DRI Faculty List

2021 Professional Liability Seminar

Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel | New York | December 9 - 10, 2021


Brett C. Arruda
CapSpecialty

Brett C. Arruda has 21 years of experience in the in the insurance industry. With CapSpecialty, Brett is responsible for handling a wide variety of LPL, IAEO, Miscellaneous E&O, Media, ICPL and ICML claims. Prior to joining the company in October of 2017, Brett was a member of Allied World Insurance Company, where he handled LPL, IAEO, ICPL, EPL, Governmental Liability, Private and Not-for-Profit D&O claims. Brett's previous professional experience includes positions with Travelers Bond, Target Professional Associates and Chubb Specialty Insurance, where he handled E&O, EPL, and other professional liability claims.


Scott Barabash
Aspen Specialty

Scott Barabash is vice president, professional liability claims at Aspen Insurance, currently oversees their Lawyers and Accountants Claims programs. He has more than 20 years of industry experience, including 16 years handling and supervising claim handlers of a variety of professional liability claims, including: lawyers, real estate professionals, accountants, consultants, title agents, public entities, cyber, and other miscellaneous professionals. Prior to joining Aspen, Scott was a manager of Professional Programs claims team at Zurich American Insurance Company. Scott is an attorney admitted to practice in NY and NJ. He has spoken at various industry events.


Anthony M. Carolei
Hanover Insurance Companies

Anthony M. Carolei is the Senior Claim Manager with the Architects and Engineers and Accountans Professional Liability Claim Department for the Hanover Professional Liability Group. Anthony has been handling Architect and Engineers matters for Hanover since 2010. Additionally, Anthony has specialized in the area of Architects and Engineers for nearly twenty years. Anthony handled Accountants Professional Liability extensively over his career. Anthony is admitted to both the California and New York Bars. He received his Juris Doctorate degree from California Western School of Law in San Diego. Anthony received a B.A. degree in Political Science with a minor in Accounting from the State University of New York at Albany. Anthony also taught pre-law students for a number of years at Marist College in NY. Anthony regularly speaks at various conferences on the subject of professional liability and design professionals for both attorneys, design professionals and other insurance professionals.


Susan E. Cohen
Peabody & Arnold

Susan E. Cohen is a Senior Trial Partner at Peabody & Arnold, Boston, Massachusetts. Susan concentrates her practice on the defense of professionals, including attorneys, accountants, real estate professionals, and others. She also provides mediation and arbitration services for other parties' disputes and mentors young lawyers in the business and practice of law. Susan writes and lectures frequently to local and national bar and professional groups on legal practice and ethics topics. Susan has been an officer and President of the Frank J. Murry Inn of Court and was also selected as a Super Lawyer and Top Woman of Law.


Sarah C. Courtman
Starr Adjustment Services

Sarah C. Courtman, after practicing law for thirteen years, primarily representing the interests of insurers and reinsurers, joined Starr Insurance Companies. Sarah joined as an E&O claims manager handling primary and excess financial and professional lines matters, including a large book of real estate claims involving a wide variety of property types across the US and allegations from agent negligence, to broker ethics disputes, to fraudulent wire transfers, to copyright violations, to unfair housing practices.


Wilhelm Dingler
Bullivant Houser PC

Wilhelm Dingler is a Shareholder in the Seattle Office Bullivant Houser. For the past 35+ years he has devoted his practice to the defense of professionals, primarily accountants, attorneys, insurance agents, architects and engineers and real estate professionals. He also provides risk management services and advice to CPAs across the country on "hotlines" under contract with three national insurance carriers.


Andrew J. Dorman
Reminger Co LPA

Andrew J. Dorman of Reminger Co., LPA is an accomplished trial attorney who has represented clients for more than 25 years in complex commercial and professional liability disputes, with a particular emphasis on legal and accountant professional liability, directors and officers liability, securities litigation, and employment-related disputes. He serves as the Chair of Reminger's Legal Professional Liability, Financial Services Professional Liability and Miscellaneous Professional Liability Practice groups. Andy has extensive trial experience in both state and federal courts, as well as extensive arbitration experience with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and administrative hearings nationwide.


Zandra E. Foley
Thompson Coe Cousins & Irons LLP

Zandra E. Foley represents lawyers, accountants, architects, doctors, nurses, engineers, insurance agents, brokers, management companies and other practicing professionals and groups including HOAs, COAs and management companies in claims involving alleged errors and omissions. She has served as trial and appellate counsel for individuals in legal malpractice claims and defends clients in grievance proceedings before the State Bar of Texas. She also defends medical malpractice claims against doctors and nurses and defends nurses in disciplinary actions before the Texas Board of Nursing.


