2024 Conference Sessions - California Association of Licensed Investigators

Home2024 Conference Sessions

Pre-Conference: Thursday, October 17

9:00 AM - 12:30 PM

Advanced Background Investigations, Due Diligence, and Social Media
Chris Reynolds, Chris Reynolds Investigations

Chris Reynolds has been licensed as a private investigator since 1979 and has conducted thousands of background investigations for his worldwide clientele. Chris currently conducts due diligence investigations for venture capital firms, investors, Fortune 500 companies, and private parties interested in going beyond the basics.

This course will focus on how to go beyond the standard online database reports to find and develop leads to relevant information for your clients. Learn to interpret data and expand your knowledge sources. This class will help you organize and prepare complex background and due diligence investigation reports.

Friday, October 18

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Covering a Con Artist: the Story of Dirty John
Keynote Speaker: Christopher Goffard, LA Times

Christopher Goffard will focus on the story of John Meehan, the prolific fraudster who terrorized a Newport Beach family and became the subject of a hit podcast and TV show.

10:15 AM - 11:00 AM

Behind the Curtain in the Database World
Neil Caddell, IDI

During this session, Neil will discuss the evolution of databases from the 1990s and how research was done before to where we are now and moving forward in today’s difficult information age.

11:30 AM - 12:45 PM

Promoting Your Business On Social Media
Rosie Ukumura, IRL Rosie

Join Rosie for an enlightening discussion on navigating social media to promote your private investigator business and brand. In this session, Rosie will share tailored strategies for creating engaging content, attracting potential clients, and building a credible online presence. Whether you're looking to expand your client base or establish your brand as a trusted investigator, Rosie's insights will provide the tools you need to effectively market your personality, firm, and services through all the different social media platforms!

11:30 AM - 12:45 PM

Workplaces and Campuses - the New(ish) Field of Neutral Investigations
Keith Rohman, Public Interest Investigations Inc.

Over the last twenty years, a new type of work has emerged as an adjunct to traditional private investigation: Neutral third-party investigations of workplace and campus issues which arise in response to discrimination and harassment claims. The “Me-too” movement added to this, but neutral investigations are happening in other areas of corporate and public sector misconduct as well. While some private investigators are involved in this work, lawyers and law firms are making a business out of it.

This training, by an experienced workplace and campus investigator, will provide an overview of this evolving field, its components, the qualifications needed and resources to learn to be able to do this work effectively. The training will also cover trauma-informed interview techniques which are part of the skill set often helpful in this context.

11:30 AM - 12:45 PM

TruLookup – More Than Just a Database
Joe Mangano, TransUnion
Aleck Ragsdale, TransUnion

During the session, Joe Mangano and Aleck Ragsdale will discuss and demonstrate how to use the advanced technology of TransUnion’s TruLookup Investigative Database. You will learn how to quickly and accurately get the actionable insights you need to improve your investigations and impress your clients.

2:00 PM - 3:15 PM

Threat & Violence Assessment and the Workplace Investigator
Dr. Jim Cawood, Factor One, Inc.

Behavioral threat assessment and management is an expanding field of specialized expertise, with cases that are found in a wide variety of organizational settings, both public and private. In this session, we will explore how investigators can aid in conducting behavioral threat assessments and how they can work effectively to coordinate their own workplace investigations with behavioral threat assessments that may need to be conducted in parallel with their investigations. We will also discuss how an investigator might begin to develop the expertise to provide behavioral threat assessments to their clients while limiting their exposure to claims of professional negligence.

2:00 PM - 3:15 PM

Maintaining & Expanding Your PI Business
Cameron Jackson, C. Jackson Investigations, Inc.
Shannon Tullos, CCII, Shannon Tulloss Investigations
Moderator: Jay Rosenzweig, CPI, BirthParentFinder.com

Cameron Jackson and Shannon Tulloss will discuss realistic expectations for private investigators interested in expanding their business. They will cover when and how to expand, what to do during slower times, and management tips for acquiring and maintaining great employees and subcontractors. This session will be moderated by Jay Rosenzweig, CALI Chairman of the Board.

