~~Carol has been employed with Allstate Insurance Company for over 32 years.  Prior to her employment with Allstate she was a 911 Police & Fire Dispatcher.  She has held various titles and positions within Allstate including management.  Carol has primarily focused her career in the Special Investigation Unit concentrating on complex fraud investigations and litigation.  Currently, she oversees a countrywide team of SIU Analysts responsible for filing affirmative civil actions against those who defraud the company to include; but not limited to, complex organized fraud.

Carol majored in Criminal Justice and holds various certifications and designations such as SCLA and Certified Insurance Fraud Investigator (CIFI). Carol is a board member of the Medical Claim Defense Network, a Co- chair for CLM- Claim Litigation Management’s Insurance Fraud Committee; a member of the Florida Division of Insurance Fraud Property & Casualty Task Force and a past member of the Florida Insurance Counsel. In addition she has been appointed by the State of FL to provide continuing education in Bodily Injury, Personal Injury (PIP), Property and Casualty arena.

In 2008 Carol was honored with the prestigious award, by the State of Florida, as the Insurance Investigator of the Year. at the Annual Insurance Fraud Conference.

 

Brit Global Specialty is a market leader in specialty insurance and reinsurance. Brit is a reputable and influential name in the Lloyd’s market and prides itself on specialist underwriting and claims expertise. Brit Global Specialty USA is based in Chicago and its specialties include Public & Non-Profit, Property Direct and Facultative and Criminal Justice Service Operations. David Bachman joined the Chicago office Brit Global Specialty in June of 2013. His primary role is to oversee claims for Public & Non-Profit accounts as well as the Criminal Justice Program. Prior to joining Brit, David had seven years in the insurance industry handling public sector claims and four years practicing law specializing in insurance defense and personal injury cases.

Keith Phillips is an Assistant Vice-President for AXIS in the MGA unit.
 
Keith began his insurance career in 1990 with Nationwide Insurance Company as a liability field representative and was promoted through the ranks to Claims Specialist II.   In 1999, he went to work for Atlantic Mutual Insurance as a Liability Claims Specialist. The caseload was primarily catastrophic bodily injury claims, CD and other files with significant coverage issues. In 2004, Keith joined ACE Westchester Fire Insurance Company where he supervised complex multiparty litigation involving NY Labor Law and CD claims.  
 
In 2008, Keith joined AXIS where he supervised the TPA responsible a case load of 900 CD claims. Additionally, he directly handled a pending of professional liability (architects and engineers) and contractor’s pollution liability claims.  Recently, Keith moved into the MGA unit and is supervising claims involving CGL, Property, Inland Marine, Business Auto and Professional Liability.
 
Keith has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Valdosta State University and obtained the CPCU designation  in 1998.
 

Adam is a partner at BatesCarey LLP with a national reputation for innovative advocacy in complex insurance and reinsurance coverage issues with respect to the pre-litigation, litigation and appellate stages. His litigation experience spans a broad range of reinsurance and insurance disputes across the United States involving Fortune 500 companies, including environmental and health hazard matters, managed care and medical malpractice claims, construction defect coverage disputes, and even first-party data loss issues. Adam has lectured on e-commerce risks, advertising injury and reinsurance to brokers, claims handlers and underwriters in Toronto, Texas, California, New York, Kansas, Arizona, London and Zurich. In recent years, Adam has regularly been honored by his peers by being selected to Illinois Super Lawyers in the category of insurance coverage.

Adam is a frequent author on numerous insurance coverage issues, including recent articles addressing the Duty of Utmost Good Faith, as well as insurance coverage for Business Risks.

Pat has been with Bonezzi Switzer Polito & Hupp Co. L.P.A. since 2016.
She has been involved with the insurance industry since her graduation from law school working first as an in-house subrogation attorney and then a claims litigation attorney before entering private practice in the Cincinnati area in 1992. She spends her days working in the insurance defense and insurance investigation fields. Pat has successfully defended a wide array of cases ranging from coverage issues to bad faith, including intentional torts, building risks, and significant personal injury cases, among others.

Areas of Practice: Insurance Coverage, Bad Faith Litigation, Property and Casualty Defense, Claim Investigation

Education: University of Kentucky, College of Law- Juris Doctorate December 1980
 Michigan State University-B.A. Humanities prelaw with honors, 1977

Erik A. Sikorski CPCU, AIC is a claim executive at Builders Insurance Group in Atlanta. Mr. Sikorski graduated, from The University of Kentucky in May, 1993 and has been in the Insurance industry since September 1993. Mr. Sikorski currently leads all claims handling and litigation arising from General Liability policies. Mr. Sikorski has experience in every facet of the property casualty industry, holding such positions as Assistant Vice President, Director Complex Claims and Litigation, Director National Subrogation, Regional Claims Manager Auto/Property, State Claims manager, and Claim Manager. Mr. Sikorski is diversely experienced with claims handling process from intake through resolution, including litigation through verdict and appeals. Mastery level understanding of Auto/GL/Property claims and all associated facets. 

Mr. Sikorski has written and lectured widely on many aspects of property casualty claim handling across multiple jurisdictions. He has also spoken at various National Conferences on various property casualty claims related topics. 