A. Michael Furman
Furman Kornfeld & Brennan

A. Michael Furman is one of New York's leading professional liability lawyers, representing lawyers and law firms in state and federal courts in high stakes, complex matters. Well-known by clients, adversaries and the Bench as a "lawyer's lawyer," Mike has tried numerous jury trials throughout the five boroughs and surrounding counties and argued close to 100 appeals, which over the past 25 years, have helped shape the law of legal malpractice in New York. In addition to professional liability matters, Mike defends construction accident claims and represents insurers in insurance coverage matters. Mike holds the Preeminent AV® Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for ethics and legal ability, is annually designated a Metro New York "Super Lawyer." A long-term cancer survivor, Mike is also a prodigious fundraiser for cancer research, and serves on the Patient Advocacy Board for the Herbert Irving Cancer Center at Columbia University Medical Center.


Joseph P. Garin
Lipson Neilson PC

Joseph P. Garin is a partner at Lipson Neilson PC. Joe is the managing partner of the firm's Nevada practice. His practice focuses on the defense of professional liability claims. He has defended more than 500 lawyers and law firms during his career. He is consulted frequently and testifies as an expert witness. He is the past Chair of the State Bar of Nevada Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility and remains active on the Committee. He resides in downtown Las Vegas with his wife Monica and daughter Alexa.


Kiera Goral
Swiss Re Americas Holding

Kiera Goral is Swiss Re's U.S. Head of Claims for Reinsurance, P&C. Prior to joining Swiss Re, Kiera managed a team of claims professionals within QBE's Alternative Markets division and handled miscellaneous professional liability claims for XL Catlin. Before making the switch to the industry, Kiera practiced as an insurance coverage and defense attorney in both Texas and Florida.


Jonathan R. Harwood
Traub Lieberman Straus & Shrewsberry LLP

Jonathan R. Harwood is a partner at Traub Lieberman Straus & Shrewsberry LLP. Mr. Harwood has represented lawyers, accountants, insurance agents, manufacturers, corporations and religious institutions in all phases of litigation. Mr. Harwood has also analyzed coverage issues raised by professional liability and D & O policies, as well as represented Directors and Officers, directly, in various types of litigation.


Harvey R. Heller
Maddin Hauser Roth Heller

Harvey R. Heller is a shareholder with Maddin Hauser Roth & Heller in Southfield, Michigan. He serves as managing director of the firm's Executive Committee and chairman of their Defense and Insurance Coverage group. An active litigator focusing his practice on the defense of lawyers and non medical professionals as well as coverage, he is also the creator of the firm's Result Focused Case Management System®. Harvey is a member of the Michigan State Bar Foundation Fellows. Since 2006, Harvey's peers have continually selected him for inclusion in the Michigan edition of Super Lawyers®. Since 2003, his peers have regularly chosen him for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America® in the areas of insurance law and legal malpractice law—defendants. Harvey enjoys the added distinction of being recognized as the Best Lawyers® 2015 Detroit "Lawyer of the Year" for insurance law and the 2019 Detroit "Lawyer of the Year" for legal Malpractice Law—Defendants. He also has been recognized as a Michigan Leading Lawyer and named to Michigan Lawyers Weekly's 2021 Hall of Fame.


William N. Holmes, CPA
Holmes & Company PC

William N. Holmes, CPA is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Business Valuation expert, and a Certified Fraud Examiner located in Portland, Oregon. Mr. Holmes has approximately 30 years of combined experience in public accounting (Deloitte), private industry (public companies) and complex litigation (consulting and testifying expert). Mr. Holmes assists trial lawyers in many jurisdictions in cases covering a broad range of industries and issues, including accounting malpractice, forensic accounting and economic damages.


Melody J. Jolly
Cranfill Sumner LLP

Melody J. Jolly defends all lines of professionals including attorneys, design professionals, insurance agents, real estate professionals, and directors & officers. She is Section Leader for her Firm's Professional Liability practice group, and Melody has been recognized for her expertise in professional liability defense, including being named a North Carolina Super Lawyers® Rising Star: 2010 – 2019, Super Lawyer®: 2020 – 2021, The Best Lawyers in America® in the field of Professional Malpractice Law: 2018 – 2021, and the Benchmark 40 & Under 2019 Hot List in the field of Professional Liability Defense. She has maintained an active leadership role in DRI's Professional Liability Committee since 2009, currently serving as its Chair.


