| Time (Central) | Session |
|---|
| 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. | Registration |
| 8:00 a.m. | Continental Breakfast & Networking |
| 8:30 a.m. | Welcome and Introductions Danielle Waltz, WVU Health System, Charleston, WV
John Guttmann, Beveridge & Diamond, Washington, D.C. |
| 8:45 a.m. | Understanding Today's Jury: Demographics, Attitudes & Corporate Mistrust Today’s juries bring evolving expectations shaped by generational change, declining trust in institutions, and powerful social media narratives. This session explores how these factors influence juror attitudes toward corporations,
risk, and responsibility. Attendees will gain practical strategies for addressing skepticism, rebuilding credibility, and communicating more effectively with modern juries. Moderator
Chris Turney, Turney LG, Kansas City, MO Jill Liebold, Ph.D., IMS Legal
Robyn Buck, Bayer Corporation |
| 9:45 a.m. | Inside the Plaintiff Playbook: Modern Tactics Driving Legal Abuse Plaintiff strategies have evolved into sophisticated, coordinated campaigns designed to shape narratives and maximize exposure. This session examines the modern playbook, including national advertising iecosystems, reptile theory
and anchoring techniques, and multi-jurisdictional coordination. Attendees will learn practical defense strategies to disrupt momentum, counter narrative framing, and how to more effectively manage risk in high-stakes litigation. Moderator
Rhonda Hurwitz, APCIA Grayson Miller, Cole, Scott & Kissane
Rebecca Fozo, Zurich North America
Patrick Eckler, Freeman Mathis & Gray, LLP |
| 10:45 a.m. | Break |
| 11:00 a.m. | The Invisible Force: How Litigation Funding Is Reshaping Civil Litigation Third-party litigation funding is rapidly transforming the civil justice landscape—often behind the scenes. This session examines how third party, outside capital influences case valuation, prolongs litigation, and shapes
settlement dynamics. We’ll address ethical and disclosure challenges, explore emerging global investment trends, and review legislative initiatives, including resources available through the DRI/APCIA repository. Attendees
will gain practical defense strategies and policy insights to better navigate and respond to funded litigation. Moderator
Lisa Bellino, Zurich North America Dan Steen, Lawyers for Civil Justice
Lina Bensman, Cleary Gottlieb
Kyle McCollum, National Insurance Crime Bureau |
| 12:00 p.m. | Lunch |
| 12:30 p.m. | The Evolving Legal Landscape: What’s Coming Next? The civil litigation environment continues to shift as new regulations, judicial trends, and emerging mass tort categories reshape risk and exposure. This forward-looking session examines key legislative and regulatory developments,
highlights where courts are heading and explores how technology—from data analytics to AI—is influencing litigation strategy. Attendees will leave with practical insights to anticipate change, adapt defense approaches,
and prepare for what’s next. Moderator
Phil Goldberg, Shook, Hardy & Bacon Konrad Pilatowicz, U-Haul
Jeanne Walker, U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform |
| 1:30 p.m. | Mobilizing the Defense Community: Roles, Responsibilities & Opportunities for Engagement An effective response in today’s litigation environment requires coordination across the defense community. This session maps the broader ecosystem—including defense firms, in-house counsel, insurers, trade groups,
think tanks, and policymakers—while identifying where collaboration is working and where gaps remain. Attendees will learn how individual practitioners can meaningfully engage, strengthen collective efforts, and take
advantage of opportunities within DRI committees and advocacy initiatives. Moderator
Danielle Waltz, WVU Health System Stephen Embry, Techlaw Crossroads LLC
Adam Shores, APCIA |
| 2:30 p.m. | Break |
| 2:45 p.m. | Strengthening the Civil Justice System Through Reform Meaningful reform efforts are gaining momentum as stakeholders seek to promote fairness, transparency, and public confidence in the civil justice system. This session explores key initiatives, including transparency in litigation
funding, guardrails on attorney advertising, and approaches to modernizing jury pools. Attendees will also examine strategies for building effective coalitions across industries and civic organizations to advance thoughtful,
balanced reform. Robyn Buck, Bayer Corporation
Lisa Bellino, Zurich North America
Rhonda Hurwitz, ACPIA |
| 3:45 p.m. | Stronger Together: A Collective Path Forward We’ll close the program with a brief discussion of themes explored throughout the program and identify a coordinated path forward for the defense community. Reflecting on insights about modern juries, evolving plaintiff strategies,
litigation funding, and emerging legal trends, we will outline practical opportunities for collaboration, advocacy, and reform. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of shared priorities, actionable next steps,
and how they can help strengthen the civil justice system through collective engagement. |
| 4:00 p.m. | Adjourn |