Events

What Keeps You Up At Night? Contractual Risk Transfer

Jeremiah M. Welch and Cheryl L. Kozdrey
Thursday, June 16 from 3 PM – 6 PM

Contractual risk transfer is a core responsibility of risk management and often one of the least favorite. The panel of subject matter experts will share their experiences and best practices during this event which will conclude with a hosted networking cocktail reception, and a good night’s sleep.

A Call to Action to Break the Barriers

K. Alexandra O’Neill, SDV, Denise Berger, Director of Strategy/Innovation, AECOM, Deborah Bradley, CEO and Founder, DBC Construction, Alexandra Greene, Executive Deputy Commissioner, Office of General Services, Kristen Gowen, Executive Manager, NECA Boston, Sally Librera, Senior Vice President & North America Transit Leader, AECOM, and Genevieve McJilton, Senior Project Manager, Target Properties – Construction
Friday, June 17, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

This panel will examine major issues impacting women. Several leaders will address what women need to understand about how to transform the current and historical dynamic in the construction industry.

Insurance

Will S. Bennett
3:45 PM – 4:45 PM

The Insurance session will cover the following topics:

• General Liability
• Builders’ Risk
• Integrating Coverage with the Contract

Friendly Fire - Reconciling Coverage Disputes with the Best Interests of All Parties

Cheryl L. Kozdrey, Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C.
Cameron Kalunian, Lewis Brisbois LLP
David Beck, Clark Construction
Friday May 13, 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM

Rarely, if ever, does construction litigation not involve at least one significant insurance coverage issue that greatly impacts that ability to defend or resolve the matter. With the involvement of multi-tiered subcontractors and the issuance of additional insured endorsements, the potential for coverage issues to subsume litigation can have grave consequences for all parties to underlying litigation as well as the parties to the dispute. In this session, the presenters will explore the common and emerging coverage disputes and then examine their unintended consequences. Finally, through examination of some case studies, the panel will set forth best practices for communications and coordination between and among clients, claims handling professional, coverage counsel, and defense counsel.

Understanding Insurance: What Does Indemnification Really Mean?

Moderator: Jayne Czik, Vice President & General Counsel (Citnalta Construction)
Speakers: K. Alexandra O’Neill, Partner (Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C.) Jeffrey J. Vita, Partner (Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C.)
Tuesday, May 10th, 2022   12:00–1:00 p.m. EST

Join a 60-minute session designed to help you better understand what indemnification really means. This session will explore the scope of indemnification and how it impacts your responsibility to several parties on a construction project. Learn more about what should be included in an indemnification provision and how to manage your risk through this provision. Also discover from leading insurance professionals what must be included and what can be excluded in an indemnification provision. Take away a better understanding of how to use an indemnification provision to manage your risk and control your exposure.

Construction Coverage for Owners and Contractors

In this program, panelists will provide an overview of the coverage considerations facing owners and contractors on construction projects, common misconceptions by owners and contractors regarding coverage, and a discussion of how to help advise clients so they obtain coverage they expect and understand the limitations of that coverage.

You Will Learn
• Types of construction-related coverages
• Common coverage misconceptions
• Frequent legal issues that arise under construction-related coverages

Risk Management Strategies – What Is Your Best Solution?

Moderator: Karen Keniff, Vice President, Construction, CNA
Panel: Melinda Young, Vice President of Risk Management, Alberici Group
Jeremiah Welch, Partner, Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C. and
Josh Billings, Project Solutions Leader, Aon Construction Services Group

Owners are faced with uncertainty and challenges when building in today’s fluid market.

Often times, risk management is last to know. There are many considerations when embarking on a construction project and managing your risk during the procurement and contract negotiation phases. Join our panel discussion where experts from risk management, legal and insurance discuss navigating the best options. Topics will include ensuring you have the right contractual language and what to watch for when not using a standard contract.

Additional subjects will include solutions for Builder’s Risk, OCIP vs. CCIP and Professional Liability as well as how stakeholders can share benefits of a successful risk management approach. Our panel will share how and more!

Managing a Catastrophic Claim

Jeremiah Welch (Managing Partner SDV WC) and Russ Johnson (Vice President, Insurance and Surety – Skanska USA Building Inc.)
12:10 – 12:55 PM Central on October 19, 2020

This session is about the management of catastrophic claims that could destroy a company if not handled properly. Some examples include building collapse, explosion, toxic exposure, and natural disasters. The speakers will share their personal experiences and advice on subjects including navigating complex liabilities, managing multiple counsel and consultants, dealing with media attention, and maintaining relations with government entities.

Keys to a Successful Builders Risk Claim

Greg Podolak (Managing Partner SDV SE) and Mike Campo (Executive Vice President, Director – National Construction Practice – IMA Financial Group)
1:45 – 2:30 PM Central on October 20, 2020

Session Description: No aspect of construction insurance recovery is more often misunderstood and given cursory attention than the builders risk claim. This program will explore the most common pitfalls in claims that fail and identify key strategies for effectively presenting and resolving a claim.

Through The Looking Glass: The Legal Risk Landscape

Gregory D. Podolak (SDV) & Marialuisa S. Gallozzi, Esq.
October 20, 2020.  9:00am – 9:45am

Wish you had a crystal ball to foresee shifting legal exposures that might affect your nonprofit in 2021? Look no further than this workshop led by legal gurus who serve as in-house or external counsel. Panelists bring vast experience counseling nonprofit leadership teams. Enjoy a fast-paced tour of the top regulatory changes and legal risks these psychic presenters anticipate in the coming year.

Introduction to Enterprise Risk Management

Jeremiah Welch was again invited to speak in a panel discussion for USC Leventhal School of Accounting’s Introduction to Enterprise Risk Management course along with other leading insurance industry professionals. The presentation will help students understand the activities carried out by insurers and the roles of different insurance industry professionals. It will also cover the impact of COVID-19 on the insurance industry.

How to Maximize Insurance Coverage for Construction Contractors' Growing Risk for Professional Liability

Gregory D. Podolak (SDV), William Noonan (Alliant Insurance Services, Inc) & George Truitt (Cole, Scott & Kissane, P.A.)
September 29, 2020 2:00 PM

More and more contractors are taking on multiple roles in a project. This puts greater liability onto the contractor’s Professional Liability Insurance. This panel of experts will discuss the coverage pitfalls and ways to analyze the risk. As a result, insurance professionals will have a better understanding on the coverages their clients will need

Coverage for an American Epidemic: Insurance Coverage Issues Stemming from Opioid Litigation

September 14, 2020  10:00 AM to 11:00 AM (Eastern Daylight Time)
Brian J. Clifford (SDV), Daniel E. Bryer (Robinson+Cole) & Kevin P. Dean (Marsh USA Inc.)

Drug overdose is now the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 50. This epidemic has sparked over 3,000 lawsuits throughout the nation against pharmaceutical companies, suppliers, distributors, and healthcare providers for their alleged role in contributing to the epidemic. With the targets of these lawsuits vigorously defending these suits, it was inevitable that complex insurance coverage issues would emerge. This program will analyze the insurance coverage issues implicated by the opioid epidemic, including an overview of the existing litigation and decisions to date.

You Will Learn

• The general background behind the opioid crisis
• An overview of the litigation the opioid crisis has spawned
• The insurance coverage issues raised by the opioid epidemic and existing litigation
• Anticipated future litigation and the coverage issues that will likely result

CLE Credit: 1.0 CT (General); 1.0 NY (AOP)