Thought Leadership

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Dana Gittleman (Philadelphia, PA) and Jeremy Zacharias (Mount Laurel, NJ) recorded Episodes 2 and 3 of their PLUS podcast, “Insurance Agent E&O – Top Ten Tips for Risk Management.” Episode 2 discusses key strategies for risk management in professional liability litigation—the importance of establishing personal contact with clients, retaining the right liability expert, and understanding the critical nuances of underlying litigation in E&O claims. You can listen here: https://plusweb.org/podcast/insurance-agent-eo-episode-2/. Episode 3 dives into four critical areas for insurance professionals and defense counsel: assessing related litigation, understanding business relationships, staying organized, and getting creative with case strategy. With real-world examples and practical insights, they offer listeners actionable tools to strengthen claims handling and professional liability defense. You can listen to the final episode here: https://plusweb.org/podcast/insurance-agent-eo-episode-3/. 

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Robert Aldrich and Melissa Dziak (both of Scranton, PA) co-presented “Navigating the Digital Shift: Balancing the Benefits and Legal Risks of Patient Portals” at the 2025 ASHRM annual conference. Along with Gina Kittek, System Director, Risk Management & Corporate Compliance at United Health Services, Rob and Melissa discussed mitigation strategies for managing the risks associated with the use of patient portals and how the reliance on patient portals impacts medical malpractice laws.

Christopher Block (Roseland, NJ) served as faculty for the School of Casualty Claims at the CLM Alliance (Claims and Litigation Management Alliance) annual Claims College this past September in Baltimore. He shared strategies and tools that claims professionals can apply to help them better manage their case files.

Ariel Brownstein and Matthew Burdalski (both of Mount Laurel, NJ) and Gary Lesser (Roseland, NJ) co-presented “NJ PIP - A DRPA’s Perspective” at the 34th New Jersey Special Investigators Association’s Seminar & Networking Conference. Ari and Matt also co-presented “Ping! Utilizing Modern Technology to Answer the Who, Where and When” at the NYAct 2025 Annual Education Conference.

Josh J.T. Byrne (Philadelphia, PA) co-presented at the Philadelphia Bar Association’s 2025 Bench-Bar & Annual Conference. Josh joined Marie C. Dooley, member of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, to present “Pennsylvania’s Attorney Disciplinary Process and Our Changing World.” The session reviewed the attorney discipline process in Pennsylvania with a particular emphasis on how it has changed over the last year with significant opinions from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The duo also examined potential ethical/disciplinary issues related to changes to the environment for attorneys since the new administration took office. Josh also presented at “Succession Planning for Law Firms and Lawyers 2025,” a Pennsylvania Bar Institute program focused on helping attorneys and firms build continuity, retain key client relationships, and develop the next generation of leaders.

Christopher Conrad (Harrisburg, PA) co-presented “Left Behind? Today’s U.S. Department of Education and the Potential Impact on Special Education and Disability Services” at Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s Exceptional Children Conference.

Jon Cross (Philadelphia, PA) served as a panelist at the International Adventure & Trampoline Parks Association annual conference in Maricopa, Arizona. The panel’s presentation, “Defensibility Strategies – Reduce Liability: Supervision & Documentation,” focused on risk management practices to help park operators and entities minimize liability and strengthen their defense against potential claims and incidents.

Scott Eberle (Pittsburgh, PA) co-presented “Auto Law Update 2025” for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, an annual update for auto law practitioners.

Heather Carbone and Linda Farrell (both of Jacksonville, FL) were presenters for The Florida Bar’s Workers’ Compensation Section webinar on “Florida’s New Rules of Civil Procedure and Impact on Workers’ Compensation Claims.” Heather and Linda discussed the interplay between the new Florida Rules of Civil Procedure involving discovery and the Rules of Procedure for Workers’ Compensation Adjudications, Chapter 60Q-6. The webinar specifically addressed the updated Rule 1.280 and how it may be applied to workers’ compensation cases and/or civil cases that have an impact on workers’ compensation claims. They also discussed proportionality and what mechanisms should be used to apply the new discovery rule.

Matthew Keris (Scranton, PA) recently co-presented a CLE for the Pennsylvania Coalition for Civil Justice Reform. “Medical Malpractice in Pennsylvania” featured a panel discussion exploring a number of emerging legal issues in medical malpractice, such as the continuing surge of Philadelphia cases; the dilution of plaintiffs’ burden to prove agents’ causation; preserving issues on appeal and waiver rulings of the Superior Court; ethical concerns with double and triple booking; and the rise of punitive damages.

Mark Kozlowski (Scranton, PA) presented on Civil Rights and the 14th Amendment at Marywood University’s “The Courts and Our Community” Lecture Series. The semester-long workshop was presented by Marywood University’s Center for Law, Justice, and Policy. Designed to introduce students to key legal concepts and foster civic awareness, the sessions offered direct engagement with judges, attorneys, and legal scholars. 

