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Spring 2008 National Legal Malpractice Conference
April 16-18, 2008 - Boston, MA
Speaker Bios
Richard W. Renehan
Mr. Renehan, a Director of Goulston & Storrs, concentrates his practice exclusively in trial and appellate work, both civil and criminal. He has represented many of the major law firms in New England and in other parts of the country, and has for twenty years been selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America for both business litigation and professional malpractice defense.
Mr. Renehan is a frequent lecturer for MCLE and the American Bar Association, and has put on model trials of a legal malpractice suit for the ABA and the Attorneys' Liability Assurance Society. He has also argued over 50 cases before state and federal appellate courts, including several of the leading cases decided by the SJC involving zoning, employment discrimination, environmental law and legal malpractice.
Hon. Stuart A. Nudelman
Hon. Stuart A. Nudelman (Ret.) is a skilled mediator and settlement judge, known for his creative settlements in resolving emotionally charged, complex matters. Judge Nudelman has extensive experience in multi-party, business / commercial, medical malpractice, legal and accounting malpractice, products liability, personal injury, employment and construction matters. In addition to the experience garnered on the bench as a trial judge, Judge Nudelman was often assigned cases from other court calls and judges' calendars for settlement conferences and mediations.
Michael E. Mone
Mike Mone is nationally-recognized as a civil trial lawyer, and has been a pioneer in the field of tort litigation. A 1967 graduate of Boston College Law School, Mr. Mone has been awarded honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from Middlebury College and Suffolk University. Mr. Mone's practice concentrates on all aspects of civil litigation, with particular emphasis on medical malpractice, products liability, insurance law, and aviation claims. Mr. Mone also has considerable experience in professional malpractice and disciplinary claims, and has practiced extensively at all levels of the state and federal trial and appellate court systems. Mr. Mone is a Fellow, a Regent, the former Secretary (1997-1998), and the immediate past President of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the first plaintiff's attorney to head that prestigious organization. He is a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, and a former member of its national Board of Governors (1975-1978). He is also a member and past President of the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys (1981-1984), a member and past President of the Massachusetts Bar Association (1993), a member of the American Bar Association, and an alumnus of the Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers and Joint Bar Committee on Judicial Appointments. Mr. Mone served, at Governor Dukakis's appointment, on the Judicial Nominating Committee (1987-1988). Mr. Mone has written and lectured exhaustively on issues relating to insurance coverage and disputes, trial practice, and civil litigation generally, and has testified as an expert witness on numerous occasions on those and related topics.
Max H. Bazerman
Max H. Bazerman is the Jesse Isidor Straus Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. Centering his research on decision making, ethics, and negotiation, he has authored, coauthored, or coedited more than 180 articles and 16 books, including Negotiation Genius (with Deepak Malhotra, Bantam Books, in press), Predictable Surprises: The Disasters You Should Have Seen Coming, and How to Prevent Them (with M. Watkins) and the sixth edition of Judgment in Managerial Decision Making. Bazerman has conducted projects in more than 25 countries, including more than 50 with companies in the United States. His recent awards include an honorary doctorate from the University of London (London Business School), the Kulp-Wright Book Award from the American Risk and Insurance Association for Predictable Surprises (with Michael Watkins), and the Life Achievement Award from the Aspen Institute's Business and Society Program.
Kimberly K. Pihlstrom
Kim Pihlstrom began her career as an attorney in private practice, specializing in professional liability and employment practices litigation for an insurance defense firm. In 1997, she left private practice and joined The St. Paul. As Underwriting Director, she was responsible for underwriting, loss control and agency relationships for products relating to lawyers and law firms, including errors and omissions coverage for private firms and employed lawyers and law firm employment practices coverage. In 2001, she joined GE Westport Insurance Corporation as its Chief Underwriting Officer for Lawyers' Professional Liability. In that role, she was responsible for the management of one of the largest small firm programs in the country, as well as for development of a niche product for middle market law firms. Kim received her B.A. from Drury University in Springfield, MO and her J.D. from University of Missouri in Kansas City. She is designated as a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter and a Registered Professional Liability Underwriter. She is an active member of the Professional Liability Underwriting Society, the American Bar Association and the Defense Research Institute Professional Liability Committee.
