2026 Life, Health, Disability and ERISA Seminar

Name: 2026 Life, Health, Disability and ERISA Seminar | DRI
Start: 2026-04-29T11:00
End: 2026-05-01T12:25
Location: Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park

April 29–May 1, 2026
Omni Atlanta Centennial Park | Atlanta, Georgia

Upgrade Your Defense Strategy in the ATL!

Save up to $700 when you register on or before March 16!

Save Your Spot Today

Meet and learn from the leaders in the Life, Health, Disability, and ERISA defense community in Atlanta, Georgia, at this preeminent conference from April 29 through May 1, 2026. You will have multiple opportunities each day to engage and network with this welcoming group of practitioners, while hearing about recent developments in this specialized area of law. Plus, obtain strategies for handling your life, health, disability, and ERISA matters. Whether this will be your first or twentieth time attending this annual conference, you will enjoy a fantastic couple of days earning CLE, sharpening your skills, reconnecting with, and expanding your network.

What You Will Learn:

Current updates in ERISA regulation and litigation, specifically updates on equitable relief and Long COVID cases.
Recent SCOTUS decisions from an experienced Supreme Court attorney.
Trends related to life insurance, including how online applications or contract changes impact litigation.
Data privacy concerns that impact the industry.
Latest updates in health, disability, and accidental death litigation.

Expand Your Network By:

Joining all conference attendees, along with the Trucking Law seminar attendees, for Thursday night’s networking reception.
Enjoying dine-arounds with clients and colleagues at local Atlanta restaurants.
Participating in a small group networking event, such as the Committee book club or an escape room.

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Committee Leadership
Registration Information
Hotel Information
Full Agenda
CLE Information
Sponsors
Additional Resources

Thank You to DRI's Life, Health and Disability Committee Leadership

Julie F. Wall — **Julie Freund Wall**
Program Chair

Patrick Begos — **Patrick W. Begos**
Committee Vice Chair

Discover the opportunities available through the Life, Health and Disability committee and and learn how you can get involved.
Join today and make a difference

Registration Information

Worry-Free Registration: Cancellations received thirty (30) days or more before an in-person seminar are entitled to a full refund.

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.

Save up to $700 when you register on or before March 16, 2026!

	Member Pricing	Non-Member Pricing	Non-Member Bundle ^
Early Bird Registration * (Now thru Mar. 16)	$1,395	$1,795	$1,715
Regular Registration * (Mar. 17–Apr. 28)	$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	Effective November 1, 2025, DRI is expanding the Corporate Membership category to include attorneys working for a government entity. Corporate Membership includes complimentary registration for DRI seminars. If you are not already a DRI member, join as a Corporate Member before registering to take advantage of this benefit. If you are a current Government Member, please contact DRI Membership at membership@dri.org and the team can assist in converting your membership, which will allow you to take advantage of the complimentary registration.
Non-Member Bundle ^	If you're new to DRI and not a DRI member, 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 checkout. Discover the benefits of DRI membership. Note: Trial membership processing can take up to 30 days from the date of purchase. Renewing members and members with recently lapsed memberships are not eligible for a Non-Member Bundle.

*If your membership has recently lapsed, please renew it before registering to ensure you receive the discounted member rate. If you are interested in joining DRI to receive the member pricing, click here to visit the Application page.

Hotel Information

The seminar will be held at the Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park, 190 Marietta St NW, Atlanta, GA 30303. To speak with the hotel directly, please call 404.659.0000.

A limited number of discounted rooms are available at the Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park. Take advantage of the hotel's group rate of $299.00 Single/Double by making reservations through the link below by March 31, 2026.

Book Online and Secure your Group Rate

Room availability and rates are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservation requests received after this date are subject to room and rate availability.

