2010 Spring Conference & Induction of Fellows

Monterey, California

May 5-7

The 2010 LCA Spring Conference and Induction of Fellows was held May 5-7, 2010 in Monterey, California.  The waterfront panoramic setting played host to approximately 160 Fellows and guests, beginning with Wednesday evening’s welcome reception on the outdoor terrace at the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa, followed by two days of advanced seminar presentations, networking events, and the dinner and induction ceremony for new society Fellows.

Speakers and presentations for Thursday’s session included Mary Jo Shaney (MO), “Taking Private Property and Other ‘Fundamental’ Rights to Court: Can You Get in the Door?  Can You Stay?,” Dawn Siler-Nixon (FL), “Case Analysis and Valuation: Do You Need Mapquest?,” Marguerite S. Willis (SC), “Pre-Suit Document Preservation and Compliance in the Electronic Age: Avoiding the Pitfalls,” Michael J. Glick (CA), “How Advances in Electronic Discovery Practice Are Changing Commonly Held Notions About Conflicts of Interest,” James D. Gassenheimer (FL), “Preparing Your Client to Produce Winning Sound Bites at Deposition,” John G. Browning (TX), “When the Jury Box Becomes Pandora’s Box: The Dangers of the Online Juror,” William J. Healy (IL), “Meeting Juror Expectations in the 21^st Century,” and Larry L. Turner (PA), “The Evolution of the Opening Statement – Policies and Practices.”  Jack M. Williams, 2009-2010 LCA President, served as the program’s moderator.

Thursday evening featured a sunset cocktail reception on the upper terrace of the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa, sponsored by Marguerite S. Willis in honor of her 60^th birthday, followed by dinner and the induction ceremony. The elegant Dolphin Room, with its view of scenic Monterey Bay, was an ideal setting for the induction of the LCA’s newest Fellows.  Following warm welcoming remarks and a few humorous anecdotes from LCA Executive Director G. Steven Henry, President Jack M. Williams (GA) provided both salient and entertaining remarks as he greeted those present and introduced President-Elect Sharla J. Frost (TX).  Ms. Frost then delivered the charge to the inductees: a powerful message about the importance of jury trials and the duty of lawyers to prevent at all costs the right to trial by jury from disappearing from the American legal landscape.

Following the charge, Charter Fellow Guy O. Kornblum (CA) called the roll of Fellow inductees attending the ceremony.  On behalf of the entering Fellows, W. Ray Persons (GA) followed with the Response to the Charge, delivering a moving speech about the history of trial lawyers and how they have been at the core of meaningful change in American society since its beginning.  Mr. Persons challenged the new Fellows to remember their importance in society and recognize their ability to remedy injustice and change the country for the better whenever presented with the opportunity.  Following an extended standing ovation, LCA Executive Director G. Steven Henry thanked the speakers and attendees, and adjourned the ceremony.

The advanced presentations continued on Friday with Robert C. Reback (CA), “Presentation of Evidence: 21^st Century Approaches,” Gregory M. Bergman (CA), “Experts and Their Critical Impact,” Edward R. Hugo (CA), “Anatomy of a Winning Closing Argument,” and Gene C. Schaerr (DC), “Appellate Litigation From Z to A: Successful Appeals and Pre-Appeals.”

Attendees clearly built meaningful relationships with one another during the conference, and by Friday afternoon, when the Institute co-founders met in session at the Duck Club, the collegiality was notably palpable. Many Fellows and guests took advantage of the Monterey Peninsula’s inviting weather, numerous sights, and fabulous cuisine throughout the weekend.

In addition to conference speakers, tenured Fellows and new Fellow inductees attending included:

Mr. Emile H. Banks, Jr. (Wisconsin), Mr. Gregory Mark Bergman (California), Ms. Stacy A. Broman  (Minnesota), Mr. John R. Brydon (California), Mr. Gregory D. Call (San Francisco), Ms. Celeste R. Coco-Ewing (Louisiana), Mr. Robert S. Daniels  (Indiana), Mr. Kenneth J. DeMoura (Massachusetts), Mr. Daniel Draper, Jr. (Florida), Ms. Jennifer A. Friend (California), Ms. Gwendolyn S. Frost (Texas), Ms. Catherine A. Gale (New York), Mr. James D. Gassenheimer (Florida),  Mr. Martin F. Gaynor, III (Massachusetts), Ms. Renee Gerstman (Arizona), Mr. Tim T. Griesenbeck, Jr. (Texas), Mr. Benjamin E. Griffith  (Mississippi), Mr. William F. Hargens (Nebraska), Ms. Irene Bruce Hathaway (Michigan), Mr. Michael D. Heintzman (Pennsylvania), Mr. William R. Hill  (California), Mr. Edward R. Hugo  (California),  Ms. Heidi K. Hugo (California), Mr. Chris A. Johnson (California), Mr. Thomas E. Jones  (Illinois), Mr. Patrick A. Juneau  (Louisiana), Mr. Jason L. Kennedy (Illinois),   James P. Lambe, Esq. (California), Ms. Theodora R. Lee (California), Mr. Ronald S. Lemieux (California), Mr. James R. Lynch (New York), Mr. J. Scott Mann (Texas), Mr. John B. Manning  (Massachusetts), Mr. Michael J. Manzo (Pennsylvania), Mr. Theodore Margolis (New Jersey),  Ms. Amee A. Mikacich (California), Mr. Kenneth J. Moran (Virginia), Mr. George M. Moscarino (Ohio), Mr. Andrew S. Naylor (Tennessee), Mr. Christopher A. Nedeau (California),  Mr. Elijah Noel, Jr. (Tennessee), Mr. Matthew C. O'Connell (Ohio), Ms. Julie McCann O'Connor  (Michigan), Mr. Richard M. O'Connor (Michigan), Mr. Richard Pachter (California),  Mr. Kurt G. Paxson (Texas), Mr. J. Heydt Philbeck (North Carolina), Mr. James H. Powers  (Texas), Ms. Anne F. Preston (Washington), Mr. Robert C. Reback (California), Mr. Robert J. Ridge (Pennsylvania), Mr. James A. Roberts, III (North Carolina), Mr. Edward P. Sangster  (California), Mr. Gregory M. Sato (Hawaii), Mr. Gene C. Schaerr (DC), Mr. Michael J. Schmitt  (Kentucky), Ms. Mary Jo Shaney (Missouri), Ms. Katherine L. Shelby (Indiana), Ms. Dawn Siler-Nixon  (Florida), Mr. Michael F. Skolnick (Utah), Mr. Gary K. Smith (Tennessee), Mr. Charles E. Spevacek (Minnesota), Mr. David R. Stechow (Michigan), Ms. Gillian W. Thackray  (California),  Mr. Benjamin J. Trichilo (Virginia),  Ms. Charlene Tsang-Kao (Texas), Mr. John R. Wallace (California), Mr. Theodore J. Williams, Jr. (Missouri), Ms. Marguerite S. Willis  (South Carolina), Dr. Frank C. Woodside, III (Ohio) and Mr. Kenneth J. Yerkes (Indiana)