"Meet Kenneth Bradley, organizer of the Andrews Asbestos Litigation Conference."

I am one of several folks who gets to represent Westlaw Round Table Group at the Andrews Asbestos Litigation Conference in New Orleans October 28th and 29th, and I am very much looking forward to it. I interviewed Kenneth Bradley, Sr Attorney Editor and conference organizer, about the conference, and what to expect. Here is his interview.


What are the usual attendees like?
 
Most of our attendees are lawyers who are active in asbestos litigation and many of those are trial lawyers, but some represent clients and never go to trial, especially those who represent companies that usually settle the lawsuits filed against them.  Insurance companies often send representatives, since as you probably know, they have a lot to say about how lawsuits against their clients will be managed.  Some of the defendant companies themselves send in-house counsel.
 
How has the conference changed since its inception? Have there been trends?
 
The issues in asbestos litigation, as far as liability, have been pretty well settled for sometime know.  The conference usually focuses on teaching skills for being successful in lawsuits, from both the plaintiffs' and defendants' perspectives.  Experts who can share the latest studies in medicine and industrial hygiene are big draws.
 
What do you enjoy most about the conference?
 
My professional satisfaction from planning and attending the conference is the chance to interact with the people most active in the litigation that Westlaw Journal: Asbestos covers.  It leads to better coverage for my subscribers because of the contacts I make who turn into sources for developments in litigation.
 
Is there something specific about the upcoming conference you want to highlight?
 
This conference includes a presentation on an issue that has been weighing heavily on defendants and insurers.  That is the imminent change in Medicare secondary payer reporting.  Congress has shifted the burden for reporting settlements and damages paid to Medicare beneficiaries to the payers and many companies say they are having a difficult time figuring out just how the government expects them to comply with the requirements.  There are steep fines involved for non-compliance.

We will also have a presentation from an attorney who this year successfully secured a $200 million judgment for his client against CertainTeed.  He said it may be the biggest award in an asbestos case in California and people will be watching to see how it plays out on appeal.
 
What role do experts play at the conference?
 
Very often experts are on the faculty, for example, the speaker who will address the Medicare reporting requirements.  But we've also had experts in medicine, science, industrial hygiene and actuarial issues related to determining parameters for damages awards.We've even had presentations on how to find and work with expert witnesses.

People who attend the conference who have expertise in these areas will have the opportunity to network with trial lawyers who are always looking to recruit new experts who can assist them in successfully prosecuting or defending asbestos lawsuits.


The Andrews Asbestos Litigation Conference is October 28th and 29th this year. You can more full details here.