DRI - IADC Faculty List
2021 DRI - IADC Virtual Insurance Roundtable
Virtual | September 28 - 29, 2021
Angela Bretz Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer
Nationwide Insurance
Angela Bretz is the senior vice president and chief diversity and talent acquisition officer, serving in a matrix reporting relationship to Nationwide's chief executive officer and chief human resources officer. In this role Angela establishes and oversees the development, implementation and operation of all corporate diversity, equity and inclusion work, including strategic programs, procedures and policies to advance Nationwide's culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. As the head of talent acquisition, Angela has responsibilities for associate and executive talent acquisition, university relations, internship programs, relocation services, immigration services, and talent acquisition process operations. Angela leads the service delivery of recruiting strategies and initiatives to attract and retain talent for Nationwide. Externally, Angela advances our brand and reputation, through diverse strategic partnerships, extensive recruiting relationships, philanthropy and community engagements. Angela is the company diversity, equity and inclusion thought leader and strategic business partner to senior leadership. |
Susanne Broadbent Assistant General Counsel
CapSpecialty
Susanne Broadbent graduated law school in 2002 and went into private practice for four years as a litigation attorney. In 2006, she joined a Lloyd's, London Syndicate where she worked for over nine years in both claims and compliance. As a claims manager, she handled claims for a $50,000, 000 book of business made up of various types of professional liability and E&O policies. She also acted as an in-house coverage resource for all lines and managed direct actions against the Syndicate. Suzanne performed other roles for the Syndicate, including product development support, corporate governance and corporate filings complaints against the Company; and provided contract and marketing reviews. In 2015, she joined CapSpecialty as Associate General Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary, where she is responsible for all corporate legal and regulatory matters for the company. She provides assistance, guidance and counsel to the company management and various business areas. In 2021, Suzanne was appointed the CapSpecialty's first Chief Privacy Officer where she advises the corporation on all matters relating to data privacy and security. |
Ben Chapman Executive Director, Legal Analytics & Innovation Initiative
Georgia State University College of Law
Ben Chapman, Executive Director for the Legal Analytics & Innovation Initiative at Georgia State College of Law, manages Initiative programs and projects, including overseeing educational programming and coordinating outreach activities. He was previously Assistant Dean for Information Technology at Emory Law School for 15 years. |
Jeffrey Chen Vice President
Swiss Re Americas Holding
Jeffrey Chen joined Swiss Re in 2021 as Vice President- Claims Manager Regional I (Reinsurance). Most recently, he was a Claims Manager for Excess Casualty at AXIS. In addition, he previously worked as a Claims Adjuster at AIG and ACE/Chubb. Prior to joining the insurance industry, he was a litigator and trial attorney in New York. Jeffrey holds a BA in Political Science from Johns Hopkins University and a JD from Boston University. |
Robert L. (Bob) Christie Principal Member
Christie Law Group PLLC
Robert L. (Bob) Christie is the founder of Christie Law Group. A trial lawyer for over 39 years, Bob has tried over 100 cases throughout Washington State and the district courts in Washington and Alaska. He is recognized for his defense of police officers and their agencies in civil rights cases. He is also licensed in Idaho and Oregon. |
Rachel York Colangelo Magna Legal Services
Rachel York Colangelo is Magna Legal Services' Director of Jury Consulting. She has a Ph.D. in Legal Psychology, with concentrations in Cognitive and Social Psychology. Over the last 15+ years, Rachel has provided strategic litigation consulting on cases running the gamut from personal injury to complex commercial litigation and intellectual property disputes, in various venues across the country. |
Russell L. Dennis Director - General Liability Claims
Markel Service Inc.