PUBLICATIONS

Articles:      
“Hot Technology Scorching Results” - Claims Management Magazine, 
“The Value of Vacancy” - Litigation Management Magazine, 
“One is More than 50”- CPCU Quarterly

Novels:  The Package & Unwilling Donors

David Mercer is a partner in the Tampa, Florida office of Butler Pappas Weihmuller Katz Craig LLP.  He practices in the areas of third party extra-contractual claims, including bad faith, insurance fraud and coverage issues as well as general liability matters. He has extensive trial and appellate experience in state and federal courts in many areas of civil litigation, including insurance bad faith, insurance coverage and liability defense.  Most of David’s work involves the defense of insurance clients in extracontractual claims arising from liability coverages, as well as the litigation of general liability issues.
David received his Bachelor of Science  from Florida State University in 1995, and his Juris Doctor degree, with honors, from the University of Miami in 1995.  He is admitted to practice in all courts of the State of Florida, the United States District Courts for the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida, and  the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
David is a frequent lecturer at insurance industry events on issues pertaining to bad faith and insurance coverage and has been awarded the designation of Certified Litigation Management Professional from CLM. 

Robert Luskin is an accomplished litigation defense attorney representing clients in both federal and state courts throughout Georgia and Tennessee. Robert maintains a vast practice defending corporations and individuals in various complex litigation matters. He has extensive experience in the areas of product liability, premises liability, professional negligence, questionable insurance claims and other insurance coverage matters. Robert also represents various companies with regard to employment related matters including discrimination and harassment issues.

Robert is a recognized thought leader often presenting at national risk management and claims litigation conferences throughout the country.

Mr. Markey has been an Investigator with Chubb Insurance assigned to their SIU Department. He has a wealth of experience, first starting out in-law enforcement with the Compton Police Department for 20 years, attaining the rank of Detective. He worked numerous assignments including homicide and fraud investigation. His experience in fraud investigations at the end of his career assisted in his transition to the private sector investigations.

Mr. Markey operated his own investigations company for several years then transitioned into corporate Security Management. He left that field to return to his investigative roots, concentrating on fraud investigations. He has been involved in numerous white collar investigations related to Medicare, and Corporate fraud investigations. Prior to employment with Chubb Insurance he conducted corporate fraud investigations for Countrywide Mortgage. He also has extensive expertise in interviewing and interrogation, and teaches in this field.

 

Daniel I. Jaeger
Worldwide First Party SIU Manager
Chubb & Son, a division of Federal Insurance Company

Daniel I Jaeger, CPCU, AIC- Dan Jaeger began his career with State Farm Indemnity Company as a Catastrophic PIP Claim Representative. Within 18-months Dan transferred into State Farm's SIU where he investigated suspicious BI, UM/UIM, PIP and PD losses. During his tenure with State Farm, Dan was also assigned to State Farm's Organized Activity Unit where he investigated suspicious claimants, attorneys and healthcare practitioners in New Jersey. In 1998 Dan was hired by American International Group to investigate suspicious auto and homeowners losses in Philadelphia, Maryland and Delaware.

He was hired by Chubb in November of 2001 to investigate suspicious property losses for Chubb’s Mid-Atlantic Zone, which encompasses PA, DE, MD, VA, DC and WV. Dan has directed complex investigations for Chubb involving, Arson, Art Theft, Auto Theft, Commercial Property and Valuable Articles.

In November of 2010, Dan was promoted to Worldwide First Party SIU Manager where he manages 8 US field investigators and 4 investigators outside of the US.

He is a graduate of the University of Delaware where he earned a Bachelor of Arts, Criminal Justice, June 1994.

Dan is a member of the CPCU Society and the International Association of Special Investigation Units.

He is a past President of the Brandywine Valley Chapter-CPCU and from 2009-2012 held the position of CPCU Society Regional Governor supporting 5 CPCU Chapters in Eastern Pennsylvania.

He has presented on the topics of SIU and the Bottom Line, Property Fraud Awareness & Recognition, Body Shop Fraud and Application Fraud.

Dan has had two articles published in the Philadelphia Business Journal:

October 2, 2003-“Protect yourself with a Personal Liability Umbrella Policy”

October 4, 2002-“How to protect your valuable articles”

Marc Voses is an experienced litigator and advisor to domestic and international insurers, reinsurers, and insurance industry participants. His practice includes handling complex coverage and claim handling issues and disputes arising under insurance policies, such as cyber, technology and media, energy, directors' and officers', and management and professional liability. Marc’s litigation experience includes representations in trials and appeals in state and federal courts throughout the United States, as well as in domestic and international meditations and arbitrations. He has also represented insurance industry clients in regulatory investigations before the US Attorney’s Office, Department of Homeland Security, Securities and Exchange Commission, and various state and district offices of the Attorney General.

Marc also assists insurers in drafting insurance policies, endorsements, and surety bond related agreements. Clients rely on his extensive experience with issues related to computer system and security failures, pre-breach planning and post-breach response, and ransomware payment negotiation. Marc's experience includes addressing issues arising out of social engineering fraud, cryptocurrencies and other digital assets, business interruption losses, cyber subrogation, data protection laws, and identity theft. He advises his clients in assessing risks and responding to cyber and data compromise incidents.

Marc is sought out by clients to assist with the regulatory hurdles involved in complying with data protection laws, including assessing clients’ data collection habits, evaluating the applicability of such laws, drafting privacy disclosures, and responding to inquiries by clients’ business partners and regulators. He also assists clients with drafting and negotiating technology contracts covering services and products.

Prior to pursuing a career in law, Marc worked in the audit and attestation group of Deloitte. 

Matthew Smith is Of Counsel, and formerly served as President of Smith, Rolfes & Skavdahl (skav-doll) Company, LPA. He founded the firm in 1989 after beginning practice as an insurance defense attorney in Florida. From starting as a one-attorney office, the firm has grown to eight offices and provides insurance law services throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.
 
Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Mr. Smith attended the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music graduating with a degree in Radio, TV and Film. While working his way through college and law school he served as Director of Marketing Communications for the Kings Island Theme Park Complex in Ohio and founded Smith-Kaufman Public Relations representing such companies as Wendy’s International, Hyatt Hotels and The Cincinnati Reds.
 
Mr. Smith graduated from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University.  He is admitted to practice in both federal and state courts in Ohio, Florida, Kentucky, Michigan and Washington, D.C. as well as the United States Supreme Court.
 
He serves as legal counsel to the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, is a past President of the National Society of Professional Insurance Investigators, chairs the Insurance Committee of the International Association of Arson Investigators, and is a member of the Defense Research Institute, Claims and Litigation Management Alliance and numerous other insurance law related organizations. Mr. Smith is a frequent lecturer on insurance law matters throughout the United States.
 

 Michael “Mike” Bowler, CPCU, ARM, SCLA; Mike is Head of Claims for Curotech Specialty US, a newly created MGA representing Syndicates at Lloyds of London.  Mike is responsible for claims management, catastrophe planning, TPA oversight, and loss control.  He works closely with Curotech's underwriters and executive team on coverage development, risk assessments and portfolio management.  

Mike has over 35 years of experience successfully handling and managing commercial property claims with a focus on the Excess & Surplus market. Mike has been the Property Claims Executive for four successful US based E &S start-ups; Rockhill Insurance Company, Ariel Specialty Insurance Mangers,  Barbican Specialty US and now Curotech Specialty.  Prior to joining Rockhill, Mike was the Eastern Zonal Property Claims Manager for AIG. Mike started his claims carrier as a Claims Trainee for Crum & Forster in Orlando working his way up to the National Property Claims Director reporting to the VP of Property Claims.

Mike earned a Bachelor’s degree in Risk Management-Insurance from Florida State University, he continued his industry education by earning the following industry designations; Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Associate in Risk Management (ARM), and Senior Claims Law Associates (SCLA). Mike recently shared his knowledge and experience by writing and teaching two courses for the Claims Litigation Management Alliance (CLM); Claims College - School of Property.  He also served as a CLM Panelist on a Bad Faith Claims Handling presentation.

Mike is a member of the CPCU Society, Claims Litigation Management Alliance, Loss Executives Association, Senior Claims Law Associates and the Southern Loss Claims Association.
He has served as President of The Community Voice Toastmasters, Treasure and ACC Director of his homeowner’s association. He attends St. Brendan’s Catholic Church.

  
 
 

Joanne Zimolzak leads the Insurance Division within the firm's Litigation Department. Her diverse practice focuses principally on complex business litigation.  Her experience also extends to assisting companies with regulatory compliance, internal investigations, and fraud reporting. In addition to her role as practitioner, Ms. Zimolzak serves as the Office Managing Partner for the firm's Washington, DC office.

Ms. Zimolzak has had extensive experience handling a wide range of complex civil litigation matters before state and federal courts throughout the country, both at the trial and appellate levels The representation of multi-national insurance carriers is a particular focus of Ms. Zimolzak’s business litigation practice.  Her experience includes representing insurance companies in all types of coverage disputes, with emphasis on matters involving bad faith allegations and significant potential exposures.  Ms. Zimolzak also routinely provides counseling to insurers concerning coverage and risk management issues and other aspects of their business, including emerging liability risks, new product development, and regulatory compliance. Ms. Zimolzak also has authored numerous articles and publications and is a frequent speaker at seminars on insurance-related topics.

Insurance Coverage and Claims Attorney specializing in the handling, management and analysis of commercial property and casualty claims.

 Karen Karabinos has been litigating cases for more the 32 years, with the last 22 focused on the complexities of first party property insurance law, including cyber insurance where she provides coverage opinions in connection with cyber claims submitted by insureds to her insurance clients.  She also reviews and assesses coverage of cyber policies for businesses. She partners with her insurance clients in their investigation and adjustment of property claims and in defending her clients in coverage, bad faith, arson, fraud and property damage cases in State and Federal Courts throughout Georgia and the Southeast. 
 
Ms. Karabinos co-authored “Cyber Coverage May Be Affected by New and Traditional Defenses” for DRI’s The Voice newsletter, Volume 17 Issue 19 (May 16, 2018).  She also spoke at a webinar, “Defeating Reptilian Tactics First-Party Insurance Cases for Strafford Publications. She gave a podcast for A.M. Best discussing the application of judicial estoppel in insurance claims and the circumstances under which an insurer should consider using it as an affirmative defense.  Click on this link to download the podcast: The Application of Judicial Estoppel in Insurance Claims - Episode #130. Other articles published by Ms. Karabinos can be found on her firm’s website: www.deflaw.com

 

Sarannah McMurtry is Executive Vice President and General Counsel for First Acceptance Insurance in Nashville, TN. Prior to joining First Acceptance, Ms. McMurtry was in private practice where she handled defense of insurance coverage and extracontractual liability matters. She is a fellow in the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM) and was named the 2024 CLM Professional of the Year for Claims and Litigation Management. She also serves as Co-Dean for the CLM Claims College, School of Extracontractual Claims.

Michael is a Seattle-based attorney focusing on insurance coverage analysis including defense, indemnity and settlement provisions of third-party liability policies; first-party coverage scope and application of exclusions to reasonably investigated facts; as well as the defense of alleged bad faith, in Washington and elsewhere around the country. Michael has developed his defense-focused litigation practice for nearly three decades, with specialized expertise in complex insurance coverage analysis for over twenty-three years.  He received his B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1990, and a J.D. from Boston University School of Law in 1993.

