On behalf of the Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (TIPS), its officers, Council, committee chairs and vice-chairs, sponsors, and dedicated staff, welcome to the 2024–2025 American Bar Association (ABA) year. Congratulations to Loren Podwill, our outgoing Chair, for taking your theme of TIPS, the Next Generation, and putting it into practice with a zeal and charm that is uniquely Loren Podwill. Loren reminded us with every appointment he made, every event he attended, and every initiative undertaken that the health of our Section is in providing opportunities for lawyers to reach new heights with leadership responsibilities in professional organizations like TIPS. Thank you, Loren.
This Section can only enrich the lives of its members with the unflagging dedication and efforts of our TIPS staff, led by Director Theresa Livingston and Associate Director Programming Janet Hummons. We ask our staff to lead more stand-alone conferences than any other ABA section. Let that sink in: our scholarship, friendship, and comradery that results in an incredible programming calendar (see below for the full schedule) leads every ABA section, by far. That is why you, our valued members, may not receive a response email or call the same day it is sent. We expect so much from our TIPS staff, and they give so much to us. And the demands are not decreasing because we are racing out of the barn that is the new ABA year with fresh programming for our members.
The first program held this ABA year featured our newest Task Force on Referrals and Business Generation (RBG), led by TIPS members Michael Vercher (Chair) and Megan Coluccio (Chair-Elect). Why do we need RBG? Because our TIPS members have been loud and clear about what is important to them when budgeting for the year or discussing their TIPS experience with law firms: Help me explain the business proposition. With the most in-house insurance professionals in any section—not surprising as we are the insurance section—we give our members an unrivaled opportunity to meet and build relationships with in-house professionals. To kick off this initiative, we held a Zoom on August 14, 2024, featuring two of our TIPS members who are part of the Corporate Counsel and In-House Professionals Committee: Stephanie Penninger, Associate General Counsel, Supply Chain, at Wayfair; and Casey O’Brien, Corporate Counsel, Global Mile, at Amazon. Stephanie and Casey led a discussion about selecting small, midsize, and large firms for particular matters; the types of issues they handle; what stands out in preferred or panel counsel; and the role TIPS plays in their business. A recording of the 30-minute chat can be found on our TIPS YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/AmericanBarTIPS). Stay tuned for more RBG programming throughout the year for our members in person and virtually.
As there is a good deal of quality content to read in The Brief, I want to highlight only a few of our experiences ahead. The best way to experience all that TIPS has to offer for your client and professional development is to join us at our Fall Meeting at the Royal Sonesta Resort, Kauai, October 16–19, 2024, and the spring Section Conference at the Capitol Hilton, Washington, D.C., May 7–10, 2025.
At the Fall Meeting, TIPS will host the Inaugural Insurance Summit for In-House Counsel and Professionals. Because the focus of our meeting is on in-house insurance counsel and professionals, there is no registration fee for company representatives.
The summit will be three hours on Thursday and two hours on Friday. On Thursday, we will have a joint session with all insurance in-house counsel and professionals, and speakers will address the three issues that are garnering a good deal of attention: (1) social inflation/nuclear verdicts, (2) the use of AI by insurance companies and their law firms, and (3) cybersecurity issues. On Friday, we will break into subgroups on claims, coverage, and public policy considerations. Akira Heshiki of The Standard Insurance Company will be leading the subgroup on claims, Floyd Holloway of State Farm will be leading the subgroup on public policy, and Christine Davis of AmeriTrust will be leading the subgroup on coverage.
For in-house counsel, we will be laying the foundation for promoting TIPS in the insurance industry, as well as within the ABA. This is not a one-year undertaking; we have a commitment from the next two TIPS Chairs—Chair-Elect Marcy Greer and Vice-Chair Meade Mitchell—to continue the summit during their Fall Meetings in San Diego (October 2025) and Hilton Head (October 2026). So, you will be pleased to know that the fruits of our labors will be worked on throughout the ABA year, leading to the next summit.
In the next issue of The Brief, the “View from the Chair” will focus on the programming for the year ahead. But I will give you one preview: The TIPS Section Conference, May 7–10, 2025, will be celebrating its 10th anniversary (2015–2025) in Washington, D.C., where we will thank TIPS Chairs from the past 10 years and the Co-Chairs they entrusted with the Section Conferences. Our very special guest will be the Honorable Michelle Childs, United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Judge Childs will lead our judges panel and be honored at our signature dinner at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. Mark your calendars now as we will have a packed conference space with TIPS partnering with the GPSolo Division and the Judicial Division. Our Section Conference Co-Chairs—Jordan Howlette, Victoria Alvarez, and Chris Ward—are working on 15 panels that will provide quality experiences and CLE programming for our Section.
Finally, below is a preview of the full calendar of in-person meetings and stand-alone programs we cannot wait to see you at:
I am honored to serve TIPS and its members and look forward to seeing you this year! In the interim, send me a note anytime at my Holland & Knight LLP email address ([email protected]), and we can discuss how to enhance your TIPS experience with leadership opportunities, programming, and appointments.
