Conference Agenda
Day 1, Friday, February 24, 2017
7:30 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.
Continental Breakfast and Registration
Breakfast Sponsored by Priority-One/Veritext
8:45 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Welcome By Co-Chairs
David Katzenstein, Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC, Newark, NJ
John C. Garde, McCarter & English, Newark, NJ
Christopher M. Placitella, Cohen, Placitella & Roth, P.C., Red Bank, NJ
Joel R. Clark, McGivney & Kluger, P.C., Florham Park, NJ
9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
State of the Docket
Agatha N. Dzikiewicz, Esq., Special Master, New Jersey Superior Court, Middlesex County, New Brunswick, NJ
Joel R. Clark, McGivney & Kluger, P.C., Florham Park, NJ
Rachel A. Placitella, Cohen, Placitella & Roth, P.C., Red Bank, NJ
9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Mock Trial of a Smoking Lung Cancer Case - Brief Statement of the Case and Jury Selection
• Jury Questionnaires
• Comments by the Jury Consultants and Counsel
• Statement of the Case by the Judge
• Jury Selection by Plaintiff and Defense Counsel
Presiding Judge:
Hon. Bradley J. Ferencz (Ret.), Hoagland, Longo, Moran, Dunst & Doukas, LLP, New Brunswick, NJ
Robert F. Bettler Jr., Ph.D., DecisionQuest, Atlanta
Eric Lalande, Magna Legal Services, Philadelphia
Benjamin Scrimalli, Magna Legal Services, Philadelphia
John C. Garde, McCarter & English, Newark, NJ
Christopher M. Placitella, Cohen, Placitella & Roth, P.C., Red Bank, NJ
10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Mock Trial - Opening Statements from the Plaintiff and the Defense
• Case Themes
• Preempting the Opposition
• Telling the Story
Marvin Blakely, McGivney & Kluger, P.C., Florham Park, NJ
Amber R. Long, Levy Konigsberg LLP, New York
10:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Refreshment Break
11:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
Mock Trial - Direct of Plaintiff Expert and Cross Examination
Testifying Expert: Dennis M. Geier, Cohen, Placitella & Roth, P.C., Red Bank, NJ
Richard D. Picini, Caruso Smith Picini, Fairfield, NJ
William L. Kuzmin, Cohen, Placitella & Roth, P.C., Red Bank, NJ
11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Mock Trial - Direct of Defendant’s Expert and Cross Examination
• Disease Process
• Causation
• State of Art
Testifying Expert: Benjamin H. Safirstein, M.D., Pulmonologist, Glen Ridge, NJ
Thomas M. Toman Jr., Forman Watkins & Krutz LLP, Red Bank, NJ
Angelo J. Cifaldi, Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A., Woodbridge, NJ
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch
1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Mock Trial - Closing Arguments and Summary of the Case
• Focusing on the Trial Theme
• Guiding the Jury to Decision
• Overcoming Unexpected Evidence
David Katzenstein, Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC, Newark, NJ
Christopher M. Placitella, Cohen, Placitella & Roth, P.C., Red Bank, NJ
2:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
Mock Trial - Jury Instructions
Robert F. Bettler Jr., Ph.D., DecisionQuest, Atlanta
Eric Lalande, Magna Legal Services, Philadelphia
Benjamin Scrimalli, Magna Legal Services, Philadelphia
2:45 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Refreshment Break
3:00 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Mock Trial - Jury Deliberation, Verdict and Discussion
Robert F. Bettler Jr., Ph.D., DecisionQuest, Atlanta
Eric Lalande, Magna Legal Services, Philadelphia
Benjamin Scrimalli, Magna Legal Services, Philadelphia
3:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
Ethics in Mass Tort Litigation
John C. Garde, McCarter & English, Newark, NJ
Lynne M. Kizis, Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A., Woodbridge, NJ
4:45 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.
Networking Cocktail Reception
*Invited Speaker