Thought Leadership

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Michael Salvati (Philadelphia) was a featured speaker in the A.M. Best podcast, “The Misuse Defense: Strategic Approaches to Defending Product Liability Claims for Insurers.” Mike joined a panel of industry experts to discuss the evidentiary and strategic considerations behind a successful misuse defense. The program is available here (must register to listen). https://www3.ambest.com/conferences/events/eventregister.aspx?event_id=WEB1074

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Brad Remick (Philadelphia) served as a panelist for a Pennsylvania Defense Institute webinar on Recent Product Liability Pretrial and Trial Experience in Pennsylvania (State and Federal Courts). The program offered a 2026 update on key developments in Pennsylvania product liability law, highlighting significant appellate decisions, evolving jury instruction issues, and procedural trends shaping trial practice.

Sara Mazzolla (Roseland) participated on a panel where she shared her insights at the NAFDMA International Agritourism Association Convention & Expo. She kicked things off on February 8 with “Safety and Legal Prep,” a session focused on proactive strategies for keeping agritourism operations protected. On February 9, Sara continued with “I’m Getting Sued. Now What?,” a dynamic walkthrough of what businesses should expect and how to respond when faced with a claim.

Suzanne Tighe (Scranton) presented to over 200 attendees at PBI’s Joint & Several Liability 2026 Virtual Seminar on February 12. In her session, “Negotiation, Settlement and Release,” Suzanne offered guidance on effective approaches to settlement negotiations, release drafting, and risk management in complex multi‑party matters, and walked participants through techniques for reaching fair, enforceable resolutions with greater efficiency.

Elizabeth Ferguson (Jacksonville) spoke on the topic of Design Professional Liability at the Florida Bar Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section’s Advanced Construction Law & Certification Review Course. This course prepares attorneys for board certification, covering topics from construction insurance to contract and form documents. Learn more about the course here: https://www.rpptl.org/DrawCommittees.aspx?GroupCommitteeID=60.

Trish Monahan (Pittsburgh), Brielle Winkler (Mt. Laurel), and Brad Haas (Pittsburgh) delivered a virtual presentation for AAA titled Defense Litigation: Key Concepts and Current Developments. Topics covered included special damages evaluation, recent litigation developments, Pennsylvania specific bodily injury defenses, early claim evaluation, UIM/bad faith issues, coverage considerations, New Jersey auto claims, and psych/concussion cases. These topics were developed in coordination with AAA to address current trends and challenges facing their claims teams.

​John Hare (Philadelphia) moderated a panel discussion at Temple Law School in which leading Pennsylvania judges addressed the origins and importance of judicial independence in the United States. The discussion was cohosted by the Pennsylvania Commission on Judicial Independence, of which John is a member, the American Constitution Society, and the Women's Law Caucus.

On April 1, Chris Conrad (Harrisburg) co-presented on a panel that included Middle District of PA Chief Judge, Matthew Brann, on Civil Rights Litigation as part of “The Courts and the Community: An Educational Series for the Public,” sponsored by Dickinson College.

Jeff Rapattoni (Philadelphia), James H. Cole (Philadelphia), Alec DelConte (Philadelphia), and Allison Krupp (Harrisburg) spoke at the 2026 Pennsylvania Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (PAMIC) Claims Summit on April 8th. Jeff's session "Civil Rico and Insurance Fraud – A National Perspective" highlighted the rise of mass RICO filings and the key cases, trends, and risks shaping their impact. Jim and Alec co-presented "Condominium Conundrum (Acts, Liability, & HO-6 and HOA master policies)," reflecting on the issues insurers encounter in navigating claims arising out of HO-6 and HOA policies. Lastly, Allision led "e-Bikes and e-Vehicles" with two other speakers, tackling the legislation pertaining to this growing form of transportation.

James H. Cole (Philadelphia), Director of our Professional Liability Department, presented four sessions at the Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB) Annual Claims Conference in National Harbor, Maryland.  Jim kicked things off with “Unfair Claims Practices: This is Jeopardy!,” an interactive exploration of the Model Unfair Claims Practices Act (MUCPA) presented in a game‑show format, followed by “Liar, Liar, Your House is on Fire,” a session focused on common insurance fraud issues with an emphasis on property damage.

On April 9, Peggy Bush (Orlando) presented "Current Issues Faced by the Transportation Industry and Trends in Transportation Litigation," to the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) Corporate Counsel Committee via webinar. Ethan Collins (Orlando) assisted Peggy tremendously with research for the presentation.

On April 12, Victoria Scanlon (Scranton) was a faculty presenter at the 2026 American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh. She participated in the “Resident Symposium: Producing Quality Reports,” focusing her presentation on “How to Write a Great Report: Malpractice Lawyer’s Perspective.” Vicky, the only attorney presenter for this two-hour segment, was joined by several health care professionals including diagnostic radiologists, an interventional radiologist, an internal medicine physician, and a radiologist turned AI entrepreneur expert.

PUBLISHED WORKS

​Brad Haas (Pittsburgh) authored the article, “Paul Miller's Law: Direct and Punitive Transportation Exposure," published in CLM Magazine.

RECOGNITION

Michele Punturi (Philadelphia) has been named one of four finalists nationwide for the 2026 CLM Professional of the Year Award in the Outside Counsel category. This prestigious national recognition honors an attorney who demonstrates exceptional commitment to claims and litigation management through thought leadership, mentorship, innovative practices, and meaningful contributions to the CLM community.

Our attorneys Rob Williams (Jacksonville), Terrence Hill (Orlando), Kimberly Berman (Ft. Lauderdale), Harris Kirsch (Ft. Lauderdale), and AC Nash (Ft. Lauderdale) attended the National Retail and Restaurant Defense Association Annual Conference in Amelia Island, FL, this week, where they connected with clients, colleagues, and industry leaders across the retail and restaurant space.

As Coach for Widener University Delaware Law School’s Moot Court Team, Joshua W. Brownlie (Philadelphia) led the team to victory at the 41st Annual Jerome Prince Memorial Evidence Moot Court Competition at Brooklyn Law School, one of the nation’s premier appellate advocacy competitions. Competing against 36 law schools from across the country — including Drexel, Villanova, NYU, and Yale — the team rose to the top to secure the national title. Adding to the achievement, student, Jayden Velazquez, was named Top Oralist out of all competitors. Josh also serves as an adjunct professor at the law school. Learn more about the competition here: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/delaware-law-students-capture-first-place-jerome-prince-memorial-evidence-competition.