Legal Question in Civil Litigation in California

Clients should be at the mandatory settlement conference since they're the ones who make the decision to settle and will acknowledge to the court their understanding of and consent to the terms. On the other hand, the final status conference is usually just procedural, and occurs just a handful of days before trial. At that conference, motions might be ruled upon, jury instructions might be discussed, and timing of the trial and witnesses might be an issue. It's not something clients attend.

Clients and anyone with settlement authority, such as an insurance adjuster, MUST be at the mandatory settlement conference. The word "mandatory" means it is mandatory that they are there, not mandatory that they settle.

Cohen and Roach are correct. I would just ad that most judges will issue significant monetary sanctions against clients who do not show up for the mandatory settlement conferenc.