Bella Kang
Axis Capital

Bella Kang currently handles employment practices liability claims. Prior to working at AXIS, Bella's claims experience covered a variety of professional liability lines, including directors and officers, errors and omissions, lawyers' professional liability, and public official liability claims. As a litigator, she has defended general liability claims, including automobile, premises and construction liability. Bella began her legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in the Kings County District Attorney's Office. Bella earned her B.A. from Duke University and her J.D. from St. John's University School of Law. She is admitted to the New York Bar, as well as the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York.


Richard E. King
Melchiode Marks King LLC

Richard E. King is the Managing Member of Melchiode Marks King LLC ("MMK"), litigates disputes in all Louisiana and Mississippi courts and is also licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Rich has vast experience defending his clients in the areas of Professional Liability, Insurance Coverage, Bad-Faith, First-Party Property, Construction Law, Employment Law, Commercial Litigation, Environmental/Toxic Tort liability, Subrogation and General Casualty. Rich has lectured to several organizations and clients on a variety of subjects and issues including but not limited to, Property, Bad-Faith, Construction, Professional Negligence, Alternative Dispute Resolutions, Trial Tactics and General Litigation.


Terence Leong
Compass

Terence Leong is Senior Counsel, Litigation at Compass, where he oversees Compass's disputes, which include real estate professional malpractice, complex commercial, employment, and intellectual property. Prior to Compass, Terence was a partner in the litigation department at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, where he specialized in complex commercial, securities, and ERISA litigation. Terence earned a JD from the Northwestern Pritzker University School of Law and an AB from Dartmouth College. Terence lives with his wife and two daughters in New York City.


Christina Marinakis, JD, PsyD
Litigation Insights

Christina Marinakis, JD, PsyD has 20 years of research, study, and applied practice in law and psychology. With homes in Los Angeles and Baltimore, she has assisted trial counsel with jury selection and daily trial monitoring in venues across the country, helping clients obtain defense verdicts in notoriously difficult jurisdictions including Baltimore, Miami, New York, New Orleans, St. Louis, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. Christina draws from her backgrounds in law, psychology, and jury research to draft juror questionnaires, voir dire questions, jury instructions, and verdict forms. She has also published articles and presented to attorneys and judges on diversity issues, including juror perceptions of women and attorneys of color, as well as the benefits of diverse trial teams.


Newton C. (Newt) Marshall
Karbal Cohen Economou Silk & Dunne LLC

Newton C. (Newt) Marshallhas a diverse litigation practice representing architects, engineers, contractors, developers, real estate brokers, attorneys, and other licensed professionals. His commercial litigation work concentrates in the areas of professional liability, breach of fiduciary duty breach of contract, consumer claims, and business fraud. Marshall is a Certified Mediator in the Cook County Court-Annexed Major Case Civil Mediation Program. He is a member of the Society of Illinois Construction Attorneys, American Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association, Illinois Association of Defense Trial Council, Defense Research Institute, Claims and Litigation Management Alliance, and AIA Chicago. Mr. Marshall is a senior partner and equity member of Chicago law firm Karbal Cohen Economou Silk & Dunne LLC.


Kenneth Mendelson
Guidepost Solutions

Kenneth Mendelson is an experienced consulting executive with more than 30 years of experience at the intersection of law, information technology and public policy. He excels at leading teams of technical professionals that produce high-quality results for clients facing legal, regulatory and media scrutiny. As a member of Guidepost Solutions' National Security Practice, he assists established and emerging companies with implementing and maintaining cybersecurity and privacy programs by developing cybersecurity policies and guidelines, conducting risk-based cybersecurity assessments and undertaking investigations. Mr. Mendelson spent much of his career at Stroz Friedberg, where he began as a deputy general counsel and later became managing director. Earlier in his career, Mr. Mendelson served as counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary, where he advised committee members on a wide range of legal and policy issues, including digital surveillance, computer security, encryption, and new technologies. He was also investigative counsel on the U.S. Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs, where he conducted intensive private sector-oversight investigations into matters relating to POW/MIA organizations, including the dissemination of false and misleading information, and fraudulent fundraising.


Mike Mooney
USI Affinity

Mike Mooney is the Senior Vice President and Professional Liability Practice Leader for USI Affinity. Mike's responsibility is to drive growth and provide strategic leadership in the area of professional liability. Mike's key focus is the management and development of existing programs, new programs, business development and marketing planning. Mike oversees the underwriting, operations, risk management and sales departments that support the professional liability programs. With more than 20 years of industry experience, Mike has worked extensively on many facets of insurance programs for professional service firms.


