Registration Information
EARLY REGISTRATION*
DRI Member Pricing: $1,095
Non-Member Pricing: $1,395
REGULAR REGISTRATION*
DRI Member Pricing: $1,395
Non-Member Pricing: $1,695
GOVERNMENT MEMBER
Early Bird Pricing: $695
Regular Pricing: $995
Register by May 9, 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.
GROUP REGISTRATION (Non-Sponsor)**
Pricing: $895 per person
**Group registration is for registering 5 or more attendees, members and non-members. There is one free registration with every 10 registrations. You must lock in the rate three weeks prior to the seminar. If you want to register for the group pricing, please send an email to rstiner@dri.org (online registration is not available for this offering).
Agenda with Speakers
*Schedule and Speakers subject to change
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
| Time (Eastern) |
Session Description |
| 12:30 p.m. |
Registration Opens |
Attending the Braves Game
| Time (Eastern) |
Description |
| 4:45 p.m. |
Buses to Atlanta Braves Game
Proudly Sponsored by Gordon Rees
Buses to the event will begin leaving the Intercontinental Buckhead at 4:45 p.m. |
| 5:20 p.m. |
Atlanta Braves Game Networking
Join friends and colleagues from the Young Lawyers Committee and the Retail & Hospitality Committee and watch the reigning World Series Champions, the Atlanta Braves, as they take on the San Francisco Giants. The Event will include a pre-game networking reception, complete with heavy appetizers and an open bar at Top of the Terrapin in Truist Park (home of the Atlanta Braves) and lower level seats. This is an event you do not want to miss!
TICKETS ARE SOLD OUT. |
| 7:20 p.m. |
Atlanta Braves Game
|
Not Attending the Braves Game
| Time (Eastern) |
Description |
| 5:00 p.m. |
Networking Reception
Joint reception with the DRI Young Lawyers Seminar.
|
| 6:30 p.m. |
Dine-Arounds
Join your colleagues to enjoy local cuisine and grow your network and your business.
Sign-up for local Dine-Arounds |
Thursday, June 23, 2022
| Time (Eastern) |
Session Description |
| 7:00 a.m. |
Registration and Continental Breakfast |
| 8:00 a.m. |
Welcome and Introduction
Tillman J. Breckenridge, Stris & Maher LLP, Washington, DC
Leon Silver, Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, Phoenix, AZ |
| 8:15 a.m. |
The State of Play: Defending Human Trafficking Claims in 2022
Lawsuits arising from human trafficking continue to affect the hospitality industry nationwide. This presentation will analyze recent developments and provide insight into the state of play of defending these lawsuits, strategies from plaintiffs’ lawyers, and pertinent appellate decisions.
Chris Byrd, Weinberg Wheeler Hudgins Gunn & Dial, Atlanta, GA
Sabrina Atkins, Morris Manning & Martin LLP, Atlanta, GA
William J. Martin, Drew Eckl & Farnham LLP, Atlanta, GA |
| 9:15 a.m. |
Combatting New Tactics in Personal Injury Litigation
Personal injury litigation is evolving to include more complex strategies to maximize plaintiffs’ recoveries. This program will discuss those trends, including common injury patterns, litigation funding, plaintiff firm consolidations, and referral companies.
Erika J. Gardner, Home Depot USA, Atlanta, GA
Davis Ready, Simon Peragine Smith & Redfearn LLP, New Orleans, LA |
| 10:15 a.m. |
Refreshment Break |
| 10:45 a.m. |
Keynote: Visibility and Representation
Follow award winning bilingual travel journalist, Jeanette Ceja, as she recounts her journey as a Latina in the travel and journalism industries. Hear about her expertise and experiences in tourism, the hospitality industry, and media.
Jeannette Ceja, TV Host & CEO of Jet Set with Jeannette, Los Angeles, CA |
| 11:45 a.m. |
Lunch (On your own) |
| 1:30 p.m. |
Fight Against Organized Retail Crime
Retailers across the country are facing a significant rise in sophisticated, coordinated, organized retail crime. This program will address strategies to combat this fast-growing challenge.
Moderator
Leon Silver, Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, Phoenix, AZ
Brittany Teal, Nordstrom, Atlanta, GA
Mike Combs, Home Depot, Atlanta, GA
Mick Pinnecke, Allied Universal Security, Atlanta, GA |
| 2:30 p.m. |
Refreshment Break |
| 2:55 p.m. |
Emergency Responses and Crisis Management
This presentation will provide a foundation to allow a young lawyer to quickly and effectively respond to an emergency or rapid response situation focusing on liability management, information gathering, evidence preservation, dealing with law enforcement, and other similar issues in an emergency.
Nick Adair, Roetzel & Andress, Cleveland, OH
|
| 3:55 p.m. |
That’s a Human on your Screen: Civility and Professionalism in an Increasingly Virtual Practice
The pandemic has made human connection more difficult and, in many cases, limited our interactions with judges and opposing counsel to the screen. This panel will discuss ways to build an effective working rapport and vigorously represent your client even in a sometimes, virtual world, keeping in mind ethical responsibilities.
Tal Chaiken, Assistant U.S. Attorney, N.D. Georgia, Atlanta, GA
Hon. Jean-Paul "JP" Boulee, U.S. District Judge, Northern District of Georgia
Lohr A. Beck, King and Spalding, Atlanta, GA |
| 4:55 p.m. |
Adjourn |
| 5:00 p.m. |
Retail and Hospitality Litigation Committee Business Meeting (open to all)
|
| 6:00 p.m. |
Networking Reception
Joint reception with the DRI Young Lawyers Seminar. |
| 7:30 p.m. |
Dine-Arounds
Join your colleagues to enjoy local cuisine and grow your network and your business.
