| Time (Eastern) | Session |
|---|
| 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. | Registration |
| 8:30–9:30 a.m. | Breakfast Bites and Coffee Service |
| 9:00 a.m. | Welcome and Introductions Christopher T. Sheean, Swanson Martin & Bell, Chicago, IL
Sergio E. Chavez, Rincon Law Group P.C., El Paso, TX |
| 9:15 a.m. | The Road Ahead: Navigating the Future of Trucking in America Hear industry leaders discuss the most important challenges currently facing the trucking industry, and what is needed for the industry to forge ahead and navigate the difficulties related to ongoing driver shortages, decreasing
margins, unsustainable jury verdicts, and rising operating costs. John Esparza and Ben Greenberg |
| 10:15 a.m. | Break |
| 10:30 a.m. | Pushing Back Strong and Staying in Your Lane: Defending Attacks from Federal Regulatory Violations Learn from an in-depth discussion about the specific federal and state regulations Plaintiffs’ lawyers are using to attack drivers and motor carriers, and how to counter and inoculate the negative impacts from damaging regulatory
violations in your cases. Libby Block, Roehl Transport, Marshfield, WI
MaryJane "MJ" Dobbs, Bressler Amery & Ross PC,
Florham Park, NJ
|
| 11:30 a.m. | Brokering Leverage: Steering the Verdict and Appellate Defenses in Freight Broker Claims Freight broker claims are rising exponentially, especially in cases with lower carrier limits. Prominent trial and appellate trucking defense lawyers provide proven trial strategies for aggressively defending freight broker claims,
with a focus on the driving trial issues and the key appellate points to be guarded and preserved during trial. June Essis, Weber Gallagher, Philadelphia, PA
Gene F. Zipperle, Jr., Ward Hocker & Thornton, Louisville, KY
Shabaz Nizami
|
| 12:30 p.m. | DRI Networking Lunch |
| 2:00 p.m. | Slamming the Brakes on Thirty Party Litigation Funding and Lien Based Care Third-party litigation funding continues to be a prevailing problem by inflating damage models, utilizing unscrupulous medical facilities and contractually controlling resolution of plaintiffs’ cases. Hear from experienced
professionals on how to effectively counter litigation funding lenders’ tactics and expose their manufactured damages and attempts to dominate control of their clients’ cases. Whitney Lay Greene, Chartwell Law, Atlanta, GA
Lea Kapral, Mohave Insurance, Sheboygan, WI |
| 3:00 p.m. | Missing in Action Doesn’t Mean Dead on Arrival: When Your Driver or Company Are Not Part of Your Defense (Includes Ethics) Learn how to manage situations when drivers and trucking companies are not cooperating or are absent from the defense of your case, and key strategies to help avoid ethical dilemmas when clients are missing, and the insurer is
asking questions. Bryson F. Datt, Jr., Gordon Rees, Pittsburgh, PA
Theresa Bratton, National Interstate/Vanliner, Richfield, OH
Ben Arnold |
| 4:00 p.m. | AI In the Fast Lane: Accelerating Your Practice While Navigating Ethical Roadblocks AI has arrived and is here to stay! This session puts the pedal to the metal on practical AI applications. Speed without caution leads to wrecks: attendees will explore critical ethical guardrails. We’ll dissect real-world
risks like AI “hallucinations,” embedded biases, data privacy breaches, and dangerous over-reliance—equipping you to harness AI’s horsepower ethically and avoid costly detours or derailments. Shane O’Dell, Naman Howell Smith & Lee PLLC, Fort Worth, TX
Nichole Van Roekel, Acuity, Sioux Falls, SD |
| 5:00 p.m. | CLE adjourns for the day |
| 5:00 p.m. | Trucking Law Committee Meeting (open to all attendees) |
| 6:00–7:30 p.m. | Networking Reception Join fellow seminar attendees at our Networking Reception. More details to come.
|
8:00 p.m. | Dine-Arounds Join colleagues and friends at selected restaurants for dinner (on your own). |