Schedule/Sessions
Understanding Lawsuits and Initial Lawsuit Review
- Speakers:
Ben Faurote, Central Mutual Insurance Company
JD Keister, McAngus Goudelock & Courie, LLC (MGC)
This course will explore how a lawsuit is constructed, how to review a lawsuit as an adjuster and attorney, an analysis of coverage, and the defense counsel relationship. Course Topics will include:
- Court System
- First & Third Party Litigation
- Lawsuit Construction
- Use of Counsel
- Insurance Policy duties
Legal Principles in Litigation Management
- Speakers:
Gregory Ginex, Costello Ginex & Wideikis, P.C.
Ronald Morrison, Great American Insurance Group
This course will explore the basic legal concepts surrounding claims that typically arise in the context of liability claims handling. Course topics will include:
- Differences between criminal and civil law and how they can interrelate in claims handling
- The differences in civil law, including common law and statutory law
- The fundamental concepts of contract law
- The fundamental concepts of tort law
- Descriptions of typical common law tort claims
- Examples of how all areas of civil and criminal law intersect in claims handling
The Litigation Process – Part I
This course will provide an overview of the litigation process. We will generally examine the various phases and processes of a lawsuit. You will learn legal terminology and vocabulary you are likely to encounter in litigation. Additionally, this course will provide examples of litigation tools and resources to address strategy issues and general litigation management. Topics include:
- Overview of initial pleadings and what they mean
- The discovery process
- Understanding and using pretrial motions
- Litigation tools and resources
- Jury focus groups/jury consultants
The Litigation Process – Part II
This course will provide an overview of the litigation process. We will generally examine the various phases and processes of a lawsuit. You will learn legal terminology and vocabulary you are likely to encounter in litigation. Additionally, this course will provide examples of litigation tools and resources to address strategy issues and general litigation management. Topics include:
- Overview of initial pleadings and what they mean
- The discovery process
- Understanding and using pretrial motions
- Litigation tools and resources
- Jury focus groups/jury consultants
Trials
- Speakers:
Rose Charles, Sompo International Insurance
Cathleen Giannetta, Wood Smith Henning & Berman LLP
This course seeks to provide a thorough understanding of trial practice and procedures for claims professional adjusting matters in litigation. Course topics will include:
- What impact decisions over whether to have a bench trial or jury trial will have on costs, outcomes, and predictability;
- How different forums apply different trial and evidentiary rules, including standards applicable to expert opinions;
- How lawyers make use of procedural tools such as motions in limine and motions for a directed verdict;
- How trial presentation occurs, from opening statement through jury selection, presentation of evidence, and closing arguments;
- How courts determine jury instructions and how lawyers use them for advocacy; and
- The differences between a verdict and a judgment, and various post-verdict tools available to contest the verdict.
Understanding the Law Firm Process
This course will explore the business decision making and other aspects of managing both a law firm and the assigned litigation. Core components of the course will focus the attendees on the various business considerations involved in law firm management as well as the critical aspects of how effectively managing litigation fits within that structure and aligns with the business considerations of insurance carrier clients.
Back to topLitigation Management Strategies and Cost Containment
Spinning your wheels, it’s an old idiom still used often. The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as, “to waste time doing things that achieve nothing.” In the context of this coursework and discussion, we mean it as:
Spending unnecessary defense cost dollars, only to achieve the exact same or similar outcome if one had not spent those defense cost dollars.