Sign-up for local Dine-Arounds |
Friday, June 24, 2022
| Time (Eastern) |
Session Description |
| 6:00 a.m. |
DRI for Life
Join fellow attendees for a run/walk before the last day of programming! Meet in the lobby. |
| 7:00 a.m. |
Registration and Continental Breakfast |
| 8:00 a.m. |
Welcome and Announcements
Jason T. Vuchinich, Weinberg Wheeler Hudgins Gunn & Dial LLC, Atlanta, GA
|
| 8:05 a.m. |
Privacy and the Future of Technology
The privacy regulatory landscape continues to evolve rapidly with new domestic and international laws. Join a panel discussion where we try to reconcile these developments as it relates to the use of new technology involving biometrics, automated decision making and artificial intelligence.
Charlie Britt, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, Inc., Atlanta, GA
Lael Bellamy, DLA Piper, Atlanta, GA |
| 9:05 a.m. |
Young Lawyers and General Breakout Sessions
For more details, click on the "Breakout Sessions Friday" tab.
|
| 9:05 a.m. |
When Fun Goes Wrong: Defending Claims in the Entertainment and Amusement Business
IALDA (International Amusement & Leisure Defense Association) and DRI team up for a special presentation on defending claims arising from roller skating rinks, water parks, theme parks, and other special attractions. The liability portions of these cases are very much code and industry standard driven, and the defense of such matters requires a command of the same. Come hear a seasoned lawyer in the entertainment and attraction arena, together with supremely qualified engineer, and learn more about the successful defense of such unique claims.
Jeffrey W. Johnson, Johnson Law Group, Boca Raton, FL
Dawn R. Freyder, SEA Limited, Tampa, FL |
| 10:05 a.m. |
Current Issues in Restaurant Franchising
Join experienced members of the restaurant franchising industry as they discuss the changing business and legal needs, from direct-to-consumer deliveries to changing labor laws and everything in between.
Philip Robert Brinson, Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, Houston, TX
Steve D. Guterman, SPB Hospitality, Houston, TX
Dennis Minchella, Zalat Pizza, Dallas, TX |
| 11:05 a.m. |
Refreshment Break |
| 11:30 a.m. |
I’m Not Your Lawyer and Other Friendly Greetings: The Ethics of Communicating with Unrepresented Parties
Both transactional and litigation attorneys can find themselves interacting with unrepresented parties. This program will explore the ethical considerations of such interactions for attorneys, with a particular focus on fact patterns that often arise in retail, hospitality, and franchising matters.
Jason Adler, Cellairis, Alpharetta, GA
Randy Curato, ALAS, Chicago, IL
Ann H. MacDonald, ArentFox Schiff, Chicago, IL |
| 12:30 p.m. |
Adjourn
|
Breakout Sessions (Friday 9:05–11:05 a.m.)
Young Lawyers
| Time (Eastern) |
Session Description |
| 9:05 a.m. |
A Day in the Life of In-House Counsel
In-house counsel face pressures every day that are not apparent to their outside defense counsel. This panel will focus on the expectations placed on in-house counsel, and how their outside defense counsel can actively assist them in meeting those expectations.
Moderator
Lucy Aquino, Swift, Currie, McGhee & Hiers, LLP, Atlanta, GA
Jessica Casey, Cox Enterprises, Inc., Atlanta, GA
Jessica Holland, Resurgens Orthopaedics, Atlanta, GA
|
General (Open to all attendees)
| Time (Central) |
Session Description |
| 9:05 a.m. |
Current Trends in Cyber/Point of Sale Fraud in Retail & Hospitality
Retail and hospitality operators live under a constant threat of attack of their digital assets, including POS systems, from third party bad actors. The effects of such an attack can be devastating to both operations and brand image. Law enforcement is a key partner with operators to help eliminate these threats. Come hear a forensic analyst detail the current trends in digital fraud and the strategies employed by federal law enforcement to help keep retail and hospitality operators safe from cyber threats.
Joshua Reed, United States Secret Service, Atlanta, GA
|
| 10:05 a.m. |
The "Violence of Action": Always Moving Forward
Glenn Wells is a graduate of one of the most competitive law schools in the country. He is now a prosecutor in Georgia. But before his career in law, Wells was a homeless, high school dropout. Joining the Marine Corps, Wells became one of the Corps’ most elite members. As a member of MARSOC, Wells was deployed to battlefields all over the world during the War on Terror as a special operations sniper. Wells has been in some tough spots along the way, but has always kept his good humor and positive attitude about him and has always moved forward. Join GySgt Wells for an engaging program about leadership, "working the problem," and making things happen through action.
Glenn Wells, Assistant District Attorney, Cherokee County, GA |
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 InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta, 3315 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30326. Take advantage of the group rate of $219.00 Single/Double 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 May 27, 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 8.00 hours of continuing legal education hours, including 2 hours of ethics credit from this seminar.
Retail and Hospitality CLE Grid (PDF)
DRI's Retail and Hospitality Litigation 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
Our selected beneficiary of this year’s fundraiser is The Posse Foundation. Posse fosters collaborative voices in our most promising students. When they rise as leaders in their careers and communities, Posse Scholars become the ones creating and supporting meaningful change. It’s been the core of Posse's work since 1989. Posse was inspired by a student who said he never would have dropped out of college if he had his posse with him. The simple idea: send a team (a Posse) of diverse students together to college and set them up for success. Posse has now supported almost 10,000 students nationwide in winning $1.5 billion in scholarships from Posse's partner colleges, with a 90% graduation rate! Posse spans 10 cities and has a special program for post-9/11 U.S. veterans.
Support The Posse Foundation
If you have any questions or concerns regarding DRI programs, please contact DRI Customer Service at 312.795.1101 or custservice@dri.org.