Using pro-active consultation and problem-solving, Michael and his law firm help their clients to advance, and when necessary to successfully litigate, their positions on high-stakes and/or uncertain coverage-claim risks. 

Dan Brunson is a Partner at Freeman Mathis & Gary's Atlanta office and serves as the firm’s Director of Legal Operations. Dan is a former insurance legal and claims executive. He previously served as Director of Complex Litigation at AIG Personal Lines Claims, AVP of Litigation at The General/ American Family Direct, and most recently as Chief Legal Officer at American Access Casualty Company. He holds both the Certified Claims Professional and Advanced Claims Professional designations from The CLM (Claims and Litigation Management Alliance). He serves as Co-Chair of CLM’s Extra-Contractual Committee. He is an Executive Council member and instructor for the CLM Claims College School of Litigation Management and an instructor for the School of Extra-Contractual Claims.
 

Rodney Lynch Is the Atlanta Claim Manager and a Vice President in Genesis Management and Insurance Services Corporation, a part of the General Reinsurance Group and the Berkshire Hathaway Family of Companies. Prior to joining Genesis in 1990, he was the Director of Self Insured Accounts at AI Transport for the Insurance Company of Pennsylvania and New Hampshire Insurance Company. He has been involved in high profile claims involving reinsurance, excess and umbrella contracts. Several have been featured on major news networks such as the Tyler Clementi suicide, the Dr. Edward Friedland case featured on Dateline and the Susan Rodriquez case where the first female US Border Patrol Agent was killed in action. His claim background has involved coverages for liability, workers compensation and property.

Gene A. Weisberg is a name partner with GladstoneWeisberg, ALC , in Culver City, California. He has more than 41 years of trial and appellate experience focusing on insurance coverage and complex litigation involving insurers and other businesses. His extensive experience includes analyzing insurance coverage issues, investigating insurance fraud and litigating insurance coverage, bad faith and subrogation lawsuits in California and throughout the United States. An accomplished speaker, Gene has designed and presented seminars on numerous insurance issues including coverage, fraud and bad faith.

Gene is "AV Preeminent" rated by Martindale Hubbell; a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, an invitation-only organization of the most experienced trial attorneys in the nation; and a Southern California Super Lawyer since 2007 and is repeatedly named to the list of Best Lawyers. He is admitted to practice in the State and all Federal district courts in California, Texas state court and the Southern District of Texas, the Court of Appeals for the Ninth and Tenth Circuits and the United States Supreme Court.

Frank S. Goldstein is the founder of Goldstein Law Group, one of the premier SIU, insurance fraud firms in the country. Mr. Goldstein concentrates his practice in the civil prosecution of insurance fraud claims and the defense of insurance matters, including personal injury protection (PIP), bodily injury and uninsured/underinsured motorist claims.In 2013, Mr. Goldstein was recognized as the insurance fraud attorney of the year, in the State of Florida, at their annual FIFEC conference and was also a 2012 finalist for FIFEC’s insurance fraud attorney of the year.

Mr. Goldstein has also been awarded an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell. Mr. Goldstein was appointed to the Florida Division of Insurance Fraud Strategy Task Force and was a member of the Florida Insurance Council for Fraud Reforms and Legislation.

Mr. Goldstein is and has been lead counsel in civil actions and recoveries totaling multi-millions of dollars and filed several major civil fraud actions against organized crime rings, on behalf of major insurers, within the last year. He is a licensed and approved instructor by the State of Florida and the Florida Bar.

Robert M. Darroch has a trial practice with a primary focus on insurance coverage issues (property & casualty) and commercial liability defense. He has handled individual cases, class actions, and multi-district litigation in the state and federal courts of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, California, New Jersey, Nevada and Washington, D.C. Mr. Darroch has tried over 200 contested jury cases on behalf of plaintiffs and defendants, some of which involved hundreds of millions of dollars. He has represented insurers and insureds in over 100 published appellate court cases throughout the Southeast and his books on insurance coverage issues have been relied upon by the Courts in State Farm v. Day, 195 Ga. App. 823, 394 S.E.2d 913 (1990) and Peterson v. Liberty Mutual, 188 Ga. App. 420, 373 S.E.2d 515 (1988). He was appointed by the Court and served on the Insurer Steering Committee in In Re: Chinese-Manufactured Drywall Products Liability Litigation, MDL 2047, USDC Eastern District of Louisiana and on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in In Re: Tri-State Crematory Litigation, MDL 1467, USCD Northern District of Georgia.

Robert was raised in Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia, and is admitted to the bars in Florida and Georgia. He attended Berry College, University of Heidelberg (Germany) and Emory University School of Law where he was a member of the Order of Barristers. He is the author of numerous articles and books including Motor Vehicle Insurance Law and Claims in Georgia (Harrison Publishers, 1989); Georgia Automobile Insurance Law (Harrison Publishers, 1986); Financial Privacy after September 11, SIU Awareness, September, 2002, Jones v. State Farm: An Expensive Lesson, Georgia State Bar Journal, May, 1982. He has traveled throughout the Southeast speaking to insurers, risk managers, and lawyers on various coverage issues, the handling and defense of bad faith claims, and other tort issues. He is a member of the Florida State Bar Association, State Bar of Georgia, Sarasota Florida Bar Association, Atlanta Bar Association, American Bar Association, Florida Defense Lawyers Association, Georgia Defense Lawyers Association, Defense Research Institute, Jacksonville Claims Association, Sarasota Bradenton Claims Association, and Atlanta Claims Association.

