Christine Bernstock is a Director within the Risk Management Department at Tishman Construction Corporation, overseeing the handling and administration of claims and litigation.  Prior to joining Tishman, Christine was at ACE Insurance, handling professional liability matters involving architects, engineers and design professionals on a worldwide basis. She was also at Catlin, handling property and casualty matters, with a focus on construction.  Ms. Bernstock was formerly a partner in the New York office of Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP, where her practice focused on insurance defense litigation, with an emphasis on construction. She has litigated cases in the state and federal court systems in New York; handling all aspects of litigation, from inception to trial, including appellate advocacy. She has successfully argued appeals before the Appellate Division and the NY Court of Appeals.  Ms. Bernstock has co-authored Continuing Legal Education materials on automobile liability and the New York Labor Law.

Jeffrey R. Neidle, Esq. is Assistant Vice President, Professional Liability, at AIG where he manages a group handling severity Managed Care, Accountants, Realtors, EPL and D&O matters.  Mr. Neidle leverages over 25 years’ experience as both private counsel and an insurance executive. Formerly, Mr. Neidle served as Vice President of Professional Liability Claims at the OneBeacon Group of Insurance Companies where he was responsible for Architects & Engineers, Contractors, Lawyers, Realtors, Insurance Agents and Cyber Products. Mr. Neidle has also held leadership positions at CNA, Chubb and The Hartford where he was responsible for a range of professional liability, management liability and Directors and Officers claims. Prior to joining Chubb, he was in private practice in both Connecticut and Michigan where he specialized in civil litigation including employment defense, professional liability defense, coverage litigation and school law. He received his Juris Doctor from Northeastern University School of Law in Boston, MA, a Master's Degree from Trinity College in Hartford, CT and his Bachelor of Arts degree, with honors, from The University of Connecticut. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Connecticut School of Law.

Carrie manages the E&O claims team who are responsible for handling claims for Allied World’s lawyers errors and omissions (E&O), insurance agents and brokers E&O, technology, privacy, architects and engineers and miscellaneous professional lines.  Carrie has over 17 years of claims experience from her prior position with Chubb & son, handling a variety of claims including financial institutions E&O, miscellaneous E&O, employment practices liability (EPL), directors and officers (D&O), and fiduciary liability. 
 
Carrie earned her B.S. in business administration at the University of Kansas and her J.D. at Rutgers University School of Law – Camden.  She is a member of the Connecticut and Maryland Bars.

Stephanie assists in the management of Allied World’s E&O team which handles lawyers errors and omissions (E&O) liability, insurance agents and brokers E&O liability, miscellaneous professional liability, tech/privacy professional liability and architects and engineers professional liability lines. 
Prior to joining Allied World, Stephanie held the position of Senior Claims Counsel at XL Professional in Hartford, CT, handling high-severity public and private directors and officers (D&O) liability claims as well as employment practices liability matters and fiduciary liability matters.
Stephanie’s previous professional experience includes practicing as an insurance defense and personal injury attorney with Noble, Young & O’Connor, P.C. in Hartford, CT as well as clerking with the Danbury Superior Court.
Stephanie earned her B.A. at The Catholic University of America and her J.D. at Pepperdine University School of Law. She is a member of the Connecticut Bar and is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut.

Alex Niederman is Coverage Counsel and Litigation Manager in Amerisure Insurance's Office of Legal Counsel, where he serves as in-house counsel for claims, product, and underwriting matters. Alex drafts coverage opinions for the claims department; manages the company's declaratory judgment, bad faith, and extracontractual litigation; and advises the company's underwriters on matters of policy drafting, statutory requirements, and risk transfer provisions in their customers' work contracts.

Alex has over 15 years of experience in the insurance industry. From 2008-2015, Alex worked in private practice as an insurance defense attorney for multiple firms in New York City, focusing on the defense of attorneys, design professionals, developers and contractors, accountants, broker/dealers, insurance agents, directors and officers, condos/HOAs, and healthcare professionals. From 2015-2021, Alex worked as a complex liability claims adjuster for YorkPro and then Liberty Mutual, focusing primarily on matters involving construction professionals. In 2021, Alex transitioned into a role as in-house coverage counsel in Liberty Mutual's Legal Department, where he managed insurance coverage and claims handling practices litigation. Alex worked at Liberty until his recent move to Amerisure in the Spring of 2024.

Alex is admitted to practice law in New York and Massachusetts, and he lives outside of Boston, MA with his wife and two daughters.

Assistant Vice President, Claims & Liability, at Corporate Solutions, Swiss RE America Corporation since 2005, handling insurance agent’s and attorney’s liability claims. Previously employed as a Senior Claims Attorney at Executive Liability Division, Great American Insurance from 1998-2005, handling varied professional liability claims, including director’s and officer’s liability claims, financial entity’s liability claims, non profit executive ‘s liability claims, and employment practices liability claims. Additionally, held various management positions in human resources and risk management at W.H. Smith and Federated Department Stores. A graduate of Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Government and Economics and of DePaul University School of Law, receiving a Juris of Doctorate in law. Presently, resides in Chicago with her family and remains active in numerous community projects and youth focused volunteer activities.

 

Dennis Galvin is Assistant Vice President - Claims of Argo Pro, in charge of overseeing the Error and Omissions claims group, including Lawyers Professional Liability and Architects & Engineers claims.  Prior to joining Argo Pro, Mr. Galvin was Vice President – Professional Liability Claims for OneBeacon Professional Insurance, where he oversaw a group of claim attorneys handling claims in Lawyers Professional, Real Estate Professional, Insurance Agents Errors & Omissions, Content Technology and Cyber Insurance.  Prior to joining OneBeacon, Mr. Galvin worked for Lexington Insurance Company, where he was responsible for handling complex professional claims in a variety of areas including LPL, RPL, insurance agents, accountants, media corporations and government entities. Prior to joining Lexington, Mr. Galvin was in private practice in the Boston area where he specialized in civil litigation including insurance defense and coverage litigation.
Mr. Galvin received his Juris Doctor from Northeastern University School of Law in Boston, MA and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Stonehill College in North Easton, MA.  Mr. Galvin is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts and the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. He is a frequent speaker at various industry events and an active member of CLM.

Daniel Gmelin is the National Architects and Engineers Product Head at Hiscox, the international specialist insurer. In this capacity, Mr. Gmelin manages the A&E, Contractors, and Real Estate Developers insurance products in the US.  He helped to establish Hiscox in the US as one of its first employees, and has worked with all Hiscoxs professional liability products including Architects and Engineers, Miscellaneous E&O, Allied Healthcare, Technology, andCyber, as well as General Liability. 

Prior to joining Hiscox, Mr. Gmelin held a senior underwriter position at Professional Indemnity Agency, an MGA of Houston Casualty Company.  Earlier in his career, he was a financial advisor with CIBC Oppenheimers High Net Worth Private Client Group. Mr. Gmelin is a recognized thought leader in the construction insurance space. He has sat on many industry panels and published articles on topics that range from design and construction to products and safety.

Kathleen Lyons is currently a Claims Lead at AXIS Capital concentrating in Professional and Casualty Lines under the reinsurance arm of the company. Prior to joining AXIS Re,  she served as a VP in the Property Casualty Business Management Unit at Swiss Reinsurance Holding Corporation managing a a variety of casualty claims. She started her insurance career at HANYS serving as claims counsel handling primary and excess medical professional claims.
Before joining HANYS, Ms. Lyons worked as an attorney for 20 years at several defense firms. She specialized in medical malpractice and hospital liability. She served on the curriculum planning committee and an instructor in the Legal Nurse Consulting Program at Pace University. She started her career as a nurse and worked in various clinical settings including the ICU and ER for 10 years

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing  from the University of Michigan and a JD from Fordham University – School of Law

Ms. Lyons is active in the NYS Bar Association and a member of the Committee of Women in Law.  She is on the Board of APIW - Association of Professional Insurance Women  and serves as Membership Chair .

Scott Swift is an Assistant Vice President-Claims for AXIS and is a manager in the Cyber, Tech, and E&O Claims group. During his 16 years with AXIS, Scott has handled Cyber, Tech, Media, E&O, and LPL claims and served as AXIS PRO’s Loss Control Counsel. Scott has spoken at numerous conferences, including the National Association of Broadcasters and the ABA Forum on Communications Law. Before joining AXIS, Scott was an attorney at Shook, Hardy, & Bacon in the firm’s Pharmaceutical/Medical Device Litigation division. He is a member of both the Missouri and Kansas Bars and earned his law degree from the University of Kansas School of Law where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Law and Public Policy. 

