Registration Information
Save up to $700 when you register on or before September 29, 2025!
Worry-free registration: Cancellations received thirty (30) days or more before an in-person seminar are entitled to a full refund.
Save Your Spot Today
In registering for this seminar, I attest that I devote a substantial portion of my professional time to defending the interests of individuals, business, associations, or governmental entities in civil litigation. I understand that DRI reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel my registration, without a refund, if I do not meet the criteria described above.
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Member Pricing |
Non-Member Pricing |
Non-Member Bundle ^ |
Early Bird Registration*
(Now thru Sept. 29)
|
$1,395 |
$1,795 |
$1,715 |
Regular Registration*
(Sept. 30–Nov. 11) |
$1,595 |
$1,995 |
$1,915 |
Onsite Registration* |
$1,695 |
$2,095 |
$2,015 |
Group Registration
(Non-Sponsored) |
Group registration is for registering four or more attendees. Members and non-members receive a 15% discount off the member and non-member rates respective to the time the group registration is initiated (i.e. Early Bird, Regular or On-Site registration periods). There is one free registration with every 10 paid registrations.
If you want to register for the group pricing, fill out the form here. Please note that online registration is not available for this offer. |
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. |
Not a DRI Member? Select the Non-Member Bundle and Save!
^ Not a DRI Member and new to DRI? Take advantage of the Non-Member / Trial Membership Bundle and receive up to 9 months of membership when you register for the seminar. You’ll be able to add this special offer to your cart at check out. Note: Trial membership processing can take up to 30 days from the date of purchase, please contact DRI Customer Service with any questions. Please note renewing members and members with recently lapsed memberships are not eligible for a Non-Member Bundle.
Learn more about membership at DRI and get started on your DRI journey today!
*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.
Networking Events
Premier Networking Reception at the American Social
Sponsored by: ABC
Date: Thursday, November 13 from 5:30–7:30 p.m.
Pricing: Free when you register for the seminar
Location: American Social, 601 S Harbour Island Blvd, Tampa, FL 33602
Connect with top asbestos and health litigation professionals at Tampa’s premier waterfront venue!
Join us for an exclusive evening at American Social on Harbour Island, where you'll enjoy an open bar with craft cocktails, gourmet appetizers and the chance to network with industry leaders—all set against stunning views of Tampa Bay and the Hillsborough River. This stylish venue, known for its modern cuisine and award-winning drinks, offers the perfect backdrop for building meaningful professional connections in a relaxed, scenic atmosphere.
Young Lawyers Get Together (Morning) at Oxford Exchange
Sponsored by: ABC
Date: Wednesday, November 12 at 10:00 a.m.
Pricing: Pay-your-own-way
Location: Oxford Exchange, 420 W. Kennedy Blvd. Tampa, FL 33606
The Young Lawyers Committee is kicking off the 2025 Asbestos Medicine Seminar with brunch at Oxford Exchange on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. It's the perfect chance to connect and chat with fellow young lawyers before the seminar officially begins. To RSVP or for any questions, please contact Brianna Bailey.
Young Lawyers Get Together (Evening) at Predalina
Sponsored by: ABC
Date: Wednesday, November 12 at 7:30 p.m.
Pricing: Pay-your-own-way
Location: Predalina, 1001 E. Cumberland Avenue Tampa, FL 33602
After the networking reception on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, the Young Lawyers Committee invites you to dinner at Predalina at 7:30 p.m. Let's build those essential connections before our Thursday breakout session! To RSVP or for any questions, please contact Brianna Bailey.
Hotel Information
The seminar will take place at Tampa Marriott Water Street, 505 Water St, Tampa, FL 33602.
To contact the hotel directly, call 813.221.4900.
A limited number of discounted hotel rooms have been made available at the Tampa Marriott Water Street. Take advantage of the group rate of $309.00 Single/Double.
Reserve your Room Online
The hotel block is limited, and rooms and rates are available on a first-come, first-served basis. You must make reservations by October 14, 2025, to be eligible for the hotel's group rate. Requests for reservations made after October 14 are subject to room and rate availability.
Full Agenda
*Schedule and Speakers subject to change
Tuesday, November 11, 2025 (Golf Outing)
Golf Outing at TPC Tampa Bay Golf Course
Time: Tee times starting at 8:00 a.m.
Pricing: $199/player; $95 rental clubs
Location: TPC Tampa Bay, 5300 W Lutz Lake Fern Rd, Lutz, Florida 33558
Join us Tuesday morning, November 11th, for the DRI Asbestos Golf Outing at TPC Tampa Bay Golf Course!
Contact Janis Ercambrack for reservations or any questions.
