CLM New York, a joint effort between the Extra-Contractual Committee and CLM’s Insurance Coverage Committee, takes place in Manhattan on December 1, 2016.
On what’s in store for this year’s attendees:
“Of all the amazing events and meetings that CLM offers to its membership every year, CLM New York is simply one of the best. With the tremendous and ongoing support of our sponsors, the Insurance Coverage and Extra-Contractual Committees have again lined up the country’s preeminent industry leaders and outside counsel for a day-long immersion into the most important and current issues facing claims and litigation management professionals today.
“We’re definitely going to cover a lot of ground on December 1, and one of the things that makes this conference stand out is the opportunity for attendees to cross over and participate in panel presentations ranging from the use of drone technology and its effect on insurance and claims, to teaching good faith in order to prevent bad faith, to analyzing coverage in cases of third party violence, such as mass shootings.
“As for me, I am particularly excited about our session on ride sharing, Bitcoin, and self-driving cars. Google just announced its self-driving car project and is testing its fleet in various cities, so there could not be a timelier or more significant conference topic.
“It bears repeating that it takes the abilities and talents of a number of committed folks to develop the sessions and execute them at a high level. We continue to have great leadership from our conference subcommittees, and I am impressed each year with the teamwork they display and the amount of time they give. Also, we could not accomplish anything without the hard work and assistance of CLM’s support team, especially Kay Ferrara, our education and committee manager.”
On switching from the term “bad faith” to “extra-contractual”:
“We’re coming to the close of the first year following our name change from the Bad Faith Committee to the Extra-Contractual Committee. This change continues to be central to the evolution of our mission of not only preventing extra-contractual claims and litigation, but also to actively promote good faith practices and procedures and ensure that we offer the best environment for them to prosper.”
On emerging areas of concern on the horizon for him and his committee members:
“Extra-contractual claims continue to be critical areas of concern to the claims industry. Time-limited demands and allegations of institutional extra-contractual liability still are widespread and, in some jurisdictions more than others, thriving and growing.
“In a sense, combating these claims may be work that is never done, but I know from firsthand experience that insurers and claims professionals are committed to a positive and comprehensive approach, and they are dedicated to making it an active rather than reactive focus. The difference in this approach is akin to that of a swimmer who anticipates the waves instead of being painfully surprised by each one that hits him.” —Eric Gilkey