Michele has been at Beazley Insurance in Farmington, CT since July 2015 where she is a Claims Manager for the US PE London binders and programs team. She handles a variety of claims involving insureds such as lawyers, insurance agents, architects & engineers, nursing homes, personal trainers, and mortgage field inspectors. Prior to joining Beazley, Michele was a Senior Claims Analyst on the E&O team at Allied World Insurance Company where she dealt with lawyers, insurance agents, and miscellaneous policies. Michele was also a lawyer at Mendes & Mount, LLP in New York City where she practiced insurance defense. Michele graduated from Brooklyn Law School in 2002. She lives in Avon, CT with her husband and three children.

Rich Sheridan joined Berkley Cyber Risk Solutions as SVP, Chief Claims Officer, in March of 2017.  Prior to Berkley, Rich worked at AXIS PRO, where he was a Vice President of Claims overseeing the company's claims stemming from its Miscellaneous E&O and Data Breach, Cyber Liability, and Technology product lines.  Prior to joining AXIS PRO, Rich served in a similar role at ACE North American Claims in New York and New Jersey for more 10 years, and before working at ACE, he was a Complex Claim Director for Miscellaneous Professional Liability Claims at AIG Technical Services in New York for more than five years.  Before entering the insurance industry, Rich worked as an associate at the law firms Heidell, Pittoni, Murphy & Bach, P.C., and Tellerman, Paticoff & Greenberg in New York City, and before that as an Assistant District Attorney in The Bronx, New York, for more than five years.
Rich has been a speaker on various insurance-related issues for PLUS, Net Diligence, MLRC, Eagle International, Execusummit, and for the ABA.  Rich earned his JD from Fordham University School of Law in 1989, and graduated a BA from the State University of New York at Albany in 1985.

Alona Croteau is the Chief Claims Officer at Berkley Management Protection. She has over two decades of experience in the insurance industry as chief claims officer and claims counsel for a number of national/global insurance carriers and brokerage firms Her deep claims and litigation management experience includes areas focused on specialty lines including professional lines, healthcare, financial institutions, public and private D&O, EPL, surety, fidelity, construction and general liability lines of coverage. 

After graduating with a degree in Elementary Education from University of New Orleans, Alona attended the Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, obtaining her Juris Doctor, cum laude, in 2005. Alona served as the Managing Print Editor of the Loyola Law Review and a member of the Moot Court staff. 

Miranda Soto is Florida Bar Board Certified in Civil Trial Law and has tried approximately 50-70 cases to verdict. She specializes in high-stakes litigation and complex commercial cases on behalf of private equity, hedge funds, high-end insurance companies, law firms and other sophisticated businesses in cases involving commercial and business disputes, professional and legal malpractice claims, product liability, complex fraud matters, public policy matters, cases of first impression, high-stakes personal injury cases, franchisee/franchisor litigation, trust and estate litigation and premises liability at the state and federal levels. Miranda also handles tobacco, addiction and smoking-related injury litigation. Additionally, she has a strong reputation as a lawyers’ lawyer and often serves as a consultant on legal and accounting malpractice claims.

Understanding her clients’ business is at the core of Miranda’s solution-based approach. She knows that learning the ins and outs of her clients’ business is crucial in order to provide the best legal advice possible. As legal issues often extend to the company as a whole, Miranda focuses on minimizing disruptions to the business that can and do arise from legal challenges. Her goal is to leverage all possible opportunities for a quick resolution.

Miranda began her career as an Assistant State Attorney in the Miami-Dade County State Attorney’s office. Miranda was Lead Counsel for Allstate’s Miami and Ft. Myers legal offices.

When Miranda is not practicing law, she enjoys hand building pottery, watching Alabama football games, reading, traveling and spending time with her daughters and friends. 

Education:
Drake University School of Law, J.D., 2002
University of Alabama, B.A., 1998, Communications and Information Sciences

Jeffrey joined Chubb (formerly ACE) in 2009 as a Claim Specialist in the Professional Risk Management Liability Group handling primarily employment practices liability claims.  Jeffrey was promoted to the position of Senior Claims Specialist in 2011 and he became a Claims Manager in 2012 and an AVP in 2015.  Jeffrey has 11 years of management experience and currently manages a team of six claims handlers.  Prior to joining Chubb, Jeffrey worked at AIG from 2007-2009 as a Claims Analyst in the Directors & Officers Liability Department handling directors and officers, employment practices and insurance broker errors and omissions claims.  Jeffrey graduated with a BSM in Finance and a minor in Political Science from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA in 2000.  Jeffrey earned his Juris Doctor Degree and a Sports Law Certificate from Tulane University School of Law in 2003 and is admitted to practice law in New York.

Todd DeStefano is the Senior Vice President and business leader of ESIS ProClaim, a specialty division of ESIS providing Professional Liability and complex claim adjusting and risk management solutions to Hospitals, Long Term Care, Nursing Homes, Physician Groups, Life Sciences, Healthcare professionals and E&O claims for Lawyers, Architects & Engineers, Insurance Agents and Real estate agents.  Additionally, ProClaim  handles specialty claims involving toxic tort, asbestos and environmental and pollution risks and exposures. Todd is responsible for leading the Professional Liability Practice including the development, growth, client service, operations and quality of the ProClaim business.
 
Prior to joining ESIS ProClaim, Todd was the Director of PwC’s Insurance Claims, Underwriting and Operations Practice and has over 30 years of Commercial and Personal Lines, Workers’ Compensation, Property & Casualty, Professional Lines, Homeowners, Auto, Property, Long Term Care, Short and Long Term Disability, and Life insurance experience.
 
Over the course of his career Todd has served as a senior insurance executive holding leadership positions with AIG, Zurich, York Risk Services Group and Allstate Insurance in Claims, Internal Audit, SIU, Managed Care, Underwriting, Risk Control, Corporate Development (leading acquisitions) and Sales and Marketing.  Todd is also a former Risk Manager and Insurance Broker and owned a Risk Management Consulting, TPA and brokerage firm for 10 years that was twice named to the INC 500 list. 
 
Todd serves on the Board of several industry associations, is a frequent speaker and industry thought leader recently authoring articles and white papers on Reserve Deficiencies, Construction Defect, The Aging Workforce, Long Term Care, Big Data, Predictive Analytics, Physician Dispensing, Medical Marijuana, and Opioid Abuse.
 
Todd is based in New York City and holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Seton Hall University.
 

Lee Weatherly has been lead counsel in over 75 jury trials and is a member of both the South Carolina and Kentucky Bars. He has tried cases to verdict involving medical malpractice, premises liability, food contamination, automobile and motor carrier liability, business and commercial litigation, employment litigation, and property disputes.  Lee’s current practice focuses on cases involving medical malpractice and defending commerical entities in personal injury matters. 

Lee is a graduate of Centre College and the University of Kentucky College of Law, where he was a member of the Kentucky Law Journal (Law Review).  He is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell and is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) an invitation only organiation of experienced trial attorneys and judges.  Lee lives on the Isle of Palms with his wife and two daughters.  

Ms. Graham graduated with a Bachelor of Business degree in Marketing from Western Illinois University. She is currently employed at Copic as a Claims Consultant in the Claims Department handling high risk exposure medical malpractice, general liability and excess claims.  She was formerly employed at Curi, Coverys, NORCAL Group and a variety of other Professional Liability Insurance Providers. She has presented at seminars, both locally and nationally, on a variety of claim and risk management topics.  She has handled professional and general liability claims during her career for physicians, allied health providers, hospitals and long term care facilities.  

Jan Puchalski is a senior risk consultant for Coverys. She works with Coverys policyholders, physicians, physician groups and healthcare facilities in implementing patient safety and risk management strategies. She is involved in conducting risk assessments for hospitals, physician practices and large organizations and offers supportive services including educational presentations.

She has over 35 years of healthcare and administrative experience. Before joining Coverys, she worked in community hospitals in Massachusetts and Vermont. Her experience included director of clinical and pathology services, and infection prevention with the last 10 years being exclusively in the role as director of risk management. She was responsible for patient relations, complaints, grievances, patient safety, infection prevention, root cause analyses, patient care meetings, and regulatory compliance. She was chair of the Regulatory Committee, Event Reporting/Patient Safety Committee and Infection Prevention Committee.

