i.  Conference Notice:  The court issues a Notice of Scheduling Conference under Rule 16 and
Rule 26(f) upon filing of the answer. On some occasions the fact that an Answer has been filed escapes the attention of the court, so if three weeks have passed since the Answer was filed with no Notice of Scheduling Conference having been issued, counsel should contact the court’s case manager to inquire.

ii. Conference: The court will conduct an off the record scheduling conference with trial counsel in chambers. Occasionally the court may require attendance of responsible parties. Conducting the conference with counsel by telephone may sometimes be permitted. The Notice outlines the usual areas of inquiry, and Plaintiff's counsel is expected to organize consultation upon receiving the defendant's Answer. Counsel may wish to refer to the court's suggested outline of a 26(f) plan.