2025 Insurance Coverage and Practice Symposium

Name: 2025 Insurance Coverage and Practice Symposium | DRI
Start: 2025-12-03T12:00
End: 2025-12-05T12:25
Location: Sheraton New York Times Square

December 3–5, 2025
Sheraton New York Times Square | New York City, New York

Don’t Let Your Practice Grow Tired. Join Us in the City that Never Sleeps!

Save up to $700 when you register on or before October 20!
View registration information.

DRI's Insurance Coverage and Practice Symposium is the flagship educational and networking program for insurance executives, claims professionals, and outside counsel who specialize in insurance coverage. This year's symposium will offer an unparalleled opportunity to engage with a distinguished faculty of insurance industry leaders and coverage lawyers on emerging and relevant issues facing the industry. We’ll cover topics from mass tort litigation to practical tips and strategies for handling excess exposure and reinsurance issues impacting claims. This symposium will also provide numerous exceptional networking opportunities for attendees to interact with industry and outside counsel colleagues and to build relationships with other professionals.

What You Will Learn:

Tips to navigate time-limited demands and avoid bad faith risk.
Emerging trends surrounding insurance coverage for extreme weather events.
Trial and litigation strategies for insurers in high-exposure cases.
Approaches for handling coverage challenges that make mediation and settlement difficult.

Expand Your Network By:

Enjoying dine-arounds and networking with fellow insurance professionals.
Engaging with colleagues regarding issues that affect your clients/company.
Getting involved with Insurance Law Committee initiatives.

To save this page as a PDF, click on the "Print Brochure" button and under printer destination select "Save as PDF" or "Print to PDF."
For Android users, some browsers do not support printing.

Print Brochure

Thank You to DRI's Insurance Law Committee Leadership

Courtney C. Britt — **Courtney Britt**
Program Chair

Joanna M. Roberto — **Joanna Roberto**
Committee Chair

**R. Brandon McCullough**
Committee Vice Chair

Join the Insurance Law Committee

Registration Information

Save up to $700 when you register on or before October 20!

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.

	Member Pricing	Non-Member Pricing	Non-Member Bundle ^
Early Bird Registration* (Now thru Oct. 20)	$1,395	$1,795	$1,715
Regular Registration* (Oct. 21–Dec. 2)	$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.

Hotel Information

The seminar will take place at Sheraton New York Times Square, 811 7th Ave, New York, NY 10019.
To contact the hotel directly, call 212.581.1000.

A limited number of discounted hotel rooms have been made available at the Sheraton New York Times Square. Take advantage of the group rate of $429.00 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 November 3, 2025, to be eligible for the hotel's group rate. Requests for reservations made after November 3 are subject to room and rate availability.

Full Agenda

*Schedule and Speakers subject to change

Wednesday, December 3, 2025

Time (Eastern)	Session
12:00 p.m.	Registration
5:30–6:00 p.m.	Women in the Law Meetup
5:30–6:00 p.m.	Corporate Counsel Reception
6:00–7:00 p.m.	Networking / Cocktail Hour
7:30 p.m.	Dine-Arounds Join colleagues and friends at selected restaurants for dinner (on your own).

Thursday, December 4, 2025

Time (Eastern)	Session
8:30 a.m.	Registration & Coffee Service
8:30 a.m.	Corporate Counsel Coffee Meetup
9:00 a.m.	Welcome and Introductions Ford Stephens, Christian & Barton, Richmond VA Courtney Britt, Teague Campbell, Raleigh, NC
9:15 a.m.	Extreme Weather Events, Climate Change and the Evolving Coverage Issues As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe, insurers are facing an evolving array of complex coverage challenges. This presentation will examine how climate change is reshaping the risk landscape, with a focus on recent high-profile events, including the Maui and California wildfires, Hurricane Helene and the Texas floods. Gain insight into how courts and regulators are responding, including recent setbacks in sustainability-focused policies. Explore emerging trends in first- and third-party coverage disputes, causation complexities, subrogation strategies, and regulatory developments, providing practical guidance for navigating claims and underwriting in an increasingly volatile environment. Laura Foggan, Crowell & Moring, LLP, Washington, DC Dawn Jones, Illinois Farm Bureau/Country Financial, Bloomington, IL Michael B. Gelfound, Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP, Los Angeles, CA
10:15 a.m.	Coffee Break
10:30 a.m.	Excess Exposure: Approaching High-Stakes Claims with Strategy and Civility High-risk cases frequently expose excess insurance. From disputes over defense obligations when the underlying carrier declines coverage, to allegations that excess insurers must “do more” even when the primary carrier is defending. This session will examine recurring issues, including demands for excess carriers to drop down, erosion of underlying limits, late notice, and appellate bonds as well as the value of professionalism, courtesy, and civility in claims communication and coverage litigation, and how a respectful, measured approach can avoid downstream conflicts and ultimately support better resolutions.
11:30 a.m.	Ticking Clocks and Bad Faith Traps: Navigating Time-Limited Demands in a Shifting Legal Landscape Time-limited demands are becoming more prevalent and raise many challenging issues for coverage counsel. This presentation will address strategies to mitigate bad faith risk; emerging issues in bad faith; litigation of the bad faith case; carrier v. carrier bad faith; and trial set-up, all through the lens of time limited demands. Ilana Olman, Segal McCambridge, Fort Lauderdale, FL
12:30–2:00 p.m.	Lunch (On your own)
2:00 p.m.	Strategies for Managing Mandatory Arbitration and Appraisal Clauses and Overcoming Insurance Disputes As mandatory arbitration and appraisal provisions continue to have a significant impact in the industry, insurers and coverage counsel must be prepared to navigate the complex procedural and strategic issues they present. Learn how to effectively manage coverage disputes, including mandatory arbitration clauses, scope disputes, timing challenges, confidentiality concerns, discovery, limitations, and the enforceability of awards. Also, gain insight into emerging trends, recent case law developments, and jurisdictional variances that are shaping how courts and arbitrators approach these clauses. Steven Peiper, Hurwitz Fine, Buffalo, NY
3:00 p.m.	Mastering Mediation: Advanced Topics in Mediation for Insurance Coverage Cases Explore some of the most challenging situations we face in mediations, such as (1) multiple claimants and insufficient funds; (2) how to work with, or around, a recalcitrant carrier in the middle of a tower; (3) how to get multiple carriers (or defendants) to stop bickering among themselves and instead focus on settling with the plaintiff; (4) the weaponizing of confidentiality; (5) eroding limits; and (6) closing techniques that work. Joanna Young, Kennedys, New York, NY Jeff Kichaven, Jeff Kichaven Commercial Mediation, Los Angeles, CA
4:00 p.m.	Follow the Money: Unpacking the Influence of Litigation Funding on Coverage Litigation and Claims Strategy As third-party litigation funding becomes an increasingly influential force in insurance litigation, understanding its impact from discovery through trial is essential. Examine key discovery challenges, including the ongoing debate over the discoverability of funding agreements, privilege issues, and evolving judicial views. This presentation will also address how litigation funding can affect settlement dynamics, trial strategy, and insurer exposure, sometimes dramatically altering the risk landscape. Danielle Waltz, WVU Medicine, Charleston, WV Phil Goldberg, Shook, Hardy & Bacon, LLP, Washington, DC
5:00 p.m.	Adjourn
5:00 p.m.	Insurance Law Committee Meeting (Open to all)
5:30–6:30 p.m.	Networking Reception Join fellow seminar attendees at our Networking Reception. More details to come.
7:00 p.m.	Dine-Arounds Join colleagues and friends at selected restaurants for dinner (on your own).
7:30–10:30 p.m.	Annual Women's Dinner \| Medi Wine Bar Join us for for a fun-filled night with great food and better company at Medi's Wine Bar, located at 811 9th Avenue in New York City. Price is $115 per person; payment can be made via Venmo, Zelle, or check (click on the link for payment info). RSVP for the women's dinner today!