Russell L. Dennis practiced law for over 16 years handling a wide variety of litigation ranging from construction defect and products liability to all manner of personal injury and tort claims. He also handled first party insurance bad faith litigation arising from life, health, disability, workers' comp and auto claims. Prior to joining Markel Russell was a partner in the Dallas office of Thompson Coe. Russell currently serves as a Director in the Markel Casualty Claims Department overseeing General Liability claims. Russell obtained his BA from Texas Tech University and his JD from the Texas Tech School of Law. |
F. Lane Finch, Jr. Partner
Swift Currie McGhee & Hiers LLP
F. Lane Finch, Jr. provides insurance coverage advice, defends bad faith claims, and litigates first and third-party claims in federal and state court. He manages the Alabama office of Swift Currie, a 150-attorney firm focused solely on insurance law and litigation. Lane is the Immediate Past Chair of DRI's Insurance Law Committee and is very active in DRI programming and leadership. He also writes and presents frequently on insurance coverage and litigation issues to national audiences of attorneys, in-house counsel and claim executives. |
Bill Garcia Del Norte Consulting Services
Bill Garcia works to bridge the gap between institutional clients and law firms in legal operations and diversity, equity & inclusion. His 36 years of experience includes a 19 - year career with Liberty Mutual Insurance which wrapped up at the end of January 2021. During his tenure he oversaw outside counsel in the western United States. Prior to the Liberty Mutual acquisition, Bill established the Strategic Litigation Group for Safeco Insurance Company responsible for outside counsel management, billing and auditing of law firms across the United States. He began his career with Liberty as Managing Attorney of Safeco's Seattle Staff Counsel Office. The first half of Bill's carrier was in private practice in Washington State and California. |
Sean C. Griffin Member
Dykema Gossett PLLC
Sean C. Griffin is a member in the Washington, D.C. office of Dykema. He litigates breach of contract and fraud cases before courts, arbitrators, and mediators around the country. He also responds to subpoenas investigating violations of federal or state laws, including the False Claims Act, anti-bribery laws, and securities laws and regulations. Additionally, he assists clients with data security and responding to data breaches. |
Mary P. Haefer Head of Casualty Claims
CapSpecialty
Mary P. Haefer is Chief Claims Officer-Property & Casualty for CapSpecialty, located near Madison, WI. Mary has been with CapSpecialty since 2010 and oversees all of the claims operations for this leading provider of specialty insurance for small and mid- sized businesses across the US. Previously, Mary spent 16 years at General Casualty Companies (now QBE) as senior claims counsel overseeing complex litigation including complex commercial litigation. Mary has experience as a litigator in private practice and spent two years as a judicial clerk to the Honorable John C. Shabaz, Western District of Wisconsin. Mary is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Indiana University and received her JD at Marquette University cum laude. She completed her CPCU designation in the insurance industry in 2001 Mary has three children and is a huge sports fan. She also enjoys reading, yoga and travel. |
Leonor M. (Leo) Lagomasino Partner
Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP
Leonor M. (Leo) Lagomasino a partner with Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP in the Miami, Florida office, defends insurers in cases involving individual disability and ERISA, bad faith, life insurance and commercial first party coverage actions. She is the past Chair of DRI's Life, Health and Disability Committee. |
Shushanie E. Liesinger Sr. Claims Consultant
Intact Insurance Company
Shushanie E. Liesinger is Senior Claims Counsel at Intact Insurance Specialty Solutions, where she manages cyber insurance product offerings and claims across multiple specialty business lines. She is CIPP certified and has significant expertise at the intersection of data privacy and protection, insurance, cybersecurity, and cyber incident response. Prior to joining Intact in 2014, Shushanie was a litigation partner in the Minneapolis office of the Hinshaw & Culbertson law firm. |
Thomas F. (Tom) Lysaught SVP, Third Party Liability Claims
QBE North America
Thomas F. (Tom) Lysaught is responsible for the leadership and strategic vision of the Auto and General Liability claims is responsible for the leadership and strategic vision of the Auto and General Liability claims operations for QBE North America. He develops and implements claim strategies to improve technical and operational performance and enhance the customer and agent/broker experience. He also collaborates with internal stakeholders to evaluate technical performance and trends and develop effective business and market strategies to drive profitable growth. Tom has more than 30 years of claims and legal experience. He is a licensed attorney in Illinois. |
Kathleen J. (Kathy) Maus Partner
Butler Weihmuller Katz Craig LLP
Kathleen J. (Kathy) Maus is a Partner of Butler Weihmuller Katz Craig LLP, is active in her firm's bad faith, casualty, and first/third party insurance coverage practices. She is a recognized Super Lawyer in Insurance Coverage and a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer. Her memberships are varied, including Past Board Member of DRI and current DRI Insurance Law Committee Chair. Kathy is an author and served as a speaker at numerous seminars on issues including first and third party coverage and bad faith. |
Paul D. Motz Shareholder
Segal McCambridge
Paul D. Motz is a shareholder in the Chicago office of Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney where he focuses his practice on tort and commercial litigation disputes across the country. His extensive experience includes litigating and trying large-scale matters involving product liability, catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, professional negligence, transportation, toxic tort and construction defect. |
Alan Carroll (A.C.) Nash Partner
Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin, P.C.
