Message from the Chairs

This is my first communication as the incoming policyholder cochair of the ICLC. First, I must pass along our deep appreciation for the stellar leadership by my predecessor, John James. You should all know that at the ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago during the first weekend in August, our committee was referred to repeatedly as the “rock star committee.” That wonderful tribute is the direct result of John’s tireless efforts that have helped make the ICLC one of the most respected and well-run committees of the ABA. John truly has been an inspiration.

In addition to assuming responsibilities as cochair of the committee, I am passing the baton to the other editors-in-chief of the ICLC Website. Rina Carmel and Jim Davis will work with John Buchanan and Jayson Sowers and the website managing editors to broaden this valuable resource. I am thankful to all of the subcommittee cochairs who are participating in our major overhaul of the ICLC Website. I know you will continue to respond to the requests for content from the new teams. Check out our new and expanding Hot Topics Features, which provide a variety of articles on important insurance coverage topics including Bad Faith, Business Interruption, Financial Crisis, Food Contamination, Insurance 101, Insurance-Related Discovery, Media & Technology, Natural Catastrophes, and Construction. Other topics including Reinsurance and Going Green are in the planning pipeline, and we continue to seek editors and authors who will join in this ground-breaking effort. Coverage continues with its journal-quality articles, and Erik Christiansen and the managing editors continue to seek articles addressing our diverse insurance-related interests. At the ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago, the Section of Litigation Leadership made it clear that our remarkable publication, Coverage, and the ICLC Website are key benefits for our members. If you are interested in a more targeted role in that process, please let us know.

Since the ABA Annual Meeting our committee has been focusing on a number of other growth areas, which we will address in coming months as part of our committee planning. For the first time, the ABA is requesting a Three-Year Plan that will outline our focused initiatives in areas including membership, diversity, women, young lawyers, content, and other substantive benefits that we bring to our ABA members. Send us an e-mail if you are interested in subcommittee involvement or a more active role in a particular substantive area. We are expanding our subcommittee cochair ranks to broaden our outreach, and Laura and I will be calling on ICLC leadership for additional involvement and recommendations as we set our course for 2012.

Although 2012 seems like years away, our Annual CLE Meeting Chairs Ernest Martin and Maria Enriquez and Vice Chairs Ted Howard and Tracy Saxe are finalizing plans for our next meeting—Tucson 2010—after review of almost 70 excellent program proposals submitted by our members. We have additional programming efforts submitted in connection with the Section of Litigation Annual Conference in 2010, partnering with other Section of Litigation committees. Plan now to attend Section and committee annual events, starting with our signature meeting on March 4-6, 2010 at the beautiful Westin La Paloma Resort in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains.

Finally, I look forward to working with my cochair Laura Foggan during the upcoming year as we address these new planning issues and tout the truly extraordinary efforts of the ICLC. The “rock star committee” moniker undoubtedly is the result of the determined efforts and support of our members around the country, and we are fortunate to have such creativity, drive, and enthusiasm from our many colleagues in the ICLC. Mark your calendars, become involved, make recommendations, and join us in taking the steps to ensure that our star continues to rise.

Mary Craig Calkins
Laura Foggan
Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee Cochair