Past DRI Seminars

Join the Law Practice Management Committee in Chicago for lessons on technological, personnel, and business issues facing law firm leaders in defense firms around the country. Law practice management has entered a new frontier with fast-changing technology, evolving client claims management philosophies, a competitive job market, post-pandemic inflation, and ongoing generational differences in the practice of law. Equip yourself with modern solutions at this seminar, featuring dynamic presentations tailored to help law firm leaders tackle daily industry challenges.

This event will be held at DRI Headquarters in Chicago. Learn more and book your room.

Join us for the 2025 DRI Retail and Hospitality Litigation Seminar in Chicago—a dynamic city known for its iconic architecture, rich cultural history, and vibrant food scene! The 2025 seminar offers valuable insights from leading experts on the latest legal challenges facing the retail and hospitality industries. This is an excellent opportunity for lawyers, retail and hospitality operators, vendors, claims professionals, and insurers to stay informed on the latest legal trends, developments, and strategies for effectively managing risk in their practices. Plus, experience the energy and innovation that Chicago has to offer!

Join us in Nashville for the 2025 Drug and Medical Device Seminar. Enjoy numerous opportunities to network with clients, potential referral sources, and colleagues and to learn about the latest developments in drug and medical device litigation. Hear a jury consultant and lawyers provide the latest insight into jury selection in a post-pandemic world. Learn from experienced in-house and outside counsel what the Loper Bright decision may mean for drug and medical device litigation as we head into the post-Chevron world. Participate in practical discussions concerning the latest on the effective use and management of remote testimony at trial and data driven MDL management. This seminar is an amazing opportunity to hear from in-house counsel, outside counsel, and industry experts as it continues to be the go-to event for lawyers working in this field of litigation.

Get ready to experience the vibrant energy of Music City at DRI’s 48^th annual Employment and Labor Law Seminar! This premier event is the ultimate gathering for top-tier management-side employment and labor attorneys, in-house counsel, human resources professionals, and employment practices liability insurance (EPLI) representatives from across the US and Canada. Immerse yourself in intensely practical sessions, complete with invaluable written materials, designed to benefit both seasoned practitioners and those new to the field. Don’t miss out on our dynamic networking events, perfectly situated near Nashville’s iconic Broadway Historic District. This is your chance to connect, learn, and grow with the best in the business. Join us for an unforgettable seminar that promises to elevate your expertise and expand your professional network!

Join us in the vibrant city of Denver for an unparalleled conference that brings together the brightest minds in the industry. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, this event offers a unique opportunity to network with top professionals, gain insights from thought leaders, and explore the latest trends shaping the Life, Health, Disability & ERISA landscape. Whether you are looking to sharpen your skills, expand your professional network, or stay ahead of the curve in your practice, this conference is designed to empower you with the knowledge and connections you need to succeed.

With just 25 years having passed since the start of the millennium, the world has seen a century’s worth of unparalleled developments in technology; innovations in internet technologies, artificial intelligence, worldwide connectivity, and digital art are just a few of the many changes we’ve seen move at breakneck speeds. Businesses and their legal advisors must keep up, get left behind, or worse, fall victim to a host of new liabilities and pitfalls that were mere concepts a few short years ago. Join us in Atlanta to learn how you can not only guard against risks to your business and intellectual property but leverage these developments in your practice.

The practice areas of toxic torts and environmental law are continuously evolving with new defense strategies, changing case law, and soaring jury verdicts. This year’s conference will be held in sunny Atlanta. Join us at the nation’s premier conference for toxic tort and environmental law practitioners to reconnect with colleagues and discover the latest strategies in the field. Register today for three days of education, business development opportunities, and more!

Navigating the ever-evolving litigation landscape is a thrilling challenge for both new attorneys and seasoned veterans. As technology advances and construction practices improve nationwide, fresh obstacles arise for insurance companies, lawyers, and clients alike. But don't worry, the DRI Construction Law Committee has your back! Join us as we dive into innovative strategies and share invaluable insights to propel the defense construction practice into 2025. Together, we'll tackle these challenges head-on and chart a course for a successful future. Let's embrace the future of construction law and make strides together!

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.

