Speaker Spotlights
Keynote Speaker
Bob Woodward
Session: A Fireside Chat with Presidential Historian Bob Woodward
Date: Thursday, October 16
“Everyone has their own version of the truth, but there are facts,” says Bob Woodward, who first gained international attention when he and Carl Bernstein uncovered the Watergate scandal in 1973. Since then, Woodward has worked to shine a light on the inner workings of government. His factual, non-partisan revelations to audiences provide an unflinching view of Washington leadership. Woodward has written about the last ten U.S. presidents, and, whether Democrat or Republican, he has always pursued the best version of the truth with equal vigor.
What can businesses, legal professionals, and decision-makers learn from Woodward’s decades of investigative journalism? How do we get behind the spin in an era of instant news and political chaos? No one else in political investigative journalism has the clout, respect, and reputation of Woodward. He has a way of getting insiders to open up in ways that reveal an intimate yet sweeping portrayal of Washington and the political infighting, how we fight wars, the price of politics, how presidents lead, homeland security efforts, and so much more. His work is meticulous and draws on internal memos, classified documents, meeting notes and hundreds of hours of recorded interviews with most of the key players. Woodward helps people get behind the spin to understand what’s really going on in the halls of power in an age of 24-hour news, social media, and snarky politics.
Join us as we get a behind the scenes tour of Washington’s past and maybe even a glimpse into its future.
Featured Speakers
Click on the speaker to view their bio and see which session they will be speaking at.
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Tara Antonipllai
Institute for Well-Being in Law, Lake Oswego, OR
Session: Making Well-Being Work for You and Your Firm: Practical Strategies and Resources
Date: Friday, October 17
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Denise Gaskin, Ph.D., PCC
Institute for Well-Being in Law, Lake Oswego, OR
Session: Making Well-Being Work for You and Your Firm: Practical Strategies and Resources
Date: Friday, October 17
Denise is a certified professional coach and consultant with over 30 years of experience in the fields of mental health, wellness, culture, dialogue, and collaboration.
Previously, Denise served as the chief operating officer of Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt, P.C., a large, regional law firm in the Pacific Northwest. Prior to this role Denise was the Operations Director for a large, multi-county behavioral health organization in North Carolina.
Denise holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Tennessee, an M.S. in Counseling Psychology from Indiana University, and a B.S. in Exercise Science / Wellness from Ball State University. She is also a certified professional coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation.
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Phil Goldberg
Shook, Hardy & Bacon, LLP, Washington, D.C.
Session: Advanced Insights & Strategies to Address Third-Party Litigation Funding
Date: Thursday, October 16
Phil Goldberg is the office managing partner of Shook in Washington, D.C., and co-chair of the firm’s Public Policy Practice Group. He has more than 25 years of experience advising clients on high stakes and high profile liability-related public policy, public affairs and public relations issues. He counsels businesses and their trade associations on some of the most cutting-edge liability issues of the day. As part of this work, Phil co-chairs the firm’s National Amicus Practice, which files more than three dozen amicus briefs every year, from the U.S. Supreme Court to state appellate courts. He has testified before Congress and state legislatures, including most recently in support of Georgia’s Third Party Litigation Funding bill. He also is a regular speaker at judicial education conferences, again including on TPLF.
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Michael Goodin
Zurich American Insurance Company, Memphis, TN
Session: Advanced Insights & Strategies to Address Third-Party Litigation Funding
Date: Thursday, October 16
Michael T. Goodin is the Managing Attorney for Zurich’s Memphis and Atlanta Staff Legal Offices, where he leads a team of legal professionals devoted to providing the highest standard of legal representation to Zurich’s clients in tort and workers’ compensation claims. Michael brings to the Managing Attorney role his fifteen years’ experience as a trial attorney, where he has defended businesses in high complexity claims including medical malpractice, nursing home liability, premises liability, and automobile liability cases.
Prior to his current role as Managing Attorney, Michael worked as a Senior Consultant for Zurich’s Claims Judicial and Legislative Affairs group, a social inflation task force. He worked to develop and implement judicial and legislative improvements in key jurisdictions across the United States. He also advocated for changes in the law that level the playing field between tort plaintiffs and defendants, and advocated for judges and legislators who believe businesses deserve a fair trial in a tort lawsuit.
As part of his advocacy for a fairer court system, Michael frequently presents on the drivers of social inflation, including third party litigation funding and nuclear verdicts. He is a member of the Defense Research Institutes TPLF Task Force and the Lawyers for Civil Justice TPLF Committee.
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Elbert Lin
Hunton, Richmond, VA
Session: The State of the Administrative State after Loper Bright and How to Navigate It as a Practitioner
Date: Friday, October 17
The former Solicitor General of West Virginia, Elbert Lin chairs the Issues and Appeals practice at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP and is also a member of the firm’s elected Executive Committee. Elbert has litigated precedent-setting matters in appellate courts across the country and presented oral argument in more than sixty cases, including in the U.S. Supreme Court.
During his years on the West Virginia Attorney General’s senior staff as the Solicitor General, Elbert oversaw all civil and criminal appeals, managed all legal issues and litigation involving the federal government, and supervised nearly fifty Attorney General opinions. Before that role, Elbert was a partner at Wiley Rein LLP in Washington, DC, and a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice, where he primarily litigated suits involving the constitutionality of federal laws and challenges to federal agency action. He has served as a law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, U.S. Court of Appeals Judge William H. Pryor Jr., and Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Keeton.
A magna cum laude graduate of Yale University and Managing Editor of the Yale Law Journal at Yale Law School, Elbert has been recognized by numerous publications and organizations. Among other accolades, he is an elected member of the American Law Institute, a fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, and a public member of the Administrative Conference of the United States.
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R. Jeffrey Lowe
Kightlinger & Gray LLP, New Albany, IN
Session: A Fireside Chat with Presidential Historian Bob Woodward
Date: Thursday, October 16
Jeff Lowe is a partner with Kightlinger & Gray, LLP, in New Albany, Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky. His practice includes the defense of governmental entities and their employees in cases involving constitutional and state law torts throughout Indiana and Kentucky. He also regularly defends general liability, premises liability, transportation, and other matters. Jeff has served in various roles within the DRI Civil Rights and Governmental Tort Liability section, ultimately serving as its chair. He served a term on DRI’s Board of Directors and was elected to DRI’s Executive Committee in 2021. He is currently serving as the acting President of DRI.
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Steve Marshall
Alabama Attorney General
Session: Navigating the AG Landscape: Effective Strategies for Interacting with Attorneys General
Date: Thursday, October 16
Steve Marshall was sworn in as the 48th Attorney General of the State of Alabama on February 10, 2017. Since taking office, he has distinguished himself as a strong and effective leader committed to law and order, public safety, and the rule of law. As Alabama’s chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General Marshall has worked tirelessly through both enforcement actions and policy reforms to make Alabama a safer, more just place to live. His steadfast leadership has earned the respect and support of law enforcement agencies across the state.
Throughout his tenure, Attorney General Marshall has emerged as a leader on key legal and policy issues. He has been at the forefront of efforts to protect children from irreversible gender-altering medical procedures, preserve fairness in women’s sports, defend election integrity, combat the opioid epidemic, fight human trafficking, and uphold the rule of law and the rights of states in matters of border security and immigration enforcement. He is also a strong advocate for religious liberty and has consistently championed constitutional principles in courts across the country.
His leadership and influence have extended beyond Alabama. Marshall previously served as Chairman of the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA), where he played a pivotal role in shaping national legal strategies and advancing conservative principles at the state level.
A native of Atmore, Alabama, Marshall earned his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received his law degree with academic honors from the University of Alabama School of Law. He served for 16 years as District Attorney for Marshall County, where he gained extensive prosecutorial experience and built a reputation for tough, principled law enforcement. Attorney General Marshall and his wife, Tammy, reside in Montgomery and are proud parents to three children: Faith Marshall, John Millan Gaston, and Benen Gaston. He is an active member of Church of the Highlands.
