Event Schedule

Bridging the Divide: The Rule of Law, Civility & the Path Forward with Senator Joe Manchin

Join Senator Joe Manchin and DRI President‑Elect Jill Rice for a candid fireside chat on leadership, civility, and the enduring role of the rule of law in an increasingly divided environment. Drawing on the themes of his bestselling book, Dead Center: In Defense of Common Sense, Senator Manchin will share perspectives shaped by decades of public service on the value of principled compromise, respectful dialogue, and steady leadership when consensus feels elusive. The conversation will explore why civility and professionalism matter—not only in public life, but within the legal profession—and how lawyers can help model thoughtful, solution‑driven leadership grounded in respect for institutions and each other. Following the session, Senator Manchin will be pleased to sign copies of his best-selling book, Dead Center, in the DRI Hub in the Exhibit Hall.

Keynote Speaker
Senator Joe Manchin, Charleston, WV

Moderator
Jill C. Rice, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, Morgantown, WV

The Modern GC Playbook: Risk, Reputation, and Real-Time Decisions (CLE Session)

In this candid discussion, legal leaders from Kroger, Progressive, and Bayer will share how they approach their most critical decisions—from crisis management and reputational risk to litigation strategy and law firm relationships. The conversation will explore how in-house counsel prioritize competing demands, align legal strategy with business objectives, and evaluate outside counsel in a rapidly evolving environment. Attendees will gain practical insight into how in-house counsel define value and what it takes to become a trusted partner.

Panelists
Robyn Buck, Bayer
David Stringer, Progressive Insurance Company
George Vincent, The Kroger Co.

Value, Risk-Sharing & the New Client-Law Firm Model: How In-House Counsel Will Buy Legal Services in the Future (CLE Session)

The future is now. Join legal futurist Connie Brenton for a clear‑eyed look at how the client–law firm relationship is rapidly being reshaped and what that means for firms that want to remain competitive in the decades ahead. As in‑house legal departments become more sophisticated and technology—particularly AI—accelerate change, corporate clients are rethinking how they purchase legal services, shifting away from traditional billing toward value‑based pricing, risk‑sharing, and deeper partnerships. As corporate legal teams are redefining expectations around efficiency, transparency, innovation, and accountability—and what law firms must do now to align with those expectations, attendees will come away with a practical understanding of where the market is headed, what clients will demand in the years ahead, and how firms can position themselves to deliver value in a fundamentally changed legal landscape

Speaker
Connie Brenton (Founder & CEO), LegalOps.com, Reno, NV

AI Skills Lab: Fast-Paced, Hands-On Training for Civil Defense Lawyers (CLE Session)

Get ready to roll up your sleeves and put AI to work for you! Attendees will rotate through six interactive stations, each focused on a practical, legal skill—from faster legal research and smarter drafting to case analysis, discovery, and client communication. Led by experienced practitioners and AI tool creators, each stop delivers quick, real-world applications you can use immediately in your practice. No lectures — just interactive learning, live demos, and actionable takeaways. Walk away with greater efficiency, stronger skills and a competitive edge in defending your clients in an AI-driven legal landscape.

The Mid-Terms and the State of the Electorate: What Trial Lawyers Need to Know (CLE Session)

Just weeks before the November election, join Amy Walter, one of the country’s leading analysts of voter behavior and electoral trends, for a timely preview of the upcoming midterms. Drawing on her deep experience tracking voter attitudes, turnout dynamics, and political fault lines, Walter will break down what is shaping the electorate in real time as Election Day approaches. With the help of our moderator, this session will explore how those voter attitudes and societal trends may surface in jury pools—not by treating jurors as voters, but by examining the behaviors, broader mindset, concerns, and polarization reflected in the electorate from which juries are drawn. Walter’s election focused insights will help translate into practical considerations for trial lawyers and our moderator will help us use her insights to help up learn how to think about voir dire, credibility assessments, and trial messaging. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of where the electorate stands as the country heads into the midterms, why this moment is uniquely important, and how greater awareness of voter behavior can inform trial strategy in an election year environment.

Speaker
Amy Walter, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, Washington, D.C.

Winning When the Room is Against You: A Trial Master Class with Three of America’s Leading Trial Lawyers

Anti‑corporate skepticism is no longer a background condition—it’s the room you walk into. In this moderated discussion, three of the country’s most accomplished trial lawyers share hard‑earned lessons from trying some of the most consequential cases of the last two decades, including bet‑the‑company commercial disputes, high‑stakes white‑collar matters, and complex civil litigation for the nation’s largest corporations.

Through candid war stories and real‑world examples, these advocates explain how they prepare for trial when jurors begin skeptical, how they confront bias head‑on in voir dire, and how they manage sympathetic plaintiffs without losing credibility or the jury. Representing two of the most respected trial‑focused firms in the country—each with a distinct culture and approach—the panel goes beyond anecdotes to provide concrete tools and frameworks for preparation, persuasion, and execution. Attendees will leave with practical strategies they can apply immediately, and a clearer understanding of what separates competent trial work from the very best.