Douglas Thompson
In June 2004, Doug co-founded Thompson Flanagan & Co., LLC. Thompson Flanagan is one of the fastest growing specialty insurance brokerages in the United States and serves the Legal and Financial communities nationwide. Prior to starting Thompson Flanagan & Co., LLC, Doug Thompson served as senior Vice President for Hub International. He was appointed Practice Leader for Professional Liability Insurance nationally, and served on the Leadership Committee representing Hub International, Chicago.
Doug's specialty is in large account professional firms with an emphasis on Mid-Sized and large law firms. He is active in placing business for US based law firms utilizing the Domestic and International insurance marketplace.
Over the past several years, Doug has been invited to participate in a variety of industry speaking engagements and has been published in leading industry journals.
Bruce A. Olson
Mr. Olson's practice primarily involves commercial and business litigation, employment litigation, product liability, professional liability and environmental litigation. He has extensive experience in electronic discovery and records and data management, and legal and trial related computer technologies. He is board certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and AV rated by Martindale Hubbell. His legal experience includes over 60 jury trials in either the Federal District Courts or the Circuit Courts of Wisconsin. Mr. Olson was Chair of the American Bar Association Techshow in 2004.
Pamela A. Bresnahan
Ms. Pamela Bresnahan is a partner in the Vorys Washington, D.C. office and is the head of the litigation practice group in that office. She serves as trial and appellate counsel in business and commercial litigation matters with an emphasis on professional liability defense and coverage litigation. She represents lawyers, financial institutions, broker/dealers, financial professionals, directors and officers, accountants, insurers and other professionals. Ms. Bresnahan serves as coverage and litigation counsel for insurers issuing errors and omissions policies. She represents businesses and individuals in securities, intellectual property and other corporate litigation. She advises law firms and lawyers on management issues and discipline matters.
Andrew J. Waxler
Andrew J. Waxler specializes in defending professionals in malpractice actions and the representation of insurers in professional liability coverage disputes. Mr. Waxler also represents insurers in bad faith litigation and has written numerous professional liability insurance policies.
Prior to establishing Waxler Carner Weinreb Brodsky LLP, Mr. Waxler and several other partners founded the Los Angeles office of Luce Forward Hamilton & Scripps in February 1994. While at Luce Forward, Mr. Waxler was the firm's General Counsel and he chaired the firm's Loss Prevention Committee. Mr. Waxler was also the firm's representative on the Board of Directors of the Attorney Insurance Mutual Risk Retention Group ("AIM"), and a member of AIM's Claims Committee. Mr. Waxler started his career at Flahavan, Hudson & Francis. Mr. Waxler joined Adams, Duque & Hazeltine in 1988 and was elected to that partnership in January 1991.
Mr. Waxler has contributed to various publications, including the California Practice Guide for Insurance Litigation published by the Rutter Group. Mr. Waxler has also participated in panel discussions at DRI and ABA seminars and frequently lectures on loss prevention issues for California lawyers. Mr. Waxler is a member of Los Angeles County Bar Association and the American Bar Association.
Mr. Waxler is AV rated and has been a member of the California Bar since 1984. Mr. Waxler received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1980 and his Juris Doctorate from Loyola School of Law, Los Angeles in 1983.
David A. Grossbaum
Mr. Grossbaum joined Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP in July 2005 to open the firm's Boston office. Previously he was a partner in the Boston law firm of Cetrulo & Capone LLP.
Upon graduation from law school in 1985, he clerked with the Superior Court for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Thereafter, he became an Assistant District Attorney for Essex County, Massachusetts, where he was assigned to both the trial and appellate divisions, arguing numerous cases in the Supreme Judicial Court and Appeals Court of Massachusetts and trying jury cases. He also held a position as a legal research and writing instructor at Boston University Law School.