Alan Carroll (A.C.) Nash is an attorney at the Ft. Lauderdale office of Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin. He focuses his practice in the defense of claims made and suits brought against insureds in product, automobile, commercial, construction and premises liability matters. His practice also includes public sector and municipal liability matters, including the representation of municipalities and law enforcement agencies against allegations of the violation of civil rights, false arrest, malicious prosecution and excessive force. |
Edward (Ted) O'Toole HDI Global Insurance Company
Edward (Ted) O'Toole works in the home foreign claims team of HDI Global, where he handles US and Canadian casualty claims on behalf of primarily European customers. Prior to moving to Chicago, he spent five years at HDI's global headquarters in Germany. Licensed in New York, his background is in products liability and commercial litigation. |
Michael Phillips Chief Claims Officer
Resilience
Michael Phillips is the Chief Claims Officer of Resilience Cyber Insurance Solutions. He also serves as the Co-Chair of the Ransomware Task Force convened by the Institute for Security & Technology. He previously served as the Head of Cyber, Media, and Technology Claims for North America at Allianz, and as cyber claims counsel at the Lloyd's of London syndicate Beazley. |
Jonathan L. Schwartz Partner
Goldberg Segalla LLP
Jonathan L. Schwartz is a partner in the Global Insurance Services Practice Group of Goldberg Segalla. He resides in the Chicago office and is admitted to practice in Illinois, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and in the federal district courts in Michigan and Ohio. Jonathan concentrates his practice on insurance coverage litigation and counseling, including primary and excess commercial general liability, commercial auto and trucking liability, and commercial and residential property insurance policies. He is also the Chair of Goldberg Segalla's Cyber Risk Coverage practice. Jonathan is the regular host of Goldberg Segalla's weekly podcast, Timely Notice. |
E. Ford Stephens Partner
Christian & Barton LLP
E. Ford Stephens is a partner at Christian & Barton LLP in Richamond, VA and a member and former Chair of DRI's Life, Health and Disability Committee, and is the Program Chair of this year's Insurance Roundtable Steering Committee. He is a contributing author to several DRI and ABA publications, and is a frequent seminar speaker, on insurance. Stephens is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation and the Virginia Law Foundation, and is listed in Best Lawyers in America (Insurance Law, Litigation-Insurance, 2015-2020) and Virginia Super Lawyers (Insurance Coverage, 2013-2019), he also a member of the DRI Board of Directors. |
Matthew Tucci Vice President, Cyber Claims Counsel
Sompo International
Matthew Tucci joined Sompo in September 2019 and is responsible for overseeing all cyber, media and technology claims. Matthew has more than eighteen combined years of claims experience in the insurance industry, and as a litigator. Matthew received his B.A. in Psychology from Rutgers University and his M.A. in Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University. He graduated cum laude with his J.D. from New York Law School. Matthew has been a frequent speaker on cyber panels at industry events and authored articles on such topics as data breach incidents. |
Kevin J. Willging Executive Counsel
Travelers
Kevin J. Willging is Executive Counsel for Travelers and is responsible for managing extra-contractual litigation against the company. He was in private practice where he focused on insurance coverage and defense litigation. He joined the St. Paul Companies as coverage counsel in 2000 and assumed responsibility for managing extra-contractual and bad faith litigation in 2002. He works closely with defense counsel in preparing pleadings, formulating strategy, coordinating consistent discovery tactics, negotiating settlements and preparing cases for trial. Kevin is a frequent speaker on bad faith and extra-contractual issues and litigation, as well attorney-client relations. |