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Bridget M. McCormack
President & CEO of the American Arbitration Association – International Centre for Dispute Resolution, Detroit, MI
Session: Beyond the Gavel: Integrating Public and Private Resolution to Future-Proof the Rule of Law
Date: Friday, October 17
Bridget M. McCormack is the president and CEO of the American Arbitration Association-International Centre for Dispute Resolution® (AAA-ICDR®), the preeminent global provider of alternative dispute resolution services. She has an extensive background in judicial service, court administration and scholarship and a track record of advocacy for innovation and technology in dispute resolution. Before her tenure at AAA-ICDR, which commenced in February 2023, McCormack served as the Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court from 2019 to 2022 after being an associate justice since 2013. Her leadership led to pioneering reforms in Michigan’s court system, notably the launch of the state’s first online dispute resolution platform and an eviction diversion program, both crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic.
McCormack’s dedication to education and legal reform is evident in her academic roles. As an esteemed educator at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, she has been instrumental in exploring the implications of artificial intelligence in the legal sector and advocating for responsible AI practices within the profession. Her leadership as the chair of the American Bar Association’s Section on Legal Education and Admission to the Bar and her involvement with key legal education and reform committees have been pivotal in modernizing legal education and practice.
Her early career began in New York City, where she worked as a trial attorney at the Legal Aid Society and then at the Office of the Appellate Defender, followed by academic positions at Yale and the University of Michigan Law Schools. Notably, she co-founded the Michigan Innocence Clinic, the first non-DNA innocence clinic in the country, which has led to the exoneration of 41 individuals as of April 2024.
McCormack’s achievements have been widely recognized, earning her numerous awards, including the Sunshine Award from the Michigan Press Association for promoting transparency in public service and the Rebuilding Justice Award, acknowledging her dedication to legal reform. Her influential work earned her the title of “Influential Woman in Law” by Michigan Lawyers Weekly in 2022.
A graduate of Trinity College and New York University Law School, where she was a Root-Tilden Scholar, McCormack’s professional journey reflects a pursuit of justice, innovation and education in the legal field. She is married to Steven Croley, Ford Motor Company’s general counsel and chief policy officer, and they have four adult children.
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John B. McCuskey
West Virginia Attorney General
Session: Navigating the AG Landscape: Effective Strategies for Interacting with Attorneys General
Date: Thursday, October 16
The Honorable John “JB" McCuskey is West Virginia’s 35th Attorney General. McCuskey has devoted his life to public service, previously serving two terms as West Virginia State Auditor and two terms in the West Virginia House of Delegates.
As Attorney General he has been aggressive in protecting the nation’s energy interests as well as fighting against states overstepping their authority to push their agendas onto the people of West Virginia.
McCuskey earned a degree in Political Communication from The George Washington University. He earned his Juris Doctorate from the West Virginia University College of Law. McCuskey also worked as a civilian for the Department of Defense at the Pentagon in the offices of the Army and Department of Defense General Counsels.
McCuskey is a native of Harrison County, West Virginia. His parents, John and Anne McCuskey, cultivated his deep love of the Mountain State and instilled in him the values of public service. They also instilled in him the value of family and his greatest accomplishment is being a husband and father. McCuskey and his wife Wendy have two daughters, Charlotte Anne and Martha Elizabeth.
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Erin Murphy
Clement & Murphy, PLLC, Washington, D.C.
Session: The State of the Administrative State after Loper Bright and How to Navigate It as a Practitioner
Date: Friday, October 17
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Zane Riester
Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, NJ
Session: Advanced Insights & Strategies to Address Third-Party Litigation Funding
Date: Thursday, October 16
Zane Riester is currently Assistant General Counsel at Johnson & Johnson, where he manages a diversified range of medical device mass torts and class actions worldwide. Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson, Zane was a Partner at McCarter & English, in Newark, New Jersey, where he worked on a broad portfolio of high-profile product liability case and consumer fraud class actions, with a focus on the needs of medical device and pharmaceutical companies.
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John Parker Sweeney
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP, Washington, D.C.
Session: The State of the Administrative State after Loper Bright and How to Navigate It as a Practitioner
Date: Friday, October 17
Every mass tort matter may involve "bet the company" risks, and John Parker Sweeney's experience with major product liability and toxic tort cases allows him to develop a litigation response tailored to the many variables of each matter. He regularly serves as national counsel, devising and executing comprehensive defense strategies in mass tort cases across the country and, because of the critical advantage provided by his familiarity with state and federal courts in the Mid-Atlantic region, his regional mass tort practice is unsurpassed. He is recognized as a Maryland "Super Lawyer" in mass tort defense.
