DRI Faculty List

Life, Health, Disability and ERISA Seminar

Swissotel Chicago | Chicago, IL | April 26 - 28, 2017


Joshua Bachrach
Partner
Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP

Joshua Bachrach is the chair of Wilson Elser's Life, Health, Disability & ERISA practice. Josh represents clients in state and federal courts throughout the United States in litigation involving ERISA and non-ERISA life, health and disability disputes, as well as disputes over pension benefits. Josh also represents insurers in coverage and bad faith litigation and has experience with disputes involving managed care issues. He is a frequent speaker at national seminars on ERISA-related subjects and has written numerous articles on ERISA and related topics. Josh is a partner in Wilson Elser's Philadelphia office.


Patrick W. Begos
Partner
Robinson & Cole LLP

Patrick W. Begos is a partner at Robinson & Cole LLP in Stamford, Connecticut and New York City. His practice is focused on employee benefit claim defense and general business litigation, and he has almost 30 years of litigation, arbitration, mediation, and negotiation experience, representing companies and individuals in a wide array of commercial disputes. He has written extensively on ERISA litigation for DRI and other organizations.


Michael H. Bernstein
Partner
Sedgwick LLP

Michael H. Bernstein is a partner in the New York office of Sedgwick LLP, a 300-attorney litigation and trial law firm with 14 offices in North America, Bermuda, and Europe. Mr. Bernstein is chair of the firm's Health Care Practice Group and practices in the areas of ERISA and non-ERISA life, health, and disability benefits litigation, managed care litigation, and related insurance coverage issues. He counsels employee benefit plan administrators and fiduciaries concerning ERISA, employee benefits, and health care issues and has successfully defended life, health, and disability claims brought against plan administrators, employers, and managed care organizations. After obtaining his B.A., cum laude, at the State University of New York at Albany, Mr. Bernstein earned his J D. at Pace University School of Law. Mr. Bernstein is admitted to practice in the state courts of New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, District of Connecticut and the Northern, Western, Eastern, and Southern Districts of New York, the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the First, Second and Third, Fourth, Tenth, and Eleventh Circuits, and the United States Supreme Court. He is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, a preeminent supporter of scholarly sociolegal research, and a member of the American Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, the International Association of Defense Counsel, the American Health Lawyers Association, and the Defense Research Institute. Mr. Bernstein is a prolific writer on topics concerning ERISA, employee benefits, and legal issues facing the health care industry. He is also frequently called upon to be a speaker or panelist at legal and health care industry events.


Lisa H. Cain
Senior Counsel
Humana Inc

Lisa H. Cain is a Senior Counsel at Humana in Louisville, Kentucky, where she manages litigation and threatened actions involving bad faith, breach of contract, ERISA benefits, and disability benefits. Before coming to Humana, Lisa was a partner at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP in Louisville, Kentucky, where her practice was concentrated on ERISA and non-ERISA life, health, and disability matters. Lisa is also an avid NHL fan and a proud hockey mom.


Catherine M.A. Carroll
Partner-in-Charge, Washington DC Office
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP

Catherine M.A. Carroll practice focuses on appellate litigation in the US Supreme Court and the federal courts of appeals, as well as district court litigation and client counseling in matters raising complex legal questions. She has argued cases before the US Supreme Court and the US Courts of Appeals for the First, Second, Ninth, and District of Columbia Circuits. Ms. Carroll serves as partner-in-charge of the Washington DC office.Ms. Carroll's practice spans a wide range of issues of federal law. Her recent litigation matters have involved such diverse areas as ERISA, insurance and reinsurance, tax law, antitrust law, foreign sovereign immunity, copyright, and criminal law and procedure. In addition, she frequently represents clients on a pro bono basis in cases raising significant issues of constitutional law and capital habeas procedure.In 2016 and 2014, Ms. Carroll was named a "Rising Star" by Law360 as one of the top appellate attorneys under 40 years old. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Carroll served as a law clerk to Associate Justice David H. Souter of the US Supreme Court. Previously, she clerked for The Honorable Harry T. Edwards of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.