Stephanie is managing partner in the Atlanta, Georgia office of Goodman McGuffey LLP. She has 20 years of experience and concentrates in the areas of insurance coverage, coverage litigation, and bad faith defense. A native of Boston, Massachusetts, Stephanie slowly made her way down South after high school, receiving her BA from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C and her JD from the University of Georgia School of Law in Athens, Georgia. Stephanie has successfully prosecuted and defended declaratory judgment actions, defended high value bad faith actions, and regularly provides coverage advice for insurers, risk managers, and TPAs related to all types of policies.Additionally, Stephanie travels throughout the United States speaking to insurers, risk managers, and lawyers regarding issues involving insurance coverage, bad faith, ethics, and professionalism.

Guy E. “Sandy” Burnette, Jr. has been a practicing attorney for over 35 years. His law firm has offices located in Tallahassee, Tampa and Pensacola, Florida and in New Orleans, Louisiana. Sandy attended Vanderbilt University (B.A.) and the Florida State University College of Law (J.D.). He is the author of the Florida Arson Immunity Reporting Act, the Florida Fraud Immunity Reporting Act, and the Florida SIU Act.

He is the past Chair of the Property Insurance Law Committee of the American Bar Association; past Ethics Chair of the Florida Defense Lawyers Association; member of the Panel Counsel Group of the International Association of Special Investigation Units (IASIU); past President and Life Member of the Florida Advisory Committee on Arson Prevention (FACAP); Life Member of the California Conference of Arson Investigators (CCAI); past Director and Life Member of the IAAI International; and a Life Member of the Florida Chapter of IAAI, having served for the past thirty-three years as the Legal Advisor to the Chapter He has received the Award of Recognition from the Department of Justice and the Silver Hammer Award from the Vice-President of the United States. He is a Certified Instructor at the Florida State Fire College, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center/ATF National Academy, and the Florida Department of Financial Services.

Paul is Assistant Vice President of Corporate Litigation and Assistant General Counsel for Infinity Insurance Company in Birmingham, Alabama. He joined Infinity as Corporate Counsel in 2006, and is responsible for corporate legal matters and directing litigation of bad-faith and extracontractual lawsuits, class actions, employment litigation, and other direct actions nationwide. Prior to joining Infinity, he spent 12 years in private practice as a litigator in Birmingham. He graduated from Birmingham-Southern College and from the Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama, and is admitted to the State Bars of Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. He formerly chaired CLM's Insurance Bad Faith Committee, eDiscovery and ESI Committee, Membership Task Force, and Alabama Chapter.

John B. Drummy is a senior partner of Kightlinger & Gray, LLP in Indianapolis, Indiana.  His practice areas include insurance coverage and bad faith, professional liability, appellate representation, employment litigation and class actions.  He is a frequent author and presenter on claims of bad faith as well as coverage and appellate issues.  He is a member of the Indiana State Bar Association, the Seventh Circuit Bar Association, Defense Research Institute and the International Association of Defense Counsel.  He is admitted to practice in state and federal courts in Indiana, the United States Courts of Appeal for the Sixth and Seventh Circuits, and the United States Supreme Court.  He was selected as an Indiana Super Lawyer® during 2010, 2011, and 2012.
 

Michael Markett is Chief Legal Counsel for Liberty International Underwriters ("LIU"), joining LIU in October 2009. Mike has over fifteen years’ experience as an insurance industry lawyer, starting as a coverage litigator working for corporate law firms LeBoeuf, Lamb and Holland & Knight. Liberty Mutual Group has been a client of Michael’s for over twelve years, first as outside counsel and then as in house counsel. He made the move in house to Liberty in 2004 working in the Complex Emerging Risks Claims Group as coverage counsel. The position offered ample exposure to reinsurance issues which Michael put to good use in his next role as Reinsurance Counsel for Liberty Mutual Group. In that role he advised on all reinsurance-related issues and corporate transactions affecting the Group. As Chief Counsel for LIU, Michael provides legal support to all the underwriting groups and advises senior management and LIU corporate departments. Michael received his J.D. from Suffolk University Law School and his B.A. from Connecticut College.
 

Jeanine D. Clark is a partner of Margolis Edelstein. Ms. Clark's practice focuses on complex litigation. Ms. Clark handles matters at the trial court level and at the appellate level. She was admitted to the Supreme Court of New Jersey and the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey in 1998. Ms. Clark is also admitted in Pennsylvania and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. She is active in CLM and other professional organizations. She is a regular presenter on litigation topics. 

Mark Hanna is a graduate of Creighton University where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1985 and a Juris Doctor degree from Tulane University Law School in 1988. Mr. Hanna's areas of practice include governmental and municipal liability, defense of class action litigation, automobile and transportation, maritime and insurance litigation, products liability, SIU/insurance fraud litigation and commercial litigation. Mr. Hanna also has extensive experience in the area of toxic tort and asbestos litigation. Mr. Hanna has received Martindale Hubbell's highest "AV" rating.

He has participated in numerous trials both as lead counsel and second chair counsel in state and federal courts and has argued appeals in the Louisiana Supreme Court; First, Fourth, and Fifth Circuit Courts of Appeal and the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal. Mr. Hanna is also a mediator following the completion of training at the Attorney Mediators Institute in Dallas and has participated in dozens of mediation.

