What To Expect At CAALA 2026

Thousands of plaintiff attorneys are packing their bags for Las Vegas this week, and this might be the most action-packed CAALA Vegas convention yet.

CAALA 2026 kicks off Thursday, September 3 and runs through Sunday, September 6 at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. It's the 44th year the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles has hosted its annual convention, and this one is shaping up to be the biggest by a wide margin: more than 4,000 attendees, over 200 exhibitors, and up to 17 hours of MCLE credit packed into three jam-full days.

icepop will be right in the middle of it, set up on the exhibit floor at booth 917, and we cannot wait. Before we get into everything we're bringing to Vegas, here is what to expect once you land.

Why This Year's Convention Is Different

Most years, the CAALA Vegas convention is a great chance to catch up on trial strategy, meet vendors, and network with the rest of the plaintiff bar. That is still true this year, but this convention is also landing a matter of weeks after one of the biggest legislative shakeups California's personal injury industry has seen in years, and the timing could not be better.

In June, Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 623, a compromise between Uber and the Consumer Attorneys of California that ended a looming ballot fight over rideshare liability and personal injury economics. Uber had qualified a statewide initiative that would have capped attorney fees and limited how medical expenses get calculated in auto accident cases. The plaintiff bar fired back with a competing measure of its own. Instead of letting California voters settle it in November, both sides negotiated a legislative settlement that avoids the fee caps but adds new rules around medical liens, referral relationships, and rideshare-specific liability starting in 2027.

That deal is going to be the hallway conversation at CAALA 2026 whether or not it is officially on the agenda. If you handle rideshare or motor vehicle accident cases, this is exactly the year to show up and pay attention.

What's On The Schedule

CAALA 2026 opens with a bang on Thursday. The first general session, "Artificial Intelligence for Use in Your Practice," runs from noon to 2 PM and covers everything from AI basics to the ethical minefields attorneys are navigating with tools like ChatGPT and Claude, plus a judge's take on how AI is showing up in the courtroom. Right after, from 2:30 to 3:30 PM, the second opening session dives straight into rideshare litigation, a topic that genuinely could not be more timely given SB 623.

From there, the schedule keeps moving:

• Thursday evening: Welcome Reception, 6:30 to 8:30 PM in the Cobalt Ballroom

• Friday and Saturday: Concurrent sessions on trial skills, personal injury specialties, required reporting, and legal staff development, plus the exhibit hall open both mornings

• Saturday evening: Closing Party at Liv! Nightclub, 6:30 to 8:30 PM

• Sunday morning: Farewell Breakfast to send everyone home happy

The full schedule and registration details are on CAALA's convention site if you want to map out your days before you land.

AI Is Impossible To Miss This Year

Artificial intelligence has quietly become the theme of the whole show, and it is everywhere you look. It headlines the opening session, it gets its own dedicated ethics track on Friday, and it is all over the exhibit hall floor. Attendees will find AI-powered legal tools from companies like Supio, EvenUp Law, Practice AI, Candle AI, and LawPro.ai, all building products aimed squarely at plaintiff firms rather than the legal industry at large.

Legal intake is one of the most exciting corners of that shift. Platforms like SuperPanel are automating the first conversation a firm has with a potential client: sorting case type, checking jurisdiction, and flagging documentation gaps before a human staffer ever gets involved. For firms fielding thousands of leads a month, that kind of infrastructure is going from novelty to necessity fast, and this is a great place to see it firsthand.

Other Familiar Faces On The Floor

BD&J will not be the only friendly name on the exhibit floor this year. Rockpoint Legal Funding is set up at booth 622, Pre-Litigation Nerd at 1109, Dr. Kiumars Arfai, MD at 218, Body Dynamix at 419, and Signature Resolution at 1000. Each brings something different to the table, from case funding and lien-based medical care to ADR services, so it is worth building a few extra stops into your walk through the hall.

Want to map out your route before you land? CAALA's interactive exhibitor map lets you search booths by name ahead of time, so you are not wandering the Cristal Ballroom trying to remember who is where.

Rideshare Litigation Gets Its Own Spotlight

Given everything happening with SB 623, it makes total sense that organizers gave rideshare litigation a full opening session slot. Sessions cover representing the rideshare driver, the early legal questions around driverless vehicles, and the most recent updates in rideshare litigation, with a judge weighing in on how courts are actually handling these cases.

SB 623 does not take effect until accidents occurring on or after January 1, 2027, but attorneys handling motor vehicle accident cases right now are already adjusting intake criteria, lien strategy, and case valuation models around it. CAALA 2026 is one of the first major gatherings of the plaintiff bar since the law was signed, so do not be surprised if these sessions run long on questions.

Where To Find icepop

We will be at booth 917 all weekend, bringing back a couple of crowd favorites from last year. Stop by for a free professional headshot, or step in front of our green screen for a free video ad you can actually put to work in your own marketing.

You will also spot BD&J at booth 705, with several of their attorneys speaking throughout the weekend on everything from trial storytelling to arbitration strategy. If you handle rideshare or auto accident cases, that is a session lineup worth building into your schedule.

And if legal marketing is on your mind while you are out there, swing by booth 917. We are always up for talking through what is actually moving the needle right now, whether that is the kind of organic growth we helped Nabati Law find or other goals on your mind.

Booth 917, highlighted in green, is icepop's home base for the weekend. Grab your free video ad with us first, then keep walking toward Class Room 1 and 2. Free headshots are set up in the back row, just past the refreshment aisle.

Other Familiar Faces On The Floor

BD&J will not be the only friendly name on the exhibit floor this year. Rockpoint Legal Funding is set up at booth 622, Pre-Litigation Nerd at 1109, Dr. Kiumars Arfai, MD at 218, Body Dynamix at 419, and Signature Resolution at 1000. Each brings something different to the table, from case funding and lien-based medical care to ADR services, so it is worth building a few extra stops into your walk through the hall.

Want to map out your route before you land? CAALA's interactive exhibitor map lets you search booths by name ahead of time, so you are not wandering the Cristal Ballroom trying to remember who is where.

See You In Vegas

CAALA 2026 has a genuinely stacked agenda this year, from AI ethics to rideshare litigation to a legislative settlement the industry is still working through. Between the sessions, the exhibit hall, and the parties, there is a lot to soak up over four days, and we plan to enjoy every minute of it.

If you are heading out, find us at booth 917 while you’re there! If you cannot make it to Vegas but want to talk about growing your firm's marketing, connect with us any time and we’re happy to help you reach your target.