The Defense Never Rests

What advice do you give your insureds to mitigate future risk? I think we all have some general line items that we tell insureds or clients that they could be doing differently. But usually, that is after the claim and sometimes that is too late! But what about someone to come in and actually evaluate the business practices and offer real suggestions that can lower future risk. I think that is pretty great, don't you? This week on the Defense Never Rests we are joined by Riley McManus who is an engineer by trade but a safety management professional who is tasked with assessing insured (or potential insureds) risk. We are talking feet on the ground, walking around a business and scoping out potential problems that could lead to a loss. And then he offers solutions to help prevent that loss. Now that is a safety check that I think we all want to hear about. That does not mean Riley's job is easy…of course some businesses are resistant to change and that can certainly pose a challenge. But as a claims professional, having someone like Riley on your team is an absolute asset. What do you think are some of the most common risks he sees?

What does your carrier look for when selecting its esteemed panel counsel? This is probably the secret sauce and lots of attorneys are eager for the recipe. Let’s face getting on (and STAYING ON) panel is a giant hurdle. The process can be overwhelming, daunting and discouraging. Not only do you need to find the right person, build a genuine relationship, submit an impressive proposal and get to the point of being accepted on panel… But once you are on panel it does not mean you will see cases. This week on the Defense Never Rests we are joined by Matthew Queen who was THE guy at Hiscox who selected firms for panel and he’s here to spill the tea. Spoiler – there is a lot more to it than you may think. But Matthew is brutally honest about what he looks for in counsel and, frankly, what turns him away. For any attorneys out there, there is a must listen. More importantly, for those tasked with overseeing panel counsel, we want to hear from YOU. What do YOU look for in your panel attorneys? Comment below.

What do you know about insuring cannabis products and navigating the related claims? Whether it is used for recreational or medical purposes, cannabis has an element of uncharted territory. But is it all that different from insuring another crop? Or how about a pharmaceutical product used for medical purposes? Some say not so much and others believe it is polar opposite. This week on the Defense Never Rests we are joined by Brayden York who is the insurance and risk manager at a cannabis company and we take a dive into the particular challenges of this booming industry. Not only are there challenges because this is a newer industry with regulations and laws that change quite rapidly. But also, while cannabis is a crop it also has pharmaceutical elements and is used for that purpose – thus insert more regulations that require compliance Not to mention how it is permitted to be manufactured, produced and distributed varies widely depending on your country and/or state. There is a lot to pack into this episode and we do our best. What do you think are some of the challenges cannabis industry faces with insurance and claims?

How are the risks of a public entity different? Or maybe the better question to ask is: how does one approach a claim against a public entity differently? This week on the Defense Never Rests, we are joined by Eileen Fay, SVP and Head of Claims at Berkley Public Entity and we dive into the nuances of public entity claims. In some respects, they are not all that different from claims against private entities or individuals. However, when we are talking about claims against townships or police and fire departments there is certainly a distinct finesse that is necessary in defending that claim. What we also often forget, a lot of these entities are in small towns or departments where everyone knows everyone. For that reason, the counsel is VERY important. Eileen weighs in on the specific nuances she has seen with public entities but also dives into her path that brought her here. Even if these types of claims are foreign to you, you do not want to miss this dynamic discussion.

In this throwback episode, host Patricia Baxter is joined by cohost Oliver Brooks to welcome their guests. Two well-respected and widely used mediators, Judge Michael Snyder, the newly elected Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association, and Barbara Lyons. Judge Snyder has been mediating cases at The Dispute Resolution Institute since 2014 after retiring from the bench and Barbara Lyons has been mediating cases for over 25 years at the Bucks County Mediation and Arbitration Center. What do you think? Let us know! We want to hear from you!

Juggling family and career is tough for so many people. While this topic certainly isn't new, talking about it is still so important! In this throwback episode, host Patricia Baxter is joined by Kara White, Meghan Henry, and Scott Rybny. Tune in and listen to the experiences of 4 family-oriented, busy professionals with different backgrounds and struggles.

For our parents out there, what was the biggest challenge you faced professionally as a young parent? For many expecting mothers, the first challenge is TELLING your employer. What will they say? What type of reaction will you receive? When do you even break the news? What does this mean for your career trajectory? So many questions swirling around what is one of the happiest and exciting periods of one's life. This week on The Defense Never Rests we bring back Helen Yoon, Karly Wannos, Esq. and Jamie Szal to take a deep dive into firm and corporate culture for parents and particularly the challenges young parents face trying to juggle careers with life. But more importantly, we discuss what changes companies and firms can make to retain talent. This is not a new topic, by any means, but always an important one. If you are an expecting parent, a new parent, a "seasoned" parent or, even more importantly, a manager or leader, this is a must listen.

Which of your defense counsel's characteristics really impress you? Could it be an executive summary at the start of a report? Picking up the phone to discuss an issue or ask a question? Better yet - what do they do that you absolutely loathe? We attorneys may not want to admit it, but alas, that list may be longer. It might even get so bad that you explore switching counsel. This episode of "The Defense Never Rests" is dedicated to discussing the "do's" and "don't's" of defense counsel from an adjuster's perspective. This week we are joined by Morgan Dooley, who very candidly shares her likes and dislikes. She holds nothing back and, frankly, it is refreshing. In fact, if you do not follow Morgan on LinkedIn, you should start. Like right now. She is very candid about her opinions on…well…everything. But particularly her assigned defense counsel. Given how much fun we had, we have to believe it will be the last time Morgan joins us on this podcast either! If you handle claims, we are sure you can weigh in on this subject and we would love to hear from you. Don't be afraid to share tips for defense counsel!

Recognize this? "You can't handle the truth!" Or this? "The two yutes." Well those are pretty easy! But what about this: "…now imagine she's White" In this episode, The Defense Never Rests is taken over by Nate Bohlander and Oliver Brooks, who are joined by Ashley Johnson and Tyler Williams. Have you ever wondered how realistic movies about the law really are? Are they, like most things which come out of Hollywood, sensationalized to draw audiences to theaters? Or do they retain some element of truth and candor about the legal profession? After generating a list, they discuss the top 10 legal movies according to our office.