2024 DRI Insurance Coverage and Practice Symposium

December 4–6, 2024
Sheraton New York Times Square | New York City, New York

Downtown New York City skyline sunrise

Build Your Network and Learn About the Latest Industry Trends!

Register by December 3 to save up to $500!
View registration information here.

Register Today!

Join us at DRI’s Insurance Coverage and Practice Symposium, the premier event for insurance executives, claims professionals, and outside counsel specializing in insurance coverage. This year’s symposium promises unparalleled engagement with top insurance industry leaders and coverage lawyers, focusing on emerging and cutting-edge issues. Don’t miss out on exceptional networking events and the chance to build valuable relationships with like-minded professionals.

What You Will Learn:

  • Master best practices to protect the attorney-client privilege for your company’s in-house counsel.
  • Learn effective strategies to avoid bad faith pitfalls during the appraisal of first-party property claims.
  • Stay ahead of the curve with insights into legislative trends and developments impacting the insurance industry nationwide.

Expand Your Network By:

  • Engaging in networking receptions and counsel meetings.
  • Enjoying dine-arounds with fellow professionals.
  • Participating actively in Insurance Law Committee meeting opportunities.

Counsel Meetings with Major Companies
Take advantage of the opportunity to engage with key industry companies* including:

  • AIG
  • Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies
  • Central Mutual Insurance
  • Great American Insurance Group
  • The Hartford
  • Sompo International
  • Travelers

*Subject to change

Representatives from These Insurance Companies Will Be in Attendance
Engage with in-house counsel and claims executives*:

  • American Family Insurance
  • Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance
  • Canal Insurance Company
  • Central Insurance Companies
  • Central Mutual Insurance
  • Coaction Specialty Insurance Group
  • COPIC Insurance Company
  • Curi Insurance
  • EMC Insurance Company
  • Everest Insurance
  • FCCI Insurance Group
  • Federated Mutual Insurance Company
  • First Acceptance Insurance
  • First Premium Insurance
  • Frank Winston Crum Insurance
  • Great American Insurance Company
  • Hanover Insurance Group
  • Home State Insurance Group
  • Inigo Insurance
  • Intact Insurance Company
  • Kentucky League of Cities Insurance Services
  • Liberty Mutual Insurance
  • Nationwide Insurance
  • SECURA Insurance Company
  • Selective Insurance Company of America
  • Shelter Mutual Insurance
  • Travelers Insurance
  • WestGUARD Insurance Company

*Subject to change

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Thank You to DRI's Insurance Law Committee Leadership

Ilana B. Olman
Ilana Olman
Program Chair
Courtney C. Britt
Courtney C. Britt
Program Vice Chair
Joanna M. Roberto
Joanna M. Roberto
Committee Chair
R. Brandon McCullough
R. Brandon McCullough
Committee Vice Chair
Rachel Kim
Rachel Kim
Program Industry Chair
E. Ford Stephens
E. Ford Stephens
Law Institute

Join the Insurance Law Committee

Registration Information

Save up to $500 when you register on or before December 3, 2024!
Worry-free registration: Cancellations received thirty (30) days or more before an in-person seminar are entitled to a full refund.

Register Now!

Member Pricing Non-Member Pricing Non-Member Bundle ^
Regular Registration*
(Now thru Dec. 3)
$1,595 $1,995 $1,915
Onsite Registration $1,695 $2,095 $2,015
Group Registration (Non-Sponsored)** $1,095 per person $1,095 per person $1,095 per person
Government Government members will receive the applicable government rate for the seminar upon login. If the government rate does not appear after logging in, please call DRI directly at (312) 795-1101 to receive the discounted rate. Invoices can be sent after purchase upon request.

Not a DRI Member? Select the Non-Member Bundle and Save!

^ Not a DRI Member and want to save on your registration? Take advantage of the Non-Member / Trial Membership Bundle when you register for the DRI Insurance Coverage and Practice Symposium. Select the bundle and get up to 9 months of membership with the membership add-on when you check out. Note: Trial membership processing can take up to 30 days from the date of purchase, please contact DRI Customer Service with any questions.

Learn more about membership at DRI and get started on your DRI journey today!

*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 is for registering four 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, fill out the form here (online registration is not available for this offering).

Networking Events

Women in the Law Meet and Greet
Sponsored by: ABC

Date: Wednesday, December 4 from 5:30–6:00 p.m.
Pricing: Free when you register for the seminar
Location: Onsite at Sheraton New York Times Square

Connect with fellow female attendees and build new connections in a welcoming space. Grab your badge at registration and stop by this engaging event to connect with fellow attendees in advance of the annual women’s dinner later that evening. All are welcome.

