USF Law Review Symposium - Stages of Fire: Mitigation, Adaptation, and Rebuilding

In California and elsewhere across the country, fire is not an option; it is part of who we are, who we were, and who we will continue to be. By examining three stages of wildfire preparedness and response, including mitigation, homeowners’ insurance, and rebuilding, this symposium hopes to illuminate key perspectives and provide a forum for engaged discussion on the current legal landscape and proposals for its future.

Join us for Stages of Fire, a symposium exploring how law and policy can help California adapt to a landscape forever changed by fire. Panels will bring together leading voices in environmental and land use law, insurance and recovery, and climate adaptation to discuss what resilience looks like in an era of increasing wildfires.  

Schedule and Speaker List

Speaker Bios

9–9:30 a.m.

Registration and Continental Breakfast

 

9:30–9:40 a.m.

Welcome Remarks

  • Johanna Kalb, Dean, University of San Francisco School of Law

9:40 AM-10:10 AM

Opening Speaker - Fire Risk in Times of Climate Change

  • David Saah, Professor and Director of the Geospatial Analysis Lab, University of San Francisco 

10:10am -11:40 am

Panel 1 - Mitigating Fire Disaster: Land Management and Human Settlement

Drawing on traditional knowledge, fire mitigation includes prescribed burning and forest management. Beyond the land itself, there are ways we can further mitigate fire risk by evaluating where and how people live. This panel will explore the historical roots of mitigation techniques and the impacts of building and settling lands in high-risk areas.

Moderator:

  • Amanda Riddle, Corey, Luzaich, de Ghetaldi & Riddle 

Panelists:

  • Sara Clark, Shute Mihaly & Weinberger LLP

  • Shelley Ross Saxer, Pepperdine Caruso School of Law

  • Forest Schafer, California Wildfire & Forest Resilience

  • William Siembeda, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

11:30am - 12:45pm

Lunch 

 

12:45 pm - 2:15 pm

Panel 2 - Climate Change as a Driving Force in the Insurance Industry

Wildfires are shaking up the insurance industry, leading to higher rates and, in some cases, decreasing insurance availability. This panel discusses the impacts of climate change on the affordability and availability of insurance, mortgages, and the acquisition of property.

Moderator:

  • Duffy Magilligan, Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy LLP 

Panelists:

  • Amy Bach, United Policyholders

  • Deborah Halberstadt, California Department of Insurance

  • Nancy Watkins, Milliman Climate Resilience Initiative

  • Michael Wara,  Stanford University

2:30-3:45 pm

Panel 3 - Rebuilding: Addressing the Tension between Rebuilding Quickly and Rebuilding Safely

After a fire, homeowners and communities need to rebuild quickly. At the same time, environmental and land use requirements, as well as concerns about future fire risk, could all impact the rebuilding process. This panel evaluates these competing interests, drawing from analogous disasters to share lessons learned post-disaster rebuilding.

Moderator:

  • David Weiss, Reed Smith LLP

Panelists:

  • Elizabeth Hausler, Build Change

  • Clay Kerchof, California Department of Housing and Community Development

  • Kellan Martz, Best Best & Krieger LLP

  • Michael Méndez, University of California, Irvine

  • Robert Verchick, Loyola New Orleans Law School

3:45pm - 4:00pm

CLosing Remarks

 

4:00pm - 5:00pm

Reception

 

MCLE Credits:

Earn up to 4.5 hours of CLE credit.*

Questions? Email Kenji Quijano or call (415) 422-5896.

*This activity has been approved for Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit by the State Bar of California in the amount of 4.5 credit hours. The University of San Francisco School of Law is an approved provider of MCLE and certifies that this activity conforms to the standards for approved educational activities prescribed by the rules and regulations of the State Bar of California governing minimum continuing legal education.