Mr. Grossbaum is a member of the Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS) where he is a past chair and present member of the New England Steering Committee, and also a member of the PLUS National Communications Committee.
He is a member of the American Bar Association, and the Professionals', Officers' and Directors' Liability, the Insurance Coverage Litigation, and the Fidelity and Surety Law committees of the Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (TTIPS). Mr. Grossbaum is a past chair, vice chair and Newsletter editor of the Professionals', Officers' and Directors' Liability Committee of TTIPS.
Mr. Grossbaum is also active in the Rhode Island Bar Association, where he is a member of the Insurance, and Ethics and Professionalism committees.
Since 2005, Mr. Grossbaum has been named annually as a “Super Lawyer” in the area of Professional Liability: Defense by Massachusetts Super Lawyers magazine. In addition, he holds the AV® Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for ethics and legal ability.
Marian C. Rice
Marian Rice, of L’Abbate, Balkan, Colavita & Contini, received a Juris Doctorate from St. John's University School of Law, Jamaica, New York in 1979 and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fordham College at Fordham University in 1976. Since that time, Ms. Rice has concentrated her practice on the representation of attorneys and risk management for lawyers.
Ms. Rice has authored materials for numerous publications and newsletters, including the New York Law Journal and Nassau Lawyer, and has lectured for the Professional Liability Underwriting Society, the ABA Standing Committee on Lawyer's Professional Liability, the Nassau and Suffolk County Bar Associations, the New York State Bar Association, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, and the American Conference Institute, as well as for various law firms and trade associations, at seminars covering such diverse topics as Risk Management and Loss Prevention for Attorneys, The Elements of and Defenses to a Legal Malpractice Action, Legal Malpractice Principles and Trial Strategy, Preparing, Defending and Preventing Claims Stemming From Tax Shelter Advice, Whither Privity?, Defending Attorneys with Psychological Difficulties, Avoiding Malpractice and Client Grievances, Disqualification of Legal Malpractice Experts, Identification and Resolution of Conflicts of Interest, Ethics in the Profession, Don't Make Malpractice Your Nightmare, Improving Communication Skills with Clients, Legal Malpractice Issues and Trends, Risks Presented by Law Firm Mergers, Risk Management Techniques for Real Estate Attorneys, Risk Management Techniques for Matrimonial Attorneys, Starting Your Own Law Practice and Attorney Liability under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. From 1999 to 2003, she administered the Attorney Loss Prevention Hotline Service for the broker responsible for the NYSBA sponsored professional liability insurer.
James R. DeGiacomo
Mr. James R. DeGiacomo, of Murtha Cullina LLP, has extensive experience in areas of civil litigation, including business litigation, fiduciary litigation, legal malpractice defense, and domestic relations. He was appointed by the Supreme Judicial Court to the Board of Bar Overseers in 1988, and served as its Chairman in 1990-1991.
Mr. DeGiacomo also has extensive teaching experience. He was an Adjunct Professor of Law at the New England School of Law from 1959 to 2001. He is also active in bar association programs, has lectured at numerous seminars for attorneys, and participates in mediation programs for all courts and is called upon to accept appointments as guardian ad litem in probate matters.
Mr. DeGiacomo joined the firm of Roche & Leen in 1963. After Mr. Leen was appointed to the Superior Court, the firm name was changed to Roche, Carens & DeGiacomo. In 2000 that firm merged with Murtha Cullina LLP.
Thomas E. Spahn
Mr. Spahn, of McGuire Woods, graduated magna cum laude from Yale University and received his J.D. from Yale Law School. He has practiced as a commercial litigator with McGuireWoods since graduating from Yale. He has tried cases involving such disparate matters as damage to James Madison's birthplace, the experimental nature of autologous bone marrow transplants for treating breast cancer, and easement rights over America's most popular walking and biking path.
