The NLRB’s recent overhaul has changed the rules of engagement for employers nationwide. With precedent under threat and enforcement priorities shifting rapidly, employers must adapt their playbooks. This session breaks down what’s changed, what’s next, and how employers and their counsel should recalibrate strategy when facing the “new” NLRB.

Internal investigations are often undertaken to reduce risk, but missteps can unintentionally create new legal exposure. This session offers practical guidance for in-house and defense counsel on structuring investigations to preserve privilege, manage parallel risks, and avoid turning compliance efforts into Exhibit A.

Litigation involving PFAS, often called “forever chemicals,” is no longer limited to chemical manufacturers. As regulatory scrutiny expands and plaintiffs cast wider nets, companies across industries that use, distribute, or incorporate PFAS-containing products are being drawn into costly litigation. This session provides an overview of potential exposure, including the scope of alleged PFAS liability and evolving federal and state regulatory frameworks.

Tariff tides continue to turn with little warning. This panel explores the post-“Liberation Day” tariff landscape, offering insight into how businesses can protect themselves from unexpected disputes, allocate risk, and prepare for the inevitable wave of tariff-related litigation now cresting through global supply chains.

Panelists:

Joanna Brody – Vestas

Mariah Jacobsen – Thermo King

Joel Neckers – Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell

Mass arbitration has become a powerful weapon for plaintiffs’ firms, which leverage filing fees and volume to encourage large early settlements. Designed with in-house counsel in mind, this session clarifies how mass arbitration campaigns are built and identifies practical steps companies can take to reduce exposure, including updating arbitration clauses and strategies for responding to a putative class action complaint.

Nuclear verdicts are no longer outliers—they are shaping litigation risk nationwide. Drawing on recent verdict data and trial trends, this session examines what’s driving runaway jury awards, how juror attitudes have changed, and why traditional defense strategies may fall short. Attendees will leave with actionable insights for adapting trial and appellate strategies in this new, high-stakes environment.

Waiting until after an adverse ruling—or worse, a nuclear verdict—to involve appellate counsel can be a costly mistake. Based on their experience as a nationally recognized evidence expert and a former Supreme Court Justice for the Republic of Palau, this breakout emphasizes the importance of engaging appellate counsel early in high-exposure matters. Through case studies and practical, attendees will learn how to preserve critical issues, create settlement leverage, and have clarity heading into trial.

Discussion Leaders:

Ashby Pate – Lightfoot Franklin & White

Name – Company/Firm

Name – Company/Firm

Name – Company/Firm

Although courts prohibit “Golden Rule” arguments that ask jurors to step into a plaintiff’s shoes, plaintiffs’ counsel continue to adapt reptile-theory tactics to tap into jurors’ instincts about safety and community protection. This session examines the origins of reptile theory and how it has been reshaped in modern advocacy. Drawing on cases in which courts have excluded reptilian strategies, attendees will gain practical tools to identify, challenge, and neutralize these arguments early—before they take hold in voir dire, opening, or closing.

Discussion Leaders:

Jillian Yeargin – Verdict Insight Partners

Name – Company/Firm

Name – Company/Firm

Name – Company/Firm

Despite the rule’s aim to streamline discovery, overbroad and excessive 30(b)(6) notices are increasingly common and burdensome. This roundtable dives into best practices for responding strategically, from initial objections and negotiations to witness preparation and motion practice. Participants will discuss preparing corporate witnesses to handle disputed topics, when “I don’t know” is an appropriate answer, and when hiring witness consultants can make a meaningful difference.

Discussion Leaders:

Name – Company/Firm

Name – Company/Firm

Name – Company/Firm

Name – Company/Firm

In this age of viral content and political polarization, employers must carefully balance employees’ off-duty free expression with maintaining a safe and respectful workplace. This session explores the boundaries of regulatory authority and when and how employers can respond to off-duty conduct without crossing constitutional or statutory lines.

Law is inherently adversarial, but escalation is not always advocacy. Too often, we mirror our clients’ anger and default to combat, even when it undermines their long-term interests—and our own well-being. This program explores how personal development and self-awareness can help lawyers better understand clients, opponents, and themselves. By shifting from reflexive conflict to intentional resolution, attorneys can serve clients more effectively while reducing the stress that contributes to burnout and depression.

As AI becomes in embedded in products used at large scale, traditional product liability frameworks are being tested—and expanded. This session by Maslon LLP’s Stephanie Laws explores how increased reliance on AI is translating into heightened litigation exposure and outlines defense-side strategies to manage risk and defend against AI-related product liability claims.

High-severity injury and wrongful death cases present unique legal challenges, especially when multiple statutory beneficiaries are involved. This panel explores defense and carrier strategies for resolving high-severity cases, including early mediator involvement with experts, anchoring techniques, focus groups, and targeted mock trials. Panelists will discuss industry trends and ways to streamline resolution, including strategic investment in consultants and litigation funding.

Panelists:

Diego Rojas – Curi Insurance

Sandra Sutton – Chubb

Jennifer Vitale – CNA

The plaintiffs’ bar is organized, well-funded, and increasingly strategic — but most defense counsel only see part of the picture. In this session, Lightfoot partner Lana Olson reveals what’s happening behind the scenes, including efforts to “educate” appellate judges and the bar’s national information-sharing network. Attendees will gain valuable insight into forces quietly shaping their cases—and how to respond more effectively.

Concurrent expert testimony is gaining traction—but is it a strategic advantage or a dangerous gamble? This session explains “hot-tubbing” and how it can be used, when it backfires, and how courts are applying Rule 611 and its state counterparts. Learn how to decide whether to push for—or fight against—this unconventional trial technique.

Trade secret litigation often arises from predictable — and preventable — missteps. This breakout session highlights recurring fact patterns that trigger trade secret disputes and offers practical steps companies can take to protect valuable information and avoid litigation.

Discussion Leaders:

Name – Company/Firm

Name – Company/Firm

Name – Company/Firm

Name – Company/Firm

AI can be a valuable litigation tool—if you know how to use it. This session explores how to move beyond basic prompting to craft deliberate, well-designed prompts that provide high-quality, reliable litigation outputs—while staying within ethical guardrails. Attendees will leave with practical techniques to move beyond basic AI interactions to enhance advocacy and efficiency.

Discussion Leaders:

Craig Brodsky – Goodell DeVries Leech & Dann

Greg Marshall – Snell & Wilmer

Name – Company/Firm

Name – Company/Firm

Recent ICE enforcement actions under Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota highlight the growing convergence of immigration enforcement, constitutional limits, and employer liability. Using real-world examples, this session outlines what companies can do when ICE appears at or near the workplace and how to handle employee detention or participation in protests. Attendees will learn practical strategies to protect their workforce, minimize liability, and respond effectively to immigration enforcement efforts.

Discussion Leaders:

Kerri Wright – Porzio Bromberg & Newman

Name – Company/Firm

Name – Company/Firm

Name – Company/Firm