Puchalski is a graduate of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology and has ASCP and CPHRM certifications. She is a member of ASHRM and MSHRM.

Dr. Daniel Wolfe is Senior Vice President of DecisionQuest, Inc., a trial consulting and strategic communications firm with offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Pennsylvania, New York, Boston, Washington DC, Atlanta, Minneapolis, San Francisco and Miami. The firm is comprised of approximately 100 individuals.

Dr. Wolfe provides research-based and experiential data analysis to trial teams nationwide and oversees the standards in practice of the jury consulting team nationally. Dr. Wolfe works on high-profile and large-exposure litigation involving such matters as antitrust, product liability, intellectual property, professional malpractice, environmental, and securities. He consults on national litigation matters pertaining to a variety of industries, including automotive, airline, pharmaceutical, petroleum/petrochemical, biotech, and medical. An expert in the fields of witness preparation, voir dire, and jury selection, he is also skilled in providing quantitative and qualitative analyses of venues through focus groups and mock trials.

A jury consultant and researcher since 1986, he has been in the national spotlight on numerous occasions for his work on high-profile criminal and civil cases involving celebrities and professional athletes. He has appeared as a commentator on both local and national talk shows and has been quoted in a wide range of media, including national publications such as The National Law Journal, Lawyers Weekly, Newsweek, and USA Today. He has authored many articles and book chapters on the subjects of juries, juror perceptions, ethics in trial consulting, and the interrelation of attorney gender and courtroom bias. Dr. Wolfe has over 25 years of jury consulting research experience and has worked on over 1,500 cases.

Doug Vaughn is a partner in Deutsch Kerrigan’s Gulfport, Mississippi, office. His practice is focused on litigation including medical malpractice defense, commercial litigation, products liability, insurance first and third party claims, and motor vehicle/motor carrier catastrophic personal injury law. Mr. Vaughn has an "AV" rating from Martindale Hubbell and has been selected for inclusion in "Best Lawyers" and as a Mid South "Super Lawyer."   He is admitted to practice in Mississippi and Florida and is an alumnus of the University of Mississippi School of Law.  Mr. Vaughn has been an active member of the CLM, serving as a committee co-chair and presenting CEU/CLE programs at both its annual meetings and specialty conferences.  He is a past president of the Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association and has served on the faculty of the International Association of Defense Counsel's trial academy in Palo Alto, CA, after having  served as chair of its Medical Defense and Health Law Committee and its inaugural and subsequent Medical Liability Roundtable seminars in Manhattan and Chicago.  

Kelly Geary is a Managing Principal with EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants based in the New York City area.  She serves as the National Practice Leader – Executive and Cyber Risk.  Kelly has spent approximately 30 years in the insurance industry. She began her career as an insurance defense and coverage attorney in the professional lines space in New York City. After private practice, Kelly held positions within the claims, underwriting, compliance and legal departments at various NYC based insurance carriers with a focus on professional, specialty and financial lines insurance products.  Kelly also served on the Executive Leadership Team for a Specialty Lines Division of a larger insurance carrier. While on the carrier side, Kelly acquired significant experience evaluating cyber and executive risks and developing insurance products to address those risks.  Kelly is actively involved in the evaluation, analysis, and negotiation of insurance products tailored to address operational, management and cyber risks and exposures to firms and companies of all sizes, across all industry segments. Kelly provides risk management counseling, policy and contract evaluation services and claim advocacy to professional service, consulting and financial firms as well as large public and private companies in varying industry verticals.   

She is licensed to practice law in the State of New York and is certified by the International Association of Privacy Professionals as a U.S. Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US). Kelly also serves on the Executive Council and a Faculty Member of the Claims Litigation Management Alliance Claims College, School of Cyber. Students of the School of Cyber are claims professionals from major insurance carriers offering cyber insurance products. Kelly is involved in creating standards and best practices in the handling of cyber claims in connection with stand-alone cyber as well as cyber coverage contained within other insurance products. 

JEFFREY M. KOONANKEIL is a Senior Claims Specialist for Capital Specialty Insurance Company (“CapSpecialty”), which is a subsidiary of Allegheny Corporation.  Mr. Koonankeil graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2003.  Mr. Koonankeil joined CapSpecialty in May 2016 to lead the Management Lines claims team.  Prior to joining CapSpecialty, Mr. Koonankeil worked for a Lloyd’s of London Syndicate handling EPL claims.  Prior to that, he worked for a large domestic insurer handling Management Lines, Miscellaneous E&O and Fiduciary claims.  Before coming in house, Mr. Koonankeil practiced insurance coverage law for a Washington, DC based law firm.  Mr. Koonankeil is a regular speaker at EPL conferences.

Karen Salmon, Esq. AIC, AIS, is VP at GB Healthcare, currently working as the client liaison between GB Healthcare and one of their most prestigious healthcare client partners.  Working directly with C-suite level program executives, she provides direct oversight of large exposure complex professional and general liability claims, and directs the strategy of the program; from evaluation, retention and direction of counsel, as well as cases strategy and finances.  Karen is key in ensuring their program is at the forefront of industry standards. Karen is an IronMan triathlete, ultra marathoner, and yoga teacher, further marrying discipline with her mindset to aid client parters in achieving their program goals. By engaging in these activities, she has the space to think strategically, and align this with her client service model. Karen is a graduate of Indiana University Bloomington, and New England School of Law. A member of the South Carolina Bar, Karen holds insurance adjuster licenses in multiple jurisdictions, and has earned the Associates in Claims (AIC), and Associate in Insurance Services (AIS).  She previously served as the Regional Manager, NC and VP of Hospital and Allied Claims for MagMutual Insurance Company. 
 

Gary Strong focuses his practice in the areas of construction litigation and professional malpractice defense including representation of design professionals, insurance brokers, real estate agents, lawyers, and accountants in the state and federal courts of New Jersey and New York. He has represented a variety of clients in the construction arena, including project owners, developers, design professionals, general and prime contractors, and specialty trade contractors, in all phases of construction and commercial litigation. He regularly counsels clients during the pre-construction and construction phases on issues including contract negotiations, risk management, and disputes. His representation extends to both public and private projects, and addresses payment claims, delay and impacts, acceleration, design issues, lien law, bond claims and surety issues, defective work, and wrongful termination. He has extensive experience in construction lien foreclosure actions involving the New Jersey Construction Lien Law and New Jersey’s Municipal Mechanics’ Lien Law.

Gary is a member of the Young Leadership Committee of the ACEC. He is editor of the Construction Law Newsletter of the Construction Law Section of the New Jersey State Bar.
 
 

Claudia A. Costa is a partner of the New York City office of Goldberg Segalla.  Claudia's practice focuses on the defense of private and publicly held corporations in all aspects of employment-related matters. In addition, Claudia represents and defends lawyers, accountants and insurance brokers/agents in professional malpractice suits brought against them. As well, Claudia defends municipalities and townships in civil rights and municipal liability claims. With a significant background in commercial litigation, Claudia has represented both publicly and privately held corporations in many aspects of their business litigation, including representing members of boards of directors in class action suits and shareholder derivative lawsuits, and she has represented clients in SEC investigations.

Fluent in Spanish, Claudia offers anti harrassment training in both languages. Claudia also drafts handbooks for employers.

Claudia currently serves on the executive committee and as the out-of-state district representative for the Torts, Insurance and Compensation Law Section of the New York State Bar Association. She holds a CLM premium membership and is an active member of the Defense Research Institute, where she has served as one of the marketing chairs of the Professional Liability Section since 2013. Claudia obtained her juris doctor from the Fordham University School of Law, and her Bachelor of Arts from St. Peter's University.

Richard Sheinis has litigated in federal and state courts for thirty (30) years. He has been the first chair for approximately 175 jury trials. His clients have included health care professionals and institutions, technology companies and global business entities.

Mr. Sheinis takes advantage of his litigation background to work with businesses in the areas of data privacy and security, employment and technology. He works with a wide variety of companies from small technology businesses to publicly traded companies with a global footprint.

Monique Ferraro provides legal and technical expertise in support of cyber efforts undertaken by Munich Re's U.S. Property & Casualty Operations. She is Counsel in the Cyber Practice at Harford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company.
 
Previously, Ms. Ferraro was principal at a digital forensics, e-discovery and information security consulting firm and owner of a law firm. Prior to that, Ms. Ferraro worked for the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, where she was a founding member of the Computer Crimes and Electronic Evidence Lab and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. She frequently speaks and publishes on the subjects of information security, privacy and digital forensics.
 
