2025 Litigation Skills Seminar

Name: 2025 Litigation Skills Seminar | DRI
Start: 2025-03-17T12:00
End: 2025-03-19T12:25
Location: Philadelphia Marriott Downtown

March 17–19, 2025
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Represent Your Governmental Clients with Instrumental Tools and Intelligence!

Save up to $700 when you register on or before January 31, 2025!
View registration information.

Jury verdicts are rising nationwide due to economic factors and tactics employed by the plaintiff bar, which include narrative-style storytelling and specific damage claims that encourage speculative damages, leaving the defense bar playing catchup. If you encounter these issues and want tools to fight back, join us in Philadelphia for a hands-on seminar. The first day features a live mock trial with impartial jurors, where defense lawyers will present a case involving nebulous injuries from a clear liability collision to secure a nuclear verdict. You’ll learn trial tactics, strategies, and pitfalls from both sides, watch the jury deliberate, and analyze their thought process. On Wednesday, there will be an open forum with jury consultant Nick Polavin to discuss the mock trial’s outcome and lessons learned. We will conclude the seminar by hearing from subject matter experts in the area of artificial intelligence and the role it has, and will continue to have, in litigation. Get ahead of your competition by learning how to use AI (and importantly, how to use it ethically), and how to identify and combat your opponents’ unethical or problematic use of this changing technology.

What You Will Learn:

How jurors process complex claims involving nebulous injuries.
Strategies to combat damages and reduce unnecessarily high settlements and verdicts, particularly when liability is not disputed.
How national jury consultants believe we can better develop trial themes and strategies.
How to ethically and effectively incorporate AI into your litigation strategy and trial preparation.

Expand Your Network By:

Get a taste of Philadelphia and “dine-around” with friends and colleagues at some of the best restaurants in the city.
Mixing and mingling at joint networking events with attendees from the DRI Medical Liability & Construction Law seminars.
Attending the Young Lawyers Dinner to connect with colleagues from across the country.
Getting involved and join us at the Litigation Skills Committee Business Meeting for committee openings and opportunities.

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Thank You to DRI's Litigation Skills Committee Leadership

**Murray Scott Flint**
Program Vice Chair

Pamela Lee — **Pamela Newsom Lee**
Committee Chair

Nick Rauch — **Nick A. Rauch**
Committee Vice Chair

Join the Litigation Skills Committee

Registration Information

Save up to $700 when you register on or before January 31, 2025!
Worry-free registration: Cancellations received thirty (30) days or more before an in-person seminar are entitled to a full refund.

Save Your Spot Today

	Member Pricing	Non-Member Pricing	Non-Member Bundle ^
Early Bird Registration* (Now thru Jan. 31)	$1,395	$1,795	$1,715
Regular Registration* (Feb. 1–Mar. 16)	$1,595	$1,995	$1,915
Onsite Registration*	$1,695	$2,095	$2,015
Group Registration (Non-Sponsored)	Group registration is for registering four or more attendees. Members and non-members receive a 15% discount off the member and non-member rates respective to the time the group registration is initiated (i.e. Early Bird, Regular or On-Site registration periods). There is one free registration with every 10 paid registrations. If you want to register for the group pricing, fill out the form here. Please note that online registration is not available for this offer.
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 new to DRI? Take advantage of the Non-Member / Trial Membership Bundle and receive up to 9 months of membership when you register for the seminar. You’ll be able to add this special offer to your cart at 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. Please note renewing members and members with recently lapsed memberships are not eligible for a Non-Member Bundle.

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.

Hotel Information

The seminar will take place at Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, 1201 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107.
To contact the hotel directly, call 215.625.2900.

A limited number of discounted hotel rooms have been made available at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. Take advantage of the group rate of $269.00 (plus taxes and fees) Single/Double.

Reserve your Room Online

The hotel block is limited, and rooms and rates are available on a first-come, first-served basis. You must make reservations by February 23, 2025, to be eligible for the hotel's group rate. Requests for reservations made after February 23 are subject to room and rate availability.

Full Agenda

*Schedule and Speakers subject to change

Monday, March 17, 2025

Time (Eastern)	Session
12:00 p.m.	Registration
6:00 p.m.	Networking / Cocktail Hour
7:30 p.m.	Dine-Arounds Join colleagues and friends at selected restaurants for dinner (on your own).