Friday, December 5, 2025

Time (Eastern)	Session
8:00 a.m.	Registration and Coffee Service
8:10 a.m.	Welcome and Announcements Courtney Britt, Teague Campbell, Raleigh, NC Todd Weston, Christian Small, Birmingham, AL
8:15 a.m.	What Recent Mass Tort Litigation Teaches Insurers about Achieving Successful Outcomes Mass tort litigation continues to reshape the insurance landscape with high-exposure cases in areas such as sexual abuse, sex trafficking, medical devices, beauty and cosmetic products, PFAS, and water contamination. This session will provide a critical evaluation of recent trends in mass tort cases and the strategic lessons for insurers and coverage counsel. Explore how these complex cases are shifting expectations around claims handling, allocation, and litigation management. Gain insight into the evolving tactics of the plaintiffs’ bar and how early strategic coordination, clear coverage positions, and proactive communication can improve defense efforts and outcomes. Catalina Sugayan, Clyde & Co., Chicago, IL
9:15 a.m.	Preserving Reinsurance in Complex Claims: Avoiding Legal and Practical Pitfalls Reinsurance plays a critical but often underappreciated role in the claims-resolution process, particularly in high-exposure coverage disputes. This presentation will provide essential insights for primary insurers and their coverage counsel into how reinsurance arrangements can directly impact claim strategy, settlement dynamics, and overall risk exposure. Gain a clearer understanding of the legal and practical issues that may impair the availability of reinsurance and receive practical guidance to avoid coverage strategies that do not align with reinsurance realities. Rob Whitney, MGC, Boston, MA
10:15 a.m.	Break
10:25 a.m.	Winning the Narrative: Trial Strategies to Defend Insurers, Reframe Misconceptions, and Curb Runaway Verdicts Explore the latest trial tactics that improve defense outcomes in insurance coverage litigation. Gain insights on how to mitigate the risk of runaway verdicts through narrative framing, jury education, and strategic witness presentation. Learn effective ways to enhance jurors’ understanding of the role insurance companies play in society, including their economic impact and necessity in supporting individual and business security, as well as how to reframe misconceptions, build credibility, and guide jurors toward balanced, informed decisions. Bharat Varadachari, Hepler Broom, St. Louis, MO
11:25 a.m.	Anchoring Coverage Litigation in the Rule of Law within existing Ethical Mandates for Counsel and Claims Professionals Examine how the rule of law paradigm constrains every participant in an insurance‐coverage dispute—insureds, insurers, their counsel, and the judiciary—and how these constraints are codified in (i) the American Bar Association Model Rules of Professional Conduct, (ii) the ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct, and (iii) selected state fair claims practices statutes and regulations from across the United States. The proposed program will provide coverage counsel, and professional claims handlers with an integrated framework for evaluating coverage litigation strategy and claims handling against the backdrop of public expectations and regulators’ demands that insurers and their counsel and claims handlers adhere to the rule of law, as well as the benefits bestowed on society writ large from an industry as important and fundamental to American society adhering to this important concept. Kelly Petter, Gerber Ciano, Rocky Hill, CT Jessica Mauch, Axis, New York, NY
12:25 p.m.	Adjourn

CLE Information

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