Session Descriptions
Title: The Supreme Court: A Momentous Term and a Look Ahead
Presenter: Thomas Dupree
Description: This presentation by Thomas Dupree will explore the current landscape of the U.S. Supreme Court, highlighting key cases and emerging legal trends. Attendees will gain insight into how recent and upcoming decisions may shape the practice of law, influence litigation strategies, and impact the broader legal profession in the months and years ahead.
Title: Appellate Update
Presenters: Judge Steven Powers, Jonathan Henderson and Julie Smith
Description: This panel will discuss the past year (or so) of appellate case law in Oregon. Judge Steven Powers of the Court of Appeals joins appellate attorneys Julie Smith and Jonathan Henderson to discuss the past year of opinions from the Oregon Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, and how those opinions shape the civil defense practice in Oregon.
Title: Bad Faith/Moody
Presenter: Doug Foley
Description: This presentation will cover the current landscape of bad faith claims in insurance, along with how trial courts are dealing with the Moody decision over the past years.
Title: Nuclear Verdicts
Presenter: Sitar Bhatt
Description: From national civil defense firm Tyson & Mendes, Sitar Bhatt will present on data driven defense strategies to stop Nuclear Verdicts. Tysen & Mendes first published Nuclear Verdicts: Defending Justice for All in 2020. In 2025 it followed up with a new book: Nuclear Verdicts: The Apex- Break the Pattern. The Apex draws from an analysis of over 100 Nuclear Verdicts nationwide providing a playbook for defense teams. The analysis identified a consistent and repeated pattern within the plaintiffs’ strategies. This presentation will go over those patterns and outline practical skills and strategies that defense counsel can implement immediately in their practices to combat Nuclear Verdicts.
Title: Ethics of AI
Presenters: Scott Kveton and Sarah Tuthill-Kveton
Description: With the rise of AI, how do we as attorneys effectively incorporate AI into our practices, what are the ethical implications of it, rules for using it, and the pitfalls associated with it.
More information coming soon!