Mr. Hanna has been active with the Defense Research Institute and its Governmental Liability Committee, where he currently serves as membership chair, Claims and Litigation Management (CLM) Alliance, the Louisiana Center for Law Related Education and has been a lecturer at Continuing Legal Education Seminars and to the Louisiana Public Risk Managers Association. Mr. Hanna has participated as a judge/mediator at ABA mediation competitions for law students.

Mr. Hanna is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association, the Defense Research Institute, Claims and Litigation Management Alliance, the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel, the New Orleans and Jefferson Bar Associations and the Louisiana Bar Foundation.

Natalie Jean-Felix is Vice President, Professional Claims Manager for Maxum Specialty Insurance Group.  Natalie  has over 15 years of insurance experience and was most recently Senior Claims Counsel - Head of Allied Healthcare at Hiscox USA.  Over the course of her career, Natalie has also served as AVP, Specialty Claims at Maxum; Claims Director, Professional Liability at ACE Westchester; Director at Brown & Brown (d/b/a Lancer Claims Services) as well as holding various positions at  Zurich North America and American International Group.  Natalie has a law degree from Hofstra University School of Law and a Bachelor’s Degree from Sarah Lawrence College.

For the last six years, Steve has managed bad faith litigation in California, Florida, and throughout the country. Steve’s management has included personal lines cases to large commercial cases arising out of catastrophic weather events. He has spoken on bad faith issues in Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville and Connecticut for DRI, CLM, and ExecuSummit. He spoke at the 2017 CLM Annual Conference on the Duty to Initiate Settlement Discussions Without a Demand.

Prior to joining Nationwide, Steve was a trial lawyer for a Columbus, Ohio law firm, where he had a state-wide practice representing insurers and policy holders in insurance and tort litigation. Steve was part of a team that handled “Pontzer” litigation throughout the State of Ohio, and, was also a successful attorney defending municipalities and other political subdivisions in tort litigation and civil rights cases.  Steve became an AV rated lawyer in his eighth year of practice, and spoke regularly throughout the State of Ohio on insurance coverage issues, tort liability, and municipal liability.

 

Chris is currently Associate General Counsel for North American Risk Services (NARS).   Previous to joining NARS, Chris served as a Senior Advisor to Suite 200 Solutions, LLC.  Prior to joining Suite 200 Solutions, LLC, Chris served in several C-Suite roles for Canal Insurance Company --  including General Counsel/Corporate Secretary, Chief Claims Officer and Chief Operating Officer.   

Previous to joining Canal, Chris served as Division Counsel to a division of AIG.  He has also served as Corporate Counsel to Progressive Insurance Company and as a Trial Attorney for a Birmingham, Alabama based law firm.  Chris is a frequent lecturer on the topics of litigation management, bad faith, insurance compliance programs and enterprise risk management fundamentals. 

He is a  graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law, is admitted to several state and federal bars, has earned CLM's Certified Claims Professional and Advanced Claims Professional Designations.  He is also active in the Defense Research Institute, the Association of Corporate Counsel, Trucking Industry Defense Association, Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, and the American Bar Association (where he is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation).

David M. O’Connor of O'Connor & Associates, LLC, an AV-rated six-lawyer Boston firm, defends claims against policyholders and represents carriers in coverage and unfair claims practices litigation. Mr. O’Connor is recognized in Martindale-Hubbell’s Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers and has been  a Massachusetts Super Lawyer in mulitple practice categories. Mr. O'Connor regularly presents to industry groups on contractual risk transfer; insurance coverage; extra-contractual exposures; and defending unpopular corporate targets.  He obtained a B.A. from Georgetown University and is a cum laude graduate of Boston College Law School, where he was Articles Editor for the B.C. Environmental Law Review. He is admitted in Massachusetts; the  U.S. District Court, Districts of Massachusetts, Connecticut and  Arizona; and the  U.S. Court of Appeals, First and Ninth Circuits.

Mike Gates currently serves as President and Executive General Adjuster for Property Loss Services, Inc dba PLS Claims a regional independent adjusting company in Atlanta, Georgia. He has served as President of Southern Loss Association, a claims group for property adjusters, attorneys and other insurance professionals interested in furthering education and communication in the loss adjustment field since 1957.

After receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree from Vanderbilt University in 1973, Mike began his claims career with The Continental Insurance Companies in Orlando later transferring to Atlanta as a regional supervisor responsible for large losses and the property claims product in 23 offices in seven states.
In 1983, Mike started in the independent adjusting business where he has worked for 26 years. In 1997, he established Property Loss Services which currently has branches in Georgia, Dallas and Tampa,. He is a member of the Atlanta Claims Association and the Atlanta Insurance Professionals. He enjoys “Fellow” status with CLM.

Over the years, Mike who has an AIC designation has taught IIA courses and other classes. He has addressed local claims and professional groups and both the Southeastern and Midwestern Claims Managers organizations on various topics including environmental claims. He has also been a presenter at the PLRB national and regional conferences on “Commercial Theft Claims”, “Period of Restoration” and “Rejecting Proofs of Loss and Denial of Claims.”

He has participated as either an appraiser or umpire in over 400 loss and damage appraisals in multiple states including Florida.
 