Annual Women's Dinner
Sponsored by: ABC

Date: Wednesday, December 4 at 7:30 p.m.
Pricing: $100/person
Location: Medi Wine Bar, 811 9th Avenue, New York, NY 10019

Join women attendees for an evening of comradery and a delicious meal before the symposium begins! Secure your spot at the annual Women in the Law dinner at Medi Wine Bar. Payment can be sent to Insurance Law Committee Chair, Joanna Roberto.

Secure your spot by signing up herespace is limited!

Financial Aid Policy

Individuals who demonstrate need may receive limited financial aid to attend DRI CLE programs.

Review the Policy (PDF)

Agenda with Speakers

*More session details to come. Schedule and Speakers subject to change.

Wednesday, December 4, 2024

Time (Eastern) Program
12:00 p.m. Registration Opens
5:30 p.m. Women in the Law Meet and Greet

Click here to learn more about the meet and greet.
6:00 p.m. Networking / Cocktail Hour
7:30 p.m. Annual Women's Dinner | Medi Wine Bar

Click here to learn more about the dinner.
7:30 p.m. Dine-Arounds

Join colleagues and friends at selected restaurants for dinner (on your own).

Thursday, December 5, 2024

Time (Eastern) Program
8:30 a.m. Registration & Coffee Service
9:00 a.m. Welcome and Introductions

Ilana B. Olman, Segal McCambridge, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Ford Stephens, Christian & Barton, Richmond, VA
9:15 a.m. Winning the Institutional Bad Faith Battle

The theory of institutional bad faith allows a plaintiff to expand a dispute over a single loss into a widespread attack on an insurance company’s practices and procedures. Plaintiffs’ fundamental allegation in institutional bad faith cases is that insurers’ policies and procedures related to claim evaluation and resolution, claim adjustment protocols and associated software, and performance and compensation criteria for claims personnel, are either individually or collectively intended to unfairly shrink indemnity payments to claimants or deprive insureds of policy benefits to which they are entitled. Allegations of institutional misconduct may relate to an insurer’s common law bad faith liability, support the expansion of a single-plaintiff bad faith case into a class action, be said to constitute unfair claims settlement practices under related statutes, or be urged as evidence of reprehensible conduct justifying punitive damages. Insurers need to anticipate these allegations and be prepared to combat them.

Doug Richmond, Lockton Companies, LLC, Kansas City, MO
10:15 a.m. Coffee Break
10:30 a.m. The Use of Novel Theories of Products Liability and Negligence in the Context of Social Media Litigation and other Emerging Fields

This segment will explore a more recent push by the Plaintiffs' Bar to rely on theories of products liability and negligence, particularly in the context of claims against social media companies and other areas of litigation. This topic will further explore the implications of these novel theories from a claims and coverage perspective.

Rachel H. Kim, Sompo, New York, NY
Kristen Perkins, Esq., Kennedys, Fort Lauderdale, FL
11:30 a.m. Practice Tips to Avoid a Nuclear Outcome in All Phases of Litigation

There has been lots of discussion about social inflation and nuclear verdicts generally. This topic will explore examples of how insurers are fighting back to mitigate that risk in all phases of litigation (pre-suit, mediation, trial).

Robert T. Horst, Esq., Horst Krekstein Runyon, Philadelphia, PA
Kenneth P. Williams, Esq., Segal McCambridge, Detroit, MI
12:30 p.m. Lunch (on your own)
2:00 p.m. Insuring Contractors: Trending Coverage Issues and Considerations in Construction Defect Litigation

Insured are hitting their aggregate limits more and more often – how are insurers dealing with this issue, communicating with insureds and addressing reserves. This topic will also explore recent trends of insurers seeking to recoup defense costs from other insurers who refused to share in the defense, and related practical considerations.

Julie Demaree, Fortitude Re, Jersey City, NJ
Daniel Strong, Esq., Teague Campbell Dennis & Gorham LLP, Raleigh, NC
3:00 p.m. The Intersection Between Coverage and AI

This topic will address the intersection between coverage, cyber/privacy and artificial intelligence, with the Blue Shield California Class Action case as a model/case study.

Barry M. Miller, Esq., Freeman Mathis & Gary, Lexington, KY
Sarah M. Abrams, Baleen Specialty/Bowhead Specialty, Chicago, IL
4:00 p.m. Judicial Interpretation of Statutes and Insurance Contracts

Statutes and contracts are at the heart of coverage and bad faith litigation. Many of the highest courts throughout the country emphasize the "supremacy-of-text principle" when interpreting statutes. This topic will discuss methods of statutory interpretation, as well as insurance contract interpretation in the context of civil litigation, with a focus on insurance coverage litigation.