J.S. (Chris) Christie, Jr.
Partner
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

J.S. (Chris) Christie, Jr., represents his clients as a Birmingham, Alabama, partner of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP. Chris serves as leader of Bradley's Insurance Practice Group and as co-chair of its Pro Bono Committee. The American College of Employee Benefits Counsel selected him as a Fellow in 2012. The Best Lawyers in America has listed him since 2005. Before joining Bradley, Chris taught law as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cameroon at the University of Yaoundé.


Ann M. Courtney
Assistant Vice President and Senior Counsel
Unum Group

Ann M. Courtney is Assistant Vice President and Senior Counsel in Unum's Portland, Maine office, managing ERISA and non-ERISA Life, Disability and Long Term Care claim litigation and pre-litigation cases nationally. Ann is a cum laude graduate of the Western New England College School of Law in Springfield, Massachusetts. Ann is a former President of the Maine State Bar Association and currently serves on the Maine Board of Bar Examiners. She is an active member of the DRI Life, Health & Disability Committee.


Byrne J. Decker
Partner
Pierce Atwood LLP

Byrne J. Decker is a Partner in the Portland, Maine office of Pierce Atwood, LLP. He has a national practice in employee benefits/ERISA litigation. Byrne has defended benefits claims in district courts in every federal judicial circuit. He is a frequent writer and speaker on ERISA topics and is the current Vice-Chair of the DRI Life, Health & Disability Committee.


Elizabeth G. Doolin
Member
Chittenden Murday & Novotny LLC

Elizabeth G. Doolin is a member of Chittenden, Murday & Novotny LLC in Chicago, Illinois. She has nearly 25 years of experience representing insurance and financial services industry clients in ERISA litigation, life insurance litigation, insurance coverage disputes, healthcare contract litigation, insurance tax litigation, commercial disputes, securities fraud and RICO claims, employment discrimination matters, and regulatory issues. Elizabeth has significant trial and appellate experience, and is a frequent author and speaker on insurance and litigation issues. She has also been recognized as one of the Top 10 Women Civil Appellate Lawyers in Illinois by the Leading Lawyers Network. She is a member of DRI's Life, Health and Disability, Data Management and Security, and Women in the Law Committees.


C. Claibourne (Clay) Greene
Assistant General Counsel
Northwestern Mutual Life Ins Co.

C. Claibourne (Clay) Greene is an Assistant General Counsel in The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company's Law Department. As a member of the Law Department's Litigation Team, Clay is responsible for overseeing a broad range of litigation and arbitration matters, including disputes relating to insurance coverage, construction defects, bankruptcy, securities, and investment and insurance sales practices. Clay also spends significant time counseling clients on pre-litigation matters, including regulatory reviews, internal investigations, litigation avoidance initiatives and alternative dispute resolution. Clay is a former shareholder in a Milwaukee litigation firm, where he practiced primarily in the areas of product liability, trucking accidents and commercial litigation Clay is admitted to practice in the State of Wisconsin and before the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern District and Western Districts of Wisconsin.


Schaun D. Henry
McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC

Schaun D. Henry practices in the Labor & Employment Group at McNees, Wallace & Nurick LLC in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He provides representation and counseling to employers on a wide range of labor and employment matters, including employment discrimination cases under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and other federal, state and local issues. Schaun defends employers against charges of discrimination before the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission and in federal and state courts. He also assists employers with Affirmative Action planning and defense. He also counsels and defends employers with respect to immigration-related employment issues. Schaun provides guidance for employers on unfair labor practices and other labor relations issues, as well as providing representation for employers at labor arbitrations and negotiations. He advises employers on a wide variety of personnel issues including hiring, termination and revision of policies. Schaun provides assistance to public employers with respect to collective bargaining and other labor related issues under the Public Employee Relations Act, Act 111 and the Heart and Lung Act. Before undertaking the practice of law, Schaun served in the Armed Forces and is a retired Major of U. S. Army Special Forces.


