I will be attending and speaking at a very interesting seminar for attorneys regarding wrongful insurance claims practice at the Wynn Las Vegas on August 26-28. The 360 Advocacy Institute is sponsoring the "Insurance Bad Faith and Settlement Institute." I agreed to attend after speaking with Richard Slawson about having nationally recognized presenters who will talk about their perceptions of what cutting edge "bad faith" really means to attorneys who deal with insurance companies.
The Institute is worth its money to learn from just two of its speakers—Don Bauermeister and Don Keenan. Bauermeister is from Anchorage, Alaska. He has a number of multi-million dollar verdicts and is very experienced in a number of disciplines. I spent a couple of days with him and the appellate attorneys working on the briefs in Campbell versus State Farm. During that meeting, I felt like such a novice to Bauermeister’s understanding of the Supreme Court Justices and their perception of punitive damages. It was obvious after analyzing the matter that it was going to be difficult for Campbell to win. Bauermeister’s analysis was an eye opening revelation that many jurists do not see insurance consumer protection as good law and that many judges have a mindset far different than mine.
Bauermeister is speaking on the "Application of Cognitive Neuroscience in the Courtroom: How Ordinary Jurors Process Information." I can guarantee his presentation will be thoughtful, reasoned and full of counter-intuitive lessons even the most seasoned attorney will appreciate.
Don Keenan is among the best trial attorneys in the Country. When a person has over 142 verdicts or settlements in excess of one million dollars, you should pay attention if he wants to share his knowledge with you. Keenan has recently published a work that he will present in Las Vegas regarding "The Reptilian Mind and the Juror’s Subconscious." In lay terms, he will explore why jurors act in certain ways that they do not understand themselves. He will also explain how trial attorneys can present evidence that speaks to jurors’ deep rooted subconscious.
I do not mean to imply that the remaining speakers are not worthy of your time, attention and money. Indeed, I would hope a few of my easy to follow tips on discovery techniques of the Pattern and Practice of wrongful insurance claims practices will result in better outcomes for those damaged by unfair treatment of insurers. Indeed, every speaker in the Institute has extensive experience and unique perspectives which will yield valuable returns to those practicing in this field.
I consider learning an investment in yourself and those you serve. You can either learn from the school of hard knocks or from those who already have.
Why not take advantage of this opportunity to spend a few days in Vegas and invest in your professional development?