Wade is currently director, insurance financial crimes for Pricewaterhouse Coopers. Previously, he worked at IBM from January 2019 to August 2022, where he led the Insurance Financial Crimes Group in North America. Wade works closely with Insurers, Insurance Industry Organizations, and IBM to focus attention on current and future capabilities, including artificial intelligence, analytics, and shaping investigative trends for future success. Before IBM, Wade was SIU Director for the Southeast United States at Nationwide Insurance and worked in varying SIU roles of responsibility for 27 years.
During his SIU work, Wade served as President of the International Association of Special Investigation Units (IASIU) for five years and as Vice President for four years. During his Presidency, IASIU’s membership grew with members from 27 Countries and 43 Chapters into the largest association of Insurance Fraud Investigators in the world. Among other duties as IASIU President, Wade was an advisor to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) Board of Governors and an advisor to the Executive Board of the Coalition against Insurance Fraud.
Wade began his career as a Norfolk Virginia Police Officer, where he served as a Patrol Officer, Auto Theft, Robbery, and Homicide Detective and finally a Forgery Investigator. Early in his Nationwide career, Wade was instrumental in forming the Virginia Chapter of the International Association of Special Investigation Units (IASIU). Wade’s commitment to eliminating insurance fraud is evident his entire Insurance SIU career.
Wade has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology from Saint Leo College and a Masters in Business Administration from Saint Leo University. He’s active in leadership roles in his community and continues to speak and write about Insurance Fraud topics that impact Insurance Fraud Investigators.

Mr. Carlton represents business clients in complex civil litigation. He provides consultation and representation in numerous areas of insurance coverage and defends insurers and third-party administrators with respect to coverage disputes and claims of insurance bad faith, deceptive trade practices and insurance code violations. He also defends insureds in business and personal injury litigation, including attorney professional liability, auto liability, premises liability, products liability, construction defect, catastrophic injury, and first party property claims; and maintains a commercial liability practice representing construction companies, self-insured employers and other business entities.

Kevin M. Quinley is the Principal at Quinley Risk Associates, LLC.  He is a nationally recognized authority on claims-handling and litigation management.  He has over 30 years experience in managing casualty claims and litigation.He has a BA from Wake Forest University and an MA from the College of William & Mary.  He holds the Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation and specialty designations from the American Insurance Institute in Risk Management (ARM), in Claims (AIC), in Reinsurance (ARe), in Management (AIM) and he holds the Registered Professional Adjuster (RPA) designation.  Kevin is also a licensed Property & Casualty Insurance Consultant in Virginia.A Contributing Editor to Medical Product Outsourcing magazine, Kevin is the author of over 700 published articles and ten books.  The latter includes Managing Product Liability Risk and Avoiding Litigation.  Kevin is a co-author of the CLM "Product Liability Adjuster Training Course."  He is a frequent writer, speaker and trainer on topics relating to claims and litigation management.  Law firms and clients throughout the country seek him out as a testifying expert on litigated matters relating to bad faith, extracontractual liability, claims-handling and adjuster standard-of-care.  You can reach him at kevin@kevinquinley.com and follow him on Twitter @ClaimsCoach.

Ms. Buchman is a Partner at Butler Weihmuller Katz Craig LLP, and devotes her practice to large, complex first-party coverage matters, fire, water damage and theft claims, insurance fraud, construction defect litigation, reinsurance, bad faith, appeals, and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).

Ms. Buchman is a co-author of Scary Stuff: Insurance Claim Files And Exceptions To The Attorney-Client Privilege, which was published in the August 2012 Mealey's Litigation Report.  She is also the co-author of ‘Bad-Faith' Discovery: Claim Files, Training Materials, Personnel Files, And The Kitchen Sink, which was published in the January 2013 Mealey’s Litigation Report and Who Is Entitled to the Claims File?, which was published in the March  2013, Mealey’s Litigation Report.Before joining Butler Weihmuller Katz Craig LLP, Ms. Buchman served as in-house counsel with a large general contracting/construction management company and prior to that was in private practice specializing in general civil litigation. She also served as a mediator in court-ordered civil cases (including construction) and insurance matters and as an arbitrator for both the National Association of Securities Dealers and the American Arbitration Association. Before moving to Florida, Ms. Buchman practiced law in New York where she also researched, co-authored and revised Architect-Engineer Liability Under New York Law.
Ms. Buchman is a member of The Florida Bar as well as the New York Bar and the Pennsylvania Bar (inactive status). She is also certified by the Florida Supreme Court as a mediator, and is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the Southern District of Florida, and the Northern District of Florida.
Ms. Buchman graduated from the University of Virginia with a BA in Economics (after having transferred from The Johns Hopkins University). She received her JD from Dickinson Law School (which is now part of Pennsylvania State University), where she was a member of Law Review and the Trial Moot Court Board. Ms. Buchman also received her LLM in Trade Regulation from New York University School of Law.

Jonathan Kuller, a partner in the firm's Princeton, New Jersey office, has litigated cases, published and lectured about insurance fraud of all types, defense of bad faith and extra-contractual claims as well as coverage and premium disputes. Mr. Kuller brings over thirty years of trial experience and a keen awareness of the insurance business to issues that directly impact clients' bottom line.

Cathy Gicker has 45 years with Allstate with the last 30 years in the SIU as a field investigator, manager and now the Litigation Specialist investigating all suit cases in Pennsylvania. This involves investigating and directing house and retained counsel on case strategy, medical defense, preparing the insured for trial and referring fraudulent claims to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) and local Law Enforcement agencies. Cathy is also an Allstate Ambassador promoting the company to the public through speaking engagements and community involvement.

