2023 DRI Senior Living and Long-Term Care Litigation Seminar

August 16–18, 2023 | Washington, D.C.

Caregiver holding elderly's hand

Stay Current on Topics Impacting the Senior Living Industry!

Join us in our nation’s capital for the 2023 Senior Living and Long-Term Care Litigation Seminar, taking place on August 16–18 at the Washington Hilton in the heart of the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Our annual seminar will include panel counsel meetings, enhanced networking opportunities, and, as always, timely education sessions from leading industry experts on the latest topics impacting the senior living industry. In addition to exceptional speakers, the new seminar schedule offers more time for networking and collaboration, including a new attendee meetup, small group networking opportunities including a tour of the US Supreme Court, the DRI Cares Blessings in a Backpack project, and an on-site lunch and premier networking reception (both included in the registration fee)! Register now to secure your spot for these special events.

View registration information here, and make sure to register by July 17 for the best pricing!

What You Will Learn:

  • The latest regulatory updates in long-term care and senior living from those in the know.
  • An understanding of palliative and hospice care and handling claims.
  • How to anchor damages in the post-COVID-19 era.
  • How providers and carriers are handling the latest developments in skilled nursing and senior housing claims and the current judicial landscape.

Expand Your Network By:

  • Joining a small group networking event.
  • Attending the premier networking included with your registration fee.
  • Attending the Medical Liability Committee Meeting to connect with other members and learn more about DRI and how you can get involved with publications, webinars, and seminar planning.

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Thank You to DRI's Medical Liability and Health Care Law Committee Leadership

Ashley S. Heslop
Ashley S. Heslop
Program Chair
Rebecca Schafer
Rebecca Schafer
Program Vice Chair
Laura D. Eschleman
Laura D. Eschleman
Committee Chair
Erika Amarante
Erika L. Amarante
Committee Vice Chair
Ted J. McDonald
Ted J. McDonald, III
Law Institute

Join the Medical Liability and Health Care Law Committee

Registration Information

Save up to $500 when you register on or before July 17!

Register Now

Member Pricing Non-Member Pricing
Early Bird Registration* $1,195 $1,395
Regular Registration* $1,395 $1,695
Group Registration (Non-Sponsored)** $1,095/person $1,095/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 four 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, fill out the form here (online registration is not available for this offering).

Networking Events

Premier Networking Reception
Sponsored by Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP

Date: Thursday, August 17 from 6:00–8:00 p.m.
Pricing: Free when you register for the seminar; all attendees must be 21+ (guest tickets are $100 each, available at check-out. A limited number of guest tickets may be available on site for $125 each.)
Location: Heights Courtyard at the Washington Hilton

Join the Senior Living, Fire Science, Strictly Automotive and Talc Litigation Seminars for a relaxing evening at the Heights Courtyard, an outdoor plaza off the lobby level of the Washington Hilton. Complement your networking with cocktails, wine, soft drinks, assorted beers, and light appetizers.

Agenda with Speakers

*Schedule and Speakers subject to change

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Time (Eastern) Program Location
1:00 p.m. Registration
5:30 p.m. New Attendee Meet Up

Start networking early with fellow first-time attendees and members of the seminar planning committee to ask questions regarding the seminar, DRI, and how to get involved with the Medical Liability Committee.

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).

Thursday, August 17, 2023

Time (Eastern) Program Location
8:00 a.m. Registration
8:30 a.m. Coffee & Conversations

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

Ted J. McDonald, III, McDonald Veon PA, Overland Park, KS
Ashley S. Heslop, Hall Booth Smith PC, Mount Pleasant, SC

9:15 a.m. Recent Trends in Aging Services (SNF) Litigation: A Claims Perspective

Verdicts frequency is increasing and recent mega-verdicts have included long-term care matters. In contrast, there have been numerous defense verdicts in aging services cases. The session will focus on the recent verdict and settlement landscape and will compare these trends to prior years.

Steven Liu, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, New York, NY
Dawn Adelson, Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company, New York, NY
10:15 a.m. Coffee Break

10:30 a.m. TED Talks: A Case Study on Challenging SNF Staffing Claims

Litigator Ted McDonald will examine a recent court decision discussing arguments frequently made by opposing counsel and their experts in long-term care litigation matters regarding staffing and provide some practical take aways from that decision.

Ted J. McDonald, III, McDonald Veon PA, Overland Park, KS
John R. Bowblis, Ph.D., Miami University, Oxford, OH

11:30 a.m. Understanding the Distinctions Between Home Health, Palliative Care, and Hospice and the Unique Challenges in Handling Claims

Understanding the differences between home health, palliative care, and hospice is necessary in defending this growing area of senior living claims. In particular, claims challenging hospice and palliative care admission are increasing, and an awareness of the admission criteria and process is critical in defending such claims. In this session, a palliative care and hospice physician will discuss the clinical distinctions in these areas of medicine and participate in a discussion moderated by experienced counsel on how this information can be used to better defend claims and communicate with mediators, arbitrators, and juries.

Leigh M. Vaughan, M.D., FHM, FAAHPM, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
J. Richard Moore, Esq., Bleeke Dillon Crandall, Indianapolis, IN

12:30 p.m. DRI Networking Lunch

Join the Strictly Automotive, Fire Science, and Senior Living and Long-Term Care and Litigation Seminar attendees for lunch and networking opportunities that are second to none.

DRI Cares | Blessings in a Backpack

On your way into lunch, support Blessings in a Backpack, DRI Cares and the DRI Foundation by filling a bag with food for a child experiencing food insecurity in our community. Feeding a child before you feed yourself is a wonderful way to make a difference in the lives of children and families all over our country and in this local community.

Click here for details.
2:00 p.m. The Silver Tsunami is Here: How are Senior Housing Providers Planning to Respond (ALF/MC/IL)

With the volume of residents increasing and acuity on the rise, what do defense attorneys need to know to be prepared to successfully defend these claims in the future? The session will cover setting defense strategy, proper investigation, EMR issues, technology, and new risks and exposure created by high acuity service offerings.

Tom Goodwin, Brookdale Senior Living, Nashville, TN
Tara Clayton, Marsh, Louisville, KY
Bree Williams, Ventas, Chicago, IL

3:00 p.m. Medical Liability Committee Business Meeting (open to all)
3:30 p.m. Small Group Networking Opportunities

Sign up for one of these options and start building your connections and developing relationships! More details to come.

1. DRI for Life: Walk/Run
2. Local Small Group Outings
3. Washington, D.C. Tours
4. Roundtable Discussion Groups
6:00 p.m. Premier Networking Reception
Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP

Click here for details.

Friday, August 18, 2023

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

Rebecca Schafer, Dzenitis Newman, PLLC, Louisville, KY

9:10 a.m. Defending Damages in the Post-COVID Era: A Discussion on Anchoring Damages in Mediation, Arbitration, and Trial

Because many aging services cases do not have significant economic damages claimed, strategies for addressing economic damages at mediation, arbitration and trial is an often-overlooked aspect of defending these matters. The session will focus on anchoring damages, mitigation strategies to improve outcomes and reduce the likelihood of an aberration verdict. The session will provide new techniques to incorporate anchoring and associated strategies in your next negotiation.

Dr. John Lowry, The Lowry Group, Nashville, TN
John Hall, Jr., Hall Booth Smith, PC, Atlanta, GA

10:10 a.m. Coffee Break

10:30 a.m. Regulatory Update: What is Changing, What is Not, and Why Appeals Matter

Regulation of aging services providers continues to expand at a rapid pace. This session will address changes to the skilled nursing and assisted-living regulatory scheme and provide insight into where the next changes will come. The session will also address recent developments in regulatory enforcement.

LaShuan Bethea, NCAL, Washington, D.C.
Joseph L. Bianculli, Health Care Lawyers PLC, Arlington, VA

11:30 a.m. Under Arrest: Potential Ethical Pitfalls in Defending Sexual Assault/Abuse/Neglect Claims with Criminal Investigations

Providers and individual employees can be faced with governmental and criminal investigations related to claims of sexual assault, abuse, and/or neglect where conflicts may arise as the investigation unfolds. This session will address the Rules of Professional Conduct when a provider and current or former employees are facing potential governmental or criminal investigations and when and how to address potential conflicts of interest.

Joy Boyd Longnecker, Barnes & Thornburg LLP, Nashville, TN

12:30 p.m. Adjourn

Headquarters Hotel Information

A limited number of discounted hotel rooms have been made available at the Washington Hilton, 1919 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20009. Take advantage of the group rate of $219.00 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 July 18, 2023, to be eligible for the hotel’s group rate. Requests for reservations made after July 18 are subject to room and rate availability.

CLE Information

Earn up to TBD hours of continuing legal education hours (CLE) from this seminar.

Senior Living and Long-Term Care CLE by State

Sponsors

DRI's Senior Living and Long-Term Care Litigation Seminar is proudly sponsored by:

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

Blessings in a Backpack

Blessings in a Backpack Who Will Feed the Kids this Weekend?

Please join our four August seminars in supporting Blessings in a Backpack, an organization that mobilizes communities, individuals, and resources to provide food on the weekends for school-aged children across America who might otherwise go hungry. Your donation will help purchase food to feed 500 children in the Washington, D.C. area. Seminar attendees will have the opportunity to fill bags of food on the way to the joint networking lunch on Thursday, August 17th. Feeding a child before you feed yourself is a wonderful way to support children and families in the D.C. area.

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 your DRI Committee 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 – Four 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.