Mr. Spahn has written and lectured widely on such topics as effective legal writing, ethics and professionalism, the attorney-client privilege and defamation. He has written several editions of a book on the attorney-client privilege and the work product doctrine. The latest version is 750 pages, and is accompanied by a 1,700 page compilation of approximately 10,000 case summaries. Mr. Spahn has also written a book on Virginia defamation law; a book on ethics issues facing Virginia in-house lawyers; two other book chapters; and more than 50 articles in Virginia and national publications. Since 1988, Mr. Spahn has spoken at more than 700 CLE programs throughout the United States, and in several foreign countries.
Mr. Spahn has served on the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility; as the reporter for the committee that drafted Virginia's ethics rules; as chairman of the Virginia Bar Association's Professionalism Task Force; on the committee that revised Virginia's lawyer discipline rules; on the faculty for the Professionalism Course all new Virginia lawyers attend, and as chairman of the Virginia Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee. He currently serves as chairman of the Virginia Bar Association Commission on Professionalism; and as a member of the Virginia Bar's Legal Ethics Committee and the Virginia Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee. Mr. Spahn is included in: The Best Lawyers in America. He is a Fellow of both the Virginia Law Foundation and the American Bar Foundation (whose membership is limited to one-third of one percent of America's lawyers).
Steve Taub
Steve Taub is Assistant General Counsel with U-Haul International in Phoenix, Arizona. In this role, he manages the company's product liability and general liability litigation and claims. In addition, Steve is responsible for managing the company's outside counsel and overall management of its litigation program.
Regina E. Roman
Regina Roman, of Sugarman, Rogers, Barshak & Cohen, P.C., has been the firm’s Managing Partner and a member of its Executive Committee since 1999. Her practice focuses on complex civil litigation matters in the areas of insurance coverage and professional liability, and on business and appellate litigation.
For more than twenty years, Regina has been regularly retained by insurance companies to advise and represent them in coverage disputes with insureds and with other carriers and in extra-contractual liability and bad faith actions. She has represented professional liability insurers, excess carriers, commercial and general liability insurers (including carriers covering large and small businesses, contractors, retailers, non-profits, condominium trustees, and landlords), and homeowners carriers. She has drafted and revised insurance policies and endorsements for several carriers, provided advice on internal claims-handling procedures and conducted in-house seminars at insurance companies. She has also advised individuals and businesses on the selection of policies and negotiation of coverage and has acted as personal coverage counsel. Regina presently serves as East Coast coverage counsel for a major insurer of attorneys, as New England regional coverage counsel for a national professional liability carrier, and as primary coverage counsel for the largest homeowners' carrier in Massachusetts. She also handles the defense of high-profile and major exposure cases for several of her insurance clients.
Ms. Roman attended J.D., Harvard Law School (magna cum laude), 1979; A.B., Brown University (magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa), 1976.
Heather L. Rosing
Heather L. Rosing, of Klinedinst PC, has litigated hundreds of professional liability cases, representing lawyers, accountants, real estate agents, insurance agents, psychologists, therapists, and other professionals. She also practices extensively in the areas of ethics and risk management, and serves as an expert witness in these areas. Heather is the chair of Klinedinst's Professional Liability Group, and the recipient of Martindale-Hubbell's highest rating.
Heather also litigates creditor's rights in bankruptcy court in the Southern District and Central District of California. She represents both plaintiffs and defendants in adversary proceedings, and provides a range of other services to creditors. Her bankruptcy experience plays an important role in defending the professional liability cases described above, since many of those cases often involve a bankruptcy proceeding.
Heather has litigated many cases involving lenders and financial institutions. She has both prosecuted and defended companies and institutions in matters involving electronic fund transfer disputes with other lending institutions; breach of contract claims against other lending institutions and third parties; fraudulent transfers of funds involving embezzlement and/or impersonation; wrongful foreclosure; improper disclosure involving the sale of real property; and tortious credit reporting.
