8:30 – 9:00 a.m.
CHECK-IN, CONVERSATION & CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST

9:00 – 9:05 a.m.
WELCOME & INTRODUCTION

9:05 – 9:50 a.m.
Managing the Sea Change – Why 2025 Is Different and What Practitioners Must Consider When Advising Clients in 2026
The legal and practical challenges posed by new laws, unpredictable developments, and changing enforcement trends have resulted in a “sea change” that requires labor and employment attorneys to adjust their expectations and evaluate their client-advising strategies. We will kick off the event with experienced counsel providing a roadmap of the day, examining the developments and discussing actionable strategies for helping clients manage the sea change.
– Professor Stephen F. Befort, Brendan D. Cummins & Paul J. Zech

9:50 – 10:20 a.m.
Remarks by NLRB Acting General Counsel William B. Cowen
Get a focused review of recent actions, policy changes, and anticipated priorities of the EEOC and NLRB.
– William B. Cowen

10:20 – 10:30 a.m.
BREAK

10:30 – 11:15 a.m.
How Recent Supreme Court Decisions are Impacting Labor and Employment Law
The Supreme Court has issued decisions and is considering cases with potentially major implications for employment law. Learn how these decisions may shape workplace policies, employment litigation, and the rights of employers and employees, and how they may potentially impact your strategies for advising clients and assessing potential claims.
– Jody Ward-Rannow

11:15 – 11:20 a.m.
BREAK

11:20 a.m. – 12:05 p.m.
Navigating the Riptides – A DC Insider’s Perspective on Current Changes and the Anticipated Impacts
The rapidly shifting federal regulatory and enforcement landscape, funding cuts, and other seismic shifts make it difficult to assess where we are now and predict what may happen next. Get a DC insider’s insights on how to anticipate, track, and interpret these shifts and gain a better understanding of the broader forces driving these unprecedented changes.
– David S. Fortney

12:05 – 1:05 p.m.
LUNCH (provided by Minnesota CLE)
Catered by Fogo de Chão

1:05 – 1:50 p.m.
State Rights, State Remedies, and State Initiatives – Insights for Advanced Practitioners from Senior Minnesota Agency Leaders
The uncertainty created by the complex network of executive orders, federal mandates, and agency actions promulgated by the current administration has generated new interest in state-level workplace initiatives and civil rights protections. Join key Minnesota agency leaders for their perspectives on the changes impacting the workplace, and what their agencies are doing to enforce state laws, support Minnesota employers, and protect workers’ rights.
– Minnesota DLI Commissioner Nichole M. Blissenbach
– Minnesota DHR Commissioner Rebecca A. Lucero
– Minnesota DEED Deputy Commissioner Evan Rowe
– Penelope J. Phillips (moderator)

1:50 – 2:00 p.m.
BREAK

2:00 – 2:45 p.m.
BREAKOUT SESSION A

101
What is DEI Discrimination and Where Do We Go from Here? – A Discussion of Legal and Effective Ways to Navigate the Changing DEI Landscape
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is under unprecedented scrutiny. The legal landscape is rapidly shifting, with regulatory and enforcement priorities, including those of the EEOC, being redirected. Join our experienced panel for a discussion of current threats and opportunities and get guidance on how to develop a legally sound strategy for navigating  recent and anticipated shifts in policy and enforcement priorities, mitigating risks associated with new interpretations of the law, and maintaining an equitable workplace.
– James C. Burroughs, II, Kathryn M. Engdahl & MacKenzie L. Hertz

102
What NEW Federal Immigration Policy Means for Businesses and Their Workforce – Key Guidance for Employees, Employers and Corporate Counsel
This session will dissect key new and anticipated policy changes—including heightened H-1B requirements, increased worksite enforcement (I-9 audits and ICE raids), and the fate of programs like DACA. Gain practical, actionable legal guidance on compliance strategies, risk mitigation, and corporate counsel responsibilities for advising both employers and foreign national employees about the issues at the intersection of labor and employment law and immigration law.
– Jesse E. Goldfarb & Loan T. Huynh

2:45 – 2:50 p.m.
BREAK

2:50 – 3:35 p.m.
BREAKOUT SESSION B

201
How SCOTUS and the Trump Administration are Redefining Religious Freedom in the Workplace and the Implications for Your Clients
This session analyzes Executive Orders, agency guidance, and recent Supreme Court decisions and discusses the evolving legal landscape surrounding the First Amendment’s Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses in workplaces. The discussion will include best practices for handling religious expression, employee religious accommodations, and other evolving issues.
– Professor Thomas C. Berg, Sheila A. Engelmeier, Nicholas J. Nelson & Kaarin Nelson Schaffer
– Michael J. Moberg (moderator)

202
What’s Changed and What Hasn’t for Workers – Current Trends in Organizing, Pay Transparency, Retaliation, Free Speech and Other Issues
This session will provide an advanced analysis of current labor and employment law trends, including shifts in organizing and protected concerted activity, the proliferation of pay transparency laws, and the complex interplay between workplace retaliation and employee free speech rights. Gain essential legal insights to protect workers and advise corporate clients on maintaining compliance and managing evolving workforce expectations.
– Jose Alfredo Gomez Rosales, Jennifer A. Hadsall, Timothy J. Louris, Merle Payne & Thomas R. Trachsel

3:35 – 3:45 p.m.
BREAK

3:45 – 4:45 p.m.
Staying Afloat and Charting New Courses in Sea Change – Mental Health Strategies for Advanced Labor and Employment Attorneys
1.0 mental health/substance use credit applied for
In today’s rapidly changing landscape, it’s easy to feel caught in the storm of new developments, difficult legal situations, and complex issues. Managing this environment can lead to challenges with mental health and substance use. This session shares practical advice for healthy ways to process the stress and offers resources for preventing or treating mental health or substance use issues.
– Jon M. Tynjala

LIVE IN-PERSON
Thursday, November 20, 2025
Minnesota CLE Conference Center
600 Nicollet Mall, Suite 370
Seventh Street & Nicollet Mall, Third Floor City Center
Minneapolis, Minnesota

ONLINE REPLAY
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
Attend online
Online replay includes all plenary and breakout sessions. A moderator will be available to answer questions by email.

$345 MSBA members / $345 paralegals / $395 standard rate

Other discounts that may apply:

• Season Pass Discount
• New Lawyer Discount

Scholarships available!
Need-based scholarships are available for in-person and online seminars. For further information or to obtain a scholarship application, contact us at 800-759-8840 or customerservice@minncle.org.

Minnesota CLE is applying to the Minnesota State Board of CLE for 6.0 CLE credits, including 1.0 mental health/substance use credit. The maximum number of total credits attendees may claim for this program is 6.0 credits.

Minnesota CLE also has applied to the Minnesota State Bar Association for 6.0 labor and employment law specialist credits.