West Virginia Association for Justice
2016 Mid-Winter Convention and Seminar
February 4 – 5, 2015
Embassy Suites Hotel
Charleston, West Virginia
This program is worth 15.3 CLE hours, including 4.8 in ethics and law office management (pending).
Seminar Chairs
Robert M. Bastress III
Laura C. Davis
John Einreinhofer
Allan N. Karlin
Chad S. Lovejoy
Seminar Program
Registration Fees
Meetings and Social Events
Accommodations
Cancellation Policy
Sponsors and Exhibitors
Sponsorship, Advertising and Exhibiting Opportunities
Download Brochure and Register by Mail
Thursday, February 4, 2016
8:50 – 9:00 a.m.
Welcome
Paige Flanigan, President
9:00 – 9:50 a.m.
Losing Our 7th Amendment Rights in the Fine Print: Mandatory, Binding Arbitration Clauses
Larry Tawwater, President – American Association for Justice, Tawwater Law Firm, Oklahoma City
9:50 – 10:40 a.m. (Choose One)
Let the Sunshine In: Problems with Privacy in Family Law
Kendra Fershee – Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, West Virginia University College of Law
Venturing Into Employment Law? How to Avoid the Hidden Traps and Get Results for Your Clients
David M. Hammer – Hammer, Ferretti and Schiavoni, Martinsburg
Kristina Thomas Whiteaker – The Grubb Law Group, Charleston
New Lawyers Division Learning from Legends: 150 Tips, Tricks and Anecdotes from 150 Years of Combined Legal Experience
Rudy DiTrapano – DiTrapano, Barrett, DiPiero, McGinley and Simmons, Charleston
Wesley Metheney – Wilson, Frame and Metheney, Morgantown
William E. Watson – William E. Watson and Associates, Wellsburg
10:40 – 10:55 a.m.
Break
10:55 – 11:55 a.m. (Choose One)
Financial Management for the Contingency Fee Law Firm: Strategies to Maximize Fees, Defer Income, Manage Expenses and Save for Retirement
Rebecca G. Metzger JD, LL.M., Director of Tax and Retirement Planning – Advocacy Wealth Management, Atlanta, GA
WVAJ Women’s Caucus Women in the Law: Empowering, Leading and Succeeding
Kathryn Reed Bayless – Bayless Law Firm, Princeton
Jane E. Peak – Allan N. Karlin and Associates, Morgantown
Susan E. Thompson – Susan Thompson Attorney at Law, Martinsburg
Moderator: Paige Flanigan – Flanigan Law Office, Princeton
11:55 – 1:30 p.m.
WVAJ Membership Meeting and Luncheon (WVAJ members only)
1:30 – 2:20 p.m.
Low-Impact Injuries Are Real: Overcoming the Insurance Company’s “No Injury” Defense
David J. Romano – Romano Law Offices, Clarksburg
2:20 – 3:10 p.m.
Persuading 21st Century Juries: How to Frame a Winning Case
Jim Lees – Hunt and Lees, Charleston
3:10 – 3:25 p.m.
Break
3:25 – 4:15 p.m.
Framing Winning Cases cont.
4:15 – 5:30 p.m.
What’s Going on Under the Capitol Dome: Pending Legislation That Could Affect Your Clients and Their Cases
Invited Panelists
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin
Senate President Bill Cole
Speaker of the House Tim Armstead
Sen. Charles Trump IV, Chair – Senate Judiciary
Del. John Shott, Chair – House Judiciary
Del. Timothy Manchin, Minority Chair – House Judiciary
Friday, February 5, 2016
8:15 – 9:15 a.m.
Law Office Technology That Works for You: High-Tech, Low-Tech and Cost-Effective Options for the Small Firm
J. Burton Hunter, III – J. Burton Hunter III and Associates, Buckhannon
9:15 – 10:30 a.m.
The View from the Bench: Keys to Success and How to Avoid Pitfalls in the Courtroom
The Honorable Omar J. Aboulhosn – Judge, 9th Circuit Court
The Honorable Phillip M. Stowers, Judge – 29th Circuit Court
The Honorable Joanna Tabit, Judge – 13th Circuit Court
The Honorable Christopher Wilkes, Judge – 23rd Judicial Circuit
10:30 – 10:45 a.m.
Break
10:45 – 11:45
Mental Health Concerns and Substance Abuse in the Legal Community
James E. Leffler MS LPC, Clinical Director – Virginia Lawyers Helping Lawyers, Richmond
Paralegal Division Best Practices in Case Management: Staying Ahead of the Curve
Paula Moore Compston – Powell and Majestro, Charleston
Kimberly Good – Mani, Ellis and Layne, Charleston
Darcy Springer – Bordas and Bordas, Wheeling
11:45 – 1:15 p.m.
