2023 DRI Drug and Medical Device Seminar

May 3–5, 2023 | New Orleans, Louisiana

Zoomed in microscope and glass dropper onto glass tubes

Stay Current on New Developments in Drug and Medical Devices!

Join us in historic New Orleans for the Drug and Medical Device industry’s premier event for learning, networking, and advancing the defense of life sciences clients! You’ll hear from heads of litigation from the world’s foremost drug and medical device companies, get the latest insight on jurors’ changing perceptions, and celebrate Daubert’s 30th anniversary. This year, take advantage of new CLE opportunities on Wednesday afternoon and small group, off-site networking events on Thursday afternoon, which provide more opportunities than ever to network with renowned industry experts while enjoying the best of New Orleans.

View registration information here.

What You Will Learn:

  • Learn how to make the most of the blood, sweat, and tears that went into getting that FDA approval.
  • Hear best practices for managing former employees when their testimony is needed.
  • Get the most cutting-edge update on ethics issues for Drug and Medical Device lawyers, from Loyola University’s renowned ethics professor.
  • Explore how jurors perceive our clients and issues in drug and device cases in this post-pandemic world.
  • Dig into the ins and outs of presenting and defending against remote testimony.

Expand Your Network By:

  • Joining the best and brightest from the Drug and Medical Device defense bar for a reception aboard the Creole Queen!
  • Seeing the city with small group networking—new to our seminar—on Thursday afternoon.
  • Enjoying New Orleans during Jazz Fest!

Panel Counsel Meetings with Major Companies
Take advantage of the opportunity to engage with key industry companies* including:

  • GSK
  • Pfizer
  • TM Claims Service, Inc.
  • Organon

*Subject to change

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Thank You to DRI's Drug and Medical Device Committee Leadership

Jennifer Snyder Heis
Jennifer Snyder Heis
Program Chair
Archibald T. Reeves
Archibald T. Reeves, IV
Program Vice Chair
Sheila S. Boston
Sheila S. Boston
Committee Chair
Erik W. Snapp
Erik W. Snapp
Committee Vice Chair
Ted J. McDonald
Ted J. McDonald
Law Institute

Join the Drug and Medical Device Committee

Registration Information

Register Now

  Member Pricing Non-Member Pricing
Regular Registration* $1,395 $1,695
Group Registration (Non-Sponsored)** $995/person $995/person
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.

*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.

**Group registration is for registering 4 or more attendees, members and non-members. There is one free registration with every 10 registrations. You must lock in the rate three weeks prior to the seminar. If you want to register for the group pricing, please send an email to rstiner@dri.org (online registration is not available for this offering).

Networking Events

Premier Networking Reception | Creole Queen
Sponsored by: Barnes & Thornburg LLP, Dechert LLP, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, Greenberg Traurig LLP, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore LLC, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP, Tucker Ellis LLP, Ulmer& Berne LLP, Venable LLP

Date: Wednesday, May 3 from 6:00–8:00 p.m.
Pricing: Free when you register for the seminar (Guest tickets $100 each, available at check-out. A limited number of guest tickets may be available on site for $125 each.)
Location: Creole Queen, 1 Poydras St., New Orleans, LA

Join the Cannabis Law, Employment and Labor Law, and the Drug and Medical Device committees for a networking event as we savor a taste of New Orleans aboard the Paddlewheeler Creole Queen! Even though the Creole Queen would have been right at home among the steamboats of 1850's New Orleans, passengers of that era could never have conceived of a paddle wheeler with her luxury, comfort, and safety.

Please note the boat will stay dockside for continuous boarding and will offer light appetizers and beverages. The entrance to the Creole Queen is at the Poydras Street dock at Spanish Plaza, located behind the Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel.

Agenda with Speakers

*Schedule and Speakers subject to change

Wednesday, May 3, 2023

Time (Central) Program Location
12:00 p.m. Registration
3:00 p.m. Welcome to the DRI Drug and Medical Device Seminar
3:00 p.m. Young Lawyers Blockbuster Breakout

For more details, click on "Young Lawyers Blockbuster Breakout" tab.

Moderated by the Young Lawyer Programming Co-Chairs:
Carolyn Riggs, Ice Miller, Indianapolis, IN
Jay Mattappally, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore LLC, New Orleans, LA

3:05 p.m. The Art of Persuasion: Improv Skills Every Lawyer Should Know

This interactive session introduces improve techniques for effective advocacy. Cyndie Chang and Michelle Sugihara, both attorneys and improv actors, will lead participatory and demonstrative exercises to provide tips and tricks for public speaking and trial skills. They will cover multi-tasking, thinking on your feet, listening, connecting with your audience, nonverbal cues, confidence, creativity, and storytelling. Improv training helps attorneys improve their courtroom and boardroom presence and strengthen the ability to respond to the unexpected. Improv is not about being “funny.” It is about being the moment, being authentic, and above all, being an effective communicator—skills all litigators must possess. Let’s have some fun!