Networking Events

TBD
Sponsored by: ABC

Date: XXXX from XX:00–XX:00 p.m.
Pricing: Free when you register for the seminar
Location: TBD

TBD

Full Agenda

*Schedule and speakers are subject to change

Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Time (Eastern)	Session
11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.	Registration
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.	Diversity Luncheon (Ticketed Event)
2:00-5:00 p.m.	Breakouts Click the "Breakouts" blue tab below to view the full schedule.
5:00 p.m.	DRI Book Club
5:00 p.m.	Corporate Counsel Breakout
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, April 30, 2026

Time (Eastern)	Session
8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.	Registration
8:30-9:30 a.m.	Coffee Service and Breakfast Bites
9:00 a.m.	Welcome and Introductions Ford Stephens, Christian & Barton, Richmond, VA Julie Freund Wall, Chittenden, Murday & Novotny, Chicago, IL
9:15 a.m.	A Year in the Life of Life Insurance Hear all about the recent decisions and trends in life insurance from an experienced practitioner, while obtaining tactics for handling your life insurance cases. Donna O. Tillis, Nelson Mullins, Columbia, SC
10:15 a.m.	Coffee Break
10:30 a.m.	Health Insurance: From the Headlines to the Courtroom While the ACA continued to gain attention this past year, courts tackled various health insurance issues from the (not so) friendly skies of ADA preemption to the tough terrain of IDR challenges. Attend this session to catch up on the recent developments in the health insurance world. Shari Gerson, Gray Robinson, Fort Lauderdale, FL
11:30 a.m.	Accidentally On Purpose: Understanding Recent AD&D Cases Interesting fact patterns, how accidents are defined, and key exclusions are the hallmarks of accidental death cases. Attend this session to learn about recent AD&D issues and ready yourself for your next accidental death claim. Jarrett E. Ganer, McDowell Hetherington, Houston, TX
12:30 p.m.	DRI Networking Lunch
2:00 p.m.	A Supreme Session: SCOTUS Update A distinguished Supreme Court attorney, who has argued 11 cases before the Nation’s highest court and briefed more than 100 cases presented to it, will discuss recent SCOTUS decisions, sharing her unique insights on the arguments and outcomes. Colleen Roh Sinzdak, Milbank, Washington, DC
3:00 p.m.	Schmidtke on ERISA Learn from an ERISA expert about the current trends in ERISA regulation and litigation and hear his thoughts on emerging issues in this arena. Mark E. Schmidtke, Ogletree Deakins, Valparaiso, IN
4:00 p.m.	Adjourn
4:00 p.m.	Committee Business Meeting and Linda Lawson Award Presentation (Open to all)
6:00–8:00 p.m.	Networking Reception Join fellow seminar attendees at our Networking Reception. More details to come.
7:30 p.m.	Dine-Arounds Join colleagues and friends at selected restaurants for dinner (on your own).
9:00 p.m.	Young Lawyers Event All attendees welcome (even those who are only young at heart)! More details to come.

Friday, May 1, 2026

Time (Eastern)	Session
8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.	Registration
8:30-9:30 a.m.	Coffee Service and Breakfast Bites
9:00 a.m.	Welcome and Announcements Julie Freund Wall, Chittenden, Murday & Novotny, Chicago, IL Donna O. Tillis, Nelson Mullins, Columbia, SC
9:10 a.m.	Data Privacy and Why it Matters to You While we frequently hear news stories regarding data breaches, data privacy laws and issues, does it really matter to your company, firm, or clients? The short answer is yes. Join this session to understand how data privacy concerns impact our companies and clients and learn about recent data privacy regulations and litigation. Ruth Cramer, Alight Solutions, Pittsburgh, PA Eric P. Mathisen, Ogletree Deakins, Chicago, IL
10:10 a.m.	Coffee Break
10:25 a.m.	Winning Hearts and Minds in Disability Litigation Stay informed on recent developments and trends in disability litigation to help refine your defense strategies from file intake to jury box. Daniel W. Maguire, Burke, Williams & Sorensen, Palm Desert, CA
11:25 a.m.	Ethics: Professional Civility & Elimination of Bias As attorneys, we strive towards civil and unbiased communications, even with our adversaries, to benefit our clients, to act appropriately as officers of the court, and to meet ethical standards. Attend this session to understand your ethical responsibilities and develop best practices in these endeavors. Franz Hardy, Gordon Rees, Denver, CO
12:25 p.m.	Adjourn

Breakouts (Wednesday 2:00-5:00 p.m.)