Bernadette M. Inskeep
APCD Program Director
UnitedHealthcare

Bernadette M. Inskeep, RN BSN, is the National Program Director for All Payer Claims Database operations at UnitedHealthcare in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is responsible for leading and coordinating the strategic and operational approach to APCD submissions and ensuring compliance. As a national expert on All Payer Claims databases, she is an active partner with many states and participates on many APCD technical advisory committees, including Oregon, Connecticut, Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina. She also attended work groups and participated in collaborative activities in Washington, New Mexico, Massachusetts Maine and Utah.


Dan Jacks, Ph.D.
Partner
EDGE Litigation Consulting LLC

Dan Jacks, Ph.D., is a partner with EDGE Litigation Consulting, LLC in Kingwood, Texas. Dr. Jacks has helped attorneys win high-stakes cases in several notoriously plaintiff-friendly venues across the country. Dan consults and does jury research and jury selection on a huge variety of cases, including cases involving refinery explosions, well blowouts, plane crashes, intellectual property, and insurance companies accused of bad faith. He does a great deal of work in Texas and Louisiana, but has worked in nearly every state, including Alaska.


Jeaneen J. Johnson
Counsel
Semmes Bowen & Semmes PC

Jeaneen J. Johnson is Counsel to the law firm of Semmes, Bowen & Semmes PC in its Baltimore, Maryland office. She focuses her practice in general civil litigation, concentrating on life, health and disability insurance defense and ERISA claims, administrative claims before insurance regulators, insurance coverage, and general liability defense. Ms. Johnson has also represented clients in EEOC matters and employment law cases. She practices in the state and federal courts of Maryland and the District of Columbia and is also admitted to practice in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. She is an experienced mediator. She is a member of several national and state professional associations and is also a member of the Diversity Subcommittee for DRI's Life, Health and Disability Committee.


Keiko J. Kojima
Partner
Burke Williams & Sorensen LLP

Keiko J. Kojima is a Partner in the Los Angeles office of Burke, Williams & Sorensen LLP. Her practice focuses on the representation of insurers, third-party administrators, and employers in ERISA litigation, and the representation of insurers in life, health and disability litigation. She has successfully tried and litigated cases within California at both the trial and appellate court levels. She also defends clients in class actions and general business disputes.


D. Larry Kristinik, III
Partner
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP

D. Larry Kristinik, III, is a partner in the Columbia, South Carolina, office of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP. His practice is focused on the defense of claims of alleged bad faith refusal to pay benefits under individual life, disability, and accident insurance policies and providing pre-decision and regulatory advice to insurers. He also has extensive experience with policy rescissions, agent misconduct claims, and interpleaders. He is the chair of Nelson Mullins' insurance industry practice group and also is a member of the Association of Life Insurance Counsel. He is the former chair of the Insurance Law Practice Group of ALFA International. He has previously served as a speaker at DRI's Life, Health, Disability & ERISA Seminar and Boot Camp for Young Lawyers. He has served in the leadership of the Life, Health and Disability Committee for several years and will serve as the Program Chair for the 2018 DRI Life, Health, Disability & ERISA Seminar.


Leonor (Leo) M. Lagomasino
Partner
Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP

Leonor (Leo) M. Lagomasino, a partner with Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP in the Miami, Florida office, defends insurers in cases involving individual disability and ERISA, bad faith, life insurance and commercial first party coverage actions. She is the Chair of DRI's Life, Health and Disability Committee.


Linda M. Lawson
Managing Partner
Meserve Mumper Hughes LLP

Linda M. Lawson is the managing partner of the Los Angeles office of Meserve Mumper & Hughes LLP. Ms. Lawson represents insurance companies in matters relating to life, health and disability coverage and ERISA. She also represents management in employment-related litigation involving wrongful termination, sexual harassment and employment discrimination. Ms. Lawson is currently a member of DRI's Law Institute, DRI's Employment Law Committee, and is a past chair of the Life, Health and Disability Committee.


