What will be driving lawyers professional liability risks tomorrow? Next month? In the next year and beyond? Will it be failures to adapt to changing technology? Overly aggressive adoption of and dependence on AI? The move to a far more remote work environment, and the feared deleterious impact on training of a new generation of lawyers? Will it be the risks associated with what some are calling the most massive distribution of wealth in the history of mankind, with the continued aging of the Baby Boomer Generation? Something entirely unexpected? In a conversation with Melissa Demmon, former Vice President Claims Counsel for Sompo (who oversaw their lawyers malpractice claims team) and current Director, Risk Management, EPIC Law Firm Group, Ryan Kelly, Claims Team Lead, Berkley Select (who leads a team of legal, accountant and management liability specialists), and Megan Zurn, Claims Manager, AXA XL (who manages a claims team who handle a variety of professional liability matters nationwide with a concentration on lawyers professional liability claims) moderated by PLDF President Peter Biging, this webinar will take a deep dive into what they are seeing on the horizon, what specific risk concerns they have, and ideas their thoughts on how the legal malpractice landscape will be changing and evolving moving forward. Featured Speakers  | Peter Biging of Goldberg Segalla, LLP in New York, NY is an accomplished trial and appellate attorney with more than 30 years of experience as a litigator in the state and federal courts of New York. His practice focuses on litigation involving directors and officers, financial institutions and defense of management and professional liability claims, including the defense of a variety of professionals against errors and omissions claims, labor and employment practices litigation, commercial litigation, municipal liability litigation, and professional liability coverage work. His work as a litigator includes defending a variety of financial service professionals, including insurance agents and brokers, investment advisers, accountants, broker-dealers and their registered representatives. He also regularly represents lawyers, real estate and title agents, and a variety of miscellaneous professionals. Peter regularly handles complex, high-stakes commercial litigations and claims involving allegations of fraud or malfeasance, as well as litigations of non-solicitation/non-compete disputes. A partner in the firm's Manhattan offices, he heads up the Goldberg Segalla metro area Management and Professional Liability practice, and is Co-chair of the M&PL practice group nationally. |  | Melissa Demmon, Direct Risk Management of the EPIC Law Firm Group joined the EPIC in October 2024 where she oversees risk management services, provides thought leadership, manages claims and advocates for clients. Melissa has over 25 years of insurance claims and legal experience. Prior to joining EPIC Law Firm Group, Melissa was the Vice President in charge of the lawyers’ professional liability claims team for Sompo. Prior to Sompo Melissa was Claims Counsel for a major insurance company in St. Louis, Missouri where she managed a large caseload of LPL claims against policies with limits up to $5M. Melissa previously served as Counsel with a national law firm, serving as coverage counsel to insurers with regard to D&O, PL, and FI liability insurance policies. Melissa spent seven years with another law firm in New York as an Associate and Counsel, again serving as coverage and monitoring counsel to insurers in connection with D&O/PL insurance policies. Melissa also defended insurance companies in federal and state courts in coverage litigation. Prior to that time, Melissa was an Associate with another New York law firm, representing insurers’ interests in claims made against insureds under LPL and miscellaneous E&O insurance policies. Melissa is a member of the New York, New Jersey and Missouri Bars, and is also admitted to the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the District of New Jersey. She received a JD from St. John’s University School of Law, and a BA from Columbia College, Columbia University. Melissa is a member of the American Bar Association (ABA), where she serves on the Standing Committee for Lawyers’ Professional. |  | Ryan Kelly is a Claims Team Lead for Berkley Select in Chicago, Illinois. In her role, Ryan leads a team of Legal and Accountant Professional Liability and Management Liability specialists. Ryan also continues to handle claims with a focus on Legal Professional Liability claims. Prior to joining Berkley Select in 2017, Ryan spent nearly a decade as an insurance defense litigator in Chicago, Illinois. She spent most of her career at Lipe Lyons Murphy Nahrstady & Pontikis, LLP where she made partner before transitioning over to work for an insurance company. While working in private practice, Ryan defended a wide variety of matters including legal and medical malpractice cases, construction litigation and premises liability cases. Ryan’s practice focused primarily on litigation and included numerous trials. Ryan obtained her undergraduate degree from Indiana University and her juris doctorate from DePaul University College of Law. |  | Megan Zurn is a Large Loss Claims Specialist in AXA XL’s Atlanta office. She handles high exposure professional liability claims for AXA XL insureds nationwide with a concentration on lawyers professional liability matters. Prior to joining AXA XL, Megan practiced law in an Atlanta boutique litigation firm where she represented policyholders in coverage disputes and litigated a variety of complex commercial matters in state and federal courts. Before transitioning to civil litigation, Megan began her legal career as an Assistant Public Defender in Athens, Georgia. |
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