Events

ABA Section of Litigation, Products Liability Committee, Tenth Annual Women in Products Liability Regional CLE Workshop

October 15, 2009

Program Co-Chairs

Mary T. Yelenick, Partner          Chadbourne & Parke LLP, New York, NY

Jessie Zeigler, Partner Bass, Berry & Sims, PLC, Nashville, TN

Program

Breakfast and Opening Remarks: 8:00-9:00

See It, Hear It, Feel It, Sense It! Handling Trial Themes in Difficult Cases: 9:00 – 10:15

The eve of trial is not the time to come up with your case theme. Rather, you should begin to pitch and support your theme in discovery. Developing and implementing case themes is especially challenging when dealing with “bad facts,” finger pointing among defendants, biased witnesses, and other problematic situations. This distinguished panel of experts from both sides of the bar and in-house counsel discuss case theme issues that develop in a variety of products liability lawsuits.

Moderators	Panelists
Cynthia Cohen, Ph.D. Verdict Success LLC, Los Angeles, CA	Phil Beck, Partner Bartlit, Beck, Herman, Palenchar & Scott, LLP, Chicago, IL
Amy Sherry Fischer, Partner Foliart, Huff, Ottaway and Bottom, Oklahoma City, OK	Laura DeSantos, Of Counsel Clark, Thomas & Winters PC, Houston, TX
	Jeff Kroll, Founder Law Offices of Jeffrey J. Kroll, Chicago, IL
	Mary Beth McCarthy, Senior Counsel Three Rivers Management, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA

Cost-Effective and Innovative Methods for Managing Litigation: 10:30 – 11:45

In the current economic climate, it is paramount to both in-house counsel and outside counsel that litigation costs be minimized while still ensuring top quality legal services. This panel will explore cost-effective and innovative ways to control litigation costs without adversely impacting the quality of service, including: using technology to achieve better outcomes and to reduce, control and more accurately forecast litigation costs; outsourcing to improve efficiency and cost effectiveness; using proactive budgeting and case management to improve the litigation process; and adopting other creative cost-cutting measures such as alternative fee arrangements and utilizing external service providers. 

 

Moderators	Panelists
Courtney Fletcher, Associate Alston & Bird LLP, Atlanta, GA	Faiz Ahmed, Vice President, Insurance CT TyMetrix, Chicago, IL
Darlene Klein, Director, Insurance & Claims Navigant Consulting Inc., Chicago, IL	Jeff Dickerson, CEO Cobra Legal Solutions, Atlanta, GA
	Kate Helm, Partner Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, Atlanta, GA
	Jason Maxwell, Vice President and Associate General Counsel for Litigation Cardinal Health, McGaw Park, IL

 Networking Lunch: 11:45 – 1:00

 The Ethics of Managing Your Litigation in Tough Economic Times: 1:00 – 2:15

Whether you are an in-house attorney or an attorney practicing with a law firm, you probably have had to face the issue of cutting costs in these tough economic times. Do you outsource certain work? Hire contract attorneys at a cheaper hourly rate? Can you bill the client for costs associated with these measures? Do you need client approval before outsourcing? Are there particular ethical obligations of which you should be aware and ethical pitfalls to avoid? Come listen to our panel discuss these timely issues and others and learn whether the savings in dollars are a benefit when compared to the costs of compliance with the rules of ethics, particularly as we look at the implications and parameters of Rules 1.5(a), 1.6(a), 1.10, 5.1(b), 5.3(b), 5.5(a) and 7.5(d) of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct.

Moderators	Panelists
Shawan Gillians, Associate Buist, Moore, Smythe, McGee, P.A., Charleston, SC	Lori Gordon, Loss Prevention Counsel ALAS, Inc., Chicago, IL
Mary Meyer, Partner Adams and Reese LLP, New Orleans, LA	Judith Schening, Partner Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P., Dallas, TX
	Joseph Suarez, Senior Counsel The Procter & Gamble Co., Cincinnati, OH

Jury Selection: How Today’s Challenges Shape Our Approach: 2:15 – 3:45

How are today's economic challenges impacting jurors and outcomes? How do multiple instant communication options and information resources affect jurors' attitudes, expectations and behavior? A jury consultant, in-house counsel and trial attorneys will apply their collective experience to demonstrate how to recognize and handle these and other important issues through effective and economical use of jury research, jury questionnaires and jury consultants in addition to an interactive mock jury selection.

Moderators	Panelists
Elizabeth Raines, Member Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice, Kansas City, MO	Andrew L. Goldman, Partner Goldman Ismail Tomaselli Brennan & Baum LLP
Maria Ruiz, Partner Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman, LLP, Miami, FL	Jody Pabst, Senior Attorney Walgreen Co, Deerfield, IL
	Jane Thorpe, Partner Alston & Bird, Atlanta GA
	Tara Trask, President Tara Trask and Associates

Afternoon Break: 3:45 – 4:00

Special Anniversary Panel: The “Lionesses of WIPL”: 4:00 – 5:15

These esteemed lawyers were there at the beginning of the Women in Products Liability Regional CLE Workshops. They will take a look back over the last 10 years and will note where women litigators were then and how far we all have come over the last decade. Learn from their experiences and hear their expert tips on handling the challenges that still lie ahead regarding developing your practice and building your business, managing your career in an ever-changing economy, and creating a dynamic, diverse and collaborative workplace.

Moderator	Panelists
Joanne Gray, Partner Goodwin Procter, LLP, New York, NY	Sheila Birnbaum, Partner Skadden Arps, New York, NY
	Helen Kathryn Downs, Partner Johnston Barton Proctor & Rose, LLP, Birmingham, AL
	Sara Gourley, Partner Sidley Austin, Chicago, IL
	Beth Kaufman, Partner Schoeman, Updike & Kaufman, LLP, New York, NY
	Kim E. Moore, Partner Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, New Orleans, LA

Networking reception to follow at 5:15 p.m. at Sidley Austin LLP