Registration Information
EARLY REGISTRATION*
DRI Member Pricing: $995
Non-Member Pricing: $1,295
REGULAR REGISTRATION*
DRI Member Pricing: $1,295
Non-Member Pricing: $1,595
GOVERNMENT MEMBER
Early Bird Pricing: $695
Regular Pricing: $995
Register by January 20, 2022 to receive the early registration rate.
*If your membership recently lapsed, please renew your membership prior to registering to ensure you receive your discounted member rate. If you would like to join DRI to receive the member pricing and see the benefits of becoming a member, click here to go to the Application page.
Agenda with Speakers
*Schedule and Speakers subject to change
Wednesday, February 2, 2022
Thursday, February 3, 2022
| Time (Pacific) |
Session Description |
| 7:00 a.m. |
Registration and Continental Breakfast |
| 8:00 a.m. |
Welcome and Introduction
E. Todd Presnell, Bradley, Nashville, TN
Pamela Newsom Lee, Swift, Currie, McGhee & Hiers, LLP, Atlanta, GA |
| 8:15 a.m. |
Is Your Case a Candidate for a Nuclear Verdict?
In this talk we will assess the psychological, case-specific, and narrative framing factors associated with nuclear verdicts. Learn what common themes to look for to determine whether your case is a candidate for a nuclear verdict and what you can do to mitigate that risk.
Nick Polavin, Ph.D., Litigation Insights, Columbus, OH |
| 9:15 a.m. |
What To Do After the Nuclear Verdict: Appeal Strategies
Got appeal? Three skilled litigators and appellate advocates will discuss the prime time to engage appellate counsel in your cases, as well as address strategies for appeal when faced with nuclear verdicts.
Moderator
Anelise Codrington, Drew, Eckl & Farnham, Atlanta, GA
Tillman Breckenridge, Stris & Maher, LLP, Washington, D.C.
Derek Stikeleather, Goodell DeVries Leech & Dann LLP, Baltimore, MD
Sarah Spencer, Christensen & Jensen, P.C., Salt Lake City, UT
|
| 10:15 a.m. |
Refreshment Break |
| 10:45 a.m. |
High Exposure Technology and 3D Depictions at Trial
The juries of today are used to, and expecting, technology to play a part in your presentation to keep them interested, informed and engaged. Make those accident scenes come to life and really grab the attention of the jury, without being distracting, using 3D technology at trial.
Brad Mathison, Fearless Eye, Kansas City, MO
Amber Warlick, Fearless Eye, Kansas City, MO
|
| 11:45 a.m. |
Lunch (on your own) |
| 11:45 a.m. |
Women in the Law Luncheon
Join attendees from Litigation Skills and the Medical Liability and Health Care Law Seminars for a Women in the Law networking luncheon onsite at Planet Hollywood.
Registration for this event will be on the DRI seminar registration page. You will need to scroll down after the Questions to purchase a ticket. You must purchase your ticket by January 21, 2022.
*The cost is $73 per ticket and ticket is non-refundable. There’s a maximum of two tickets per person. |
| 1:30 p.m. |
Defending Traumatic Brain Injuries
Successfully defending traumatic brain injury claims requires early detection, tailored discovery efforts, and an understanding of the science utilized by experts on both sides of the case. Katie will provide insights on how the defense team can best combat these prevalent claims, from pre-suit investigation through trial.
Katie Strawbridge, Lewis Wagner, Indianapolis, IN |
| 2:30 p.m. |
Improv Fun and Fundamentals for Trial Lawyers
Improvisational theatre or “improv” is a performance style in which the performance is created on the spot and in the moment. Lawyers can learn from improv actors who are trained to think on their feet. High-pressure situations, such as oral arguments, trials, or intense negotiations, require attorneys to listen attentively, respond accordingly, and juggle many thoughts at the same time. This unique and interactive workshop will get lawyers to participate in improv games and to practice using those skills refined by actors that lawyers may find pertinent in their practice.