Ms. Ferraro holds a master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University, a juris doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Law is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and Certified Information Privacy Professional/US (CIPP/US).

Robert focuses his practice on the defense of employment, professional liability and commercial litigation claims. As part of his employment practice, Robert has handled and resolved hundreds of sensitive discrimination, harassment and wage claims for his clients and in multiple jurisdictions across the country. In the area of professional liability litigation, Robert has successfully defended attorneys, accountants, insurance agents and design professionals. Robert is also an experienced commercial litigator, regularly appearing before the Commercial Division of the Supreme Court for the County of New York (Manhattan), as well as handling litigated matters involving massive electronically stored information (ESI) discovery disputes. Across all areas of his practice, Robert and his team leverage their knowledge of cutting edge e-discovery technologies for tactical advantage.

Robert and his team advise employers on issues involving non-competes, trade secrets, intellectual property, as well as best practices for social media usage and anti-discrimination and harassment training. In his practice, Robert frequently litigates disputed claims under the ADA, Title VII, FLSA, FMLA, FDCPA, FCRA, as well as state and local laws, such as the NY Executive Law, the NY Labor Law and the New York City Administrative Code.

Robert is an invited speaker on topics including e-discovery litigation strategies and emerging employer liabilities under the Affordable Care Act, and has provided detailed advice to liability carriers and employer groups on the impacts of Sections 1557 and 1558 of that act.

Education

University of Pittsburgh School of Law (J.D., 2005, Journal of Technology Law & Policy)

Carnegie Mellon (B.A., 2001, University Honors)

Licensed to Practice in:

New York
Connecticut


Practice AreasEmployment
+Defense of ADA and sexual harassment matters in public hearings before the EEOC…

Christopher Featherstun has been handling claims for Hiscox Insurance since September 2010. Chris initially handled a variety of claim across Hiscox’s technology and media book of business before moving on to handle a wide range of claims including allied healthcare, miscellaneous E&O, architects, engineers, and general liability. Chris is currently Specialist Claims Counsel handling EPLI and D&O claims arising on Hiscox’s Private Company and Not for Profit books of business. Chris graduated from James Madison University in 2004 and Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law, where he was active in the moot court program, in 2009.

David D. Hudgins is the founder of Hudgins Law Firm, P.C., a litigation, business and insurance practice serving clients in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. He was born in Virginia and attended Hampden-Sydney College and the University of Richmond School of Law. Mr. Hudgins devotes his legal practice almost exclusively to insurance and corporate defense litigation, and he has represented clients in such diverse areas of practice as professional liability, products liability, church liability, errors and omissions, private security, intellectual property, admiralty, financial agents and brokers, defamation, municipal liability, discrimination, commercial liability, construction, personal injury defense and trust and estate litigation. Mr. Hudgins has extensive jury trial experience, and he handles insurance coverage determinations and declaratory judgment actions as a regular part of his practice. He is a contributing author for the Virginia CLE Publications Handbook Insurance Law in Virginia, and is a co-author of Tort and Personal Injury Law in West’s Virginia Practice Series. Mr. Hudgins is a member of the Bars of Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. He is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in these jurisdictions as well as the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Hudgins is a member of several voluntary state and local bar associations and has been elected to membership in the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel and the American Board of Trial Advocates. Other memberships include the Virginia Association of Defense Attorneys, the Defense Research Institute, the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys and the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance. Mr. Hudgins is a past Chairman and member of the Board of Directors of Eagle International Associates.  
 

Dianna D. McCarthy is a partner of Kaufman, Borgeest & Ryan where she is a member of the Employment Practice Group.  In addition to Employment Law, Dianna also works in the Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Group.  She has defended project managers in the technology sector, accountants, financial services industry professionals, mortgage brokers, appraisers, home inspectors, and insurance agents and brokers in professional liability matters.  She has also defended many not for profit Directors & Officers matters.  
 
Dianna speaks regularly nationwide on emerging issues in Employment Law, Cybersecurity and Data Privacy.  She co – chaired the Execusummit Cyber Liabilities Conference since its inception through 2019 (2012 - 2019) and she regularly speaks and writes on the topic.  She has also co-chaired Execusummit’s Employment Practice Liability Conference (Fall 2017) and regularly speaks at that conference as well.  

Dianna recently completed MIT’s AI in Leadership Course.  She is a 2019 Graduate from the FBI's Citizen's Academy.  She serves as Secretary on the New York Metro InfraGard Chapter.  She is a founding member and Vice President of Women in Cyber Leadership.  She is a founding member of Tortora Brayda Institute's AI - ISAO Task Force.  Finally, Dianna is an active member of the Steering Committee for the Eastern Chapter of the Professional Liability Underwriting Society.

Kristen Perkins handles complex insurance disputes involving a broad range of insurance coverages including employment, directors & officers, property, and commercial general and professional liability. Ms. Perkins devotes her practice to assisting clients with all facets of insurance law including initial coverage determinations, coverage opinions, negotiation, litigation, and extra-contractual disputes. Ms. Perkins also devotes a substantial portion of her practice to the defense of a wide variety of labor and employment claims with particular emphasis on matters involving the defense of federal and state discrimination claims including third-party claims involving disability accessibility, including website and technology accessibility claims.
 
Ms. Perkins has substantial experience in litigation management and electronic discovery and is a frequent presenter on emerging issues and trends in labor and employment.
 
In addition to her other law school accomplishments, Ms. Perkins served as President of the Moot Court Board and was the recipient of the C.A.L.I. Book Award for Employment Law. She received a Dean's Certificate of Achievement in Business Law, and was a member of the Honor Society of Bar and Gavel. Ms. Perkins was a Minority Participation in Legal Education Merit Scholar.

Profiled in Who's Who in America and in A.M. Best's Directory of Recommended Insurance Attorneys, this former law professor represents insurance carriers in high-exposure tort cases, professional liability claims, and coverage disputes. An outgrowth of his professional liability practice, Maryland attorneys have similarly called upon Mr. Kramer's expertise in legal ethics to assist with the defense of attorney grievances and professional disciplinary proceedings.  A past president of the CLM's Maryland Chapter, he has also published several articles in CLM Magazine and in CLM's Litigation Management magazine.

After graduating summa cum laude from Towson University, Mr. Kramer earned his Juris Doctor with honor from the University of Maryland School of Law, where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif for high academic standing. He received a Master of Laws degree from Columbia University School of Law and served as a Vice President of the Columbia Law School Alumni Association of Washington, D.C. Mr. Kramer is a member of the bar in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and several federal courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States.

Omar Gonzalez-Pagan is a Staff Attorney in the National Headquarters Office of Lambda Legal, the oldest and largest national legal organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and individuals living with HIV. His work spans all aspects of Lambda Legal’s impact litigation, policy advocacy and public education efforts, with particular emphasis on relationship recognition, LGBT youth, transgender rights, and issues affecting Spanish-speaking LGBT and HIV-affected communities.

Prior to joining Lambda Legal, Gonzalez-Pagan worked for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as an Assistant Attorney General, a Special Assistant District Attorney, and an Associate General Counsel to the Massachusetts Inspector General.

Gonzalez-Pagan received his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he was an editor of the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law. He also possesses a Master’s in Environmental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Cornell University. Gonzalez-Pagan was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He is fluent in Spanish.

Gonzalez-Pagan is a member of the bars of Massachusetts and New York.
 

Judge Ashby shines in many roles: civil litigation strategist, trusted advisor, arbitrator, mediator, and problem-solver. In each role, she draws on her background as a trial lawyer and jurist to bring a unique combination of skills and outstanding value to her clients. She maintains a vibrant ADR practice, mediating at Burdin Mediations as a Distinguished Credentialed Mediator by the TMCA. She is a Fellow with The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and highly sought out as a Neutral for the American Arbitration Association on their National Panels including Asbestos, Commercial Large-Complex Case, Consumer, Healthcare, Labor & Employment, Mediation, Non-Subscriber and The Judicial Panel.
 
Ms. Ashby is “Of Counsel” with Shields Legal Group, bringing sympathetic listening learned from years on the bench to help provide strategic business insight and professional services to entrepreneurs and small to mid-sized Texas based companies. Fine-tuned advice along with trial strategy makes for a winning combination.
 
