Check out our very special 30th Anniversary schedule!

Wednesday, September 27, 2023 
5:00 – 7:00 pm: Networking Reception 

Thursday, September 28, 2023 
7:00 – 8:00 am: Continental Breakfast 

7:50 – 8:00 am: Opening Remarks 

8:00 – 8:30 am: Coverage Law Update 

• A Comprehensive Discussion of the Key Environmental Coverage Decisions Rendered This Year 
• The Potential Impact of These Decisions Next Year 
• The Long-Term Potential Impacts of These Coverage Decisions 

Charles Browning 
Plunkett Cooney, PC 
Bloomfield Hills, MI  

8:30 – 9:15 am: Environmental Justice Considerations Affecting Environmental Requirements and Costs 

• Review of Growth in Federal and State EJ Programs – States Not Implementing, Private Citizen Actions 
• Policy/Underwriting Considerations 
• Litigation of Environmental Justice Claims 
• What Type of Claims – Nuisance, Trespass, Property Damage 
• Who Brings Claims – Government, NGOs, Private Parties? 
• Policyholders – How Affected by EJ Concerns and Claims 
• Risk Management – Insurers Response to EJ Challenges 

Adam Love 
Roux 
Oakland, CA 

Matt Bures 
Wolfe & Wyman LLP 
Irvine, CA  

Rob Petti 
Maron Marvel Bradley Anderson & Tardy LLC 
Chicago, IL 

Joann Dickinson 
Resolute Management, Inc. 
Chicago, IL 

9:15 – 10:00 am: Ethical Considerations in Litigation Funding 

• Litigation Funding, What Is It? 
• Proponents of Litigation Funding 
• Critics of Litigation Funding 
• Ethical Issues, Potential Regulation, and Experience 

Daniel Furshpan 
Rivkin Radler LLP 
Uniondale, NY 

Steve Schulwolf 
Schulwolf Mediation, PLLC 
Austin, TX 

Giugi Carminati 
LexShares 
New York, NY 

10:00 – 10:15 am: Break 

10:15 – 11:00 am: Ethylene Oxide: Examining the Science and Regulations Driving EtO Litigation 

• Technical Foundation – CCR Overview and Utility Disposal Practices 
• Regulatory Background and Recent Developments 
• Insurance Coverage Issues 
• Questions/Discussion 

Peter Kelso 
Roux Associates, Inc. 
Arlington, VA 

Ryan Gillespie 
Nationwide Insurance 
Chicago, IL 

Steven Hart 
Hart McLaughlin & Eldridge 
Chicago, IL 

Catie Boston 
Roux Associates, Inc. 
Woburn, MA 

David Fusco 
K&L Gates LLP 
Pittsburgh, PA 

11:00 – 11:45 pm: Cancer Cluster 

• Defining a Cancer Cluster 
• Legal Considerations and ESG Concerns 
• Medical Expert Analysis 

 Audrey Anyaele 
Maron Marvel Bradley Anderson & Tardy LLC 
Jersey City, NJ 

Rob Dille 
Maron Marvel Bradley Anderson & Tardy LLC 
New Orleans, LA 

Hung Cheung 
Cogency Environmental, LLC 
Baltimore, MD 

11:45 – 12:15 pm: Climate Change Claims: From CO2 to CGL 

• Current Trends in Climate Change Claims and Litigation 
• Leading Ongoing National Cases re Liability Related to Climate Change from Pollution to ESG 
• Insurance Coverage Issues Raised by Climate Lawsuits 

Konrad Krebs 
Clyde & Co US LLP
Philadelphia, PA 

Yvonne Schulte 
Clyde & Co US LLP 
Los Angeles, CA 

Dean Seman 
Bardsley Law LLC 
Paoli, PA 

12:15 – 1:00 pm: Lunch 

1:00 – 1:45 pm: PFAS: What Moves Do You Make in a Universe of Uncertainty? 

