2009 WVAJ Annual Convention & Seminar
June 11 – 12, 2009
Charleston Marriott
Charleston, West Virginia
Seminar Chairpersons
Scott S. Blass and Anthony Majestro
Review Our Attorney Seminar Program
(15.7 CLE Hours – 3.4 in Ethics & Management)
Review Our Legal Assistants Seminar Program
Attorney Seminar Program
Thursday, June 11, 2009
8:00 a.m. Registration
9:00 a.m. Welcome
Allan N. Karlin, president
9:05 – 9:55 a.m. Consider Commercial Litigation: New and Fertile Ground for Trial Lawyers
Jonathan Bridges
Susman Godfrey - Dallas, Texas
9:55 – 11:10 a.m. Responding to Defense Requests for Medical Authorizations and Rule 35 Exams
Timothy C. Bailey - Charleston, West Virginia
Sandra B. Harrah - Charleston, West Virginia
Tony L. O’Dell - Charleston, West Virginia
11:10 – 11:25 a.m. Break
11:25 – 12:15 p.m. You’re Forced to Arbitrate Your Claim: How to Win Before the Arbitrator
Robert A. Goldenberg - Parkersburg, West Virginia
Jane E. Peak - Morgantown, West Virginia
12:15 – 1:30 p.m. Membership Luncheon (WVAJ Members Only)
1:30 – 2:30 p.m. West Virginia Governmental Ethics Act: What Lawyers Need to Know
Theresa Kirk, Executive Director - West Virginia Ethics Commission
Larry L. Rowe - Malden, West Virginia
2:30 – 3:20 p.m. West Virginia Supreme Court Update
Justice Thomas E. McHugh
West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals
3:20 – 3:35 p.m. Break
3:35 – 5:05 p.m. The Art of Persuasion: Story Telling In and Out of the Courtroom
Alan Blumenfeld & Katherine James
ACT of COMMUNICATION® Culver City, California
Friday, June 12, 2009
8:30 – 9:20 a.m. The View from the Federal Bench
The Honorable John P. Bailey, Chief Judge
U. S. District Court - Northern District
9:20 – 10:10 a.m. Cross Examination of the Defendant Doctor and Defense Expert: Discovery to Trial
Richard Golomb
Golomb & Honik - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
10:10 – 10:20 a.m. Break
10:20 – 11:35 a.m. Winning In Changing Times: We’re Not in Kansas Anymore
Howard L. Nations
Houston, Texas
11:40 – 1:00 p.m. WVAJ Board of Governors Lunch
1:00 – 2:15 p.m. Embrace the Pre-Existing Condition: How to Utilize the Presence of Pre-Existing
Conditions to Enhance Case Value
Gary C. Johnson
Pikeville, Kentucky
2:15 – 3:05 p.m. BREAK-OUT SESSIONS (Choose One)
The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act (USERRA): Protecting the Rights of
West Virginia Troops and What You Need to Know to Pursue Civil Actions on Their Behalf
Maj. Stephen P. New - Beckley, West Virginia
Maj. Kelly Ambrose - West Virginia National Guard Staff Judge Advocate
Questionable Science: Effective Strategies for Challenging Forensic Evidence in
Criminal and Civil Cases
George Castelle, Chief Public Defender
Kanawha County
3:05 – 3:20 p.m. Break Sponsored by Apex Engineering
3:20 – 4:20 p.m. Dirty Tricks and Litigation Abuse: What To Do When Opposing Counsel Crosses the Ethical Line
Allan N. Karlin - Morgantown, West Virginia
James C. Peterson - Charleston, West Virginia
4:20 – 5:10 p.m. Demystifying Law Office Technology: Identifying Your Office Needs and Getting Them Met
Richard Wilbur, III
Advantage Technology - Charleston, West Virginia
This program is worth 15.7 hours of CLE credits, including 3.4 hours in ethics and law office management.
Meet Our Featured National Speakers
Legal Assistants Program
Friday, June 12
8:00 – 8:50 a.m. Registration
8:50 – 9:00 a.m. Welcome
Timothy C. Bailey, WVAJ President-Elect
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. Motions in Limine: To File or Not to File, That Is the Question
Judge J. D. Beane, 4th Circuit Court
Parkersburg, West Virginia
10:00 – 10:45 a.m. Interrogatories: Love Them or Hate Them—But Use Them
Kathryn Reed Bayless
Princeton, West Virginia
10:45 – 11:00 a.m. Break
11:00 – 12:00 p.m. The Paralegal’s Role in Finding and Communicating with Expert Witnesses
Geoffrey Brown
Wheeling, West Virginia
12:00 – 1:30 p.m. Lunch On Your Own
1:30 – 2:30 p.m. E-Discovery: A Guide to Electronic Discovery in Litigation Support
Charles Justice
Charleston, West Virginia
2:30 – 3:15 p.m. Ethical Issues for Paralegals
Andrea Hinerman, Senior Lawyer Disciplinary Counsel
West Virginia State Bar Office of Disciplinary Counsel
3:15 – 3:30 p.m. Break Sponsored by Apex Engineering
3:30 – 4:30 p.m. The Wrongful Death Case Is Settled, Now You Have to Distribute the Funds
Michael J. Romano
Clarksburg, West Virginia
Meetings & Social Events
Thursday, June 11, 2009
12:15 – 1:30 p.m. WVAJ Membership Luncheon & Annual Meeting
7:00 – 10:00 p.m. Annual Convention Party in the Marriott Pavilion
Partially sponsored by Susman Godfrey; music sponsored by Structured Financial Associates
The Annual Convention Party is open to all convention registrants, including legal assistants who are registered for Friday’s paralegal program.
Friday, June 12, 2009
11:40 – 1:00 p.m. WVAJ Board of Governors Luncheon & Meeting
General Convention Information
Hotel Accommodations
The Charleston Marriott is located at 200 Lee Street, Charleston. Please call the Marriott for reservations at (304)345-6500. Be sure to specify that you will be attending the WVAJ annual conference. A special room rate of $114 per night plus tax is available through May 26, 2009. Regular hotel rates will apply for reservations made after that date.
Cancellation Policy
All cancellations must be sent to the WVAJ office in writing. For a complete refund, your cancellation must be received no later than June 3. For cancellations received June 4 – 8, you will be refunded 50 percent of the registration fee. There will be no refunds after June 8, but seminar materials will be sent to you.
Attention WVAJ Members
If you plan to attend the board meeting and/or the membership meeting during the convention, it is important that you RSVP with the WVAJ office. Call (304)344-0692 or e-mail wvaj@wvaj.org
Questions?
Please call WVAJ at (304)344-0692 or e-mail wvaj@wvaj.org
Exhibitors
Apex Engineering Consultants
Crash and Safety Consultants LLC
FindLaw, a Thomson Reuters Business
HMS
JuryLink
Keystone Engineering Consultants, Inc.
Lapina & Associates LLP
Leading Technologies LLC
MedMal Consulting
National Settlement Consultants
Neurological Case Management Associates
Robson Forensic
Saponaro, Inc.
Structured Financial Associates
Superior Settlements
WVAJ AFFINITY PARTNERS
CONTACT WVAJ
Telephone: (304) 344 - 0692
Fax: (304) 343 - 7926
WVAJ OFFICE
208 Capitol Street, Suite 100
Charleston, WV 25301