Judge Ashby is recognized as a dedicated guardian of the court, with a sterling reputation for fairness and equity. Specializing in complex civil litigation, The Honorable Anne Ashby was appointed to the 134th State District Court by Governor Bill Clements in 1989, and elected in 1990 and reelected in 1994 and 1998 on the Republican ticket. Previously, Judge Ashby was elected to the County Court at Law #3 in 1987, as well as served as Master/Referee of the 304th District Court from 1982-86 and as Assistant District Attorney under the leadership of Henry Wade from 1980-1982. She was honored with the ABOTA “Judge of the Year” Award in 2001, recognized by both plaintiffs and defendants in the trial bar. Judge Ashby brings “bench-wisdom” to the table in all endeavors.

Kara Thorvaldsen is an experienced litigator, representing clients from pre-suit investigations through the exhaustion of appeals. Her primary areas of focus are business and commercial litigation, intellectual property, professional malpractice, insurance litigation, and other complex litigation. Kara also has experience representing clients in internal and government investigations including responding to civil investigative demands. Kara is a strategic thinker who understands client objectives, both from a legal and business perspective, and is a creative problem solver and trusted advisor who understands the nuances of client issues.
 

A dedicated advocate, Joseph P. Garin is a partner in the firm of Lipson, Neilson, Cole, Seltzer & Garin, P.C. He maintains a national practice, focusing on the defense of professional liability claims, insurance coverage disputes, directors and officers claims, and risk management. Throughout his career, Mr. Garin has defended more than 400 lawyers and law firms across Michigan, Illinois, Nevada and Colorado. He is also experienced in complex and commercial litigation matters, including cases involving breach of contract and unfair business practices. He has successfully pursued and resisted claims for extraordinary relief, such as temporary restraining orders and preliminary and permanent injunctions. He specializes in a range of litigation matters, including professional liability disputes, insurance coverage, director and officer liability, commercial law and employer/employee disputes. He regularly consults with insurers and businesses of all sizes to manage their risks and reduce litigation expenses. Mr. Garin earned a B.G.S. degree from the University of Michigan and received his J.D. degree cum laude from Michigan State University-Detroit College of Law, where he was a member of the Law Review. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the State Bar of Illinois, the State Bar of Nevada and the State Bar of Colorado. He is admitted before the United States District Court for the Eastern and Western District of Michigan, the District of Nevada, as well as in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Garin serves as the Vice Chair to the Standing Committee on Professional Responsibility and Ethics and is a member of the Professional Liability Committee for the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance.  He has served as a court-appointed special master and settlement facilitator. He is an SCAO-trained Mediator. 

Of Counsel

Robert W. Lofton focuses his practice in labor and employment law on behalf of management.  Mr. Lofton has 20 years of experience involving litigation and mediation for small to large businesses, national and international companies in a variety of industries, as well as entrepreneurs and public entities.

Prior to joining KDV, Mr. Lofton was an employment law associate in the Los Angeles office of a California based firm, where he handled a wide range of claims including all types of discrimination claims, harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation, wage and hour, mediation, grievances and arbitrations.

While in law school, Mr. Lofton was elected to the University of Washington’s Order of the Barristers for outstanding performance in Moot Court competition.

Leigh Tuccio’s responsibilities include Cyber, Tech, media and Specialty Professional Indemnity underwriting.

Prior to her current role, Leigh provider complex claims technical counsel to the North American Financial Lines Claims organization by directly assisted the Regional Head of Financial Lines Claims with various operational responsibilities, served as a key relationship liaison with claims managers, customers and distribution channel partners, and also directly managed various complex technical matters.

Prior to joining Allianz in 2015, Leigh worked in claims technical and managerial capacities at ACE Group and Arch Insurance Group focusing on Employment Practices Liability, Professional Liability, and Directors & Officers Liability claims. Prior to working at insurers, Leigh managed Lawyers’ Professional Liability and Miscellaneous Professional Liability claims for various insurance companies as an Associate Attorney in Mendes & Mount, LLP's Professional Liability department.

Leigh Tuccio earned a Bachelor of Arts from Boston College and a Juris Doctorate degree from Fordham University School of Law. As part of these programs, she studied abroad at Queen’s University Belfast, University College Dublin, Humboldt University in Berlin, and University College London. Leigh is a member of the bar in New York.

Regan joined Wortham Insurance & Risk Management in 2012 and was elected a Managing Director in 2014.  She currently chairs the firm’s National Law Practice Group.   Prior to that, she worked in public accounting and for a publicly traded insurance brokerage.  During her tenure in insurance, she has focused on professional service clients, providing advice on risk management for law firms, non-profit/social service organizations and retail/hospitality. She is actively involved in the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo and currently serves on the Board of Directors.

MELANIE M. BROWN, J.D. is the Head of Complex and Specialty Claims at Munich Re Specialty North America. She has over 20 years of experience in casualty and specialty lines including Professional, Healthcare, Public Entity, Construction, Environmental, Reinsurance and Surety. Melanie previously worked at Markel and was in private practice for 11 years where she actively participated in mediations, arbitrations, and trials. Melanie graduated from the University of Virginia with Distinction and received her Juris Doctor from Washington & Lee University.  Melanie is an avid tennis player and reader.
 

 

Karen Thurlow has worked in the professional liability defense area for over twenty years. She is currently a Senior Claims Consultant with Nationwide E&S Specialty where she handles high exposure and complex professional liability claims.  Prior to joining Nationwide, Karen worked as a Senior Claims Consultant at Lockton Companies in Kansas City assisting construction and design clients during all phases of the claims process. Before joining Lockton, she was a Vice President at Swiss Re where she spent fifteen years handling professional liability claims against agents and brokers. Karen began her career as a litigation attorney in an insurance defense firm in the Kansas City area.

Karen has been a frequent speaker at industry events and has authored numerous articles for industry publications. She is a member of the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance and presented at the 2012 Women’s Forum as well as the 2015 CLM Annual Conference.  She is a member of both the Kansas and the Missouri Bar and received her Bachelor of Science in Economics and Juris Doctorate from the University of Missouri-Columbia

Lauren Kim is Managing Director of the Financial Institutions Group for NFP. She leads the group and is responsible for management and growth initiatives in the financial institution sectors, including banking, capital markets, investment management, insurance and reinsurance. Lauren has deep knowledge and expertise in the financial institutions space. She understands the complex and evolving risks financial institutions face and how to address those risks with insurance and legal solutions?.

Prior to joining NFP, Lauren was the FI Claims Practice Leader at QBE and in private practice for nine years in Chicago.  Originally from Connecticut, she graduated from Notre Dame Law School in 2007 and resides in Chicago, Illinois.

John Hicks is an AV-rated trial attorney who practices in both Missouri and Kansas and is the managing member at the law firm of Norris Keplinger Hicks & Welder, LLC in Leawood, Kansas.  John practices all types of civil litigation, but specializes in professional malpractice defense. He has handled a wide range of professional negligence claims involving physicians, nursing homes, attorneys, architects, engineers and accountants. He also defends businesses in the retail and hospitality industry.

John lives in Kansas but is a native of Missouri.  He graduated from Blue Springs High School in 1989, joined the United States Navy and was stationed in Japan.  In 1994, John returned to Missouri where he obtained a bachelor's degree in Communications from Central Missouri State University. In 1999, he and his wife, Dana, moved to Kansas where he attended law school at the University of Kansas. 
John joined the firm in October of 2001 and has tried thirty-four cases to verdict.  John has been recognized by his peers in Best Lawyers, The Kansas City Business Journal’s Best of the Bar and Kansas and Missouri Super Lawyers.  

John and Dana have three children: Michael, Reagan and Emma. John is active in the Navy League of the United States, Veteran's Court and Habitat for Humanity.  

Meredith Cavallaro is a member of Paduano & Weintraub LLP and has been with the firm since October 2000. Her practice is devoted to litigation and employment.
 
Meredith has been lead counsel defending employers in state, federal and administrative actions brought by former and/or present employees alleging discriminatory conduct including race, gender, age and disability discrimination, hostile work environment, sexual harassment, pregnancy discrimination and retaliation. She has been lead counsel defending corporations in single plaintiff and class actions involving violations of wage statutes. She defends employers in cases involving restrictive covenants, unfair competition, breach of fiduciary duty and trade secrets.
 
Meredith assists clients in risk management and advises employers on compliance with employment laws including issues such as medical leaves of absence, reasonable accommodation, the interactive process and retaliation. She advises employers on wage compliance and mitigating class action litigation risks. She implements performance improvement plans, structures terminations, and advises on restructuring and reductions in force. Meredith provides management and employee training seminars.
 