WVAJ Board Meeting and Luncheon (WVAJ board members only)
1:15 – 2:05 p.m.
The View from the Top: West Virginia Supreme Court Update
The Honorable Brent D. Benjamin, Justice – West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals
2:05 – 3:20 p.m. (Choose One)
The Two-Sides of Social Media Discovery: Getting the Evidence You Need While Protecting Your Client
Chris Wallace – The Wallace Law Firm, Weirton
Consumer Law Division Emerging Issues in Consumer Law
Jason Causey – Bordas and Bordas, Wheeling
Jonathan Marshall – Bailey and Glasser, Charleston
Benjamin Sheridan – Klein and Sheridan, Hurricane
Paralegal Division Medical Records and the Audit Trail: How to Review, Understand and Use Medical Records to Get to the Real Story
Michele Gonsman RN – Gonsman Legal Nurse Consulting, Duncansville, PA
3:20 – 4:20 p.m.
The Top Five Legal Ethics Complaints and What You Need to Do to Avoid Them
Robby J. Aliff, Chair – West Virginia Lawyer Disciplinary Board
John Cooper, Immediate Past Chair – West Virginia Lawyer Disciplinary Board
Rachael Fletcher Cipoletti, Chief Lawyer Disciplinary Counsel – West Virginia Office of Disciplinary Counsel
CLE
The seminar program is worth 15.3 hours of CLE credit, including 4.8 in ethics and law office management for the West Virginia Bar. In states with 60-minute credit hours, it is worth 12.75 hours with 2 hours in ethics. (Pending)
Convention Materials
All seminar materials are provided to convention registrants electronically free of charge. Registrants may select either a flash drive or Internet download. If you want printed materials, a convention notebook is available for an additional charge of $25.
Paralegals Now Attend Attorney Seminar
The two-day WVAJ attorney seminar program is open to legal assistants who are employed by WVAJ member attorneys. In addition to the seminar program, two special paralegal breakout sessions are scheduled. The regular registration fee of just $70 for both days is available to a legal assistant who registers in conjunction with an attorney; the late registration fee is $90.
Registration Fees
Register Now
Download Brochure and Register by Mail
Meetings and Social Events
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
New Lawyers Party (Open to all registrants, sponsors and exhibitors)
Celsius – 212 Hale Street, Charleston
Thursday, February 4, 2016
11:55 – 1:30 p.m.
WVAJ Membership Meeting and Luncheon (WVAJ members only)
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Convention Party and Legislative Reception (Open to all registrants, sponsors, exhibitors and guests)
Music sponsored by Structured Financial Associates
Friday, February 5, 2016
11:45 – 1:15 p.m.
WVAJ Board of Governors Meeting and Luncheon (WVAJ Board only)
General Convention Information
Accommodations
The Embassy Suites Hotel is located at 300 Court Street, Charleston. A special rate of $129 per night is available through January 3, 2016. The hotel’s complimentary breakfast and manager’s reception are included with your suite. To reserve your suite, phone (304)347-8700, ext. 5440 or reserve your room online. You must use the three-letter code AFJ when making your reservation to receive the special rate; online you will enter AFJ in the group/convention code space. Regular rates will apply for reservations made after January 3, 2016.
Cancellation Policy
All cancellations must be sent to the WVAJ office in writing. For a complete refund, less a $25 processing fee, your cancellation must be received no later than January 24. For cancellations received January 25-28 you will be refunded 50 percent of your registration fee. There will be no refunds after January 28, but seminar materials will be sent to you.
Attention WVAJ Members
If you plan to attend the membership and/or board meeting and luncheon during the convention, please RSVP when you register or email Debra Lee.
Questions?
Call WVAJ at (304)344-0692 or email Debra Lee.
Download Brochure and Register by Mail
Sponsors and Exhibitors
Bailey, Javins and Carter
Counselor Capital
Crash and Safety Consultants
FindLaw, a Thomson Reuters Business
FORGE Consulting
Garretson Resolution Group
Gonsman Group Legal Nurse Consulting
Hamilton, Burgess, Young and Pollard
Keystone Engineering Consultants
Leading Technologies
Lexis/Nexis
MedMal Consultants
Orion Strategies
NFP Structured Settlements
Robson Forensic
Saponaro, Inc.
Structured Financial Associates
Market Your Products and Services
Convention Sponsorship, Exhibitor and Advertising Opportunities
Sponsorship, exhibitor and advertising opportunities are available for your business at the 2016 WVAJ Mid-Winter Convention and Seminar. Our convention provides you with an excellent opportunity to market your products and services to attorneys practicing throughout West Virginia and in surrounding states. To learn more, download the Mid-Winter Convention Sponsorship, Exhibitor and Advertising Package. If you have questions, contact Debra Lee at (304)344-0692 or email.
WVAJ AFFINITY PARTNERS
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