Moderator
Sandy Wunderlich, Tucker Ellis LLP, St. Louis, MO

Speakers
Heidi Hubbard, Williams & Connolly, Washington, D.C.
Brian Stekloff, Wilkinson Stekloff, Washington, D.C.
Beth Wilkinson, Wilkinson Stekloff, Washington, D.C.

Deceptive Analysis Secrets from a Former Expert Military Interrogator to Spot the Lies and Get the Truth

Lena Sisco is a former Department of Defense–certified military interrogator and Naval Human Intelligence Officer who served in the Global War on Terror, including as an interrogator at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. She draws on that experience to share practical, disciplined techniques for assessing credibility, identifying inconsistencies, and structuring questions to encourage truthful responses. Tailored for legal professionals, the program will focus on how lawyers can more effectively listen, observe, and adapt in real time—whether during depositions, witness interviews, or negotiations. Rather than relying on myths or intuition alone, Sisco emphasizes proven methods for evaluating verbal and nonverbal behavior, testing narratives, and maintaining control of the conversation. Attendees will learn actionable strategies for depositions, witness interviews, and negotiations—helping to spot the lies, sharpen instincts, and gain a decisive edge.

Speaker
Lena Sisco, Washington, D.C.

Litigation Skills Workshop: Build Your Practice, Your Way

Design your own learning experience in this high-impact workshop for civil defense attorneys. Choose from a menu of focused litigation skills sessions—each led by DRI’s substantive law committees—and dive into the session most relevant to your day-to-day practice. Whether you’re honing deposition skills, strengthening motion practice, or refining trial techniques, each session delivers practical, real-world guidance you can put to use right away. Walk away more confident, more capable, and ready to elevate your advocacy.

Insurance Law / Alternative Dispute Resolution
The Ethical Mediation: Do the Right Thing

Is all fair game at mediation? Join us for a lively discussion, including the significance of the recent ABA Formal Opinion 518 and why attorneys are allowed to posture and engage in puffery during settlement discussions, while the attorney-mediator has an ethical duty to play it straight. Formal Opinion 518 is a significant contribution to the ADR field, and the panel will discuss its impact, including whether mediators can still ethically make mediator’s proposals. The panel will use video-clips as launch points for discussions on Opinion 518, confidentiality, an “evaluative” approach to mediating, and “mediator manipulation.”

Women in the Law
Women in the Law Quick Hits from the 2026 Speaker Series Cohort

Is all fair game at mediation? Join us for a lively discussion, including the significance of the recent ABA Formal Opinion 518 and why attorneys are allowed to posture and engage in puffery during settlement discussions, while the attorney-mediator has an ethical duty to play it straight. Formal Opinion 518 is a significant contribution to the ADR field, and the panel will discuss its impact, including whether mediators can still ethically make mediator’s proposals. The panel will use video-clips as launch points for discussions on Opinion 518, confidentiality, an “evaluative” approach to mediating, and “mediator manipulation.”

Aviation Law
The Future of Aviation Litigators: Mock Trial Presentations by, and Practice Pointers for, Up-and-Coming Aviation Attorneys

Strong presentation skills are essential to professional growth. Whether speaking in the courtroom, the boardroom, or a conference setting, the ability to communicate ideas with clarity and confidence shapes how expertise is perceived—and creates opportunities for advancement. Sharon Stuart and Julie Fix Meyer hosted a series created specifically for members of the Women in the Law Committee that combined skill‑based training with real‑time practice in a supportive, small‑group environment. Now it’s time for the participants to show off their new skills!  Join us as we support our members and enjoy their presentations! This is one session you won’t soon forget!

Lawyers' Professionalism and Ethics / Young Lawyers
Discovering and Admitting Social Media Evidence - The Ethical Way

From Facebook posts to TikTok videos to disappearing Snapchat messages, social media evidence can shape the outcome of virtually any case—but collecting and admitting that evidence comes with ethical and evidentiary landmines. This session will explore best practices for identifying, preserving, authenticating, and introducing social media evidence while navigating professional responsibility obligations, privacy concerns, and evolving admissibility standards. Attendees will gain practical strategies for leveraging digital evidence effectively and ethically in today’s litigation landscape.

Commercial Litigation / Intellectual Property (IP)
Litigating in the AI Era:  Practical Considerations for Avoiding AI Pitfalls

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into legal practice and client operations, attorneys must be prepared to address new expectations, risks, and ethical considerations. This session will cover client demands related to AI, advising clients on appropriate AI use, protecting attorney-client privilege, and responding to pro se plaintiffs’ growing use of AI tools. Using real-life examples, speakers will provide practical strategies for navigating this rapidly evolving landscape.