Cyndie M. Chang, Duane Morris, Los Angeles, CA
Michelle Sugihara, Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment, Los Angeles, CA

4:05 p.m. Best Practices in Using Remote Testimony At Trial

With the pandemic, many courts loosened the rules requiring in-person testimony, and that change appears to be one that will remain with us. Learn the tips and tricks you need to know to make your remote testimony presentation go smoothly and effectively.

Shana Russo, Reed Smith, Princeton, NJ
Peyton Bowman, Magna Legal Services, Alexandria, VA
Melanie Leney, Otsuka, Voorhees, NJ

5:15 p.m. Jump Start Your Seminar Networking Experience (Meet and Greet)

Whether you’re a new member, non-member, seasoned attendee, or in-house counsel, join committee leaders and your fellow attendees to learn how to make the most of your networking opportunities this week.

6:00 p.m. Premier Networking Reception | Creole Queen
Sponsored by: Barnes & Thornburg LLP, Dechert LLP, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, Greenberg Traurig LLP, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore LLC, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP, Tucker Ellis LLP, Ulmer& Berne LLP, Venable LLP


Click here for details.

Thursday, May 4, 2023

Time (Central) Program Location
7:15 a.m. DRI for Life Run or Walk – Please join us for either a run or walk in the fresh air around the Riverside. Erik Snapp will lead the run and Carolyn Riggs will lead the walk. We will meet in the hotel lobby at 7:15 a.m.  
8:00 a.m. Registration and Coffee Service
8:30 a.m. Coffee & Conversations

The early bird gets the most out of this networking session. Get to know fellow early risers in the group over a cup of coffee. Rise, shine, caffeinate and connect!
9:00 a.m. Welcome and Introductions

Ted J. McDonald, McDonald Veon, Overland Park, KS
Jennifer Snyder Heis, Ulmer & Berne, Cincinnati, OH

9:15 a.m. Putting the FDA on Your Defense Team

In fiscal year 2023, the cost of some new drug applications will exceed $3.2 million. That investment is in addition to the extraordinary effort required to collect the efficacy and safety data required to support any NDA—efforts that often require many years, many researchers, many clinical trial participants, and hundreds of millions of dollars. The medical device PMA and 510(k) processes similarly require millions of dollars of investment. This session will discuss the NDA and PMA approval, and 510(k) clearance processes, focusing on how the tremendous efforts required can yield helpful defenses (e.g., preemption, labeling adequacy); and help attendees identify ways to translate those efforts into a jury-friendly defense that helps demonstrate the safety and efficacy of a defendant’s FDA-approved drug or device, or that a device is as safe and effective as an already marketed device.

Adrienne Busby, Faegre Drinker Biddle, Indianapolis, IN
Victoria Calhoon, Merck, Indianapolis, IN
Christy Foreman, Biologics Consulting, Alexandria, VA
Michelle Robinson, Cook Medical, Bloomington, IN
10:15 a.m. Coffee Break

10:30 a.m. You Did It Before, Please Do It Again: Former Employee Witnesses

When presenting former employees as witnesses for deposition or trial, lawyers are confronted with different considerations from dealing with current employees. This panel, through the use of both an instructive lecture and demonstration, will provide insight on both ethics and practical tips for presenting former employees as witnesses.

Joseph D. Cohen, Porter Hedges, Houston, TX
Kimberly B. Martin, Bradley Arant, Huntsville, AL
Jobina Jones-McDonnell, Endo Pharmaceuticals, Philadelphia, PA

11:30 a.m. "Kung Flu": A History of Violence and Hostility against Asian Americans

Sadly, there have been more than 10,000 incidents of violence and hostility against Asian Americans in the U.S. since the beginning of the pandemic. However, such incidents of hate are not new, for there is a long and little-known history of anti-Asian violence in this country. Moreover, the recent taunts about the "China virus" and "Kung Flu" is not the first time Asian Americans have been targeted over purported health concerns. Learn from a program that examines the history of anti-Asian violence and hostility through narration, reenactment of court proceedings, and historic photos. Asian Americans did not hesitate to fight for their rights in the courts, and these cases raised issues that were -- and still are -- important to all Americans.

DRI Drug and Medical Device Committee Members

12:30 p.m. DRI Networking Lunch

Join the Drug and Medical Device and Employment Law seminar attendees for lunch and networking opportunities that are second to none.

