic Consulting, New York (bio)
3:45 – 4:30
Special Session. Mock-Cross Examination & Discussion
4:30 – 5:15
Litigators Panel. Distinctions when working with experts on "different sides of the v."
Tiffany H. Eggers, Senior Counsel, Dykema Gossett PLLC and former Criminal Chief for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas (bio)
Steven Nachtwey, Partner, Bartlit Beck LLP, Chicago (bio)
Cuauhtemoc Ortega, Partner, Stris & Maher LLP and former Federal Public Defender for the Central District of California, Los Angeles (bio)
Dean Pamphilis, Partner, Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP, Houston (bio)
5:15 - 6:15
Cocktails & Networking Reception
* Note that the agenda is provisional and subject to change