Judge J. Logan Murphy, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, Tampa, FL
5:00 p.m. Insurance Law Committee Business Meeting (open to all)
6:00 p.m. Premier Networking Reception

Join fellow seminar attendees at our Premier Networking Reception.
8:00 p.m. Dine-Arounds

Join colleagues and friends at selected restaurants for dinner (on your own).

Friday, December 6, 2024

Time (Eastern) Program
8:00 a.m. Registration & Coffee Service
8:30 a.m. Welcome and Announcements

Ilana B. Olman, Segal McCambridge, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Courtney C. Britt, Teague Campbell Dennis & Gorham LLP, Raleigh, NC
8:40 a.m. Weaponization of Discovery in Coverage Cases

This topic will explore the weaponization of discovery by the policyholder bar and how to combat it. Essentially where the case becomes not about the coverage decision but about efforts to (1) increase the costs of litigation exponentially through burdensome discovery responses and make it so costly we want to settle, and (2) trip up carriers into a discovery sanction.

Alison A. Grounds, Esq., Troutman Pepper, Atlanta, GA
9:40 a.m. Do you See What I See? Privacy Claims and Their Evolving Coverage Issues

This topic will explore coverage issues from perspective of both commercial general liability (CGL) Coverage B and Cyber.

Daniel I. Graham, Jr., Esq., Nicolaides Fink, Chicago, IL
Rich Gatz, Esq. (VP of Cyber Claims), Arch, Columbus, OH
10:40 a.m. Coffee Break
10:55 a.m. Coverage Trends Related to Emerging Public Nuisance Claims

We all know about opioids claims/coverage litigation, involving “no occurrence” and “no damages because of bodily injury” issues. But those same issues are now at the forefront of other coverage disputes related to public nuisance claims filed by public entities, including those relating to climate change and ghost guns. This topic will explore the various coverage challenges that have been raised in these recent cases.

Nathalie Dean (Associate General Counsel, Litigation), AIG, New York, NY
Christopher St. Jeanos, Esq., Willkie, New York, NY
Charles Scibetta, Chaffetz Lindsey LLP, New York, NY
11:55 a.m. Ethics Topic: Lawyer Misuse of Information/Documents available in Metadata

Artificial Intelligence is affecting the practice of law at an incredible pace. This topic will explore issues surrounding the use of AI in the legal industry, its intersection with a lawyer’s obligations including potential consequences and practical considerations.

Sean C. Griffin, Esq., Robinson & Cole, Washington, DC
12:55 p.m. Adjourn

Headquarters Hotel Information

The seminar will take place at Sheraton New York Times Square, 811 7th Ave, New York, NY 10019.
To contact the hotel directly, call 212.581.1000.

The DRI room block at Sheraton New York Times Square is now sold out. Please use the link below to reserve a room at a nearby available hotel.

Alternative Hotels

If you are planning on attending the seminar and have not secured a hotel reservation, search for hotel availability via our trusted partner aRes Travel**. Book online or call 1-800-559-3186 for assistance; for International callers 1-619-546-5773.

**aRes Travel is a third-party travel planner. Rates, deposits, and cancellation policies may vary and are the responsibility of the guest. Questions on hotel policies or payments made on aRes website should be directed to the aRes Reservation Center or to the hotel directly.

CLE Information

Earn up to 10.00 hours of continuing legal education hours (CLE), including 1.00 hour of Ethics from this seminar.

View CLE Credit by State

In some states that charge late CLE submission fees, there will be a $100 late fee to report CLE credits submitted more than 30 days after a seminar/virtual event. Click the button below for more details.

CLE Late Fees

Sponsors

DRI's Insurance Coverage and Practice Symposium 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

Blessings in a Backpack

Blessings in a Backpack Who Will Feed the Kids this Weekend?

Please join us in supporting Blessings in a Backpack, an organization that mobilizes communities, individuals, and resources to provide food on the weekends for school-aged children across America who might otherwise go hungry. Seminar attendees will have the opportunity to fill bags of food on the way to the joint networking lunch on Thursday, November 7. Feeding a child before you feed yourself is a wonderful way to support children and families in the Las Vegas community.

Donate to Blessings in a Backpack

Other Information

If you have any questions or concerns regarding DRI programs, please contact DRI Customer Service at 312.795.1101 or custservice@dri.org.