• Regulatory Definition of PFAS 
• Enforcement Discretion Impact on Regulation 
• Legal Challenges to Proposed Regulations 
• Viability of PFAS Litigation 
• Coverage for PFAS Claims Under CGL, Professional Liability, and Pollution Policies 
• Duty to Defend/Indemnify 

Brian Gross 
MG+M The Law Firm 
Boston, MA 

Max Swetman 
MG+M The Law Firm 
Boston, MA  

Melissa Hamer 
Kroger, Gardis & Regas, LLP 
Indianapolis, IN 

1:45 – 2:15 pm: The Spreading, Fate, and Implications of Wastewater-Derived Emerging Contaminants in Our Food and Water Systems 

• Sources and Transport of Emerging Contaminants 
• Shortcomings of Treatment and Regulatory Standards 
• Legal Implications Facing Wastewater Treatment Facilities, Farmers, and Landowners 
• Impacts of Wastewater Derived Contaminants 

Jase Hixson, Ph.D. 
August Mack Environmental, Inc. 
Indianapolis, IN 

Brianna Schroeder 
Janzen Schroeder Ag Law LLC 
Indianapolis, IN 

2:15 2- 3:00 pm: A Judicial Perspective on Mass Tort Litigation 

• Docket Trends 
• Jury Pool Considerations 
• Litigation Tips and Strategies 

Judge Elizabeth McWilliams 
Cook County Circuit Court Judge 
Chicago, IL 

Boarding Between 3:30 – 4:00 pm 
Departs at 4:00 pm 
Returns at 6:00 pm 
FETTI Odyssey River Cruise Reception 
455 N Cityfront Plaza Drive 
Chicago, IL 
(Business Casual Attire) 

Friday, September 29, 2023 
7:00 – 8:00 am: Continental Breakfast 

8:00 – 8:45 am: Asbestos Litigation: Over-Naming, Trust Transparency and Other Developments 

• Update on Asbestos Litigation Trends and Strategy 
• Over-Naming in Asbestos Cases and Reforms to Address Over-Naming 
• Defense Counsel Tools to Combat Over-Naming 

Mark A. Behrens 
Shook, Hardy & Bacon, LLP 
Washington, D.C. 

Mary Margaret Gay 
Gay Jones & Kuhn PLLC
Jackson, MS 

Fred Schaefer 
Nationwide Indemnity 
Wausau, WI 

8:45 – 9:15 am: The Tale of Two Costs: Are Environmental RI/FS Costs Defense or Indemnity? 

• Background of CERCLA Actions and RI/FS Expenses 
• Overview of Different Approaches Used Nationwide to Classify RI/FS Expenses 
• A Closer Look at Current Approaches Used in Key Jurisdictions 

Jessica La Londe 
Duane Morris LLP 
San Francisco, CA 

Christine Ross 
Duane Morris LLP 
San Francisco, CA 

 9:15 – 10:00 am: Going off the Rails 

• Use of Interstate Transporting by Rail 
• Realities of Interstate Rail Transportation 
• Risks Associated with Rail Transportation of Hazardous Materials 

John McMeekin 
Rawle & Henderson LLP 
Philadelphia, PA 

10:00 – 10:15 am: Break 

10:15 – 10:45 am: When It Rains It Pours…Mold, Stormwater, and Sediment Runoff Claims During Construction 

• Construction Projects During Severe Weather Events 
• Environmental Insurance Issues in the Context of Mold, Sediment, and Stormwater Runoff Claims 
• Insurance Issues That Can Arise During Construction 

Sandra Gaurin 
The Vertex Companies LLC 
Freehold, NJ 

Sara Brothers 
Great American Insurance Group 
San Diego, CA 

Robin Kelliher 
USI 
New York, NY 

Brian Margolies 
Kaufman Borgeest & Ryan LLP 
Valhalla, NY 

10:45 – 11:15 am: Are the Wat(t)ers Receding? WOTUS After Sackett 

• WOTUS’s Tortured History 
• Sackett v. EPA 
• Impact of Sackett on EPA, Army Corp. 
• Future Disputes? 

Philip Watters 
Rimkus 
Houston, TX 

Drew Silton 
Beveridge & Diamond PC 
Washington, D.C. 

11:15 -11:45 pm: Emerging Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) Coverage Issues and Regulations 

• Technical Foundation – CCR Overview and Utility Disposal Practices 
• Regulatory Background and Recent Developments 
• Insurance Coverage Issues 

Bill Joern 
Hinkhouse Williams Walsh LLP
Chicago, IL 

Bob Karls 
Antea Group 
St. Paul, MN 

Tammy Moore 
US EPA Region 5 
Chicago, IL 

11:45 -12:15 pm: Formaldehyde the Next Massive Environmental Concern 

• Formaldehyde Uses and Historical Toxicology 
• EPA’s Latest Draft Risk Assessment 
• Formaldehyde in Average US Home Exceed EPA’s Proposal 
• Implications for Industry if the EPA Assessment Finalized 

Nicholas Rigano 
Rigano LLC 
Melville, NY 

12:30 pm – 1:00 pm: Business Meeting 

All times listed above are CDT.