Organized by:
Douglas Simek, Hawkins Parnell & Young, Dallas, TX
Robert C. Manlowe, Williams Kastner, Seattle, WA
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
Time (Eastern) |
Session |
10:00 a.m. |
Young Lawyers Get Together at Oxford Exchange
Click here for full details. |
12:00 p.m. |
Registration |
1:00 p.m. |
Litigation Trends and Verdict Analyses
Litigation Trends
Michelle Potter, KCIC, Washington, DC
Verdict Analyses Moderator
Jennifer A. Whelan, MG+M Law, Boston, MA
Verdict Analyses Trial Attorneys
Michael W. Drumke, Swanson Martin & Bell, LLP, Chicago, IL
Tim McGowan, Kelley Jasons McGowan Spinelli Hanna & Reber, Philadelphia, PA
Claire C. Weglarz, Womble Bond Dickinson, Los Angeles, CA
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2:00 p.m. |
Final Installment of the Multi-Year Diversity Initiative: LGBT+
Moderators
Jonathan Terrell, KCIC, Washington, DC
Mahsa Kashani Tippins, DCo LLC, Nashville, TN
Panelist
Michael Silverman, Goldberg Segalla, New York, NY
Raymond Rushing, Cummins Inc., Chicago, IL
Kerryann M. Cook, The Cook Group, New York, NY |
3:00 p.m. |
Receiverships in Asbestos Litigation
Todd Carroll, Womble Bond Dickinson, Columbia, SC |
4:00 p.m. |
Critical Reviews in Toxicology: Mechanics Who Changed Chrysotile Asbestos-Containing Brakes and Other Vehicle Components
Dennis J. Paustenbach, PhD, DABT, CIH, TRC Companies, Jackson, WY
David Brew, PhD, TRC Companies, Jackson, WY |
5:00 p.m. |
Asbestos Committee Meeting (open to all attendees)
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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). |
7:30 p.m. |
Young Lawyers Get Together at Oxford Exchange
Click here for full details.
|
Thursday, November 13, 2025
Time (Eastern) |
Session |
8:00 a.m. |
Registration & Coffee Service
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8:45 a.m. |
Welcome and Introductions
James E. Weatherholtz, Womble Bond Dickinson, Charleston, SC
Evelyn Fletcher Davis, Hawkins Parnell & Young LLP, Atlanta, GA |
9:00 a.m. |
Genetics & Susceptibility
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9:50 a.m. |
DRI Insights Quick Hits
|
10:15 a.m. |
Coffee Break |
10:30 a.m. |
Historical Cosmetic Talc Consumption and Incidence of Mesothelioma in the U.S.
Jennifer Pierce, MS, PhD, Benchmark Risk Group, Chicago, IL |
10:55 a.m. |
Spontaneous Mesotheliomas
Mark Zellmer, Husch Blackwell, St. Louis, MO |
11:20 a.m. |
Medical Advancements: Increased Survivability Among Mesothelioma Patients
Are plaintiffs staying alive longer due to misdiagnoses or new cancer treatments?
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12:30–2:00 p.m. |
DRI Networking Lunch |
12:45–3:55 p.m. |
Talc Breakout Sessions
Click the "Talc Breakout" blue tab below for full schedule. Box lunch will be provided. |
12:45–3:55 p.m.
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Young Lawyers Breakout Sessions
Click the "Young Lawyers Breakout" blue tab below for full schedule. Box lunch will be provided.
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2:00 p.m. |
Mock Daubert / 702 Hearing re:Plaintiff’s Expert Witness
Attorney
Kevin P. Greene, Willcox Savage, Norfolk, VA
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2:50 p.m. |
Mock Cross-Examination of a Plaintiff’s Expert Witness
Attorney
John M. Fitzpatrick, Tanenbaum Keale LLP, Naples, FL
Expert Witness
Bruce T. Bishop, WillCox Savage, Norfolk, VA |
4:00 p.m. |
Issues Facing Law Firms: Associate Retention, Building a Strong Firm Culture, Growth Strategies
Michael J. Cahalane, Cetrulo LLP, Boston, MA
Eric T. Hawkins, GRSM LLP, New York, NY |
4:00 p.m. |
Breakouts (In-House or Insurance Roundtable) |
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In-House / Corporate
Frank Fletcher, J-M Eagle, Los Angeles, CA
Humma Siddiqi, Toyota North America, Dallas, TX |
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Insurance Roundtable
Frederick Schaefer, Nationwide, Wausau, WI
Matthew Williams, Nationwide, Denver, CO
Alexandra Nassopoulos, Resolute Management, Boston, MA
Jay Surdukowski, The Riverstone Group, Concord, NH
Amanda Webber, Allianz, Petaluma, CA
Jerry Begley, Travelers, Suffield, CT
|
5:00 p.m. |
Adjourn
|
5:30 p.m. |
Premier Networking Reception | American Social
Join fellow seminar attendees at American Social, 601 S Harbour Island Blvd, Tampa, FL 33602.