Cyndie M. Chang, Duane Morris LLP, Los Angeles, CA
Michelle Sugihara, Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE), Los Angeles, CA |
| 3:30 p.m. |
Refreshment Break |
| 4:00 p.m. |
Panel Discussion: The Stress of Trials and What We Can Do to Help Each Other
This panel will discuss the most frequent causes of stress leading up to trials from their perspective as the carrier or the trial attorney. The panel will gently provide an overview of the internal stressors leading up to trial, the preferred "dos and donts" for each stakeholder, and ways the stakeholders can work as a team to minimize additional stress in what is an already stressful situation.
Chris Bottcher, Esq., McGlinchey, Birmingham, AL
Brittnie Hayes, COPIC: Medical Liability Insurance, Denver, CO
Cynthia Kolb, Intact Insurance Specialty Solutions, Plymouth, MN
Lance Morley, Lending Tree, Charlotte, NC
|
| 5:00 p.m. |
Committee Business Meeting (open to all)
|
| 5:30 p.m. |
Networking Reception
|
| 6:30 p.m. |
Dine-Arounds
Join colleagues and friends at selected restaurants for dinner (on your own). |
| 9:00 p.m. |
Premier Networking Event: Commonwealth
Join attendees from the Medical Liability and Health Care Law Seminar, Product Liability Conference, and Litigation Skills Seminar for a premier networking event at Commonwealth in downtown Las Vegas. Enjoy a unique venue with an iconic rooftop showcasing downtown Fremont Street views. Build your book of business and reconnect with colleagues while enjoying “Old World” Las Vegas at its best!
Registration for this event will be on the DRI seminar registration page. You will need to scroll down after the Questions to purchase a ticket. You must purchase your ticket by January 27, 2022.
*The cost is $100 per ticket and ticket is non-refundable. There’s a maximum of two tickets per person. |
Friday, February 4, 2022
| Time (Pacific) |
Session Description |
| 7:00 a.m. |
Registration and Continental Breakfast |
| 8:00 a.m. |
Welcome and Announcements
Brandon Ehrie, Lewis Wagner, Indianapolis, IN |
| 8:15 a.m. |
The Psychology of Witness Prep
No one views the world precisely the same way. Similarly, not every witness can be prepped precisely the same way. Learn about the psychology behind identifying a witness's strength and weaknesses, methods for adapting to the witness's communication style, and techniques for ensuring witnesses are fully prepped for high stress situations.
Ed Tori, M.D., MedStar Health, Columbia, MD
|
| 9:15 a.m. |
“Pro”-tips: Professional Athlete Principles for Pretrial Preparation of Lawyers, Witnesses, Insurance Representatives, and Parties
What can trial counsel learn from a counselor to professional athletes? How can attorneys prepare the cast of characters to perform at their peak throughout trial? Learn from a counselor for elite athletes tips for assessing the mental preparation of yourself and the trial “players,” and helping everyone rise to the occasion at trial. He also will teach you to evaluate performance like a pro, to help you improve your game and obtain better outcomes in the future.
Jeff Miner, LPC, M.Ed., Triumph Program, Kansas City, MO
Interviewer
Chris Turney, Turney Law Group, Kansas City, MO |
| 10:15 a.m. |
Refreshment Break |
| 10:45 a.m. |
“Pro”-tips: Game-Time Principles for Trial Players from a Sports Counselor
Like professional athletes during a game, trial lawyers, parties, and witnesses need to be flexible and maintain their focus during trial. How can counsel help the cast of characters respond to the unexpected and perform at their highest level during trial? A high-performance sports counselor will teach strategies to use during trial to control perfectionism, slow down the game, stare down doubt, and relax on command.
Jeff Miner, LPC, M.Ed., Triumph Program, Kansas City, MO
Interviewer
Chris Turney, Turney Law Group, Kansas City, MO
|
| 11:45 a.m. |
The Tripartite Relationship Between Attorney, Client and Insurance Carrier
Hospital systems often employ and insure physicians, but physicians can also be independent contractors and/or insureds under a third-party policy. This topic will discuss the potential conflicts in representation that may arise in the various and coverage settings.
Kori Chambers, Associate General Counsel, Litigation, IU Health Risk Retention Group, Indianapolis, IN |
| 12:45 p.m. |
Adjourn |
On-Demand
NEW in 2022 – 4 Additional On-Demand Programs Included With Every Seminar!