1:30 p.m. Hot Topics in Ethics for the Mass Tort Lawyer

Professor Ciolino will provide an entertaining update on current developments in ethics, with an emphasis on topics of particular interest to Drug and Medical Device Lawyers, including third-party litigation funding issues, the state of the attorney/client privilege, and other hot button ethics concerns.

Professor Dane S. Ciolino, Loyola University, New Orleans, LA

1:30 p.m. Corporate Counsel Roundtable (by invitation only)

2:30 p.m. Committee Business Meeting
3:00 p.m. Small Group Networking Opportunities

Click on "Small Networking Opportunities" tab for listing and details.

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).

Sign up and select your dine-arounds.

Friday, May 5, 2023

Time (Central) Program Location
8:00 a.m. Registration and Coffee Service
9:00 a.m. Welcome and Announcements

Archibald T. Reeves, IV, McDowell Knight, Mobile, AL
Erik W. Snapp, Dechert, Chicago, IL
9:10 a.m. Changes in Juror Perceptions Post-Covid

This topic will focus on what by now appear to be permanent shifts in juror perceptions on topics like government oversight, personal and corporate responsibility, risk, fairness, and other concepts central to juror deliberations, and the best ways to address them.
Aref Jabbour, PhD, IMS Consulting & Expert Services, Nashville, TN
Kim Bueno, Butler Snow, Austin, TX

10:10 a.m. Coffee Break
10:25 a.m. Dialogue with Heads of Litigation

Join this panel discussion with heads of litigation at major drug and medical device companies, where they share their insights on managing mass tort cases, defending products against attacks from multiple sources, and winning strategies at trial and in reducing inventories.

Moderator
Eric Rumanek, Troutman Pepper, Atlanta, GA

Marc Fishman, Novo Nordisk, Plainsboro, NJ
Carrie Hazard, Endo Pharmaceuticals, Malvern, PA
Chris Liwski, Sanofi Consumer Healthcare, Bridgewater, NJ

11:25 a.m. Thirty Years of Daubert

Join one of the attorneys who worked on Daubert case, who will share insight on that case, from its beginning, to the impact it has had on the defense of product liability cases, to the renewed focus on it in light of the amendment of Federal Rule 702.

Pamela J. Yates, Arnold Porter, Los Angeles, CA

12:25 p.m. Adjourn

Young Lawyers Blockbuster Breakout (Wednesday 3:00–5:00 p.m.)

Time (Central) Program Location
3:00 p.m. Welcome to the Young Lawyers Blockbuster

Carolyn Riggs, Ice Miller, Indianapolis, IN
Jay Mattapally, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore LLC, New Orleans, LA
3:05 p.m. Developing the Medical Case

Join us as young lawyers share best practices for how to position yourself as an indispensable asset on any team when developing the medical case. This presentation includes tips as to effective review of records, identification of causation and damages issues, and organization of medical facts so as to be most useful to team members, experts, and the client.

Hilary Johnson, Crowell Moring, Washington, D.C.
Christian Castile, Reed Smith, Philadelphia, PA
3:30 p.m. Plaintiff Management and Culling Meritless Claims

Hear young lawyers discuss effective strategies for managing challenging plaintiffs – from missing records to sensitive injuries – and how to use the PFS intake process to efficiently cull meritless claims while working with an eye toward bellwether trials.

Mary Kim, Dechert, San Francisco, CA
Julie Coppage, Venable, Baltimore, MD

3:55 p.m. Use and Authority of Special Masters

These speakers will discuss the use and authority of special masters in MDLs, a practice that is becoming increasingly prevalent. The panel will explore this trend and issues relating to special masters’ authority, the scope of their jurisdiction, and issues that have arisen in recent MDL practice.

Keanna Dzialo, Ulmer & Berne, Cincinnati, OH
Ashley Saferight, Tucker Ellis, Cleveland, OH
4:20 p.m. Avoiding Claims for Smaller and Midsize Drug and Medical Device Companies: An In-House/Outside Counsel Partnership

Attendees will hear from both in-house and outside counsel about emerging issues facing medical device companies, including failure to report claims. They will address how outside lawyers can assist in-house counsel with identification of risk and training staff to avoid emerging issues becoming litigation.

Ann Motl, Greenberg Traurig, Minneapolis, MN
Kendel Vomastek, Bracco Medical Technologies, Eden Prairie, MN

5:10 p.m. Closing Remarks

Young Lawyer Programming Chairs and Vice Chairs
Carolyn Riggs, Ice Miller, Indianapolis, IN
Jay Mattappally, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore LLC, New Orleans, LA
Taryn Harper, Greenberg Traurig, LLP, Atlanta, GA
Michael Leard, Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP, Boston, MA

Small Networking Opportunities

Sign up for one of these options and start building your connections and developing relationships!