Meredith also represents companies and their directors and officers in complex commercial litigation. She regularly defends start-ups, midsize and large corporations in partnership and shareholder disputes, intellectual property disputes and contractual disputes.  
 

Mr. Andrews is board certified as a specialist in civil trial law by the Florida Bar, maintaining that distinction since 2003. He is also admitted to practice in the State of Georgia. He practices in the areas of professional malpractice defense with a special emphasis on insurance agents and brokers, construction defect litigation, insurance coverage disputes, product liability, and general insurance defense.

Mr. Andrews received his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Florida in 1985. He received his Juris Doctorate from the Florida State University College of Law with honors in 1988. Beginning in 1988, Mr. Andrews served as a law clerk to Judge Maurice M. Paul, United States District Judge for the Northern District of Florida. Since 1989, Mr. Andrews has worked primarily in the representation of insured professionals, business owners, and individuals defending their interests in all types of civil litigation. He currently works as a partner with Pennington, P.A., which has offices in Tallahassee and Tampa, Florida.

He is admitted to practice in all Florida State Courts, all Georgia State Courts, and in the United States District Court, Northern and Middle Districts of Florida. His membership in professional associations include: The Florida Bar, State Bar of Georgia, The CLM, Professional Liability Defense Federation, Tallahassee Bar Association, Florida Defense Lawyers Association, and Defense Research Institute.

Stu Panensky is an experienced business attorney and commercial litigator. Stu handles all phases of routine and complex civil litigation up through and including trial. He advises professional and corporate clients across multiple business sectors on risk mitigation and the defense of third party claims. Stu’s practice is concentrated in the following practice areas.

Cyber-Risk & Data Breach:
Stu has significant experience acting as data breach counsel to companies in multiple verticals including professional services, retail, hospitality, financial institutions, technology and healthcare. Stu leads breach response investigations including working with his clients’ internal IT and digital forensics to provide legal advice on the nature of the occurrence, scope of data exfiltration, obligations to notify impacted consumers and/or state and federal government regulators as well as contractual obligations to report to the Payment Card Industry (PCI). As breach counsel, Stu is networked with quality breach response vendors (IT, forensics, e-discovery, public relations, breach notification and others) and coordinates them in data breach response efforts including print and email notification, call-center management, credit monitoring and restoration services, and other cyber-incident response activity.

Stu also provides legal counsel related to pre-breach cyber-risk preparedness including drafting incident response planning documents, hosting mock-breach “tabletop” presentations to clients, opining on privacy and data and information security company policies as well as reviewing technology vendor/provider contract agreements and scope documents.

Education:
Syracuse University College of Law, Juris Doctor, 2003
Ithaca College Roy H. Park School of Communications, Bachelor of Science in Cinema Studies, 2000

 

 

As Regional Vice President of Claims for ProAssurance Corporation, Gina Harris has amassed years of multi-jurisdictional litigation experience in the management and supervision of high value cases. She excels at litigation management, team building, case analysis and tenaciously provides a rigorous and personalized defense for her insureds.

A Chicago native who grew up in South Florida, Gina received a bachelor of business administration from the University of Miami and earned her master’s degree from Nova Southeastern University. She currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada and oversees claims handling for the Western Region of ProAssurance.

ProAssurance is an industry-leading specialty insurer with extensive expertise in healthcare professional liability, products liability for medical technology and life sciences, legal professional liability, allied healthcare personnel, dental insurance, podiatry and workers’ compensation. ProAssurance is recognized as one of the top performing insurance companies in America. 

Lori H. Watson is the current Vice President of Claims for LawyerCare®, a legal professional liability insurance program underwritten by Medmarc Casualty Insurance Company. Ms. Watson holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the School of Speech at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, and her Juris Doctor from Boston University School of Law. Prior to joining ProAssurance in 2002, Ms. Watson managed environmental and toxic tort claims as a Senior Claims Representative at Lexington Insurance Company in Boston, MA. Ms. Watson began her legal career in private practice in 1991 at Fitzhugh & Associates in Boston, a mid-sized insurance defense firm. Ms. Watson’s practice at the firm concentrated on environmental insurance coverage actions throughout the New England region. She is licensed to practice law in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Geri is currently working in Risk Management and Compliance for Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. Her 17-year healthcare career began in Administration; followed by positions in Quality Management, as well as in Case Management.

Prior to healthcare, she worked for the owners of a global conglomerate based in Los Angeles, in Labor Relations for the City of Seattle and for the State of Washington Department of Revenue. She is currently pursuing a degree in Para-Legal Studies as well as studying for CPHRM certification. Geri enjoys gardening, spending time with her family and their wonderful brood of grandchildren and adopted pets.
 
 

Anthony Terranova is currently Vice President, Commercial Casualty Claims at QBE North America. He focuses on the oversight of catastrophic construction and transportation related claims. Prior to joining QBE, he was an Assistant Vice President, Construction in a global carrier's Major Case Unit. Anthony was also previsouly a partner at a NY/NJ regional law firm in its Construction and Design Professional Units where he represented clients in pre-suit matters and in litigation in New York, New Jersey and Federal Court under Commercial General Liability and Professional Liability Policies, respectively. Anthony also has experience as a professional liability adjuster from when he worked at a major, national insurance carrier and a third-party administrator where he handled Architects & Engineers claims. 

 

Becky Fuentes, MS has been a litigation consultant at R&D Strategic Solutions for over ten years. She has assisted trial teams on hundreds of cases nationwide in several types of civil litigation including product liability, medical malpractice, securities fraud, toxic tort, intellectual property, anti-trust, and insurance cases. She has also worked on criminal cases involving white-collar crime and capital murder.
 
Becky has extensive experience preparing witnesses for deposition and trial testimony, developing juror profiles for jury selection, and assisting trial teams with jury selection and trial monitoring. Becky has also provided court liaison and therapeutic services to clients involved in civil cases and criminal cases at both the state and federal level. Prior to working as a consultant, Becky worked as a therapist treating adults with co-occurring disorders and children with anxiety and phobic disorders. She has a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from Florida International University. 

Shari Claire Lewis is a Partner in the firm's Professional Liability and Litigation & Appeals Practice Groups. Ms. Lewis' practice, at the intersection of law and technology, includes matters involving attorney and other professional liability, medical device and product liability, and computer and Internet litigation. Ms. Lewis represents lawyers and other non-medical professionals in diverse litigation, including commercial litigation, securities fraud, intellectual property, malpractice, fraud, R.I.C.O, contract breach, constitutional violations, and other tort theories. Ms. Lewis also specializes in representing manufacturers, distributors and maintenance companies in connection with medical device and product liability claims, including angioplasty devices, coronary and tracheal stents, orthopedic and dental implants, operating room fixtures, disposable medical products, factory and farm machinery, hair dye and cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, industrial and consumer electrical products. With particular expertise in technology law issues, Ms. Lewis represents entities at the cutting edge of twenty-first century technology, including Internet registrars, software designers and various Internet and computer providers. She has litigated cases involving domain name disputes, cybersquatting, freedom of speech, online and “click wrap” contracts, jurisdiction, and antitrust and trademark violation in that medium. She also drafts technology and online contracts on behalf of technology vendors and consumers, as well as policies and/or terms of service for use on her clients' websites.
 

Lisa began her career in Insurance in 1990, handling various complex, primary excess general liability claims for Chubb. In 1996, she became a Complex Director of Excess Casualty claims, where she oversaw complex high exposure excess construction defect claims. She continued her career over the next 20 years in the construction defect world as a Specialty Casualty Claims Supervisor at Zurich and Markel. While at Markel, Lisa also handled Global Management Liability Claims, including employment, tenant discrimination, fiduciary, and directors, and officers claims. In October 2018, Lisa became the Director of Casualty Claims for Hallmark Financial Services, overseeing the casualty team focusing on fatality, construction defect, construction site accident, commercial auto, and liquor liability claims. Currently with Unger Insurance and Litigation Services Inc, she provides clients with a broad spectrum of Insurance and litigation related services. Lisa is proficient in claim handling, file reviews, mediation and arbitration appearances, trial monitoring, risk management and audits. She provides significant interaction with defense and coverage counsel and works collaboratively to achieve efficient and effective bottom line results. Lisa has a colorful resume speaking at various conferences and has published a diverse number of insurance related articles.

