| Time (Eastern) | Session |
|---|
| 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. | Registration |
| 8:30 a.m. | Breakfast Bites and Coffee Service |
| 9:00 a.m. | Welcome and Introductions Mindy Brickman, Christovich & Kearney, New Orleans, LA
Dan Long, Quarles & Brady LLP, Indianapolis, IN |
| 9:15 a.m. | The Mediator Speaks: Atlanta’s own Judge Gino Brogdon on Blind Spots to Avoid and the Playbook for Getting to Yes In this candid fireside chat, Gino Brogdon, celebrated mediator, trial lawyer, retired judge, and star of the YouTube Personal Injury Court channel, joins Merton Howard, a seasoned defense attorney recently certified as a court-appointed mediator. Together, they pull back the curtain on what really happens, and what often goes wrong, during the mediation of product liability cases. Drawing on decades of combined experience, they will walk through the most common and costly mistakes made by the defense while providing insight about what goes on in the plaintiff’s room. Just as importantly, they will share practical techniques and best practices to turn a stalled negotiation into a signed settlement agreement, including how to recover when things go sideways, how to coach clients and insurers before walking in the door, and how to use the mediator as an ally rather than a referee. Whether you are a trial lawyer, in-house counsel, or claims professional, you will leave this session with concrete, battle-tested strategies you can put to work at your next mediation. Gino Brogdon, Brogdon Mediation, Atlanta GA
Mert Howard, Hanson Bridgett, San Francisco CA
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| 10:15 a.m. | DRI Quick Hit
More Davids at the Gate: The Macro Forces Reshaping Litigation Risk for In-House Counsel Corporate defendants are facing a growing wave of self-represented plaintiffs — and the forces driving that trend are accelerating. Economic downturns historically correlate with surges in civil litigation, AI-powered legal tools now enable unrepresented individuals to file and pursue claims with unprecedented sophistication, and courts continue to extend procedural leniency that systematically disadvantages even well-resourced defendants. This session examines the macro forces reshaping in-house litigation risk and sets the stage for the tactical guidance that follows. Joanna Leong, Honda Canada, Toronto Canada |
| 10:45 a.m. | Coffee Break |
| 11:00 a.m. | First Call: What It Really Takes to Be the Outside Counsel In-House Counsel Trust When in-house counsel reaches for the phone, whose name comes up first, and why? This panel pulls back the curtain on what truly drives referrals and recommendations, using a real-world litigation scenario to walk through what in-house counsel actually want, expect, and notice as a case moves from intake through trial or resolution. Moderated by Kristen Dennison — whose experience on both sides of the relationship gives her a rare dual lens — the session will deliver candid, practical insight into how outside counsel can sharpen file management, strengthen communication, and build the kind of trust that puts them at the front of the line. If you want to know what separates good counsel from indispensable counsel, this is the panel to attend. Eric Probst, Schindler, Morristown NJ
Keely Morton, Harley-Davidson Inc., Naples FL
Brian Mims, Tadano, Houston TX
Kristen Dennison, Littleton Joyce, Merritt Island, FL
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| 12:00 p.m. | DRI Quick Hit
Shielding the Giant from David: Tactical Navigation of Pro Se Plaintiffs Defending a lawsuit filed by a pro se plaintiff presents counterintuitive legal and procedural challenges. While our clients might assume an unrepresented opponent is an easy defense verdict, the reality is often the opposite. To protect our client's resources and reputation, defense counsel must deploy strategies that mitigate costs, manage the court's leniency and, where appropriate, steer the case toward a swift resolution. This Quick Hit will offer alternatives to traditional litigation tactics when fighting a pro se Plaintiff. Robert Shields, Wilson Turner Kosmo, San Diego, CA |
| 12:30 p.m. | DRI Networking Lunch (on your own) |
| 2:00 p.m. | Deepfakes on Trial: How Lawyers Can Identify, Challenge, and Defeat AI-Generated Media Before It Shapes the Facts Synthetic media is no longer a litigation novelty. Deepfakes and AI-generated images, video, audio, animations, and demonstratives are increasingly appearing in discovery, mediation, motion practice, and trial. And this is not just a plaintiff problem, as client-created content can be equally problematic. This program equips product liability attorneys with the practical tools and legal strategies needed to identify and confront AI-generated evidence at every stage of a case. Participants will learn how to recognize the hallmarks of synthetic content, deploy targeted discovery to uncover source files, metadata, and creation tools, and work effectively with forensic experts to test and rebut suspected deepfakes. The program will also address the ethical obligations that arise when any party, witness, expert, or counsel relies on manipulated content, and will provide guidance on challenging authentication, admissibility, reliability, and foundation, as well as on presenting these complex technical issues to judges and juries in a clear and persuasive manner. Attendees will leave with a framework for identifying synthetic evidence early and protecting the evidentiary record before AI-generated media can shape the facts of the case. Frank Ramos, Goldberg Segalla, Miami FL |
| 3:00 p.m. | Beyond the Hunch: Pattern, Practice, and Predicting Jurors Great trial lawyers trust their instincts — but great jury consultants test them. This session pulls back the curtain on the behavioral science, research methodology, and pattern recognition that underpin effective jury consulting, demonstrating how rigorous empirical work and experience — not intuition— drives the strategies that shape winning cases. From theme development to voir dire design, attendees will leave with a deeper appreciation for the discipline behind the craft and practical tools for putting it to work on their next case. Christina Marinakis, Verdict Insight Partners, Los Angeles CA and Baltimore MD |
| 4:00 p.m. | Ethics During a Crisis: When Your Case "Breaks Bad" What Can We Learn About Crisis Ethics from Saul Goodman and Walter White? What happens when a good case suddenly goes very, very wrong? Drawing on the AMC series Breaking Bad as an unexpected but compelling lens, this session takes a frank and engaging look at the ethical challenges that confront counsel when a client's situation spirals into full-blown crisis. Forget the dry hypotheticals and sterile seminar format. This is crisis ethics with video clips from the best Breaking Bad moments: messy, high-stakes, and full of judgment calls that no rulebook fully prepares you for. Led by an in-house crisis manager and outside counsel with a combined 40 years of experience navigating exactly these situations, this session moves through the full arc of a crisis, from the moment the rules of the lawyer-client relationship come under pressure, to the unique and often uncomfortable position of in-house counsel as both legal advisor and operational decision-maker, to the hardest question of all: how truthful do you have to be, and with whom? The session closes with a rapid-fire exchange of real-life ethical hypotheticals put directly to seasoned lawyers who will share candid, practical strategies for making defensible decisions when there are no clean answers. If you have ever been caught in a case that broke bad, or want to be ready when it happens, this session is for you. Colin Kelly, Shook Hardy & Bacon, Atlanta GA
Sarah Wolfe, Circle K, Auburn Hills, MI |
| 5:00 p.m. | Adjourn |
| 5:00-5:30 p.m. | Committee Business Meeting (open to all) |
| 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Networking Reception
Sponsored by: TBD Join fellow seminar attendees at our Networking Reception. More details to come. |
| 7:45 p.m. | Dine-Arounds Join colleagues and friends at selected restaurants for dinner (on your own) |