3:30 PM - 4:45 PM

Leveraging Digital Evidence: Maximizing Impact in Legal Investigations
Jason Hawks, Hawks Consulting LLC

In today's digital age, the abundance of data generated by cell phones, connected cars, and other cellular-connected devices presents unprecedented opportunities and challenges for investigators. Understanding the availability and significance of this data can significantly impact the outcome of criminal, civil, family, or estate investigations.

Join renowned expert Jason Hawks for an in-depth exploration into the realm of digital evidence. In this illuminating session, participants will gain invaluable insights into the wealth of data at their disposal and its potential implications for their cases.

In a landscape where data is transient, acting swiftly to obtain overlooked evidence can provide a critical tactical advantage. Jason will equip attendees with the tools and strategies necessary to navigate the digital landscape effectively, ensuring they uncover vital evidence that can make all the difference in their cases.

3:30 PM - 4:45 PM

Solving Your Cases Using DNA & Genealogy
Misty Gillis, BirthParentFinder.com

Join Misty Gillis as she presents on how Genetic Genealogy and DNA can solve your cases. In this session, Misty will present how she used DNA results to identify the unidentified remains of Harold Dean Clouse, and the subsequent investigation into locating his missing daughter, Holly Clouse. This high-profile case garnered media attention for the vast amount of collaboration and the search for missing “Baby Holly.” Misty will also dive into how DNA results can be used to find biological families and long-lost relatives.

Saturday, October 19

9:30 AM - 10:45 AM

Criminal Defense Investigation: Approaching Every Case As If It’s Going to the Highest Court In The Land, Because You Never Know…
Anthony Hopkins, CPI, Anthony Hopkins Investigations

This session will spotlight common errors in criminal defense investigations and explore how to maximize defense objectives. Anthony will also present a case study on a rather routine investigation that took on a much greater dimension than ever imagined, resulting in a High Court precedent setting decision.

9:30 AM - 10:45 AM

Surveillance Unveiled: Behind the Tinted Windows
Mark JaCobson, JaCobson Investigative Solutions Inc

This session will provide the ins and outs on how to conduct a successful day of surveillance investigation. Topics will include: pre-case research, choosing the right equipment, useful software and websites, correctly identifying your subject, picking an optimal surveillance position, apartment setups, working within privacy laws, tailing tips and tricks, what to do if you lose ‘em, and even how to stay cool in the summer.

11:00 AM - 12:15 PM

Mastering the Art of Testifying
Lisa Rosenthal, Esq., Law Offices of Rosenthal & Associates

It’s essential that the investigator has a clear understanding of the case. Ms. Rosenthal will walk you through the process of how to make yourself an invaluable resource to your client by collecting information and presenting it in deposition and/or in court.

11:00 AM - 12:15 PM

Limiting Liability and Protecting Yourself as a Private Investigator
Isaac Peck, OREP Insurance Services, LLC

What are the most common legal claims private investigators face and what can you do to protect your business? In this session, Isaac Peck will share several real-world claims PIs have faced and share advice on how private investigators can protect themselves, limit their liability, and stay out of trouble.

1:30 PM - 3:00 PM

In Light of All Darkness: The Polly Klaas Legacy
Keynote Speaker: Kim Cross, Author

Paced like a thriller and full of insider information on the history and science of Crime Scene Investigation, In Light of All Darkness embeds readers in one of the most famous true-crime stories of our generation—the kidnapping of Polly Klaas—a case as pivotal in the history of the FBI as the Unabomber or Oklahoma City bombing.

On October 1, 1993, a 12-year-old girl was kidnapped at knifepoint from her bedroom in Petaluma, California, during a sleepover with two friends, while her mother slept soundly in the room next door. This rarest of all kidnappings—a stranger abduction from the home—triggered one of the largest manhunts in FBI history.

Many Americans remember Polly's face, which appeared on the national news every night, on the cover of People magazine, and on more than 8 million flyers distributed as far as China. The emotional gravity of Polly’s story touched every agent, police officer, and forensic technician who worked on her case. Many of these investigators have never shared their stories—until now.

New York Times bestselling author Kim Cross has written the first comprehensive account of what happened on that fateful night in October, as well as how the case forever transformed the Bureau’s approach to solving crimes. With unprecedented access to files, crime scene photos, a videotaped murder confession, and inside sources, In Light of All Darkness follows the investigators who pieced together the evidence that led to the arrest and conviction of the kidnapper—and made the victim a household name and a girl who will never be forgotten.

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