The National World War II Museum Tour

Time/Date: Thursday, May 4 at 3:00–5:00 p.m.
Tour Cost: $45.00 per person (includes $30.00 per person for the tour and $15.00 per person museum admission, a 50% discount) Registration & Payment Deadline: April 21, 2023 (payment instructions via Venmo to follow via email - prompt payment is kindly requested)

Join your DRI colleagues and tour the Smithsonian-affiliated National World War II Museum. Located in downtown New Orleans, the Museum offers a compelling blend of immersive exhibits, multimedia experiences, an expansive collection of artifacts and thousands of personal accounts of World War II -- from industrial efforts on the home front to the combat experience of the American servicemember abroad.
The Museum is a hugely popular tourist destination but closes daily at 5 p.m. It is located approximately ¾ of a mile from the seminar. We will be meeting at the Museum’s entrance at the intersection of Magazine Street and Andrew Higgins Boulevard at 2:45 p.m. on Thursday, May 4, and the tour will begin promptly at 3 p.m.
Sign Up for the WW II Museum Tour

New Orleans Jazz Museum

Time/Date: Thursday, May 4 at 3:00–4:00 p.m.
Tour Cost: $6.40 per person

The DRI Drug & Medical Device Seminar would like to invite you to visit the New Orleans Jazz Museum on May 4, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. Through dynamic interactive exhibits, multigenerational educational programming, research facilities and engaging musical performances, the music New Orleans made famous is explored in all its forms. Housed in the historic Old U.S. Mint, strategically located at the intersection of the French Quarter and the Frenchmen Street live music corridor, the New Orleans Jazz Museum is in the heart of the city’s vibrant music scene. Please contact Charissa Walker with any questions at charissa.walker@tuckerellis.com. Please plan to arrive 15 minutes early so that we can start promptly at 3:00 p.m.
Sign Up for the Jazz Museum Tour

NOLA Ghost Walking Tour

Time/Date: Thursday, May 4 at 3:30–5:30 p.m.
Tour Cost: $36.00 (we need at least 14 people to attend with a maximum of 25)

Please join us on Thursday, May 4 at 3:30 p.m. Central for a 2-hour haunted walking tour leaving from and returning to the seminar hotel. You might even get to snag a beverage or two (at your expense) along the way to enjoy while listening to tales of ghostly NOLA. Cost is only $36.00 but you must be signed up and paid no later than April 4, 2023 to ensure you have a spot. Payment and more information is included in the sign up link (access code to sign up: 374363).
Sign Up for the Ghost Walking Tour

New Orleans in a Glass: The History of Classic New Orleans Cocktails

Time/Date: Thursday, May 4 at 3:30–5:30 p.m.
Tour Cost: $50.00 to $60.00

Explore the history behind the cocktails that make New Orleans famous! Begin your experience with a welcome punch and a brief discussion of cocktails and their history in New Orleans. Then enjoy demonstrations of two New Orleans classic cocktails: the Sazerac and the Hurricane. Each of these drinks tells the visitor a bit more about New Orleans’ long history as both a cultural melting pot and center of drinking culture in America. Mocktail options can be provided for non-drinkers. Snacks will be served. Payment and more information are included in the sign up link.
Sign Up for the History of Classic New Orleans Cocktails

Headquarters Hotel Information

A limited number of discounted hotel rooms have been made available at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside, Two Poydras St, New Orleans, LA 70130. Take advantage of the group rate of $284.00 Single/Double in one of two ways:

The hotel block is limited, and rooms and rates are available on a first-come, first-served basis. You must make reservations by April 4, 2023, to be eligible for the hotel’s group rate. Requests for reservations made after April 4 are subject to room and rate availability.

CLE Information

Earn up to 9.00 hours of continuing legal education hours (CLE), including one (1) hour of Ethics from this seminar.

Drug and Medical Device CLE by State

Sponsors

DRI's Drug and Medical Device Seminar is proudly sponsored by:

Arnold & Porter Barnes & Thornburg LLP Blakes Canadian Lawyers
BLG Borden Ladner Gervais
Bradley
Butler|Snow
Carlton Fields Celebrating 120 Years Dechert ESi Exponent logo Faegre Drinker GT Greenberg Traurig Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore LLC Counselors at Law
Jackson Kelly PLLC KCIC Be Certain
King & Spalding LMI Litigation Management Inc McDowell Knight Roedder & Sledge LLC Lawyer
Morgan Lewis Nelson Mullins Norton Rose Fulbright Nutter Uncommon Law
QG&T Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC
ReedSmith Driving Progress Through Partnership Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt
Shook Hardy & Bacon
Troutman Pepper Tucker Ellis | LLP Ulmer Attorneys Venable LLP

Thank you to our Official Supporter: TBD

If you would like to contact DRI about seminar sponsorship opportunities, including pricing, or to reserve a spot, please go to Advertising and Sponsorship.

