Maximize your networking at the seminar without missing out on valuable CLE credits! If you miss a main stage session due to a client call or other obligations, DRI has you covered. We're recording most main stage presentations (audio and slides) on Thursday and Friday, available on-demand after the seminar. Whether you're networking or handling work, this package ensures you can still earn maximum CLE credits. Please note, breakout sessions and some main stage presentations may not be recorded due to speaker restrictions. Recordings will be available within a week of the seminar, and CLE credit can only be claimed once per session.

Add-on Seminar+: $99. Non-refundable. 

In this presentation, you will learn cutting-edge witness preparation techniques from a nationally known litigator with decades of experience defending and prosecuting eight-figure cases. Attorney Gross’s techniques allow witnesses to develop the tools effectively to ensure their testimony furthers the overall goal of your defense.

Michael A. Gross, JD, CogentEdge/Magna Legal Services, St.Petersburg, FL

Savor a curated selection of premium spirits in a relaxed setting at our 'Bourbon Tasting.' This gathering offers a perfect opportunity to sip, swirl, and connect with other DRI seminar attendees and expand your bourbon knowledge with tasty snacks to complement your sipping. 

This event will take place on-site at the hotel. Please note this event is an additional cost and can be added when you register for the seminar. This event will cost $85; max is 20 people

Join colleagues and friends at selected restaurants for dinner (on your own).

Sign up for Dine-Arounds

Justin A. Hardin, Brown & James PC, Saint Louis, MO

Please join us in supporting Blessings in a Backpack, an organization that mobilizes communities, individuals, and resources to provide food on the weekends for school-aged children across America who might otherwise go hungry. Seminar attendees will have the opportunity to fill bags of food on Tuesday morning. Feeding a child before you feed yourself is a wonderful way to support children and families in the Philadelphia community.

Donate to Blessings in a Backpack

Medicare liens are an unavoidable part of medical liability practice, and while they should be the plaintiffs’ responsibility to satisfy, the carrier has obligations and can remain exposed. Learn how to ensure you and your clients don’t become responsible for the liens and other best practices for this thorny area of the law.

Barrye Panepinto Miyagi, Taylor, Porter, Brooks, & Phillips, Baton Rouge, LA

Medical liability litigation challenges the providers and the attorneys involved as to the facts and the law. In this session, our speaker will explain how to avoid a third area of pitfalls—ethics.

Madeleine M. Pfefferle, Ellis & Winters LLP, Raleigh, NC

Verdict size continues to grow; in this session, learn how to anchor the jury around reasonable, non-nuclear numbers from the start of the trial process, even before a witness is called.

Whitney L. Burkett, HeplerBroom LLC, Chicago, IL
Melissa Loberg, Loberg Consulting, Tampa, FL
Elizabeth Walker, Berkshire Hathaway Specialty, New York, NY

Smoke House Lunch Buffet

• Assorted Rolls and Butter
• Texas Chop:
  • Iceberg, Roasted Corn, Tomato, Cucumber, Black Beans, Crispy Onion Straws, Chipotle Ranch Dressing (on the Side - Vegan w/out dressing)
• Smoked Brisket, Knob Creek BBQ
• Chargrilled Local Chicken
• Alabama White Barbeque Sauce
• 3 Cheese Macaroni and Cheese
• Savory Corn Pudding
• Jalapeno and Cheddar
• Braised Greens (Vegan)
• Served with: 1201 Pickles, Onions, and White Bread
• Dessert:
  • Gooey Peach Cake
  • Dr. Pepper Chocolate Cake
  • Snickerdoodles

Sometimes imaging holds the key to successfully defending a case—even when your client isn’t a radiologist. In this presentation, learn how unexpected imaging findings already in your record can aid the defense of non-radiology cases.

Dr. David L. Smith, LSU Health & University Medical Center, New Orleans, LA

All are welcome to stay for the committee business meeting! Learn what is happening in the committee and how you can get involved in the committee or planning for the 2026 seminar. Drinks and snacks will be provided. 

As you all know, Philadelphia was the second US capital city, and it is the first capital city of underdog sports movies.  It’s got the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and, most importantly, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, home of the famous Rocky Steps, which national hero Rocky Balboa climbed in three of the nine-and-counting films of the Rocky/Creed franchise.

We DRI members are no less champions than Rocky.  Accordingly, at 4:00 p.m. on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 18, 2025, we will embark on the DRI for Life Championship Rocky Steps Patriotic Run/Walk.  The route will take us from the lobby of the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown out to the grounds of the Museum of Art and up the famous steps, then back to the hotel.  The route is about three miles, enough to get us exercised but still bring us back in time to get ready for the premier networking reception.

Join fellow young lawyers for a fun and casual bowling event. It's a chance to unwind, strengthen professional relationships, and foster camaraderie in a relaxed setting. We plan to meet at 3:45 p.m. in the lobby of the hotel before heading over to Round 1 Bowling and Arcade. This is a pay-your-own-way event and is open to all.
 

Savor a curated selection of premium spirits in a relaxed setting at our 'Bourbon Tasting.' This gathering offers a perfect opportunity to sip, swirl, and connect with other DRI seminar attendees and expand your bourbon knowledge with tasty snacks to complement your sipping. 

This event will take place on-site at the hotel. Please note this event is an additional cost and can be added when you register for the seminar. This event will cost $85; max is 20 people

Get ready to mingle and mix at DRI’s Premier Networking Reception! This is your chance to step away from the sessions and connect with fellow attendees in a relaxed, welcoming setting. Hosted right at the seminar hotel, you'll enjoy delicious snacks, an open bar, and refreshing mocktails as you chat, laugh, and build new relationships. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a seasoned DRI pro, this is the perfect opportunity to unwind, network, and make the most of your time in the City of Brotherly Love. So, grab a drink, find a friendly face, and get ready to make some unforgettable connections with your fellow DRI seminar attendees!

Get ready to mingle and mix at DRI’s Premier Networking Reception! This is your chance to step away from the sessions and connect with fellow attendees in a relaxed, welcoming setting. Hosted right at the seminar hotel, you'll enjoy delicious snacks, an open bar, and refreshing mocktails as you chat, laugh, and build new relationships. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a seasoned DRI pro, this is the perfect opportunity to unwind, network, and make the most of your time in the City of Brotherly Love. So, grab a drink, find a friendly face, and get ready to make some unforgettable connections with your fellow DRI seminar attendees!

Kevin S. Budge, Wiggin and Dana LLP, New Haven, CT

Difficult to diagnose neurological injury cases can be difficult to defend because the liability and causation issues cut across multiple disciplines. In this lecture, attendees will learn the best way to navigate this complex area of medicine.

Nasser Razack, MD, JD, Neurointerventional Associates, PA, St. Petersburg, FL

A discussion with The Honorable Carrie E. Hyams, Court of Common Pleas, Cumberland County, PA who, prior to taking the bench, was a medical malpractice defense attorney.

Honorable Carrie E. Hyams, Court of Common Pleas, Cumberland County, PA
Andrea Merolla-Simister, Gidley, Sarli & Marusak, Providence, RI

Artificial intelligence continues to infiltrate all areas of life, including medicine. In this discussion, learn how providers can improve patient outcomes with AI-powered technology and other players in the biotech space.

Eric Walk, MD, CMO, PathAI, Boston, MA