On the Pulse…Other Notable Achievements
Buck Buchanan (Philadelphia, PA) was named Chairman of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Campaign for Qualified Judges. In this capacity, he will oversee donations and fundraising initiatives in support of those deemed qualified by the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Commission on Judicial Selection and Retention. Additionally, Buck has been named to the Board of Directors of Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, a non-profit organization devoted to providing legal assistance to low-income Philadelphians who cannot otherwise afford legal counsel.
Buck also made a presentation to students at Temple Law School and its three affinity student bar associations: the Latin American Law Students Association, the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association and the Black Law Students Association. His topic, “Do’s and Don’ts for Networking and Interviewing,” was well-received by the many 1Ls, 2Ls, and 3Ls attending.
Mark Thompson (Philadelphia, PA) joined Liberty Mutual’s Executive Vice President and Chief Claims Officer, Glenn Shapiro, in a two-man presentation to over 200 attendees at the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance Annual Conference. Mark and Glenn addressed the management of claims for optimal outcome from both the industry and outside counsel perspectives. Specific attention was given to the changing claims environment and how firms can better align themselves with the needs of the industry.
Michele Punturi (Philadelphia, PA) also spoke at the CLM conference, joining a panel presentation on the topic of “The Dream Team Approach to Workers’ Compensation Case and Litigation Management.” The discussion focused on how to achieve successful cases and litigation management in workers’ compensation by balancing the interests of the employer, broker, claims adjuster and defense counsel.
Jeffrey Rapattoni (Cherry Hill, NJ) was on a panel at the 2015 Insurance Fraud Management Conference addressing “Avoiding Risk in Managing the Anti-Fraud Function and Tracking the Value-Add of SIU.” The discussion included the tangibles in determining an SIU’s impact on a company’s tracking, reporting and related key performance indicators.
Niki Ingram and Tony Natale (Philadelphia, PA) were featured speakers at the UC/WC 101 Benefits Roundtable hosted by the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry. Covering the key basics of workers’ compensation and unemployment compensation, their program provided answers to commonly asked questions, updates on the latest changes to the law, explanations as to how and when benefits apply, and suggestions on how to eliminate mistakes and potentially save money.
Lary Zucker (Cherry Hill, NJ) was honored with the “Doc Brown” award in recognition of his exemplary service to the amusement industry. The award was presented by the International Amusement and Leisure Defense Association, Inc. (IALDA) during the Legal Roundtable at the annual IAAPA Expo. He was recognized for his decades of work in the amusement industry representing theme parks, water parks, carnivals, roller skating centers, bowling centers and FECs. The award was created in memory of Richard “Doc” Brown, a biomechanical engineer who was known for his pioneering work in the amusement industry. IALDA honors a member who has made an exceptional contribution to the amusement industry over the course of his or her career. Lary is a charter member and former president of IALDA and has served on the board of directors for 20 years. He has written risk management guidelines for many amusement industries and is the author of over 150 articles touching upon legal and risk management issues. As counsel to the New Jersey Amusement Association, Lary has been an effective advocate for the amusement industry on the state and national levels.
Dan Sherry (King of Prussia, PA) is teaching a trial advocacy course at Temple Law School this semester as an adjunct professor. The program helps students develop their trial skills in an interactive setting.
Tom Brown and Jodi Ruberg (Orlando, FL) participated in the Amusement Industry Manufacturers & Suppliers (AIMS) International Conference. The annual seminar is directed toward safety issues in the amusement industry. They both presented at legal roundtables hosted by the International Amusement & Leisure Defense Association, Inc. (IALDA), where they provided insight on matters ranging from minor to catastrophic incidents. Their discussions were focused on offering recommendations regarding how to address incidents, including proper reaction, how to properly complete incident reports and who to contact following an incident. Additionally, they discussed the benefits of proper adherence to industry guidelines and standards, developing a risk management program with standard procedures and how to develop a proper incident response plan for a thorough investigation.
Butler Buchanan (Philadelphia, PA) spoke at the Barristers’ Association of Philadelphia Leadership Academy where he shared his experiences growing his career as a minority attorney. The Barristers’ Association of Philadelphia helps address the needs and development of black lawyers in the greater Philadelphia area.