Click here for full details.
|
7:45 p.m. |
Dine-Arounds
Join colleagues and friends at selected restaurants for dinner (on your own).
|
Friday, November 14, 2025
Time (Eastern) |
Session |
8:30 a.m. |
Registration and Coffee Service
|
9:00 a.m. |
Welcome and Announcements
Bruce T. Bishop, Willcox Savage, Norfolk, VA
Mahsa Kashani Tippins, DCo LLC, Nashville, TN |
9:10 a.m. |
Overcoming Challenging Laws and Jury Instructions
Jerry C. Popovich, Hawkins Parnell & Young LLP, Santa Ana, CA
Robert R. Rigolosi, Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney, New York, NY
Tobin Taylor, Heyl Royster, Chicago, IL |
10:10 a.m. |
Break
|
10:25 a.m. |
Counter Anchoring
Robert C. Manlowe, Williams Kastner, Seattle, WA
David C. Marshall, Hawkins Parnell & Young, LLP, Atlanta, GA |
11:25 a.m. |
Overcoming the Public’s Perception of Lawyers (Ethics)
James A. Lowery, GRSM LLP, Dallas, TX |
12:25 p.m. |
Adjourn
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Talc Breakout (Thursday 12:45–3:55 p.m.)
Time (Eastern) |
Session |
12:45 p.m. |
National Coordinating Counsel Meeting (box lunch provided)
This meeting is for lawyers who manage talc litigation nationwide. It is designed to give them one hour to discuss litigation strategy and paths forward in a unified way. Box Lunch to be provided. |
1:45 p.m. |
Review of Recent Scientific Literature
Caroline M. Tinsley, Tucker Ellis LLP, St. Louis, MO
Todd C. Alley, Hawkins Parnell & Young LLP, Atlanta, GA |
2:10 p.m. |
FDA Testing
R. Thomas Radcliffe, DeHay & Elliston LLP, Baltimore, MD |
2:35 p.m. |
IARC Monograph Update
Will Stute, King & Spaulding, Miami, FL
|
3:00 p.m. |
Cleavage Fragment Studies
Jennifer Pierce, MS, PhD, Benchmark Risk Group, Chicago, IL
|
3:30 p.m. |
Update on Dr. Moline Case Series Litigation/Exclusion
Robert E. Thackston, Nelson Mullins, Dallas, TX
Kaitlin Del Vecchio Motley, Nelson Mullins, Baltimore, MD |
Young Lawyer Breakout (Thursday 12:45–3:55 p.m.)
Time (Eastern) |
Session |
12:45 p.m. |
Bankruptcy Trust Panel: How to Get the Alternative Exposure You Need (box lunch provided)
Speaker
Sarah Beth Jones, Gay Jones & Kuhn PLLC, Jackson, MS
Insurance Representative
Amanda Webber, Allianz, Petaluma, CA
Trial Lawyer
Steven S. Spaulding, Berkes Crane Santana & Spangler LLP, Los Angeles, CA
Medicare Reporting Lawyer
Catherine E. Goldhaber, Hawkins Parnell & Young LLP, Chicago, IL
|
1:30 p.m. |
Deposition Training: How to Develop a Story
Christopher Bruni, Berkes Crane Santana & Spangler LLP, San Francisco, CA |
2:15 p.m. |
Expert Witnesses: Different Types and How they Help Case Progression
Michele Fanney Dallman, Willcox Savage, Norfolk, VA |
2:45 p.m. |
How To Effectively Cross-Examine a Plaintiff’s Causation Expert Witness
Amorya M. Orr, Cosmich Simmons & Brown, PLLC, Jackson, MS |
3:20 p.m. |
Mock Direct Examination of a Defense Expert
Douglas R. Simek, Hawkins Parnell & Young, LLP, Dallas, TX
Dennis J. Paustenbach, PhD, DABT, CIH, Paustenbach & Associates, Jackson, WY |
CLE Information
Earn up to 12.50 hours of continuing legal education hours (CLE), including 1.00 hour of Ethics from this seminar.
View CLE Credit by State
In some states that charge late CLE submission fees, there will be a $100 late fee to report CLE credits submitted more than 30 days after a seminar/virtual event. Click here for details on CLE late fees.
DRI's Asbestos Medicine Seminar is proudly supported by:
If you would like to contact DRI about seminar sponsorship opportunities (including pricing) or to reserve a spot, please visit the sponsorship page.
DRI Cares
Blessings in a Backpack
Please join us 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. Seminar attendees will have the opportunity to fill bags of food on the way to the joint networking lunch on Thursday, September 11. Feeding a child before you feed yourself is a wonderful way to support children and families in the Austin community.
Donate to Blessings in a Backpack
Additional Resources
If you have any questions or concerns regarding DRI programs, please contact DRI Customer Service at 312.795.1101 or custservice@dri.org.