Cristin J. Mack
Member
Hall & Evans LLC

Cristin J. Mack is a Member of Hall & Evans,, LLC in Denver, Colorado, where her focus is on insurance and bad faith litigation, business and complex commercial litigation, ERISA and AD&D, and professional liability defense. Her practice also includes a broad range of medical issues in cases brought against insurers. Ms. Mack litigates disputes in federal and state courts, defending individuals and companies alike.


John E. Meagher
Partner
Shutts & Bowen LLP

John E. Meagher is a partner in the Miami office of Shutts & Bowen LLP, where he chairs the Insurance Practice Group. A Martindale-Hubbell AV rated trial lawyer, John is recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in America® in insurance law and been named a "Top Lawyer" by South Florida Legal Guide. John has represented insurers in numerous jury trials and appellate proceedings. While based in Florida, John has been retained by insurers to handle matters throughout the country.


Moheeb H. Murray
Partner
Bush Seyferth & Paige PLLC

Moheeb H. Murray leads the insurance coverage practice team at Bush Seyferth & Paige PLLC in Troy, Michigan. He represents leading national insurers in life, disability, ERISA, and other insurance matters at stages of litigation. Moheeb is a past co-chair of the Insurance Practice Area Committee for the National Association of Women and Minority Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF). Moheeb graduated cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School and with high distinction from the University of Michigan's Stephen M. Ross School of Business.


Eric B. Myers
Deputy General Counsel
AIG

Eric B. Myers is Deputy General Counsel – Life, Health & Disability for AIG in Houston, Texas. He provides legal support for the Life, Health & Disability module within AIG Consumer Insurance. Prior to going in-house, Eric engaged in the private practice of law with a concentration in the defense of life, health, disability and ERISA litigation. Before entering private practice, Eric was a law clerk for the Honorable Deborah S. Eyler, Associate Judge of the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland. Eric received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.


Donna Alberts Peel
Of Counsel
Kirkland & Ellis LLP

Donna Alberts Peel is Of Counsel in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. She brings her significant antitrust enforcement experience to Kirkland's Merger & Acquisitions Clearance Group where she focuses on mergers and other transactions before the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC), with an emphasis on filings under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Antitrust Improvement Act. Prior to joining Kirkland Donna had 11 years of government experience and founded a nonprofit for legal aid.


Douglas R. Richmond
Managing Director
Aon Risk Solutions

Douglas R. Richmond is Managing Director of the Professional Services Group of Aon Risk Solutions. Before joining Aon, he was a partner with Armstrong Teasdale LLP in Kansas City, Missouri. Doug is a co-author of Understanding Insurance Law (5th ed. 2012) and the lead author of Professional Responsibility in Litigation (2d ed. 2016). He teaches Legal Ethics at the Northwestern University School of Law and Insurance Law at the University of Florida College of Law.


Mark E. Schmidtke
Shareholder
Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart PC

Mark E. Schmidtke is a shareholder with the law firm of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. in its offices in Valparaiso, Indiana and Chicago, Illinois. For over thirty years, Mr. Schmidtke has represented insurers, employers and fiduciaries in ERISA and non-ERISA employee benefit litigation throughout the United States. In 2016, Mr. Schmidtke was appointed as Chair of the U.S. Department of Labor Advisory Council on Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans, commonly known as the ERISA Advisory Council. He was appointed to the Council by Labor Secretary Thomas Perez in 2014 and also served as Vice Chair of the ERISA Advisory Council in 2015. Mr. Schmidtke has authored numerous books and articles on employee benefit topics in various national publications. He is a Fellow in the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel. In July 2016, he was selected for inclusion in Who's Who Legal – Labour, Employment & Benefits, an international listing of attorneys selected based on the opinions of law firm clients and labor, employment, and benefits lawyers from around the world. Mr. Schmidtke is an AV lawyer in Martindale Hubbell and has been selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America. He was selected by Best Lawyers peers as Lawyer of the Year – Employee Benefits Litigation for the Chicago Region for 2017.