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Time (Eastern)	Session
8:30 a.m.	Registration & Coffee Service Get to know the early risers in our group over a cup of coffee.
9:00 a.m.	Welcome and Introductions Dwight Stone, Miles & Stockbridge PC, Baltimore, MD Katie Strawbridge, Lewis Wagner, Indianapolis, IN
9:15 a.m.	Introduction to Case Themes and Defense Strategies for Nebulous Injuries A panel of seasoned defense counsel and trusted experts will provide a preview of the case and highlight some of the common tactics and arguments we will be testing with the jury. Anelise Codrington, Chartwell Law, Atlanta, GA
9:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m.	DRI Cares – Blessings in a Backpack Click here for details on this DRI Cares session.
10:15 a.m.	Coffee Break
10:30 a.m.	Mock Jury Study Counsel for the Plaintiff and Defense will argue their cases to the jury. We will solicit jurors’ impressions throughout the exercise as a preview for what issues are likely to be influential during deliberations. Counsel for Plaintiff Matthew G. Moffett, Gray, Rust, St. Amand, Moffett & Brieske, Atlanta, GA Counsel for Defendant Richard H. "Dick" Willis, Williams Mullen, Columbia, SC Defendant’s Expert Karla Cassidy, J.S. Held, Oakville, ON
12:30 p.m.	DRI Networking Lunch Join attendees from the Medical Liability and Construction Law Seminars for lunch and networking opportunities.
2:00 p.m.	Live Jury Deliberations The jury will retreat to the jury room where top jury consultant, Nick Polavin, will facilitate deliberations on key components of the mock case. So as to not influence juror openness, attendees will watch through live-stream cameras as the jurors consider each case presentation and reach a verdict. Take notes for the next session! Nick Polavin, IMS Legal Strategies, Charlotte, NC
3:00 p.m.	Debrief and Live Q/A with Our Jury Our jury will return to the seminar room to end day one of the seminar with a discussion about their deliberations and verdict. Poll the jury members about their thoughts on the case and reactions to the strategies used by both sides. All attendees are encouraged to participate as we better understand the jury’s decisions and analysis. Nick Polavin, IMS Legal Strategies, Charlotte, NC
4:00 p.m.	Adjourn
4:00 p.m.	Litigation Skills Committee Business Meeting
6:00 p.m.	Premier Networking Reception Join fellow seminar attendees at our Premier Networking Reception. More details to come.
8:00 p.m.	Dine-Arounds Join colleagues and friends at selected restaurants for dinner (on your own).

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Time (Eastern)	Session
8:30 a.m.	Registration & Coffee Service
9:00 a.m.	Welcome and Announcement Murray Flint, Swift Currie McGhee & Hiers LLP, Birmingham, AL
9:10 a.m.	Artificial Intelligence Workshop Pt. 1 – Artificial Intelligence and Its Role in Litigation Artificial intelligence is here to stay and has infiltrated nearly every aspect of our day-to-day lives. This session will provide a primer on how to efficiently and effectively utilize AI in your litigation practice. Jimmy B. Wilkins, Watkins & Eager, Jackson MS
10:10 a.m.	Coffee Break
10:25 a.m.	Artificial Intelligence Workshop Pt. 2: Live Demonstration on Effective Use of AI Part 2 of our AI workshop will be an immersive demonstration of the use and impact of artificial intelligence on the litigation landscape. Learn to harness the power of this emerging technology in your own practice through guided real-time demonstrations and collaboration with seminar attendees. Jimmy B. Wilkins, Watkins & Eager, Jackson, MS
11:25 a.m.	The Ethical Implications of AI in Litigation The emergence of AI in litigation has created a plethora of novel ethical considerations we must face. Attend this session to learn how to avoid pitfalls and develop best practices to use AI efficiently and ethically. James Chapman, esumry, Norfolk, VA
12:25 p.m.	Adjourn

Small Group Networking

Bourbon Tasting
Date: Monday, March 17 from 3:30–4:30 p.m. or 5:00–6:00 p.m. AND Tuesday, March 18 from 5:00–6:00 p.m.
Pricing: $85/person - can be added when you register for the seminar
Location: Onsite at Philadelphia Marriott Downtown

Savor a curated selection of premium spirits in a relaxed setting at our 'Bourbon Tasting.' This gathering offers a perfect opportunity to sip, swirl, and connect with other DRI seminar attendees and expand your bourbon knowledge with tasty snacks to complement your sipping. Space is limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

CLE Information

Earn up to TBD hours of continuing legal education hours (CLE) 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 here for details on CLE late fees.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

DRI's Litigation Skills Seminar is proudly supported by:

If you would like to contact DRI about seminar sponsorship opportunities (including pricing) or to reserve a spot, please visit the sponsorship page.

DRI Cares

Blessings in a Backpack

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 Tuesday morning. Feeding a child before you feed yourself is a wonderful way to support children and families in the Philadelphia community.

Donate to Blessings in a Backpack

Additional Resources

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