HarrisMartin's Midwest Asbestos Litigation Conference

Conference Agenda

Day 1, Friday, September 27, 2024

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

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

Amy E. Garrett, Simmons Hanly Conroy LLC, Alton, IL
Brenda G. Baum, HeplerBroom LLC, Edwardsville, IL


8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
St. Clair County, Illinois: Asbestos Practice Pointers

Ivan Cason, The Gori Law Firm, Edwardsville, IL
Kate Bree, Hawkins, Parnell & Young LLP


9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Coincidence or Causation: The Base Rate Fallacy

Michael Brockland, SWMW Law, St. Louis
Mark G. Zellmer, Husch Blackwell LLP, St. Louis


9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Large Verdicts and Their Impact on Litigation

R. Seth Crompton, Unglesby & Crompton, St. Louis
Derek Ruzicka, Gausnell, O'Keefe & Thomas, LLC, St. Louis


10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
Refreshment Break

10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
AI’s Role in the Practice of Law and the Ethical Implications

Bethany Gasperin, Shrader & Associates, LLP, St. Louis
Alemayehu A. Ayanaw, HeplerBroom LLC, Edwardsville, IL
Paige Tungate, Downey Law Group LLC, St. Louis


11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Updates on Cook County and Martin v. Goodrich

Honorable Patrick J. Sherlock, Circuit Judge, Illinois Circuit Court, Cook County, Chicago
Matthew J. Adair, Cooney & Conway, Chicago
James P. O'Shea II, Husch Blackwell LLP, Chicago


12:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Lunch

1:15 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Madison County, Illinois Asbestos Docket Updates

Honorable Andrew K. Carruthers, Associate Judge, Illinois 3rd Judicial Circuit Court, Madison County, Edwardsville, IL
Sara M. Salger, The Gori Law Firm, St. Louis
Eric P. Hall, HeplerBroom LLC, Edwardsville, IL


2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Trends in Industrial and Cosmetic Talc Litigation

Dennis M. Geier, Simmons Hanly Conroy LLP, New York
Jennifer Johnson, Heyl Royster, Edwardsville, IL


2:30 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.
The Humanitarian Lawyer

Erin L. Beavers, The Gori Law Firm, Edwardsville, IL
Jacqueline Redmond, Sandberg Phoenix & von Gontard P.C., St. Louis
Clarissa Gaff, Executive Director, Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, St. Louis


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

3:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.
Insolvency, Insurance Coverage and the Future of Asbestos Claims

Sophie Zavaglia, SWMW Law, St. Louis
Lauren Williams, SWMW Law, St. Louis
Katie Pritchard, Foley & Mansfield, Edwardsville, IL
Meghan Kane, Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice LLC, Belleville, IL


4:15 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Navigating An Asbestos Case in St. Louis

Honorable Joseph P. Whyte, Missouri 22nd Judicial Circuit Court, St. Louis
Andrew S. Williams, Simmons Hanly Conroy LLP, Alton, IL
Carolyn Husmann, Sinars Slowikowski Tomaska, St. Louis


5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Networking Cocktail Reception