Message from the Chairs

Welcome to the Products Liability Committee.

We want to thank everyone who made 2008 an outstanding year. Second, we invite all of you who are interested in becoming actively involved with the planning of the year’s events for the sub-committees or just want to earn a lot of CLE and ski the wonderful snow in Colorado, to come to the 2009 Joint CLE Seminar January 22–25 in Vail, CO. If you are not able to attend this meeting, please check our committee calendar for more information on upcoming events. Importantly, we also want to welcome to our committee’s newest leaders:

• Brian Fowler (Troutman Sanders) – Web Editor
• Jim Barton, Jr. (Johnston Barton) – Medical Device Subcommittee
• Andrew Pride (Ford Motor Co.) – Automotive Subcommittee
• Brad Petersen (Snell & Wilmer) – Automotive Subcommittee
• Eric Lund (Dykema Gossett) – Class Actions
• Marilyn Moberg (Reed Smith) – Class Actions
• Andrew Abrogast (Spilman Thomas & Battle) – Young Lawyers
  
• Sam Felker (Bass Berry & Sims) – Pharmaceuticals Subcommittee
• Monique Weiner (Abbott Simses & Kucher) – Chemical Subcommittee
• Lara White (Adams Reese) – Women in Products Liability Litigation Subcommittee
• Kelly Luther (Clarke Silvergate & Campbell ) – 2010 Annual Meeting Program
• Niall Paul (Spilman Thomas & Battle) – 2010 Annual Meeting Program

The collective energy, talent and dedication of our committee’s leadership are responsible for the wonderful programming we are able to offer and we expect another great year. This year will again feature the regional CLEs that everyone loves. We will also be having a number of CLE Teleconferences and will be conducting a program at the Section Annual Conference in Atlanta. In the months to come, you will be able to learn more details about the events from the following committees:

• Automotive Conference
  Subcommittee Co-Chairs Andrew Pride, Ford Motor Co., Brad Petersen, Snell & Wilmer
• Chemical Conference
  

  Subcommittee Co-Chairs Monique Weiner, Abbott Simses, and Sarah Cronan, Stites & Harbison PLLC.

• Biotech Conference
  

  Subcommittee Co-Chairs Lee Farrow, Ace Insurance, and Harold Decker, Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC.

• WIPL Conference
  Subcommittee Co-Chairs Lara White, Adams Reese, and Megan Wynne, Morris Polich & Purdy LLP.
• Medical Device Conference
  Subcommittee Co-Chairs James Barton, Jr., Johnston Barton, and Neville Boschert, Watkin Ludlam Winter & Stennis, P.A.
• Pharma Conference
  Subcommittee Co-Chairs Sam Felker, Bass Berry & Sims and Lori Leskin, Kaye Scholer LLP.
• Consumer Products Conference
  Subcommittee Co-Chairs Leta Gorman, Bullivant Houser & Bailley and Penelope Dixon, Carlton Fields
• Food and Supplements
  Subcommittee Co-Chairs Joanne Gray, Goodwin Proctor and Mary-Lynn Bedell, Sara Lee
• Class Actions
  Subcommittee Co-Chairs Eric Lund, Dykema Gossett and Marilyn Moberg, Reed Smith
• Corporate Counsel
  Subcommittee Co-Chairs Larra Call Waldmann, Stryker and Laurie Polinsky, Amgen

More details on programming from our subcommittees will be posted on our calendar, along with the listing of the program co-chairs, who deserve enormous credit, for the significant contributions that they will be providing towards making these programs happen.

Additionally, as noted above, a number of the subcommittees will be planning a variety of publications and CLE Teleconferences. More information about these events will be available as the year progresses. Please remember if you want to participate in committee projects, it is essential that you contact the subcommittee co-chairs or let us know. Many thanks again to our leadership for providing these benefits to our membership. We look forward to a great year

Cordially,

Jerry G. Bradford
Daniel S. Wittenberg
Co-Chairs, Products Liability Committee