Defense Practice Academy
2026 OADC Defense Practice Academy
October 23, 2026 | Markowitz Herbold
OADC is here to support the continuing education of newly admitted defense attorneys and junior associates by teaching them how to manage a case from initial intake through arbitration or trial, and everything in between. Our aim is to provide the kind of nuts & bolts, hands-on training and instruction that most partners and senior associates are simply too busy to provide in today’s legal market.
6 CLE Credits Available
$250 for members | $400 for non-members
Schedule
8:30-9:00 am -Â Welcome Introduction
9:00-10:00 am - Preparing for Mediation with Richard J. Vangelisti
Preparation is essential for a successful mediation. This presentation will cover the key elements of preparing for a mediation, including timing of mediation, selection of mediator, preparation of all participants, exchange of critical information, planning for negotiation, mediation format/location, mediation statement, and necessary participants.
10:15-11:15 am - Prepping the Client with Martha HodgkinsonÂ
11:15 am -12:15 pm -Mediation Privilege under Oregon Law with Jeffrey EdelsonÂ
12:15-1:15 pm -Â Lunch
1:15-2:45 pm - Strategies in Mediation Panel with Chris Carson, Simon Harding, and Bill EarleÂ
3:00-4:00 pm - Judicial Settlement Conferences with Judge John Acosta, USDC Oregon (via video)
4:00-5:00 pm -Â Wine & Mingling
Speakers
Richard J. Vangelisti Â
Richard Vangelisti has been a full-time mediator since 2017, focusing his practice on personal injury and employment matters. He has mediation training from the National Judicial College, the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, and the Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation.
Richard is the 2025 recipient of the Multnomah Bar Association’s Professional Award.
Martha Hodgkinson
Martha Hodgkinson had an active mediation and arbitration practice in construction, real estate, commercial, personal injury, insurance coverage and professional malpractice defense, including physicians, design professionals and attorneys. She had mediated almost 1000 cases since 2007.
Martha is an active member of the Oregon State Bar, Oregon Association of Defense Counsel and Multnomah Bar Association. She is Past President of the Oregon Association of Defense Counsel (2004) and a past member of the Board of Directors of the Multnomah Bar Association (2010-2013). Martha has been a member of the Board of Trustees of St. Andrew Nativity School in Portland, a Jesuit Catholic middle school dedicated to offering an academically challenging curriculum in a supporting environment to low income students of all faiths and was Chair of the Board from 2017-2019.
Prior to establishing her practice as a full-time neutral in 2021, Martha had 35 years of experience in all aspects of civil litigation and trial practice, with emphasis in real estate and construction litigation, commercial litigation, defense of public entities, developers, design professionals, attorneys, contractors, real estate agents and brokers.
Chris Carson
Christopher T. Carson is a veteran civil defense attorney and partner at Portland’s Kilmer, Voorhees & Laurick, P.C.. With over four decades of civil litigation experience, Chris specializes in complex commercial disputes, insurance coverage, construction litigation, and professional liability defense. A recognized leader in the legal community, he is a past Chair of the Oregon State Bar’s Alternative Dispute Resolution, Business Litigation, and Construction law sections. Chris has been named to the Oregon Super Lawyers list for twenty consecutive years.
Simon Harding
Simon started his own practice devoted to mediation and arbitration on June 1, 2026. Â Over the course of his active litigation practice, Simon defensed individuals, insurers, businesses and non-profit organizations in Oregon and Washington. Simon handled thousands of cases, several hundred through arbitration or trial.
Simon concluded his litigation practice at the end of September 2025 to focus exclusively as a mediator and arbitrator, regularly selected to serve as a third-seat arbitrator on binding panel arbitration panels as well as serving as the claimant’s or respondent (insurer’s) arbitrator. Simon also frequently serves as the sole arbitrator both in binding arbitration matters and in non-binding, mandatory arbitration matters.
Bill Earle
A co-founder of Davis Rothwell, Bill Earle pioneered the recruitment of today’s most successful attorneys at the firm. He values intelligence, good humor, and a collaborative approach.
With almost four decades of experience in insurance coverage disputes, Bill has developed an ability to provide thorough, objective analysis and translate difficult legal concepts in an understandable way. Because he has earned the respect of attorneys on both sides of those disputes, he is well positioned to offer his services as a mediator in the insurance coverage field in Oregon and Washington.
Bill has also represented Native American tribes in litigated matters and has developed an understanding of the unique issues and interests involved with disputes involving tribes. Accordingly, he is also offering his mediation services in matters involving Native American tribes.
More information to come!