Committee Chair Corner – Medical Defense and Health Law Committee
Erik W. Legg
Farrell, White & Legg PLLC
ewl@farrell3.com
It is my privilege to serve as the Chair of this excellent Committee. My predecessor, Mark Hansen, set the bar high during his two year run as Chair of this Committee, and we strive to keep the momentum going into the new IADC year.
While I want to encourage all Committee members to participate in our monthly calls (held on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 3:00 p.m. Central/4:00 p.m. Eastern) whenever you can, as this is often the optimal way of staying plugged into what the Committee is doing, I realize that the calls don’t necessarily fit everyone’s schedules. With that in mind, I offer this recap of the Committee’s activities in recent months and a preview of things to come.
The Medical Defense and Health Law Committee was well-represented at the 2019 Annual Meeting in Asheville, NC. We sponsored or co-sponsored four programs, including: The Impact of Drone Technology on Healthcare; The Millennial Juror; Innovative Technology Sparks Evolution for Courtroom Demonstratives; and Smart Products Require Smarter Manufacturers. We look forward to making another strong contribution at the upcoming Midyear Meeting at Pebble Beach where we will sponsor/co-sponsor two programs: Healthcare Enforcement and Why Effective Corporate Compliance Matters and Weathering the Bellwethers: Opioid Litigation and Beyond and Impacts on Both Domestic and Foreign Corporations Subject to Lawsuit in the US. We appreciate the efforts of those who created and developed these programs, and we have no doubt that they will be well received at the meeting.
Newsletters continue to be a strength for this Committee. In recent years we’ve maintained a steady track record of publishing a newsletter nearly every month. The pipeline is always flowing, however, and in need of source material. I encourage each of you to identify a recent issue of interest, trial outcome, legal opinion, or other development pertinent to the practices of our members, and submit a short article for newsletter publication. We are also looking for a contributor or contributors for a longer, more scholarly article for submission to IADC’s quarterly Defense Counsel Journal. Please take advantage of these great publication opportunities.
Webinars also provide tremendous opportunities to share and market your expertise on issues of interest. Two recent examples of Webinars sponsored by this Committee include The 21st Century Cures Act and Real World Evidence: What the Trial Lawyer Needs to Know (presented 11/13/19) and Hospital Liability: Trends and Tactics in Plaintiff’s Search of the “Mega Verdict” (presented 11/6/19). These, like all IADC Webinars, are available via the website on demand. The Committee is always looking for new Webinar ideas, so please keep them coming. Moreover, for those who are looking for a leadership opportunity on the Committee, there is currently an area of need with respect to Webinars. Our 2019-2020 Vice Chair of Webinars position has recently become vacant, and that position will be filled before the end of the year. Active Committee members with an interest are encouraged to reach out to me.
In conclusion, as we press forward in what promises to be another tremendous IADC year, let me introduce your Committee Vice Chairs, and to express my personal thanks for their efforts:
Programs and Projects: Robert G. Smith, Jr. (rgs@lorancethompson.com)
Membership: W. Christian Hines, III (Chines@starneslaw.com)
Newsletters: Constance A. Endelicato (cendelicato@wshblaw.com)
Communications: Nairda T. Colon (ncolon@frilot.com)
Diversity and Inclusion: William Chang (William.chang@hhs.gov)
International: Kurt B. Gerstner (kgerstner@leeinternational.com)
Corporate Counsel: Shari L. Aberle (shari.aberle@optum.com)
Insurance Executive: Stephanie A. Sheps (ssheps@coverys.com)
Health Law: Megan D. Hargraves (mhargraves@mwlaw.com)
Nursing Home: Mary Anne Mellow (mmellow@sandbergphoenix.com)
Special Projects: Douglas Vaughn (dvaugh@deutschkerrigan.com)
Once again, thank you to all who contribute to the good work of this Committee. I look forward to working with all Committee members in upcoming meetings, conference calls, and projects.