Heather is very active in the community. Heather has served on the Board of Directors for the San Diego County Bar Association (SDCBA) since 2003, and is currently the President of the 11,000 member organization. She is a past president of the Northwestern Alumni Club of San Diego, the former community services chairperson for the Downtown Rotaract Club of San Diego, and the former golf tournament chairperson for Lawyers Club of San Diego. She is currently a docent for the San Dieguito River Park, a board member of the Japan Society of San Diego & Tijuana, a regional director for the Northwestern Alumni Association, and a former team leader for the Suzuki Rock-N-Roll Marathon. Heather also is an active member of many professional and law-related organizations, including the Professional Liability Underwriting Society, the San Diego Psychological Association, the California Psychological Association,the Ethics Committee of SDCBA, the Louis M. Welsh American Inns of Court, Lawyers Club of San Diego, the Women's Insolvency Network, and the San Diego Bankruptcy Forum.
Born in Chicago, Heather attended the University of Illinois and Northwestern University School of Law. She has been licensed to practice law in California since 1996, and in Illinois since 1997. She currently serves on the Executive Committee as the Chief Financial Officer of the firm.
Guy D. Calladine
Guy D. Calladine is a founding partner of Carlson, Calladine & Peterson LLP and an uncompromising trial attorney with over 25 years of experience and a formidable reputation. He specializes in both defense and prosecution of legal malpractice claims involving virtually every facet of the practice of law, from intellectual property to estates and trusts to real property and commercial transactions.
Mr. Calladine has an impressive record of successes in litigating legal malpractice, attorney-client fee disputes, and partnership disputes and dissolutions. These services, as well as Mr. Calladine's hands-on approach to his cases, results in substantial referrals from other legal professionals, the highest compliment. Mr. Calladine's practice also involves catastrophic injury and complex commercial litigation.
Mr. Calladine is a frequent lecturer and continuing legal education provider, allowing others to benefit from his invaluable experience and expertise in handling legal malpractice actions. He also teaches at the Continuing Education of the Bar and mediates legal malpractice cases for the San Francisco Bar.
Mr. Calladine is a member of the State Bar of California and the Bar Association of San Francisco.
David Hricik
David Hricik is associate professor of law at the Mercer University Walter F. George School of Law in Macon, GA. He is Chair of the Professionalism & Ethics Committee of the American Intellectual Property Law Association and past Chair of the Committee on Professional Responsibility of the ABA Section of Intellectual Property. Prof. Hricik is also a member of the Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction Editorial Board and the Civ Pro Mentoring Committee of the American Association of Law Schools. He is former Chair of the Amicus Brief Drafting Committee of the Houston Intellectual Property Law Association and of the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of Texas.
Prof. Hricik has authored or co-authored a number of books, including Modern Statutory Interpretation: Problems, Theories, and Lawyering Strategies (Carolina Academic Press 2006) (co-author); Teachers' Manual for Modern Statutory Interpretation (Carolina Academic Press 2006) (co-author); Information Security for Lawyers and Law Firms (ex-officio editor) (ABA 2006); Property: Cases, Documents, and Lawyering Strategies (Lexis/Nexis 2004) (co-author with Professors Crump & Caudill); and Law School Basics (Nova Press, 1996, 2000). Articles to his credit include The Speed of Normal: Conflicts, Competency, and Confidentiality in the Digital Age, 10 Computer L. Rev. & Tech. J. 73 (2006); Don't Settle Your License Away, 69 Tex. B.J. 126 (Feb. 2006) (co-author); The Ethical Responsibilities and Liability Risks Arising From Representing a Single Client in Multiple Patent-Related Representations: How Things Snowball, __ J. Pat. & Trademark Off. Soc'y __ (2006) (invited submission) (reprint); Lawyers Still Too Worried About Transmitting E-mail Over the Internet, 10 J. Tech. L. & Pol'y 265 (2005) (invited symposium submission) (co-author); and To Whom it May Concern: Using Disclaimers to Avoid Disqualification by Receipt of Unsolicited E-mail from Prospective Clients, 16 Prof. Lawyer 1 (2005).