15 years performing complex commercial and employment litigation. Provide advice and counsel to employers regarding claims of harassment, discrimination and wage and hour claims. Regularly conduct employment training and counsel clients on employment and complex business litigation issues. Work with both private clients as well as those covered by EPLI, D&O, and E&O insurance policies. Admitted to practice in the states of California, New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Growing up in Beijing, Lei Wang was a typical city girl who spent her youth buried in books and excelling in schoolwork. She holds a B.S. degree in Computer Science from Tsinghua University in Beijing, an M.S. degree in Computer Science from University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and an MBA degree in Finance and Marketing from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She was on track for a promising career in information technology—until she discovered her passion for mountaineering in 2004 and set her dream on reaching the peak of the world’s highest mountains on seven continents and skiing to the North and South poles.
 
With no previous athletic training, she started with running, from one mile to a marathon. She built her basic fitness foundation and learned the craft of climbing from scratch. She gave up a normal life to dedicate herself to this undertaking and overcame many physical and ideological challenges with her commitment and determination.
 
Her remarkable journey culminated at the top of Mount Everest on May 24, 2010. With that climb, she became the first Asian woman to successfully reach the world’s seven summits and two poles. Lei Wang now shares her reflections and experience of both adventure and business to inspire others to reach their peak potential.

Claire Bow is a retired Attorney/State Executive turned Transgender advocate/activist. After a 31 year career in Law, Risk Management, Insurance and Executive Management with the State of Texas, Ms. Bow now devotes her time to working for social justice and fostering understanding and acceptance of the Transgender Community.

Janson Wu has served as GLAD’s executive director since December 2014, following nine years as a staff attorney and then deputy director.

During his time at GLAD, Janson has been deeply involved in the breadth of GLAD’s work, including the rights of LGBT elders, family law and parentage, employment benefits, transgender rights, DOMA, and marriage equality.

In addition to his litigation, Janson has been involved in GLAD’s legislative and policy work throughout New England, including leading GLAD’s coalition with local advocacy organizations and legislators to pass marriage equality in New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

Before coming to GLAD, Janson worked as an attorney with Tri-City Community Action Program, a multi-service anti-poverty organization where he provided legal services to low-income people.

Janson Wu is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School.

Jennifer R. Weinstein is a VP - Management Liability Claims for Skyward Specialty Insurance.  Jennifer currently manages a group that handles all aspects of management liability claims, including  D&O, EPL, fiduciary, financial institutions and crime/bonds. With over 25 years of experience in the insurance industry, Jennifer has handled claims for several large carriers with increasing complexities and responsibilities. She previously served as a Senior Attorney for the New York State Department of Health, handling employment law issues in the healthcare industry within the State. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Ithaca College and a juris doctor from Hofstra University School of Law. Jennifer is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts and New York.

Ms. Roll is a Financial and Professional Lines Claims Manager for Starr Companies with over ten years of claims handling experience. Ms. Roll has experience both in private practice and as an in-house claim handler, and been involved in the management of employment practices liability, directors & officers liability, financial institution bond, commercial crime, errors & omissions and lawyers professional liability claims. Ms. Roll is involved in all aspects of claim handling, including coverage analysis, management of defense counsel and negotiation of settlement, and has extensive experience working closely with insureds and brokers to efficiently resolve claims. Ms. Roll has also counseled underwriters and drafted policy language for major insurance carriers across a variety of financial and professional lines. Ms. Roll received her B.A. in Mathematics from the University of Delaware and her J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law. Ms. Roll is currently admitted to practice law in Massachusetts, New York and Illinois.

Elissa brings more than 15 years of industry knowledge and works with Mosaic’s brokers and insureds throughout the Americas to guide coverage under the company’s six product lines. She started her insurance career as claims counsel with AIG and later was cyber and technology product manager at AXA XL. Elissa also has extensive experience counseling companies and proactively mitigating risk from her tenure on the broker side, including roles at Marsh and Lockton. Prior to 2006, she began her legal career in tax with Deloitte.

Tony is responsible for the Cyber line of Business on the claims side, working closely with the Cyber Claim Manager and her team. Over the course of his 17 year tenure with Chubb, he has handled several large Cyber matters and frequently speaks at industry events. He is also an Advisory Board Member of the CLM Management and Professional Liability Community and the co-chair of the Cyber Committee.
 
While at Chubb, he has managed several groups handling financial lines claims, including Cyber, Media, Lawyers and Miscellaneous Professional Liability lines of business. Most recently, Tony was the Eastern Regional Manager for Large Commercial D&O claims. Prior to joining Chubb, Tony was an attorney with the law firm of Murtha Cullina, specializing in insurance coverage and commercial litigation.  Tony also served as the law clerk for the Hon. William J. Lavery, Chief Judge of the Connecticut Appellate Court.  He earned his B.A. and J.D. from the University of Connecticut and is a member of the Connecticut state and federal bars and also holds the CIPP/US  and RPLU designations.  

Matthew Diamond is an Associate Claims Executive with the management liability program claims group for Travelers Bond & Specialty Insurance, located in Hartford, CT. He handles EPLI and D&O claims against healthcare and managed care entities, insurance agents and adjusters E&O claims, and community association D&O claims, nationwide. Prior to joining Travelers Bond & Specialty Insurance in October 2015, Mr. Diamond was a Claims Examiner for the specialty division of the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies where he handled EPLI claims and not-for-profit D&O claims. Prior to joining Chubb, he worked in municipal government in Rhode Island.

Mr. Diamond is Juris Doctor Candidate at the University of Connecticut School of Law in Hartford, CT. He is the Notes and Comments Editor of the Connecticut Insurance Law Journal. He earned his Bachelor and Master of Public Administration degrees from Clark University in Worcester, MA.
 
 

Mitch is a founding member of Tribler Orpett & Meyer, P.C., in Chicago, which was formed in 1984. His practice is devoted to the defense of professional and general liability claims and to the resolution of insurance and reinsurance disputes. He has represented lawyers and other professionals in various courts across the United States and has been active in litigation, arbitration and other methods of alternative dispute resolution where he has served as both advocate and arbitrator. He has been listed in all editions of Guide to the World’s Leading Insurance and Reinsurance Lawyers and in Who’s Who Legal, Insurance & Reinsurance. He has also been named as an Illinois “Super Lawyer” and to the Illinois Network of Leading Lawyers in recognition of his achievements and professional standing. 
 
Mitch has devoted more than 35 years of service to the American Bar Association, holding numerous leadership positions and organizing and participating in numerous conferences. He recently completed his three-year term on the ABA’s Board of Governors and served for many years on its policy-making body, the House of Delegates. He was the chair of the ABA’s Section Officers Conference, where he represented the approximately 240,000 members of the sections of the American Bar Association. Previously, he served as chair of the ABA’s 30,000 member Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section and of the ABA’s Standing Committee on Continuing Education of the Bar. He was also vice chair of the ABA’s Presidential Commission on the Unintended Consequences of the Billable Hour (Justice Stephen G. Breyer, chair).
 
Mitch has also served as a member of various committees and task forces dealing with lawyers’ professional liability and cyber security. He has been a frequent author and speaker on cyber and professional liability topics here in the U.S. and abroad.
 
 

Karen Painter Randall, a partner and Certified Civil Trial attorney at Connell Foley LLP, where she chairs the Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Group. Karen has extensive experience counseling lawyers, law firms, healthcare entities, local and state government, financial institutions, educational facilities, transportation companies and retail clients on information security laws and regulations. She advises on all facets of information security preparedness, provides proactive plans to address cyber risk and serves as a "breach response coach" across various industries. Karen offers strategic solutions related to post-breach matters, including forensic and e-discovery investigations, statutory notification requirements, remediation, class action litigation, regulatory compliance and enforcement actions. As a national thought leader in the cyber field, Karen recently received her third ABA presidential appointment to the Cybersecurity Legal Task Force. Karen is founder and chair of the New Jersey State Bar Association Cybersecurity Legal Task Force and in 2018 created the University of South Carolina School of Law's Cybersecurity Legal Task Force, one of the first Cybersecurity Legal Task Forces for a law school in the southeast. A member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) and co-chair of its New Jersey Knowledge Net Chapter, Karen is integral to numerous efforts to guide clients on information security and the ethics of data protection. Karen serves as vice chair of the USLAW Network Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Group. She was selected by Bloomberg BNA to serve as its New Jersey Contributing Practitioner on cyber and privacy issues for Bloomberg Law: Privacy & Data Security, focusing on the regulatory and compliance landscape of data protection laws in the U.S. and around the world. In May 2019, Karen was named by NJBIZ as a winner of the inaugural “NJ Digi-Tech Innovators Awards” and was the only attorney among the 34 honorees selected for this award.

