WAJ Summer Seminar
Grand Geneva Resort, Lake Geneva

SEMINAR KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Friday, July 14th, 8:30 am - 12:00 pm

CASE FRAMING with Mark Mandell

If you want to succeed in trial, then you have to find the reasons that will make your juries care.

At this seminar, you will learn the newest innovation in preparing and trying your cases. Developed by AAJ Past President Mark Mandell, the Case Framing paradigm relies on the latest research in decision science and psychology to help you find the overall case frame, identify the "I Just Can't Get Over" issues, and echo those issues throughout trial. The underlying premise is that just verdicts result when everything presented at trial is framed and sequenced to focus juror attention on the points you most want to make. Your case is about what you focus it on—focus the jury's attention on what actually matters.

Mr. Mandell practices law at Mandell, Schwartz & Boisclair, Ltd, in Providence, Rhode Island. He specializes in catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, medical negligence, dram shop and products liability cases. He is triple Board Certified, nationally.  His certifications are in the areas of Civil Trials, Civil Pretrial and Medical Negligence Litigation.  Mr. Mandell is currently listed in "The Best Lawyers in America." He is a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates. Mr. Mandell is a past president of American Association for Justice, Rhode Island Trial Lawyers Association, and the Rhode Island Bar Association.  He is the immediate past chair of the Board of Directors of the Roger Williams University School of Law.  He has more million dollar verdicts and verdicts of over $10,000,000 than any other lawyer in Rhode Island history.  Most recently, he obtained the largest verdict and judgment in a medical negligence trial in Rhode Island history. The judgment was for $31,500,000.

SEMINAR KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Saturday, July 15th: 8:30 to 9:45 am

 2017 Tort Update

 Edward E. Robinson, Attorney, Cannon & Dunphy, SC

Session Overview:  Stay up-to-date with this quick-hitting session which will survey the most important supreme court and appellate court decisions from this past year on a wide range of topics that may impact your practice. 

SEMINAR SESSION SPEAKER: Saturday, July 15th: 10:00 to 10:30 am

 Defining an FCE/FCA

 Matt Holton MS, AT, CWcHP
 Workers Compensation Manager IL/WI
 ATI Physical Therapy

Session Overview: Description on what comprises an FCE/FCA, components used to determine validity, definition of validity determination, comparisons of FCE/FCA systems, when to recommend an FCA, and understanding how determination is being interpreted. 

SEMINAR SESSION SPEAKER: Saturday, July 15th: 10:30 to 10:45 am

 Medicare Set-Aside Update:

 Will Liability Medicare Set- Asides
 Be Required October 1, 2017?

 Kristen S. Scheuerman, Attorney, Herrling Clark Law Firm

Session Overview: In February 2017, DHHS and CMS released Pub 100-20 One-Time Notification Change Request 9893. Some people interpreted this Change Request as an announcement that beginning in October 2017, Set Asides would become “required” in liability cases. This presentation will carefully dissect the Change Request and encourage discussion about what the Change Request really accomplishes (spoiler alert: the sky is not falling). 

SEMINAR SESSION SPEAKER: Saturday, July 15th: 10:45 to 11:00 am

Wisconsin First Party Bad Faith-Trials and Tribulations

 Joel W. Brodd, Attorney, Brodd Law Firm, LLC

Session Overview: UIM carriers erroneously attempt to reduce UIM limits by medical payments and/or collateral source payments

Joel is a personal injury trial lawyer and a vigorous and compassionate advocate who has represented injured people for the past 35 years, having successfully resolved hundreds of significant, serious personal injury and product liability cases in Wisconsin, Minnesota and throughout the upper Midwest. Joel has tried over 45 cases to verdict, including auto collisions, product liability and premises liability cases. 

SEMINAR ETHICS SPEAKER: Saturday, July 15th: 11:00 am to 12:00 pm

 Ethics Presentation

 Terry E. Johnson, Attorney, Peterson Johnson Murray

Mr. Johnson is a frequent lecturer to groups of attorneys on topics including trial practice and process, cross-examination, attorney ethics and professional liability. He represents lawyers and law firms on issues relating to corporate/business structure, law firm dissolution and attorney departure, legal malpractice, and ethical issues associated there within. Mr. Johnson is frequently retained as an expert witness in these areas.     

Seminar Information: