Prior to filing the Joint Preliminary Report and Discovery Plan, lead counsel for
all parties are required to confer in person in an effort to settle the case, discuss
discovery, limit issues, and discuss other matters also addressed in the Joint
Preliminary Report and Discovery Plan. The conference shall be held within sixteen
days after the appearance of a defendant by answer or motion and shall comply with
the requirements of Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(f). Counsel are required to inform the parties
promptly of all offers of settlement proposed at conference.
If the filing deadline for the Certificate of Interested Persons (see LR 3.3) has not
already passed, counsel may wish to include the certificate on counsel’s agenda for the
Rule 26(f) conference.