DRI Cares

Cardz for Kidz

Cardz for Kidz logo

Bring your creativity and join us in making cards for Cardz for Kidz, an organization dedicated to uplifting kids, families, veterans, and others experiencing hardship. Connie Matteo will provide us with tips and tricks to make the cards extra special. If you would like to support this great cause, please donate to the DRI Foundation using the link or QR code below. The DRI Foundation will donate the funds to Cardz for Kidz. We appreciate your support!

To donate online:

  1. Click the "Donate" button or scan the QR code below.
  2. If you have an account with DRI, log in. Use the same login that you registered for this seminar.
  3. If you do not have an account with DRI, create a guest account.
  4. Select from one of the gift amounts or set your own amount. The default value is $100.
  5. Select "Drug and Medical Device" from "My SLC/Region" dropdown box.
  6. Click “Submit Donation.”
  7. The page will refresh. Click “View Cart” to checkout.
  8. Enter your credit card information and click “Submit Order” once all required information is entered.

Donate

Substantive Law Committee QR Code Foundation Contributions

On-Demand

NEW in 2023 – 4 Additional On-Demand Programs Included With Every Seminar!

CLE Credit will be sought from every state requiring CLE hours in elimination of bias/diversity and inclusion, ethics, substance abuse/mental health and law practice management. The CLE grid will provide updated information concerning hours that have been approved by each jurisdiction and for which credits. For states not requiring these special credits, general education credits will be sought.

View On-Demand Library

Diversity/Elimination of Bias in the Profession

Invisible or Mixed-Visible Diversity – Combatting Bias

Often diversity programs and initiatives are focused on visible traits such as gender or race, but bias exists related to sexual orientation, gender identity, and some disabilities that are not readily visible to the eye. This panel will discuss how to address these biases and to create an environment where those with invisible or mixed-visible diversity can operate at the highest level.

Stacy Douglas, Everett Dorey LLP, Irvine, CA
Gary Howard, Bradley, Birmingham, AL
Ronna Kinsella, Glassman Wyatt Tuttle & Cox PC, Memphis, TN

Law Practice Management Credit

Succession Planning: Failing to Plan is a Plan to Fail

Succession planning is considered one of the most pressing issues facing not only law firms but also clients. Senior partners are working into their golden years and can sometimes be reluctant to engage in a succession plan, but clients want to know that there is a plan for the transition of their work without interruption. Join us to learn:

  1. the importance of succession planning for the benefit both the law firm and its clients;
  2. how succession planning impacts retention and continuity of the firm and client relationships;
  3. how to approach the subject with senior attorneys; and
  4. strategies for implementing a successful succession plan.

Marie E. Chafe, Conn Kavanaugh, Boston, MA
Matthew Cairns, Textron Inc., Providence, RI
Elizabeth M. Brotten, Foley & Mansfield PLLP, Minneapolis, MN
Meade Hartfield, Bradley Arant, Birmingham, AL

Ethics

Technology, Ethics & Remote Work: What You Need to Know Now

The Rules of Professional Conduct regarding competence and diligence require all lawyers to keep abreast of changes in technology. This webinar will provide you with tips and information on new issues related to technology and the practice of law, including the challenges of the remote work environment. You will learn the ethics and professionalism considerations when using technology in your practice and your ethical duties when it comes to “keeping abreast of changes” in technology.

Amber Garcia, Deutsch Kerrigan LLP, New Orleans, LA
Alyssa Johnson, Barron & Newberger PC, Milwaukee, WI
Clare Roubion, Louisiana Legal Ethics, LLC, Lafayette, LA

Mental Health & Attorney Wellness

Lessons for Lawyers from the Science of Well Being

This presentation will focus on the practical steps that we can take as individuals to improve well-being, drawing on recent research from cognitive science and beginning with the preface that happiness can be learned and applied. Specifically, we will provide an evidence-based arsenal of practical tools that lawyers can apply in their own lives to improve their well-being.

Emma Ross, Goldman Ismail Tomaselli Brennan & Baum, Chicago, IL
Shayna Cook, Goldman Ismail Tomaselli Brennan & Baum, Chicago, IL

Other Information

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