Gary Schuman
Senior Counsel - Litigation
Combined Insurance Co of America

Gary Schuman is Senior Counsel – Litigation at Combined Insurance Company of America, a supplemental life, health and disability insurer and a subsidiary of Chubb Ltd. His practice includes providing day-to-day legal support to the company's Claims, Underwriting, Policyholder Service and Special Investigation Departments, as well as managing all contract and extra-contractual litigation filed against the company nationwide. Mr. Schuman has lectured at numerous national and regional legal conferences and is widely published in a number of law journals and treatises on a variety of life, health and disability topics. Mr. Schuman is an active member with the Defense Research Institute, having served as Chair of its Life, Health and Disability Committee (2010-2012).


E. Ford Stephens
Partner
Christian & Barton LLP

E. Ford Stephens has a litigation practice in Virginia with a focus on insurance and appeals. He represents insurers in life health, disability and ERISA litigation in both state and federal courts. He is a contributing author to the ABA's publications ERISA Survey of Federal Courts, and Misrepresentation in the Life, Health and Disability Insurance Application Process: A National Survey. Mr. Stephens is listed in Best Lawyers in America for Insurance Law (2015) and Virginia Super Lawyer Magazine for Insurance Coverage (2013-2015). He is a partner at Christian & Barton, LLP (www.cblaw.com), in Richmond, Virginia.


Alan Tawshunsky
Tawshunsky Law Firm PLLC

Alan Tawshunsky is the founder of the Tawshunsky Law Firm PLLC in Washington, D.C. Prior to founding his firm, Mr. Tawshunsky was Deputy Associate Chief Counsel for Employee Benefits at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the United States Treasury Department. As Deputy Associate Chief Counsel, he supervised the attorneys in the National Office of the IRS Chief Counsel who deal with all aspects of employee benefits law. Prior to joining the IRS, Mr. Tawshunsky worked for several major law firms in Washington, D.C.


Michael W. Thrall
Shareholder
Nyemaster Goode PC

Michael W. Thrall is a shareholder with Nyemaster Goode, P.C. in Des Moines, Iowa where he has defended life, health, and disability insurers in ERISA, benefit, and bad faith litigation for over 25 years. A Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and member of ABOTA, Michael is an experienced trial attorney who also has an active commercial litigation and complex tort defense practice.


Wm. Jere Tolton, III
Partner
Ogden & Sullivan PA

Wm. Jere Tolton, III, a partner at Ogden & Sullivan, P.A., in Tampa, Florida, has defended insurers and employers in employee benefits/ERISA matters for 20 years. While his practice is concentrated in life, health and disability litigation, he has also counseled clients on ERISA compliance issues. Jere is licensed to practice in Florida and Oregon.


Scott M. Trager
Partner
Funk & Bolton PA

Scott M. Trager is a Partner in the law firm of Funk & Bolton, P.A. in Baltimore, Maryland. His practice covers a broad spectrum of civil litigation matters, with a focus on the defense of life, health and disability claims (individual and ERISA) in the state and federal courts of Maryland and the District of Columbia, as well as the Maryland Insurance Administration and Maryland Office of Administrative Hearings. He also represents major life and disability insurance companies in actions involving interpleader, beneficiary and rescission issues, as well as agent/broker conduct. Mr. Trager is an active member of DRI's Life, Health and Disability Committee and is Program Chair of the 2017 DRI Life, Health, Disability & ERISA Seminar.


Paul A. Wilhelm
Member
Clark Hill PLC

Paul A. Wilhelm is a Member with the law firm of Clark Hill PLC in Detroit, Michigan. Both regional and national clients call Paul for knowledgeable and tenacious representation in disputes over employment and employee benefits. Whether it's an ERISA litigation matter, a wage-and-hour claim under the FLSA and/or state law, a non-compete and trade secrets case, or claims of discrimination or retaliation, Paul diligently applies his years of experience in state and federal courtrooms, as well as in arbitration hearing rooms, to represent his clients ably through final resolution.