Benjamin H. Hill III
Ben Hill is a founding Shareholder in the firm of Hill Ward & Henderson PA. His practice is primarily focused in the areas of complex litigation including professional liability, products liability and general commercial matters.
Ben has represented many of the Nation's largest law firms and many public companies in litigation in Florida. He has tried many jury cases ranging from 2 days to over 6 months in trial. He has represented the Florida House of Representatives in a case involving the Florida Constitution and in an ethics case. He has represented the Florida Senate in a voting districting case and has served as special counsel to former Florida Governor, The Hon. Bob Graham.
Ben is board certified as a civil trial lawyer by The Florida Bar and certified as a civil trial advocate by The National Board of Trial Advocacy.
Ben is a past President of The Florida Bar, a former President of the Young Lawyers Section of The Florida Bar and past President of the Hillsborough County Bar Association. Ben is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He has served as the Chair of the Federal Judicial Nominating Commission of the State of Florida, Chair of the Judicial Nominating Commission for Hillsborough County, served on the Board of Governors of the American Bar Association, and is currently serving on the Federal Judicial Nominating Committee for the Middle District of Florida. Ben is a Member of the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association (1990-Present) and the immediate past Chair of the Conference of State Delegates.
Ben is often called upon by local and state leaders to assist in the resolution of major public issues. From 1994 to 1996, he served as Vice Chair of the Article V Commission, which recommended to the Florida Legislature changes to the Florida Constitution regarding the state's judiciary. In 1993, he was appointed to the Biden Committee to consider and recommend changes to the federal court system in the Middle District of Florida. In 2005, he was appointed by the Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court to a commission to study certain aspects of the jury system in Florida. He currently serves as Chair of the ABA Standing Committee on Lawyers' Professional Liability.
Ben is also active in community organizations. He has served as Chair of the Foundation and Member of the Board of Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa since 2006, member of the Board of Directors of Florida House (1998-Present), and as Elder with Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church since 1990.
Clyde D. Bergstresser
Clyde Bergstresser is a shareholder in the Boston office of Campbell Campbell Edwards & Conroy. He is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. After graduating magna cum laude from Newark Institute of Technology, Mr. Bergstresser earned his law degree from Boston College Law School. He is admitted to practice in all courts of Massachusetts.
Mr. Bergstresser represents plaintiffs in major personal injury litigation, including medical malpractice, legal malpractice, psychiatric malpractice and other professional liability. An experienced trial lawyer, he served as trial and appellate counsel in Glicklich v. Spievack, 16 Mass.App.Ct. 488 (1983), the first reported decision in Massachusetts addressing the issue of causation in a case involving "delayed diagnosis" of cancer.
Mr. Bergstresser periodically lectures for Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE), Massachusetts Bar Association, Massachusetts Association of Trial Attorneys, Harvard Risk Management, Massachusetts Psychiatric Association, Massachusetts Psychological Association, Harvard Continuing Medical Education, Boston University Law School, and Boston College Law School, among others. He continues to be invited to speak in training sessions for medical and psychiatric staff at are hospitals including New England Medical Center, McLean Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital.
Michael J. Stone
Michael J. Stone is a partner in Peabody & Arnold Litigation Department where he concentrates in the defense of professionals, including architects, engineers and attorneys, as well as other complex tort claims resulting in personal injury, wrongful death and property damage. Mr. Stone has represented attorneys in the defense of legal malpractice claims in state and federal court and has also represented attorneys in defense of claims of ethical violations before the Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers. Recently, Mr. Stone was lead counsel in one of the longest legal malpractice trials in Massachusetts state court history, successfully defending a claim of legal malpractice against his attorney clients and obtaining an award of legal fees for them in excess of $1 million.