An acknowledged "expert on experts," Mr. Sweeney relies on his relationships with nationally renowned technical, scientific, and medical experts, as well as his thorough understanding of the rules and procedures governing expert testimony to protect his clients from scientifically unfounded claims and unqualified plaintiffs' experts. His success at securing precedent-setting decisions limiting the admission of junk science in early "sick building" claims typifies his effectiveness.
Mr. Sweeney provides effective mass tort risk-management and cost recovery advice based on over 30 years of complex litigation experience. He advises clients on how to avoid or mitigate the risks of product liability and environmental claims. He regularly investigates and secures insurance coverage or contractual indemnification. He is also proud to be a past President of DRI.
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Caroline Tinsley
Tucker Ellis LLP, St. Louis, MO
Session: Connecting the Courtroom and the C-Suite: Strategic Insights on Collaborating Across Legal Roles
Date: Thursday, October 16
Caroline Tinsley defends leading product manufacturers in mass tort and product liability matters, with a particular emphasis on pharmaceutical, medical device, and consumer product liability.
She currently serves as national counsel in the high-profile talcum powder product litigation. Caroline also has served as national counsel and local counsel in a variety of other litigations, including gadolinium GDD, opioids, hormone therapy, insulin delivery devices, PET scans, medical devices for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, breast implants, and IVC filters, among many others.
Caroline’s significant experience in the pharmaceutical, medical device, and consumer product arena covers all areas of defense and extends to internal investigations and product recalls. Her experience includes managing multidistrict litigation and class action product litigation, developing the overarching defense strategy, preparing key company fact and expert witnesses, and actively participating in all aspects of the defense through trial and the appeals process. Caroline has argued in state and federal courts and various appellate courts throughout the United States, including the Missouri Supreme Court.
Caroline, along with her daughter Corinne and bunny, Bigbury Bon Bon, embrace every adventure that comes their way.
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Danielle Waltz
West Virginia University Health System, Charleston, WV
Session: Navigating the AG Landscape: Effective Strategies for Interacting with Attorneys General
Date: Thursday, October 16
With a diverse legal background, Danielle Waltz serves as a go-to resource for her clients in addressing the full spectrum of government relations matters. Whether drafting bills, fostering connections with elected officials or helping clients navigate the complex legislative process, her ability to connect with people on a personal level enables her to bring them together to forge mutually advantageous partnerships. She routinely works with local, state and national businesses, always tailoring her approach for each client’s unique needs. Her background and knowledge has allowed her to play an integral role in the passage of several changes to the legal landscape in West Virginia, including the landmark passage of a bill creating the intermediate court of appeals. She currently serves as Assistant Vice President of Government Relations and Associate General Counsel for West Virginia University Health System.
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Ricardo Woods
Burr & Forman LLP, Mobile, AL
Session: Advanced Insights & Strategies to Address Third-Party Litigation Funding
Date: Thursday, October 16
Ricardo Woods serves as general counsel to the second largest municipality in the State of Alabama, where he manages all of the organization's outside counsel and the internal legal department as well as serving as the chief legal advisor to the Mayor. In addition to his governmental practice he is a member of the firm's Tort Insurance & Product Liability (TIPS) group.
Ricardo’s insurance litigation experience includes issues related to defalcation, bad agents, fraud and coverage agents. His product liability experience includes industrial grade machinery, automobile components, toxic torts and chemical agents. Ricardo is a creative problem solver who provides his clients with innovative and cost effective solutions and strategies. He is no stranger to the courtroom and he is experienced in handling all stages of complex litigation. Ricardo has first-chair jury trial experience, as well as extensive pre-trial litigation experience. He has successfully defended matters, which included allegations of wrongful death, paralysis, severe bodily injuries, and catastrophic property loss.
Ricardo has been admitted to the Alabama State Bar and the Mississippi State Bar, and he is licensed to practice law in both state and federal courts in Alabama and Mississippi. He is currently serving as the Secretary Treasurer of DRI.