Thought Leadership

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

April 17, 2025 – Lauren Purcell’s (Pittsburgh, PA) article, “A Post-’Sullivan’ World Requires a Strong Expert Report,” was published by The Legal Intelligencer. You can read here article here.

March 17, 2025 – The Legal Intelligencer published Alesia Sulock’s and Josh J.T. Byrne’s article “‘Clear and Convincing’ Is the New Standard for Attorney Disciplinary Matters.” You can read their article here.

February 27, 2025 – Brad Haas (Pittsburgh, PA) authored the article, “Pennsylvania’s Expanding Vicarious Liability Standard,” appearing in The Legal Intelligencer. The article discusses the Pennsylvania Superior Court’s January 31st ruling in Coryell v. Morris, which represents an expansion in the state’s approach to vicarious liability for franchisors. Read the article here.  

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Jason Banonis (King of Prussia, PA) teamed up with William L. Roberts, MBA, ARM on May 7, 2025, to present “The Great Eight: 8 Questions Every Risk Professional, Claims Director or Litigation Manager Must Ask Defense Counsel Before Taking a Verdict” at the annual RIMS Conference.

Josh J.T. Byrne (Philadelphia, PA) participated in the Pennsylvania Bar Institute webinar “The New World of Immigration Under the Trump Administration: Sensitive Area and Worksite Enforcement” on April 22, 2025.

James Cole (Philadelphia, PA) co-presented “This Is Jeopardy!!! Unfair Claims Practices” at the 2025 PLRB Conference on March 31, 2025. Presented in the popular game show format, this interactive session provided an in-depth analysis of the Model Unfair Claims Practices Act. 

Lee Durivage (Philadelphia, PA) co-presented at the Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s two-day “Employment Law Institute 2025,” held in Philadelphia on April 15–16, 2025.

John Hare (Philadelphia, PA) joined a panel of judges and attorneys to present the live webcast “New Voir Dire Rule Pa.R.C.P. 220.3,” on behalf of the State Civil Litigation Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association on March 19, 2025. 

Kevin Hexstall (Philadelphia, PA) co-presented “The Art of Settlement: Techniques and Strategies for Choosing the ADR Option that Gets the Best Results for Your Client” for the Philadelphia Bar Association. Held on May 7, 2025, this webcast presented a comprehensive examination of the various options for dispute resolution, including mediation, ADR, and judicial settlement conferences. 

Matthew Keris (Scranton, PA) presented “MPL Crossfire: How to Prepare for AI From a Medico-Legal Perspective” at the 2024 Medical Professional Liability Association conference on May 22, 2025. On May 5, Matt presented “Tips to Minimize and Manage Your Audit Trail Footprint” at the 33rd Annual New England Regional Healthcare Risk Management Conference. Finally, on May 2, Matt co-presented “Venue Shopping, Risk Management & Avoidance” with Curt Schroeder ((PA Civil Justice Reform) at the Keystone Chapter American College of Surgeons.

Matthew Keris and Nicole Tanana (both of Scranton, PA) headlined at the Pennsylvania Association for Health Care Risk Management (PAHCRM) 2025 Annual Conference. On April 16, 2025, Matt, chair of our Electronic Medical Record and Audit Trail Practice Group (and also PAHCRM President-Elect), presented “Tips for Keeping a “Clean” Medical Record in an Electronic World.” On April 17, Nicole presented a “Legal/Case Law Update.”

Andrew Marchese (Fort Lauderdale, FL) co-presented “Understanding Directors & Officers Liability and Insurance for Community Association Boards” for the Florida Bar Association on April 16, 2025. The Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section’s CLE webcast focused on potential liabilities for community association board members; how they have changed with Florida’s new statutory requirements; and what liabilities are covered by insurance policies.

A.C. Nash (Fort Lauderdale, FL) co-presented “The Yellow Brick Road to Litigation Success: What Happens When Carriers and Defense Counsel Team Up?” on April 10, 2025, at the annual CLM Conference.

Jeffrey Rapattoni (Mount Laurel, NJ) presented “Ethics and the Investigator” at the 18th Annual New England Chapter of the IASIU Seminar. On April 16, Jeff co-presented “Update in Fraud - A Legal Panel” at the 2025 Pennsylvania Insurance Fraud Conference, a collaboration between the Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority and International Association of Special Investigation Units. Additionally, on March 4, Jeff presented at the Insurance Fraud Management (IFM) Conference where he spoke on two different panels during the conference: “Emerging Challenges in Insurance Fraud Investigations,” and “Exploring the Past and Predicting the Future of the SIU Landscape.” 

Jacqueline Reynolds (King of Prussia, PA) co-presented “Give Us Liberty and Give Us Safety: Understanding Civics in the 21st Century Campus Conversations Series” at Gwynedd Mercy University on March 18, 2025. Hosted by the Montgomery Bar Association, this discussion on the enduring legacy of the U.S. Constitution, explored key amendments—including the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 14th—examined their language, legal interpretation, and real-world impact. From safeguarding individual freedoms to limiting government overreach, these amendments continue to shape our society 238 years after the Constitution’s ratification. Also, on March 7, 2025, Jacqueline joined a panel to present “Preparing Your Bar Association for the Silver Tsunami: What Are the Roles and Opportunities for Bar Associations Related to Aging Members and an Aging Community.” This presentation was made at the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Annual Conference of County Bar Leaders.

Alesia Sulock (Philadelphia, PA) joined a panel discussion at the American Bar Association Spring 2025 LPL conference, “By Young Professionals, For Young Professionals: YP Roundtable – Part Three – A Lunch Discussion” on April 3, 2025.

Elizabeth Underwood (Philadelphia, PA) presented as part of “Decoding the Doctor’s Notes: A Legal Guide to Medical Evidence,” a day-long webinar hosted by NBI. Held on March 20, 2025, the webinar focused on providing insights and skills to effectively utilize and challenge medical records and experts in litigation. Beth presented two sessions, one on “Getting the Most Out of Medical Experts” and the other on “Best Practices for Presenting Medical Records and Expert Testimony.” 

_{Defense Digest, Vol. 31, No. 2, June 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.}