HarrisMartin's Superstorm Sandy Insurance Coverage Litigation Conference

Conference Agenda

Day 1, Wednesday, June 26, 2013

7:30 a.m. - 8:15 a.m.
Continental Breakfast and Registration

8:15 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.
Welcome By Co-Chairs

Jay M. Levin, Reed Smith, LLP, Philadelphia
Stephen E. Goldman, Robinson & Cole, LLP, Robinson & Cole, LLP
Gerard H. Hanson, Hill Wallack LLP, Princeton, NJ
James Veach, Mound Cotton Wollan & Greengrass, New York


8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Superstorm Sandy - Eight Months Later

Statistics
• Claims filed/closed
• Cost to Industry
• How Much the Industry has Paid
Mediation and Litigation
• New Jersey Mediation Program
• New York Mediation Program
• Connecticut Proposed Legislation
• How the Mediation Programs are Faring
• How the NJ/NY Mediation Programs Compare to Mediation Efforts Undertaken After Hurricane Katrina and Other Natural Disasters
James Veach, Mound Cotton Wollan & Greengrass, New York, NY
Gerard H. Hanson, Hill Wallack, LLP, Princeton, NJ
Gene Warhurst, Strickland & Kendall LLC, Montgomery, AL

Stephen E. Goldman, Robinson & Cole, LLP, Hartford, CT
Jay M. Levin, Reed Smith, LLP, Philadelphia


9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Keynote Address - Superstorm Sandy and the New Jersey Insurance Market

Kenneth E. Kobylowski, Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, Trenton, NJ


10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
FEMA and The National Flood Insurance Program

Ernest B. Abbott, FEMA Law Associates PLLC, Washington, D.C.


10:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Refreshment Break

10:45 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Flood Exclusion Issues

• What Constitutes Flood, Storm Surge, Wind-Driven Water?
• Do These Come Within Flood Exclusions, Coverage, or Deductibles?
• How Superstorm Sandy Differed From Other Natural Catastrophes, Including Hurricanes Irene and Katrina
• Concurrent Causation Issues
• Pending Class Action Suits
Alan B. Garfinkel, Katzman, Garfinkel & Berger, P.A., Maitland, FL
Wystan M. Ackerman, Robinson & Cole LLP, Hartford, CT
Frank Winston, Lerner, Arnold & Winston, LLP, New York


11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Wind v. Flood - An Engineering Perspective

Jack L. Halliwell, P.E., Halliwell Engineering Associates Inc., Aventura, FL


12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

Sponsored by Robson Forensic Inc.

Robson Forensic Inc.


1:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
Business Interruption Issues Arising Out of Catastrophes, Contingent BI/Dependent Property Coverage

Stephen Goldman, Robinson & Cole, LLP, Hartford, CT
Richard P. Lewis, Reed Smith LLP, New York

John D. Dempsey, CPA, CFE, Dempsey Partners, LLC, Wilton, CT
Peter Kahn, CPA, Matson Driscoll & Damico, New York


2:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.
Civil Authority

• Policy Issues
• What Orders were Entered and When?
Gregory P. Varga, Robinson & Cole LLP, Hartford, CT
Joshua L. Mallin, Weg & Myers, New York


3:15 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Refreshment Break

3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Broker E&O Implications

Jay M. Levin, Reed Smith LLP, Philadelphia


4:00 p.m. - 4:40 p.m.
Power Interruption

Douglas R. Widin, Reed Smith LLP, Philadelphia
Alex Z. Kattamis, Ph.D., P.E, CFEI, Exponent, New York


4:40 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
New York and New Jersey Bad Faith Claims

• “Fairly Debatable” Standard
• Consumer Fraud Act
• Unfair Claims Practices Regulations
• Extra-Contractual Damages
• Reimbursement of Counsel Fees
• Pending Bad Faith Legislation
Gerard H. Hanson, Hill Wallack LLP, Princeton, NJ
Frank J. DeAngelis, Mound Cotton Wollan & Greengrass, Newark, NJ
Jeffrey M. Pollock, Fox Rothschild LLP, Princeton, NJ


5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Networking Cocktail Reception