Elizabeth (Beth) P. Mulligan
Protect Professional Claims

Elizabeth (Beth) P. Mulligan earned her JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law and her degree from Florida State University. Beth practiced insurance defense in Tampa, Florida for over ten years before joining Brown & Brown. Beth is currently Senior Claims Counsel, overseeing and participating in the defense of claims, cases and regulatory matters throughout the United States. Beth focuses her practice on professional liability matters including lawyers, accountants and health care providers.


Sean T. Needham
Reminger Co

Sean T. Needham is a Partner at Reminger Co., LPA and Co-Chair of the firm's Financial Services Liability Practice Group where he focuses his practice on the defense of officers, directors, and other financial service professionals in state and federal courts throughout the United States. In this regard, he regularly represents SEC registered broker-dealers, registered investment advisors, and Fortune 500 companies in complex commercial litigation, regulatory proceedings, and administrative actions, while actively engaging with clients, and their D&O insurance providers, to minimize distractions associated with the litigation process. Sean has been recognized as a Rising Star in Securities Litigation by Ohio Super Lawyers Magazine and is an active member of his community.


Kimberly K. (Kim) Noble, JD, CPCU, RPLU, CCP
Thompson Flanagan LLC

Kimberly K. (Kim) Noble, JD, CPCU, RPLU, CCP is Senior Vice President at Thompson Flanagan, where she advises lawyers and law firms on insurance coverage, risk management and claims processes. Ms. Noble has 26 years of professional liability experience in outside counsel, underwriting management and advisory roles. She previously managed professional liability programs at The St. Paul, GE Westport, OneBeacon and Argo Pro. Ms. Noble obtained her law degree from the University of Missouri in Kansas City. She is active in PLUS, DRI, CLM claimsXchange, PLDF and other organizations, speaking frequently on risk management and malpractice avoidance topics. Kim is the DRI Professional Liability Seminar Program Chair.


Patricia O'Brien
Berkley Professional Liability

Patricia O'Brien joined Berkley in 2016 after a 20-year career as an attorney at a boutique corporate defense litigation firm in New York City. As a member of the Claims Team at Berkley, Tricia primarily handles securities class action matters and derivative lawsuits involving public companies and their directors and officers, as well as employment and other issues confronting private company insureds. Prior to joining Berkley, Tricia handled commercial litigation matters, including FINRA arbitration proceedings, and also worked with a team of attorneys as National Litigation Counsel managing litigation for a Fortune 50 Company. With additional expertise in matters involving the financial services companies, Tricia defended sales practice complaints, handled compliance and regulatory matters, and represented financial services professionals and securities firms in employment disputes.


Sean C. Pierce
Wallace Jordan Ratliff

Sean C. Pierce is a member of Wallace Jordan Ratliff & Brandt LLC and practices across Alabama and the Southeast from its Birmingham headquarters. He is rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell, is an Alabama and Mid-South Super Lawyer®, a Best Lawyer in America® and has 20 years of experience in handling professional liability, E&O, D&O, corporate and commercial litigation, technology, cyber security and privacy claims and cases. Sean is the Chair of Cyber Liability and Steering Committee Member for the Professional Liability Committee of DRI. He has previously served as Liaison to DRI's Lawyers' Professionalism & Ethics Committee and the Chair and/or Vice-Chair of the Lawyer, Real Estate and Design Professionals committees. Sean is the author of several articles for DRI and is the co-author of DRI's "Professional Liability Insurance Coverage: A Compendium of State Law."


Marian C. Rice
L'Abbate Balkan Colavita

Marian C. Rice is the managing partner and chairs the Attorney Professional Liability Group at the New York and New Jersey law firm of L'Abbate Balkan Colavita & Contini, LLP, where she has represented attorneys for over 40 years. In 2021, Marian was included in Super Lawyer's List of the Top 50 Women Attorneys in the New York Metro area and has been designated a Super Lawyer annually since 2008. She is currently the co-Chair of NYSBA's Law Practice Management Committee and a member of the Committee on Attorney Professionalism. Marian is a past President of the Nassau County Bar Association and holds the AV® Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for ethics and legal ability. Ms. Rice also served as an ABA Presidential appointee to the ABA Standing Committee on Lawyer's Professional Liability from 2009 through 2012 and was Chair of the New York State Bar Association - Committee for Insurance Programs from 2008 to 2013.


Douglas R. Richmond
Aon Risk Solutions

Douglas R. Richmond is a Managing Director in Aon's Professional Services Practice. Aon is the world's leading broker of all lines of insurance for professional services firms, including accounting, consulting, design, and law firms. Before joining Aon, Doug was a partner with Armstrong Teasdale LLP in Kansas City, Missouri, where he had a broad civil trial and appellate practice.


Shea A.B. Sammons
ALPS

Shea A.B. Sammons, Claims Attorney, ALPS Insurance Agency. Shea received his B.A. from University of Montana-Western and his J.D. from University of Montana School of Law. Prior to joining ALPS in 2019, Shea was engaged in private practice in Missoula with a primary focus on workers' compensation and employment litigation. During his spare time, Shea enjoys all things Montana outdoors and spending time with family.


Courtney B. Schulnick
Marshall Dennehey

Courtney B. Schulnick serves as Special Counsel in Marshall Dennehey's Philadelphia office. For more than 13 years, she has worked in its Casualty Department litigating cases in both the local state and federal courts. In an effort to better manage her anxiety and the stressors associated with litigation and life in general, she enrolled in the MBSR Program offered at the Mindfulness Institute at Jefferson University-Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine. A desire to deepen her own practice and share the gift of Mindfulness with others encouraged her to complete both the Teaching Practicum and Internship at Jefferson University. She now pursues her passion of helping people by teaching Mindfulness so that they, too, can live more fully in the present moment and achieve greater balance, vitality and health.


Christopher T. (Chris) Sheean
Swanson Martin & Bell LLP

Christopher T. (Chris) Sheean is a partner at Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP in the Chicago office where he practices in commercial, products liability and intellectual property litigation. He is a past chair of the DRI Commercial Litigation Committee, and is a frequent author and lecturer on products liability, class actions, trade secrets and unfair competition for various publications. Chris is also chair of his firm's Class Action Practice Group. As lead trial counsel, Chris has handled trials throughout the country. He currently serves as a member of the DRI Law Institute and is also an adjunct professor at Northwestern University Law School where he teaches trial advocacy.


Robert Usinger
Intact Insurance Company

Robert Usinger is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School as well as the Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs. Currently Robert is an Assistant Vice President of Financial Institutions Claims and Professional Liability Runoff Claims at Intact Insurance Specialty. Previously, Robert spent nearly fifteen years between insurance carriers and a coverage firm focusing on various types of claims related to Professional Liability. Robert is the author of dozens of Professional Liability articles and a guest lecturer at area law schools.


Kathryn S. Whitlock
Hawkins Parnell & Young LLP

Kathryn S. Whitlock is a partner at Hawkins Parnell & Young in Atlanta, GA and has spent her entire professional liability, products liability, and premises liability career defending professionals who are accused of not doing their jobs right. Clients include lawyers, insurance claims handlers, product designers, construction professionals, property managers and more in matters involving such matters as selling businesses, litigating cases, sexual misconduct, appraising land, complying with mandatory guidelines, and designing buildings. Kate has tried more than 60 cases to verdict and has a long list of appellate decisions to her credit. She has received several professional honors, speaks and writes on numerous subjects, and is active in multiple professional and civic organizations.


Beth Whitney
Swiss Reinsurance America

Beth Whitney heads up the US Agents team at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions.?She has been with the firm for nearly two decades and has held multiple roles of increasing responsibility within the Professional Liability space. Most recently, she was Head of Small and Mid-Sized Lawyers. Based in Chicago, she also serves as a Swiss Re Diversity & Inclusion sponsor for that office location, spearheading recruitment, professional development and diversity in leadership efforts. Beth is a frequent speaker on Professional Liability topics and participated in events for the IIABA (The Big I), the American Bar Association, Hinshaw LMRM and others. She holds a Juris Doctor from DePaul University. Earlier in her career, she practiced insurance defense law in Chicago. Beth also holds a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech.


David L. Wikstrom
Javerbaum Wurgaft

David L. Wikstromrepresents clients in claims involving Legal Malpractice, Product Liability, Personal Injury, Dramshop and Employment Discrimination. He has been named one of New Jersey's Super Lawyers in the product liability category for the years 2006 to 2019 and has been named to the prestigious Top 100 Attorneys of New Jersey by New Jersey Monthly's Super Lawyer Magazine in 2019, 2020 and 2021. He is currently serving as Trustee of the New Jersey State Bar Association and is the former Chairman of the Union County Bar Association's Civil Practice Committee. He is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, which recognizes attorneys who have demonstrated exceptional skill, experience, and excellence in trial advocacy and have obtained recoveries on behalf of their clients for more than one million dollars. He is a frequent lecturer for ICLE on Legal Malpractice and Ethics and has presented seminars both nationally and internationally.