Mr. Stone has represented design professionals, including both architects and engineers, in a broad range of construction-related claims, many of which arise out of personal injury of wrongful death actions. In addition, Mr. Stone has represented manufacturers and distributors of a wide variety of products including manufacturers of large commercial and industrial machinery, automotive and heavy construction equipment, commercial and consumer electrical appliances, ladders and scaffolding, motorcycle helmets and consumer products.<
Mr. Stone has a Masters Degree in engineering and was a practicing engineer and teacher of engineering prior to joining the legal profession. As a result, a considerable aspect of his practice has been devoted to complex and difficult claims resulting in serious or catastrophic personal injuries.
Paul C. Peterson
Paul Peterson is a partner in the Minneapolis law firm of Lind, Jensen, Sullivan & Peterson, P.A. He specializes in the defense of professional liability claims, representing lawyers and law firms in litigation and professional responsibility proceedings. Both the National Board of Trial Advocacy and the Minnesota State Bar Association have certified Mr. Peterson as a civil trial advocate. He has served as defense counsel on several of his state’s leading cases involving legal malpractice and other professional liability issues. He has repeatedly been selected as one of the top 100 “Super Lawyers” in the state of Minnesota by Law and Politics and Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine. He is a 1983 honors graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School and a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.
Esther Kepplinger
Esther Kepplinger is Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati's director of patent operations. Her responsibilities include serving as the firm's liaison to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO), ensuring that all of its patent filings are conducted in the most efficient and defensible manner, and enhancing the firm's inter partes PTO practice. Prior to joining the firm in 2005, Esther served as deputy commissioner for patent operations in the PTO in Alexandria, Virginia, for five years. As deputy commissioner, she oversaw the nation's patent-examination process, with all the patent examiners in the United States reporting to her. Esther managed a budget of $700 million and was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the country's seven patent technology centers, including about 4,500 people. During her tenure, patent applications increased dramatically and, in 2004, the PTO received more than 350,000 patent applications and granted around 170,000 patents. Esther also played a pivotal role in establishing the policies and strategic direction of the patent examining corps, helping to implement the PTO's goals for improving quality and efficiency of service. With the PTO since 1973, Esther has held a variety of other positions, including patent examiner and supervisor for a biotechnology art unit and group director for the chemical and materials engineering group. While at the PTO, Esther received a number of awards, including the Presidential Rank Award in 2002 and the Department of Commerce Gold Medal in 2004. Esther is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania Graduate Study in Biochemistry and was included in Intellectual Property Today's "Who's Who in IP," 2001.
Jane Broadwater Long
Jane Broadwater Long is Vice President and Claims Counsel of Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company of Kentucky. Jane joined Lawyers Mutual in 2003 to manage and supervise claims. Before that she handled claims for Rice Insurance Services Company, LLC, which provides professional liability insurance to real estate agents in twelve states. Jane’s prior experience includes eight year in private practice in Atlanta and eight years in-house as corporate counsel for litigation and employment law for AFC Enterprises, Inc. AFC Enterprises is parent company for brands including Popeye’s Chicken, Church’s Chicken, Seattle’s Best Coffee and Cinnabon. Ms. Long received her law degree from the University of Kentucky where she was a member of the Kentucky Law Journal and Order of the Coif. She is admitted to practice in Kentucky and Georgia. She is a frequent speaker at Kentucky CLE seminars on legal malpractice, legal ethics, and risk management.
Michael J. Furlong
Michael J. Furlong, J.D., is Senior Vice President and member of the Commercial Insurance Leadership Team, for Swiss Re. In that capacity, he is Profit and Loss Leader responsible for all underwriting and pricing decisions; accountable for overall strategy, performance, operations and compliance for $100 million business. He manages a team of 17 underwriters and 1 loss control specialist. Prior to joining Swiss Re in 2005, his insurance background includes medical malpractice claims with General Electric Company – Insurance Solutions, and as Claims Counsel for GE ERC Property and Casualty Reinsurance. He practiced as a litigation attorney with the Blackwell Sanders Law Firm in Kansas City from 1989 – 1995 and is a Creighton University School of Law graduate.
