Chinese Drywall Litigation Conference

Conference Agenda

Day 1, Thursday, October 28, 2010

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

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

Ronald L. Kammer, Hinshaw & Culbertson, LLP, Miami, FL
Neal A. Sivyer, Sivyer, Barlow & Watson, P.A., Tampa, FL


8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Knauf “Pilot Program” Settlement-- Will it Succeed or Crash?

Neal A. Sivyer, Sivyer, Barlow & Watson, P.A., Tampa, FL
Christopher A. Seeger, Seeger Weiss, LLP, New York
Russ M. Herman, Herman, Herman, Katz & Cotlar, LLP, Atlanta


9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
What's Behind the Drywall -
An In-Depth Look At The Trial Of A Chinese Drywall Case
  • Trial and Damages
  • Proof Required
  • Trial Tips

Ervin A. Gonzalez, Colson Hicks Eidson, Coral Gables, FL
Michael J. Ryan, Krupnick, Campbell, Malone, Buser, Slama, Hancock, Liberman & McKee, Fort Lauderdale, FL


10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Is There Insurance For This? Can Homeowners Turn to Their Homeowner’s Insurance Policies To Recover The Costs To Remove Chinese Drywall?

Mark A. Boyle Sr., Boyle & Gentile, P.A., Fort Myers, FL
Scott J. Frank, Butler Pappas, Tampa, FL
William S. Berk, Berk Merchant & Sims, Miami, FL


11:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Refreshment Break

11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
The Chemistry and Analysis of Chinese Drywall What’s this Stuff Made of Anyway?
  • Inspections and a Scientific Update
  • Sampling, Chemistry and Analysis of Drywall
  • Update on Remediation Protocol
  • Impact of CPSC's Findings
  • Recent MDL Decisions -- Hernandez and Germano

Jared R. Henthorn, CSM, CMR, SEA, Ltd., Tampa, FL
Tim Gray, Forman, Perry, Watkins, Krutz & Tardy, LLP, New Orleans


12:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:30 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.
The Medical Evaluation of Health Claims Allegedly Caused by Exposure to Chinese Drywall

Allan Feingold, M.D., Medical Director, Occupational & Environmental Medicine,
South Miami Hospital, Miami
Patricia Williams, Ph.D., DABT, Environmental Toxicology Experts, Metarie, LA


2:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Refreshment Break

2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Analysis of the Drywall

Dennis Hooper, M.D., Ph.D., RealTime Laboratories, LLC, Dallas
Kaye H. Kilburn, M.D., Neuro-Test Inc., Pasadena, CA


3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Insurance Claims – Is The Pollution Exclusion A “Silver Bullet” And Other Potential Defenses to Coverage

R. Hugh Lumpkin, Ver Ploeg & Lumpkin, P.A., Miami
Lorelie S. Masters, Jenner & Block, LLP, Washington, D.C.
Lee H. Ogburn, Kramon & Graham, P.A., Baltimore, MD
Kyle N. Roehler, Foland, Wickens, Eisfelder, Roper & Felder, Kansas City, Missouri
Matthew C. Kotzen, Marinello & Kotzen, Miami


5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Networking Cocktail Reception

Day 2, Friday, October 29, 2010

7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.
Continental Breakfast

8:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.
What’s Happening? A Current Look at the Cases and Significant Rulings In the MDL and State Courts

Robert V. Fitzsimmons, Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell, Miami
C. David Durkee, Roberts & Durkee, P.A., Coral Gables, FL
H. Minor Pipes III, Barrasso Usdin Kupperman Freeman & Sarver, LLC, New Orleans
Sean C. Pierce, Carr Allison, Birmingham, AL


9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
You Owe Me Money –– Getting Others And Their Insurers to Pay You
  • Additional Insured Coverage

Holly S. Harvey, Thornton Davis & Fein, P.A., Miami
Christopher J. Belter, Goldberg Segalla LLP, Buffalo, NY
Robert P. Thavis, Leonard, Street and Deinard, Minneapolis
Sean C. Pierce, Carr Allison, Birmingham, AL


10:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Refreshment Break

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Ethical Considerations, Practical Problems and Solutions Confronting Parties Who Settle Chinese Drywall Claims

Jeffrey M. Paskert, Mills Paskert Divers, P.A., Tampa, FL
Renee Melancon, formerly with Baron & Budd, Dallas
Mark A. Salky, GreenbergTraurig, Miami


12:00 p.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Adjourn