Paul Krepps (Pittsburgh, PA) presented “Litigating Qualified Immunity” at the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania Insurance Programs Defense Counsel meeting in Harrisburg. The program, part of the Pennsylvania Counties Risk Pool, brings together defense counsel who represent counties and related entities throughout the state. 

Megan Nelson (Orlando, FL) presented a CLE on “Incident Reporting from a Lawyer’s Perspective” to the members of the Central Florida Chapter of the American College of Health Care Executives. As an attorney and registered nurse, Megan offered insight into the importance of incident reporting from both a health care and legal point of view. 

Michele Punturi (Philadelphia, PA) joined attorneys from the claimant’s and defense bars, the judiciary, and the Appeal Board for an in-depth CLE program on the past and future of the Workers’ Compensation Adjudicatory System. Hosted by the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation Section, panelists examined historical transformations in the practice of workers’ compensation, spanning from in-person hearings at the State Office Building to modern day hearings and virtual practice.

Jeffrey Rapattoni (Mount Laurel, NJ) co-presented “Artificial Intelligence-Legal Considerations” at the joint National Insurance Crime Bureau/National Conference of Insurance Crime Attorneys national conference. Jeff also co-presented “Building a Better Major Case Investigation” with Derek Maki of Liberty Mutual at IASIU - Michigan Chapter’s annual fall seminar. Jeff and Derek discussed the changing face of medical fraud, ring activity and fraud fighting post-Covid. He presented “AI Vendor Management” to the attendees of the New Jersey Special Investigators Association Fraud Summit. Finally, Jeff participated in the webinar “Trends in Insurance Panel Counsel” hosted by AM Best’s Insurance Professional Resources.

Robin Romano (Philadelphia, PA) was a co-presenter at the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Workers’ Comp Fall Section Meeting in Hershey, PA. During her presentation, “Civility in Practice,” Robin discussed the importance of treating all parties involved in litigation with respect, professionalism and fairness to promote effective communication and foster trust, and ultimately lead to more efficient and just outcomes in the claims process. The discussion explored practical strategies for fostering civility across all roles in the system, challenges to maintaining professionalism under pressure, and tools for improving communication and collaboration.

Suzanne Tighe (Philadelphia, PA/Scranton, PA) joined the Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s Auto Law Update 2025, sharing insights on the latest developments and trends shaping auto law practice across Pennsylvania. The focus of her presentation was “Ridesharing and Computer Rental Issues.”

John Slimm (Mount Laurel, NJ) participated in the New Jersey State Bar Association’s CLE 2025 Trial Bootcamp: Master the Art of Trial Advocacy. Jack and the Honorable Christine P. O’Hearn, U.S.D.J. and Dennis J. Drasco, Esq. co-presented “Selecting the Jury.” 

PUBLISHED WORKS

November 17, 2025 – “Your Engagement Agreement as a Defense Against Fee Disputes,” by Alesia Sulock and Josh J.T. Byrne (both of Philadelphia, PA) was published in The Legal Intelligencer. 

November 10, 2025 – Daniel McGannon’s (Harrisburg, PA) article “Redefining Harm: Did SCOTUS Expand Title VII Protections in ‘Muldrow v. City of St. Louis’?” was published in The Legal Intelligencer’s Labor & Employment/Workers’ Compensation Supplement. 

November 10, 2025 – John Paul Abda’s (Scranton, PA) article “PTSI and First Responders: Act 121—A New Era in Pa. Workers’ Compensation” was published in The Legal Intelligencer’s Labor & Employment Law/Workers’ Compensation Supplement. 

October 28, 2025 – “Pennsylvania Supreme Court Strengthens Legal Protections for Home Inspectors,” by Dana Gittleman (Philadelphia, PA) and Danielle Vugrinovich (Pittsburgh, PA), was published on PLUS Blog.

October 22, 2025 – Anthony Natale (King of Prussia, PA) authored the article, “Compensating the Boys of Fall - College Sports May Soon Face the Ultimate Call: Player or Employee?” appeared in CLM Magazine. 

Fall 2025 – “From Instagram to the Jury: Lessons in Digital Evidence Authentication,” by Brad Haas (Pittsburgh, PA) was published in PAMIC Magazine. 

September 19, 2025 – “Status of ‘Gist of the Action’ in Legal Malpractice Claims Following Swatt v. Nottingham Village,” by Alesia Sulock and Josh J.T. Byrne was published in The Legal Intelligencer. 

RECOGNITION

John Slimm (Mount Laurel, NJ) was among 11 attorneys honored by the New Jersey Judiciary for their pro bono service. Acting Administrative Director Michael J. Blee said, “Pro-bono work is a sacred obligation for all attorneys, and an essential part of being an upstanding member of our legal community. Without the services of attorneys working pro-bono, our justice system could not function.” 

_{Defense Digest, Vol. 31, No. 4, December 2025, is prepared by Marshall Dennehey 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. ATTORNEY ADVERTISING pursuant to New York RPC 7.1. © 2025 Marshall Dennehey. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be reprinted without the express written permission of our firm. For reprints, contact tamontemuro@mdwcg.com.}