Adam Levy (Cherry Hill, NJ) authored an article, “Plan to be Immune: Derivative Protection for Design Professionals Via Title 59,” that appeared in the New Jersey Law Journal’s Professional Malpractice Supplement, published on January 20, 2015.
Patrick Reilly (Pittsburgh, PA) contributed the article “Compulsory Arbitration Useful in Small-Exposure Cases” to The Legal Intelligencer’s ADR Supplement, published on January 20, 2015.
Russ Buhite (Tampa, FL) authored a featured article for the December issue of the DRI magazine, For The Defense, entitled “Retirement Plan Litigation Over Service Provider Fees Keeps Plan Fiduciaries on Alert.” The article addressed the historical root of and common practices surrounding service provider fee litigation. It also discussed new DOL regulations mandating notice and best practices to avoid liability.
Kacey Wiedt and Shannon Fellin (Harrisburg, PA) were the featured speakers at the January meeting of the Susquehanna Human Resource Management Association. Their presentation, “Top Mistakes in Workers’ Compensation,” addressed the top employer-related mistakes in the litigation of workers’ compensation claims and tips for avoiding or correcting those mistakes.
Robert Jozwik (Philadelphia, PA) and Tony Natale (Philadelphia, PA) co-authored a chapter in the book series Insurance Agency Risk Management: E&O Exposures By Line of Business. The chapter focuses on the detailed aspects of avoiding errors and omissions exposure when placing workers’ compensation insurance from the broker perspective. It provides a detailed analysis of the law that governs agents and brokers, certificates of insurance, professional employer organizations, temporary agencies, independent contractors and fraud.
Armand Della Porta (Wilmington, DE) was a panel member at the Mid-Atlantic Asbestos Litigation Conference. He spoke on the topic: “Status of Litigation and Recent Decisions - Filings, Trends, Projections & Pending Litigation in DE, MD, PA, and Federal Courts.”
Jacqueline Canter (Philadelphia, PA) was a speaker at the 6th Annual National Retail and Restaurant Defense Association (NRRDA) conference in Austin, Texas. She participated in two panel discussions including: “You Got to Know When to Hold ‘Em - Surveillance Video: How It Can Help You and How It Can Hurt You,” and “I Never Promised You a Rose Garden - Attorney, Client, TPA Relationships.”
Jeff Rapattoni (Cherry Hill, NJ) contributed the column “Fraud Squad: Rethinking Facility Inspections in Medical Investigations” to the February 2015 issue of the CLM magazine, Claims Management.
Steve Christman and Adam Calvert (New York, NY) authored the article “Federal Court Notice Standard in Premises Cases,” appearing in the March 2nd issue of the New York Law Journal. The article addressed whether the federal court notice standard makes a difference in the outcome of summary judgment motions, particularly in cases involving transient conditions in slip and fall cases.
Alex Norman (Philadelphia, PA) was a featured speaker at the young lawyer break-out session of the Defense Research Institute’s Product Liability Conference. Alex’s presentation, “Perspectives on Diversity: In 2015, Jury Selection Is Not So Black and White,” addressed Enlightenment Theory and the documented dangers of selecting jurors based solely on race and gender generalizations. Alex also co-authored the article “Better Think FAST – Defending Negligent Security Claims,” appearing in the February 2015 issue of the DRI monthly magazine, For The Defense.
Brad Remick (Philadelphia, PA) published his book Pennsylvania Products Liability with ALM and The Legal Intelligencer. The book includes a supplement that addresses the history and holding of Tincher v. Omega Flex Inc., and provides guidance for practitioners on the new standards, the history of product liability law, the rise and fall of The Second Restatement of Torts, the rise of The Restatement (Third) of Torts, the Restatements in practice (strict liability concepts), breach of warranty, negligence (manufacturing and design defect), warning defects and damages.
Defense Digest, Vol. 21, No. 2, June 2015
Defense Digest is prepared by Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin to provide information on recent legal developments of interest to our readers. This publication is not intended to provide legal advice for a specific situation or to create an attorney-client relationship. Copyright © 2015 Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin, all rights reserved. This article may not be reprinted without the express written permission of our firm.