C

Angela Russell is the regional managing partner of the Baltimore office and chair of the firm’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee. She has significant trial experience and has tried cases in the District of Columbia and across the state of Maryland. Her practice encompasses the defense of professional liability matters, including medical malpractice and legal malpractice actions in addition to claims against agents, brokers and other professionals. Angela regularly handles and supervises general casualty matters for insurers and self-insured entities on premises liability claims, security matters, hospitality – a specialty that has gained significant attention due to the rise in human trafficking cases – and recreational defense claims. Angela also is frequently called on to handle toxic tort matters.
 
Angela possesses an innate ability to connect with her clients, identify their needs and communicate effectively throughout the litigation cycle. Her rapport in the courtroom is equally impressive. An aggressive litigator, Angela is adept at tapping the persistence, preparation and training she gained early on in a variety of public speaking engagements and tackling two marathons. Angela worked at prominent defense firms in Minnesota and Washington, DC, prior to joining Wilson Elser.
 

Dan co-founded and serves as the Executive Chairman of Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman, a full service law firm with over 400 attorneys with offices throughout the United States.  In his role as Chairman, Dan is responsible for the high level management of the firm, execution of the firm's strategic vision and ensuring its overall effective operational management. Representing Fortune 500 companies and mid-market businesses, Dan is a recognized authority on commercial and business law, has received Martindale Hubbell's highest rating of "AV Preeminent," and has been selected a California "Super Lawyer" on numerous occasions. Dan's legal work spans matters involving business issues, professional liability, real estate, intellectual property, entertainment endeavors, and construction-related issues.  Dan has worked for many years closely with the domestic and London insurance markets, has successfully tried numerous complex cases to verdict and has been instrumental in several groundbreaking favorable rulings in the appellate realm.  He has served as a court appointed arbitrator and mediator, and serves as monitoring and coordinating counsel for clients throughout the United States.

Memberships and Accomplishments: Firm Chairman, Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman; 2015 –Present, Managing Partner, Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman; 2007 – 2015, Member, Young Presidents' Organization Santa Monica Bay Chapter (YPOSMB); 2009 – Present, Member, Council on Litigation Management, Professional Liability Committee Member, California Building Industry Association Legal Action Subcommittee Member, Professional Liability Defense Federation Member, Defense Research Institute, Technology Committee Member, National Association of Home Builders Construction Law Attorney Forum Member, Building Industry Association of Southern California Member, Association of Southern California Defense Counsel (ASCDC) Member, Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc. (RIMS) Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America Quarterly Contributor to Residential Design and Build Magazine, AV Preeminent Lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell, Certified Continuing Legal Education Instructor at the Litigation Management Institute (LMI) at Columbia University Law School.

Frances O’Meara is a partner in WSHB’s Los Angeles office. She is a nationally-recognized professional malpractice attorney who concentrates her practice on errors and omissions defense for attorneys, accountants, architects, insurance agents, real estate brokers, appraisers, doctors, and nurses. Frances is certified by the California State Bar as a Certified Legal Malpractice Specialist. She advises professionals and law firms on legal professional and ethical issues, issues relating to risk management and loss control, and cyber security and data privacy risks.

Frances works directly with major insurance carriers throughout the United States, non-insured attorneys, large corporations, healthcare providers, and financial institutions. She has extensive experience in D&O financial lines and commercial litigation, with an emphasis on fidelity, fiduciary, and surety claims investigation and litigation. Frances also represents medical malpractice claims related to healthcare management, assisted living, dental malpractice, and nursing.

She is experienced in defending general liability matters arising from premises liability, trucking, automobile, and accident claims involving property damage, personal injury, and wrongful death. Her clients have included bars, restaurants, property owners, general contractors, subcontractors, architects, engineers, and trucking companies.

Frances also enjoys experience in employment litigation, including discrimination claims, employment contracts, and retaliation and sexual harassment claims. She additionally handles fidelity and bond matters throughout the State of California.

Sam McDermott is the managing partner of Wood, Smith Henning & Berman's Orange County office.  A highly experienced litigator, Sam handles some of the most complex and challenging matters within the firm.  A skilled orator and widely sought speaker, Sam's practice spans across a wide array of construction, tort and environmental issues. Sam's construction practice alone reaches across several different disciplines, including construction payment disputes, design-build construction, schedule impact damages, onsite injuries, workplace regulations, prevailing wage claims, professional liability, construction quality and defect issues.  Sam has been with the firm since its inception, and has overseen the Orange County office's growth since it opened in 1998.  Sam is highly involved in industry and community organizations, including the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM) and the Public Law Center.  Sam is married with twin boys.  He and his family are heavily involved in their Christian faith, their church, their sporting activities, and outdoor recreational activities.
 

Constance A. Endelicato, is an accomplished trial lawyer with over 30 years of litigation experience in defending professional liability claims. She defends physicians, hospitals, and skilled nursing facilities, as well as legal and accounting professionals, among other service providers. She also defends employers in wrongful termination and discrimination actions. She is experienced in handling class actions, mass tort litigation, appellate and federal matters. She is admitted to practice in the United States District Court, Central, Northern, and Southern Districts of California.
 
 Ms. Endelicato's accomplishments include her extensive trial experience has afforded her membership in the prestigious American Board of Trial Advocates, among a nominal number of women in the United States. Ms. Endelicato is a recipient of the 2017 Business Insurance and CLM Women to Watch Award. She also received Lawyer Magazine's 2017 and 2018 Legal Award for Elder Abuse Litigation and 2018 Women in Law Award for Litigation. Additionally, Ms. Endelicato has been named by the Los Angeles and San Francisco legal newspaper, The Daily Journal, as one of the Top 100 Women Lawyers in California. She has been honored by Los Angeles Business Journal as one of the Top 50 Most Influential Women Lawyers. She has been recognized by Los Angeles Magazine as one of the Top Women Attorneys in Southern California.
 
She is currently the President of the Southern California Association of Healthcare Risk Management and is the Deputy Chair of the American Society of Healthcare Risk Management Education Development Task Force. She has also received the designation of Super Lawyer in Southern California by Los Angeles Magazine, Super Lawyer in Orange County by Orange Coast Magazine, and Top Lawyer by Pasadena Magazine. She also holds an AV-Preeminent Rating which is the highest rating awarded by Martindale-Hubbell. Ms. Endelicato is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Risk Management.
 

Cyber Risk Consultant – FINEX Cyber Risk Solutions
 
Relevant Experience/Specialization
Sean Scranton is based in central Illinois and has been involved in information security for more than 25 years.  He has lead teams in internal security, IT consulting and audit, and cyber underwriting.  He specializes in identifying, quantifying and mitigating key organizational cyber risks and then developing consensus based, cost effective solutions that align with the organization’s overall business goals. He emphasizes a cross functional approach, involving key stakeholders and business units across the organization, to ensure that a comprehensive, organization wide strategy is developed to manage the people, technical and financial risks impacting an organization’s cyber resilience.

Education and Credentials
Sean graduated from Bradley University with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, and a Master of Business Administration. He holds security, audit, and insurance underwriting certifications, speaks regularly at cybersecurity industry and academic events, and serves on the board of a major credit union.

Ms. Erlich is a professional liability defense attorney specializing in defending professionals including, real estate brokers, attorneys, design professionals and insurance agents. She is a founding partner of Zelms Erlich LLP, a legal malpractice specialist, and a licensed real estate broker. Graduate of Tel-Aviv University (BA 1992, magna cum laude), Whittier Law School (JD 1997, magna cum laude) and California State University (MA, Philosophy of Law 1998). In the last 25 years she has defended many professionals through trial and appeal. Ms. Erlich is a member of the Real Estate Executive Committee of the California State Bar, a delegate to the House of Delegates, and a member of the Legal Affairs California Association of Realtors. She is on the steering committee of several Defense Research Institute committees, Professional Liability Underwriters Society Southern California Chapter, as well as, the Southern California Chapter of the Claim and Litigation Management Alliance. Ms. Erlich is a recipient of Rising Star and Super Lawyers awards, and is an author and frequent speaker on professional liability topics. Ms. Erlich is a former Israeli Defense Force officer.