Upcoming CILS Events
Please visit Past Events for recordings. Directions and parking here.
Dark Patterns: How They Are Used and Regulated on the AI-Driven Web
Monday, Sept. 14, 2026 | 12 – 1 p.m. | King Hall, Room 1301 | MCLE Credits Available | No Registration Fee | Streaming Link
Dark patterns are commonly understood as user interface designs crafted to manipulate people into making choices they wouldn’t otherwise make. But the harms they cause go beyond nudging consumers to buy something they don’t want or need; these designs can coax people into divulging deeply private information that can be used against them. This threat is supercharged by AI-generated, bespoke interfaces, capable of tailoring manipulation to an individual’s specific vulnerabilities in real time. We will examine how the California Consumer Privacy Act and its accompanying regulations attempt to grapple with this problem, where that approach runs into trouble, and what paths forward might actually work.
Jon Fernandez joined Etched, Inc., as Counsel in July 2026. The San Jose company builds frontier inference clusters, a new category of AI hardware. Previously, he was an associate at Skadden for two years. He holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a B.A. in Philosophy and Political Science from UC Davis.
Lunch provided.
Trademark Law: Celebrities’ Latest Weapon in the Battle Against AI
Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026 | 12 – 1 p.m. | King Hall, Room 1301 | MCLE Credits Available | No Registration Fee | Streaming Link
Can trademark law be an effective tool in the fight against AI-generated fakes? Matthew McConaughey, Taylor Swift and Lionel Richie have filed trademark applications to protect their voices and iconic phrases. We will discuss current law and the gaps that compel some celebrities to seek protection under trademark law. We will explore whether this is an effective strategy for an individual to protect their likenesses, voices and catchphrases.
Stacy Don '03 is a trademark attorney in Roseville. She helps clients protect and register trademarks for everything from clothes to cooking robots. She worked at Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe LLP for nearly 10 years before opening her own practice. She has taught trademark law at UC Davis School of Law and USC Gould School of Law.
Lunch provided.
People v. Meta: Protecting Teens' Mental Health
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026 | 12 – 1 p.m. | King Hall, Room 1301 | MCLE Credits Available | No Registration Fee | Streaming Link
Nicklas A. Akers is the Senior Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Consumer Protection Section of the California Department of Justice, where he leads a team of attorneys and investigators responsible for prosecuting complex enforcement actions under the California Unfair Competition Law, the False Advertising Law, the California Consumer Privacy Act, and other civil and criminal statues from initial investigation through appeal. His representative matters include People v. Heald (Corinthian Colleges), People v. Volkswagen, In re Purdue Pharma, and People v. Meta.
Akers was formerly an associate at Sheppard Mullin and a law clerk to Chief Justice Armstrong of the Massachusetts Appeals Court, and he currently serves as a Judge Advocate in the California State Guard. He received his J.D. and M.P.H. from Harvard Law School and the Harvard School of Public Health in 2000, and his B.A. from U.C.L.A. in 1995. He is admitted to practice in California, Massachusetts, and New York.
Lunch provided.
Dr. Marlynn Wei, MD, JD
Thursday, Jan. 21, 2027 | 12 – 1 p.m. | King Hall | MCLE Credits Available | No Registration Fee
Dr. Marlynn Wei, MD, JD, is a Harvard- and Yale-trained psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and AI and mental health thought leader who has become a trusted source for journalists, appearing on CBS Mornings, CNN, PBS News, Fox Business, and other national media outlets.
Dr. Wei is at the forefront of public and clinical discourse on AI and mental health and is sought out for her nuanced analysis. Her articles on Psychology Today have garnered over 4 million views.
As a practicing psychodynamic psychiatrist with a background in law and ethics, she provides an integrated perspective on clinical and policy issues, including the risks and benefits of AI chatbots, AI therapy, and “AI psychosis.”
Lunch provided.