California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA)

California Employment Lawyers association ("cela") has approximately 1,200 members. Cela exists to protect and expand the legal rights and opportunities of all California workers and to strengthen the community of Lawyers who represent them. We accomplish this through education and advocacy for worker justice.cela's committees are an integral part of the organization and further support the organization's mission. The committees are comprised of member volunteers and provide a forum for the membership to network, seek advice, and discuss issues of mutual concern in their law practices. Cela currently has 22 active practice area and working committees: amicus; arbitration; barristers; civil rights council regulations; civil rights department; diversity outreach; education; elimination of bias in the judiciary; Employment law practice; immigrant employee rights; caci jury instructions; law practice management; legislative; listserv monitoring; mentor; nominating; political/judicial appointments; public employees; racial justice; wage and hour; women; and worker outreach. Many of these committees organize specific practice area educational events, such as webinars, seminars and panels at the annual conference. Regularly scheduled committee meetings are held monthly and bi-monthly.other membership benefits include: (1) a members only brief bank on the wiki, with over 2,000 Employment law related briefs, such as memoranda of points and authorities, complaints, discovery and trial materials; (2) the cela listserv, an online discussion forum, where members can ask other cela members for briefs and practical advice about their cases; (3) a cela membership directory which lists all current members and their practice areas; (4) a mentor program, which matches seasoned practitioners who will generously share their experience and expertise with newer Lawyers and law students.

Cela has advanced the professional development of its members by conducting webinars, seminars and conferences on a wide range of Employment law and other related matters. During fiscal year 2022-2023, cela conducted eight webinars; an all day wage and hour seminar; a 3-day trial college; and an in person annual conference, which consisted of two and one-half days of panels full of practical advice for employee advocates on topics such as diving into epli, insurance carriers and risk pools; representing individual employees before perb & nlrb; practitioner tips & tools for proving and winning multi-plaintiff widespread discrimination cases; workers' compensation issues for the feha attorney; effectively representing clients with mental disability claims; holding onto the win: fee motions and setting up a successful appeal; and an annual Employment law update (discrimination). Cela's diversity outreach committee also co-sponsored educational events for law clerks and a leadership summit for law students and new Lawyers with other non-profit organizations and law schools.