AI Skills Lab: Fast-Paced, Hands-On Training for Civil Defense Lawyers

Get ready to roll up your sleeves and put AI to work for you! Attendees will rotate through six interactive stations, each focused on a practical, legal skill—from faster legal research and smarter drafting to case analysis, discovery, and client communication. Led by experienced practitioners and AI tool creators, each stop delivers quick, real-world applications you can use immediately in your practice. No lectures — just interactive learning, live demos, and actionable takeaways. Walk away with greater efficiency, stronger skills and a competitive edge in defending your clients in an AI-driven legal landscape.

Construction Law
Making the Most of Westlaw's AI Tools

Join us for live demonstrations of Westlaw's Litigation Document Check and CoCounsel applied to real litigation matters. Attendees will leave with specific prompts and workflows ready to deploy on their next case.

Trucking Law
Deploying AI During Depositions for Instant Analysis and Strategy

Most attorneys treat AI as a pre- or post-deposition tool, if they use it at all. This session shows you how to leverage AI while the deposition is still happening. In a live walkthrough, defense attorney and Skribe co-founder Karl Seelbach demonstrates how to upload case materials before the deposition so AI can analyze testimony against your documents in real time. You'll see how to catch inconsistencies as they happen, surface impeachment opportunities, and adjust your questioning strategy during breaks using AI-generated insights from the testimony you took just minutes earlier. No fluff, no theory. Just a working deposition and the prompts to use during your next one.

Asbestos Litigation
Using AI to Improve Discovery and Mitigate Liability at Scale

A practical demonstration of how AI compresses the time and cost of the high-volume discovery that defines litigation, including interrogatories, requests for production, requests for admissions and more. Attendees will see how to capture these efficiencies while preserving the case-specific judgment.

Litigation Skills
AI Prompting 101 - Deposition Preparation Tips & Tricks

In this hands-on introduction to prompt engineering for trial lawyers, we'll focus on the discrete task of preparing witnesses for deposition — mapping likely lines of questioning, stress-testing the witness's narrative, and generating cross-examination scenarios. Attendees will leave with a tested prompt library they can put to work the next morning, regardless of practice area.

Center Task Force
AI-Enhanced Client Development & Competitive Intelligence

In this demonstration, we'll show how AI is reshaping business development for defense firms — from monitoring industry signals and emerging litigation trends to building targeted pitch materials grounded in real competitive intelligence. Attendees will leave with practical workflows for using AI to identify, win, and retain institutional clients.

Drug and Medical Device
Improving Case Strategy Analysis with AI

Explores how AI surfaces patterns across complaints, expert reports, and prior verdicts to sharpen case strategy in litigation — from early case assessment through trial themes. Includes a live walkthrough of how OraClaim fits into the workflows defense counsel already use.

Litigation Skills Workshop: Build Your Practice, Your Way

Design your own learning experience in this high-impact workshop for civil defense attorneys. Choose from a menu of focused litigation skills sessions—each led by DRI’s substantive law committees—and dive into the session most relevant to your day-to-day practice. Whether you’re honing deposition skills, strengthening motion practice, or refining trial techniques, each session delivers practical, real-world guidance you can put to use right away. Walk away more confident, more capable, and ready to elevate your advocacy.

Internal Investigations, Regulatory and Enforcement Litigation
How to Conduct Effective Internal Investigations

When legal issues arise inside an organization, the ability to conduct a thorough, strategic, and defensible internal investigation is critical. This session will explore best practices for planning and conducting internal investigations, managing sensitive witness interviews, preserving privilege, navigating reporting obligations, and minimizing organizational risk. Attendees will gain practical guidance for handling investigations efficiently while maintaining credibility, confidentiality, and trust.

Employment and Labor Law
From Demand to Deal: Defense Tactics for Maximizing Leverage in Employment Mediation

Designed for management-side litigators, this session offers a practical, strategy-driven approach to employment mediation from initial demand through final resolution. An experienced panel will examine how to evaluate exposure, prepare clients, and respond to aggressive or inflated demands, while using negotiation tactics to create and maintain leverage throughout the process. The program will also address timing considerations, effective use of the mediator, and common plaintiff-side strategies.  Attendees will leave equipped with new techniques to drive efficient, business-minded outcomes for employer clients.

Diversity and Inclusion / Governmental Liability
The Voice that Binds: Selecting, Educating, and Protecting Your Corporate Designee

A compelling witness examination can shape how jurors understand the facts, assess credibility, and ultimately decide a case. This engaging panel—featuring experienced trial counsel and a jury consultant—will explore practical strategies for maximizing persuasive impact with two of the most critical witness categories at trial: the corporate representative on direct examination and the adverse physician or expert witness on cross-examination. Panelists will discuss how to prepare and present a corporate witness to build credibility, reinforce core case themes, and communicate complex information in a way jurors understand and trust. The discussion will also focus on effective cross-examination techniques for challenging adverse experts and physicians, including controlling difficult witnesses, exposing weaknesses without overreaching, and creating moments that resonate with jurors. Combining courtroom experience with jury psychology insights, the panel will provide actionable techniques for witness preparation, examination structure, and presentation style designed to maximize credibility, engagement, and persuasion in front of today’s juries.