Wildfire Litigation Playbook: Liability, Risk Mitigation, and Claims Strategy

About the Course

Introduction

This CLE webinar will examine wildfire liability, with the panel examining litigation and risk management across the entire wildfire lifecycle. The faculty will cover pre-event planning, real-time response, and post-event claims and recovery.

Description

The authoritative panel discuss liability patterns, including inverse condemnation and negligence, complex coordinated proceedings, insurance recovery, and damages modeling for wildfire litigation. Wildfires in California, Oregon, Hawaii, and other western states have reshaped the operational, financial, and legal landscape. Increased attention is being given to wildfire mitigation practices. Counsel must address risks before a fire, manage investigations and evidence in real time, and navigate claims, regulatory scrutiny, and litigation strategy after the event.

Listen as our litigation faculty provides a lifecycle-based framework to evaluate wildfire exposure and litigation risk with practical tools and real-world experience.

Credit Information

This 90-minute webinar is eligible in most states for 1.5 CLE credits.
Choose a State

Live Online

On Demand

Date + Time

event
Thursday, June 25, 2026
schedule
1:00 PM ET/10:00 AM PT

I. Introduction and Framing

A. Wildfire litigation trends and exposure landscape

II. Liability Framework and Regulatory Context

A. Core liability theories and defenses

B. Role of regulators and compliance expectations

III. Before the Fire: Risk Management and Positioning

A. Mitigation planning, compliance, and documentation

B. Insurance and contractual risk allocation

IV. During the Fire: Response and Evidence Strategy

A. Scene preservation and investigation

B. Litigation holds, privilege, and coordination with agencies

V. After the Fire: Claims, Litigation, and Recovery

A. Causes of action and defenses

B. Damages, insurance recovery, and expert strategy

C. Coordinated proceedings and settlement considerations

VI. Practical Considerations for Practitioners

A. Strategic takeaways across the wildfire lifecycle

The panel will review these and other key issues:

Evolving wildfire liability exposure
Key liability theories and defenses
Pre-fire risk management, compliance, and documentation practices
Evidence preservation, investigations, and privilege considerations during wildfire events
Damages modeling, insurance recovery, and expert strategy in wildfire claims
Coordinated proceedings, settlement dynamics, and litigation strategy