The 35th Annual Labor and Employment Law Spring Conference took
place on Thursday, April 24. Conference co-chair Meghan H. Slack
said conference attendees "received a broad base of information on
issues ranging from the employer mandate in the ACA to a 'view from
the bench' from former District Judge Nancy Gertner," who delivered
remarks to open the event.
Now retired from the bench and working as a Harvard Law School
professor, Gertner's keynote offered a glimpse into the subject of
her forthcoming book by describing a behind-the-scenes look at the
federal court and how non-ideological pressures, such as the Civil
Justice Reform Act, have affected judges' abilities to resolve
cases. Gertner also discussed "the vanishing trial," and how
private mediation and arbitration has reduced the amount of public
law in certain areas.
The well-attended conference went on for about four and half
hours, and in addition to Gertner's remarks attendees were
presented with a vast array of information on cutting edge labor
and employment law issues.