7:30 AM

Registration Opens

8:25 – 8:30 AM

Welcome Remarks

8:30 – 9:00 AM

Settlement Administration: Avoiding Common Pitfalls (.50 hr)

Scott Freeman

The Settlement Alliance, Houston, TX

9:00 – 9:45 AM

Emerging Torts (.75 hr)

Shelley Hutson (Mod.)

Clark, Love & Hutson, Houston, TX

Ellen Relkin

Weitz & Luxenberg, New York, NY

Pete Flowers

Meyers & Flowers, Chicago, IL

Tim Becker

Johnson Becker, St. Paul, MN

9:45 – 10:30 AM

Strategies for Key Depositions: “The Prescribing Doctor and Corporate Witness"    PPT (.75 hr)

John Boundas

Williams Kherkher Hart Boundas, Houston, TX

Ed Blizzard

Blizzard & Nabers, Houston, TX

10:30  – 10:45 AM

Break

10:45 – 11:45 AM

Preparing for Trial: 90 Days Out (1.00 hr)

Jim Perdue, Jr.

Perdue & Kidd, Houston, TX

Fidelma Fitzpatrick

Motley Rice,  Providence, RI

11:45 AM – 12:30 PM

Existing Torts (.75 hr)  Paper 1    Paper 2

Erin Copeland (Mod.)

Fibich Leebron Copeland Briggs Josephson, Houston, TX

Doug Monsour

The Monsour Law Firm, Longview, TX

Leigh O’Dell

Beasley Allen, Montgomery, AL

12:30 – 1:00 PM

Break to Grab Lunch and Visit with Vendors

1:00 – 2:00 PM

Perspectives from the Defense Bar (1.00 hr)

Scott Love (Mod.)

Clark, Love & Hutson, Houston, TX

Ellen Reisman

Reisman Karron Greene, Washington, DC

Jim Murdica

Barnes & Thornburg, Chicago, IL

Cliff Merrell

Greenberg Traurig, LLP, Atlanta, GA

Rob Adams

Shook, Hardy & Bacon, Kansas City, MO

2:00 – 2:45 PM

A Case Study in Risperdal: Building a Liability Case through the Defendant’s Marketing Program (.75 hr)

Jason Itkin

Arnold & Itkin, Houston, TX

2:45 – 3:00 PM

Break

3:00 – 3:45 PM

Federal Rules/ESI Update: Making Proportionality Rules Your Own (.75 hr)

Ariana Tadler

Milberg LLP, New York, NY

3:45 – 4:15 PM

Ethical Finality in Mass Tort Settlements    PPT   (.50 hr)  

Prof. Lynn A. Baker

University of Texas School of Law, Austin, TX

4:15  – 5:00 PM

The Department of Justice’s Selective Prosecution of Mass Tort Attorneys (.75 hr)

Mikal Watts

Watts Guerra, LLP, San Antonio, TX

5:00 PM

Adjourn to Seminar Reception • Westin Domain Hotel, Primrose Foyer

8:00 PM – Midnight

AAJ Welcome to Austin Party • Brazos Hall, 204 East 4th Street, Austin