Join us in Philadelphia to hear from vibrant speakers about medical topics such as neurology and pathology, as well as legal topics including witness preparation and the Medicare Secondary Payer Act. The program is designed to foster professional development and growth for the seasoned medical liability attorney and our budding associates. Each day of the seminar includes the opportunity to earn CLE and connect with attorneys from across the country.

Join us this March in Chicago at DRI’s flagship seminar for insurance executives, claim professionals, and outside counsel. The 2025 Insurance Coverage and Claims Institute will encompass a variety of sessions to make sure you are well informed on the new latest industry developments, strategies, and sweeping trends in insurance coverage. The seminar will also provide multiple opportunities to network and build lasting relationships. We look forward to welcoming you to The Windy City!

Get ready to start your year with this exclusive, premier opportunity to network with leaders of the insurance industry and defense bar. This program is designed to be one-to-one industry representatives to outside counsel and will allow for maximum networking opportunities for both industry and private practice lawyers. Discuss and debate important and significant challenges facing the industry and forge lasting and meaningful business relationships with your peers.

This seminar marks the 38^th of its kind, providing you with invaluable information and tools to represent your governmental clients. This year’s faculty includes preeminent insurance professionals, a renowned Supreme Court advocate, a well-respected Plaintiff’s attorney, a qualified immunity scholar, and prison experts from across the United States. Attendees will experience an assortment of topics, including handling prison medical claims, cannabis use and employment issues for public entities, Title IX updates, dealing with pro se litigants, how to handle 30(b)(6) depositions in the context of wrongful conviction cases, and considerably more to support a client’s success! Throughout the program you will have an abundance of opportunities to network, exchange ideas, and gain winning strategies from experienced litigators and insurance professionals. We look forward to you joining DRI in San Antonio, Texas for our annual, premier Civil Rights and Governmental Tort Liability Seminar.

As women in the legal field, we have spent an inordinate amount of time and energy trying to fit into a profession that was not historically built for us. What if, instead, we focused our time and energy on the things we value and that make us valuable to our profession? DRI’s Women in the Law Seminar hopes to achieve just that with programming and networking events focused on issues and topics meant to explore women’s unique strengths and challenges, celebrating all of our victories and defeats, and leaning into our true selves to ultimately find the joy and strength in our authenticity instead of trying to fit the outdated mold originally created by and for men.

Product liability is an ever-changing world. How can we continue to be good litigators, and at the same time keep our own heads and wits about us? Immerse yourself in the dynamic world of product liability in sunny Miami, where you’ll engage with judges, industry leaders, and top lawyers from across the nation. Uncover strategies to stay composed under pressure, master the use of digital evidence and litigation technology, and effectively incorporate visuals in trials. Plus, find opportunities to explore the psychology behind successful mediations, understand and address social inflation, and keep up with the latest regulatory changes. Don’t miss DRI’s great opportunity to expand your network and enhance your expertise.

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.

Professional practice standards are changing daily. From Artificial Intelligence to Zoom meetings, trials and everything in between, keeping up competencies can seem overwhelming. Join us for practical tips, refreshers on skills, thought provoking views from experts, and opportunities to network with professional colleagues.

This year’s seminar will bring together a superb lineup of medical and scientific experts, top-tier litigators, and timely topics. Plus, enjoy unforgettable events designed to promote insightful discussions and meaningful networking opportunities. This is a must-attend event that will also feature the debut of the new Asbestos Medicine Committee. With the introduction of our new committee, DRI is proud to show its commitment to this important area of practice. Don’t miss your chance to dive deep with other committee members into defense strategies and methods that will best serve your clients.

Join us in fabulous Las Vegas for a program that will benefit all attorneys involved in appeals. Sessions will include discussions on building an appellate practice, practical advice for presenting a persuasive appellate brief, and insights into judicial decision-making. Experienced appellate advocates from across the country, along with federal and state court judges, serve as speakers. Additionally, the committee collaborates with the Asbestos Medicine Committee for joint sessions on product liability and failure to warn, as well as the diversity initiative. Receptions and networking opportunities with other appellate attorneys and conference attendees are also part of the event.

Meet us in the Emerald City: where relationships build business. Join hundreds of civil defense attorneys and in-house counsel from across the country to build your book of business, enjoy networking events, reach your professional goals with cutting-edge education, and more! Hear from keynote speakers including two-time NBA champion and former U.S. Senator, Bill Bradley and popular public television host, best-selling author, and activist, Rick Steves.