Cathy was the Vice-President and then President of the Delaware Valley Chapter of the International Association of Special Investigation Units (IASIU) from 1994-2000. She was elected to the International Board of IASIU for 2000-2002 and then served as the Vice-President of IASIU from 2003-2009, chairing the Chapter and Seminar Committees.. She was the President of the Philadelphia Loss Conference (PLC) for 2011-2013. Cathy’s professional designations are Fraud Claim Law Specialist (FCLS) and Certified Insurance Fraud Investigator(CIFI)

Deb Molitz has 30+ years of service to the insurance industry with an expertise in commercial liability coverage and direct defense associated with complex claims and litigation. Deb’s predominant career has been as outside counsel for companies such as AIG and affiliates, Great American and Gulf Insurance addressing liability and coverage for toxic tort, environmental and construction defect claims.  During Deb’s years as outside counsel she participated in the creation of training manuals and conducted many training sessions for adjusters and was counsel to the Michigan IASIU chapter.  Deb spent 6 years at Travelers Insurance addressing coverage and claims relating to asbestos, benzene, underground storage tanks and superfund sites.  Deb spent five years as in-house counsel at Canal Insurance Company providing legal counsel and training to its adjusters, working with outside counsel in managing complex litigation against its insureds and directing the defense of Canal’s actions and coverage positions throughout the country.  Deb was recognized by Canal for having established protocols and guidelines for handling its asbestos rolls and for providing direction and support to Canal’s general liability and garagekeepers book of business.  Deb is now a Sr. Claims Adjuster for North American Risk Services assisting insureds and insurance companies in coverage determinations and adjusting of construction defect and other complex general liability claims.

Donna Overholt Willis is an attorney with State Farm Insurance Companies’ Atlanta litigation firm. Ms. Willis’ practice consists of first-party insurance litigation with an emphasis on fraud and coverage disputes. Ms. Willis initiated first-party practice in State Farm's in-house litigation firms. Prior to joining State Farm Insurance Companies, Ms. Willis practiced with a law firm representing numerous insurers throughout the Southeast in first-party matters.

Ms. Willis has been actively involved in the American Bar Association. She is a past vice-chair of the Arson Project, Insurance Coverage Litigation and Property Insurance Law Committees and a past co-chair of the Appraisal Task Force. Ms. Willis regularly writes and speaks on first-party issues within State Farm, professional organizations and insurance industry organizations. Ms. Willis has been active in the International Association of Special Investigation Units and served as counsel to the board and chair of the attorney panel and co-chair of the annual seminar planning committee for many years. Ms. Willis received her B.A. in 1980 from Emory University and her J.D. in 1983 from Emory University College of Law.

Ms. O’Donnell is an insurance coverage, bad faith and professional liability defense attorney with over 30 years of experience in resolving disputes throughout the Northeast.  A member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC) and the American College of Coverage and Extracontractual Counsel (ACCEC), Ms. O’Donnell holds an AV Preeminent Martindale-Hubbell rating and has been recognized as one of the leading insurance coverage attorneys on the Massachusetts and Corporate Counsel Super Lawyers list in each of the past ten years.

Ms. O’Donnell’s insurance coverage and extra contractual liability practice includes the resolution and litigation of a broad range of liability coverage and claims handling disputes under primary and excess commercial, professional, directors and officers, employment practices, and other specialty line policies. In her capacity as regional coverage counsel, she is well versed in resolving defective construction, additional insured, priority of coverage, and allocation disputes in all of the jurisdictions in the Northeast.  Her extensive experience in resolving policy interpretation disputes also enables her to assist insurers in drafting customized policy forms and endorsements.

Sari Marmur is the General Counselor of the Travelers Atlanta Claim Office.  She advises on coverage questions in both first and third party matters for personal and commercial lines.  Ms. Marmur also manages coverage litigation for the company. 
 
Prior to joining Travelers, Ms. Marmur was a partner in two law firms in Atlanta concentrating on first-party coverage matters on behalf of insurers. She began her legal career as a teaching fellow at Georgetown Law Center.  She then joined the General Counsel’s office of the Department of Housing and Urban Development in Washington, D.C.  Before entering private practice, Sari prosecuted criminal cases as an Assistant United States’ Attorney for the Southern District of Florida.
 
Sari received her law degree from the Catholic University School of Law and an LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Skidmore College. She is past Chair of the Property Insurance Committee of the Tort Trial and Insurance Section (TIPS) of the ABA and past Co-Chair of the Section’s Women and Minority Involvement Committee.  
 

Wade joined Argo Group US, Inc. in May 2010 as in-house counsel primarily responsible for managing extra-contractual litigation against Argo Group US entities, and assisting with complex litigation, discovery, and subpoenas.He was a Panelist for “Bearing Witness: Navigating the Bad Faith Minefield During Trial” at the CLM Insurance Bad Faith and Coverage Conference, September 14, 2012.Previously, he was a complex business litigation attorney with an emphasis in coverage and defense of commercial general liability and property policies. Wade has represented insurance companies in state and federal trial and appellate litigation matters.Wade currently is Province 22 President for the International Legal Fraternity Phi Delta Phi and has been an Adjunct Professor of Advocacy at South Texas College of Law, his alma mater, where he has coached numerous moot court teams to state and national championships.Wade earned his undergraduate degree in Political Science and minor in Economics from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas where he was a member of Alpha Phi Omega.He graduated magna cum laude from South Texas College of Law as a member of South Texas Law Review, Order of the Lytae, the Langdell Scholar program, and was Magister of Phi Delta Phi’s Wood Inn. Wade also earned numerous awards as a member of South Texas College of Law’s nationally recognized varsity moot court program.