CLE Credit will be sought from every state requiring CLE hours in elimination of bias/diversity and inclusion, ethics, substance abuse/mental health and law practice management. The CLE grid will provide updated information concerning which courses have been approved by which states and for which credits. For states not requiring these special credits, general education credits will be sought.
Diversity/Elimination of Bias in the Profession
Batson v. Kentucky and its progeny were meant to eliminate bias in jury selection. But has that happened? This program will address that question and discuss issues of bias in the courtroom more broadly and will challenge viewers to recognize their own biases and to learn how those biases could affect their assessment of potential jurors, witnesses, judges, and adversaries. The program also will provide viewers with skills on how to identify the biases of potential jurors and how those biases could come into play during deliberations.
Stacy Douglas, Everett Dorey LLP, Irvine, CA
Gary Howard, Bradley, Birmingham, AL
Ethics
Investigating claims and lawsuits often requires interviews with employees. Corporate in-house attorneys and their outside counsel need to be able to identify potential conflicts of interest and confidentiality issues with employees who may leave their employment and become opposing counsel’s best witness.
Kristie S. Crawford, Brown & James, Springfield, MO
Lauren Buford, Walgreen Co., Deerfield, Illinois 60015.
Mental Health & Attorney Wellness
Study after study suggests that lawyers aren’t happy. Continued unhappiness impacts performance, relationships, and physical health. That’s the bad news. The good news is that research proven interventions exist that increase happiness without requiring a radical change in circumstances. Even a slight increase in happiness has a lasting impact on both your current performance and resilience, not to mention, happier just feels better. This program will quickly, efficiently, and practically explain why happiness matters and offer tools you can use today to work, lead, and live happier.
Rebecca Morrison, Aldie VA
Law Practice Management
Law firms must operate more efficiently to ensure they can deliver high-quality services, handle more volume and maintain a profit margin in today’s climate of rate pressure and rising costs. Understanding Key Performance Indicators and law firm analytics concerning financial, operational and client service data are key to mastering law firm performance management. This presentation will address methods to collect information necessary for evaluating key areas of performance, identify tools and techniques to analyze data and generate action items and more.
Brian Kennel, PerformLaw, New Orleans, LA
Jan Sander, PerformLaw, New Orleans, LA
Sean Kennel, PerformLaw, New Orleans, LA
Hotel and Travel Information
A limited number of discounted hotel rooms have been made available at the Planet Hollywood Las Vegas, 3667 S. Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109. Take advantage of the group rate of $69.00 Single/Double (plus a $39.00 resort fee per room per night) in one of two ways:
The hotel block is limited and rooms and rates are available on a first-come, first-served basis. You must make reservations by January 4, 2022 to be eligible for the hotel’s group rate. Requests for reservations made after that date are subject to room and rate availability. A small portion of your room rate offsets the costs of the seminar.
Travel Discounts: DRI is pleased to announce that discounted air fares are available on various major air carriers for DRI seminar attendees. To receive these discounts, please contact Direct Travel Ltd., DRI’s official travel provider, at 800.840.0908. If you would like to have access to the DRI online travel booking tool, you must complete a Business Travel Profile form at www.dt.com. Within 24 business hours, you will receive information on accessing the system.
CLE Information
Earn up to 10.00 hours of continuing legal education hours, including 1 hour of ethics/mental credit and 1 hour of technology credit (in Florida and North Carolina only) from this seminar.
Litigation Skills CLE Information (PDF)
DRI's Litigation Skills Seminar is proudly sponsored by:
If you would like to contact DRI about seminar sponsorship opportunities, including pricing, or to reserve a spot, please go to Advertising and Sponsorship.
DRI Cares
The Litigation Skills Committee has partnered with the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth (NPHY). For over 20 years, NPHY has provided Southern Nevada’s homeless youth with help, hope and the support needed to rebuild their lives. Join your colleagues and volunteer to put together care packages for Nevada’s homeless youth on Wednesday, February 2 at 2:00 p.m.
Make a Monetary Donation to NPHY
If you have any questions or concerns regarding DRI programs, please contact DRI Customer Service at 312.795.1101 or custservice@dri.org.