Track 1

Time (Eastern)

Session

2:00 p.m.

Annuities: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know but Were Afraid to Ask

Two industry experts explain the fundamentals of annuities, discuss how they compare to securities and life insurance, and delve into the wrinkles and recent trends of annuity litigation.

Kevin Wilson, Guardian Life, New York, NY
Joseph R. Jeffery, Chittenden, Murday & Novotny, Chicago, IL

3:00 p.m.

Life Insurance in the Digital Age

As life insurance sales and underwriting go digital, the industry faces evolving litigation issues and challenges. Join this session to learn how to navigate these pressing issues.

Kenton J. Coppage, Fox Rothschild, Atlanta, GA

4:00 p.m.

Rewriting a Group Life or Disability Policy: Legal, Product, and Practical Perspectives

Explore why and how group insurance carriers draft policy language to balance clarity, compliance, and competitiveness. Symetra’s legal and product leaders share insights on drafting challenges, litigation trends, and best practices for building stronger, clearer contracts.

Logan Gould, Symetra, New York, NY
Kimberly Dunn, JD, Symetra, Hartford, CT

Track 2

Time (Eastern)

Session

2:00 p.m.

Litigating Long COVID Disability Claims under ERISA

Learn how courts are treating long-term disability claims involving Long COVID and develop best practices for handling these cases.

Carol Dekshenieks, The Hartford, Atlanta, GA
William B. Wahlheim, Jr., Maynard Nexsen, Birmingham, AL

3:00 p.m.

Highlights of Recent ERISA Regulatory Issues

ERISA practitioners will benefit from this session, addressing how regulatory challenges are impacting ERISA litigation. Including changes in the standard of review, consequences of de novo review, and the appropriate procedural vehicle for presenting cases to courts and the resulting standard of review on appeal.

Nikole M. Crow, Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP, Atlanta, GA

4:00 p.m.

Recent Developments on Equitable Relief under ERISA

After a brief review of relevant Supreme Court decisions, this presentation will address such topics as whether surcharge is a permissible remedy under ERISA, use of Section 502(a)(3) to recover attorney’s fees, the applicability of the exhaustion requirement, and more.

Joshua Bachrach, Wilson Elser, Philadelphia, PA

Track 3

Time (Eastern)

Session

2:00 p.m.

The No Surprises Act: More Surprises, Even More Litigation

The No Surprises Act was intended as pro-consumer legislation. Discover the challenges, increased litigation, and surprises that have arisen since its enactment.

Rita E. Nerney, Robinson & Cole, Boston, MA

3:00 p.m.

Practically Speaking—Mediation Preparation, Settlement Negotiation, and In-House Counsel Expectations

Three experienced attorneys share their tips when preparing for mediation, negotiating settlements, and developing a successful relationship with your in-house counsel.

Morgan J. Milner, Modern Woodmen of America, Rock Island, IL
Megan Schneider, Transamerica, Chicago, IL
Michelle Thurber Czapski, Bodman, Troy, MI

4:00 p.m.

Arbitration Procedures and Best Practices

Arbitrations—whether FINRA or AAA—have their own rules, processes, benefits, and potential pitfalls. Hear tips and strategies for handling arbitrations from an experienced practitioner.

Meredith Jowers Lees, Rumberger Kirk, Birmingham, AL

CLE Information

Earn up to TBD hours of continuing legal education hours (CLE), including TBD hour of Ethics credit 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.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

If you would like to learn about seminar sponsorship opportunities, including pricing, or to reserve your spot, please fill out the form to get started.

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 XXXXX. Feeding a child before you feed yourself is a wonderful way to support children and families in the XXXXX community.

Donate to Blessings in a Backpack

Additional Resources

If you have any questions that are not addressed on our website, please contact DRI Customer Service at 312.795.1101 or custservice@dri.org.