Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association

VOLUME IV, ISSUE III MARCH 2017

TDLA / ADLA Joint Summer Conference

NEWSLETTER

Please join us at the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort, June 15-18, for an outstanding CLE program as well as an exceptional opportunity for networking with defense counsel from throughout Alabama and Tennessee. TDLA Co-chairs for this conference will be Rob Carden and Hannah Lowe.   The general format of the meeting will be Friday and Saturday morning CLE sessions, a Thursday evening joint reception with the Alabama Association for Justice, a Friday evening reception and a Saturday evening reception. For the Friday morning classes, TDLA will host a Joint Session with Alabama. On Saturday, TDLA welcomes Dr. Judson Gash who will present on the process of evaluation of injuries and conditions of the spine using diagnostic studies, including an assessment of how he applies his expertise as a radiologist to identify, assesses, and evaluate traumatic injuries and pre-existing degenerative conditions using those diagnostic studies. Attorney Ken Ward with Trammell, Atkins & Ward, will present on the process of using a defense expert physician to conduct an independent medical examination or records review to counter a plaintiff’s expert witness proof on causation and other issues. He will use a recent case study where he used Dr. Jud Gash as a defense expert to counter the proof of a plaintiff’s IME physician on causation and other issues, using records, diagnostic testing, and the defense expert testimony. If time allows, he will also discuss countering a plaintiff’s proof of medical bills under Dedmon. Attorney Kenny Veit with Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan, PLLC will present an update on recent developments in Tennessee Workers’ Compensation law. See our website at www.tdla.net for more information and WATCH for our Seminar Brochure in the mail!

2017 Agenda

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TDLA Membership News & Announcements

• The Judicial Conference of the United States has authorized the appointment of a full- time United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. This position is created by the upcoming retirement of Magistrate Judge C. Clifford Shirley, Jr. The essential function of courts is to dispense justice. An important component of this function is the creation and maintenance of diversity in the court system. A community’s belief that a court dispenses justice is heightened when the court reflects the community’s racial, ethnic, and gender diversity. or disability. The current annual salary of the position is $188,692. The term of office is eight years. Applications must be submitted only by applicants personally and must be received by the Clerk’s Office by the close of business on March 30, 2017. See our website www.tdla.net under “TDLA Update” for the full information.

• Associate Attorney needed in Knoxville! TDLA Member Terry Adkins with Trammell, Adkins & Ward announced their firm, a Knoxville based insurance defense firm, has an immediate opening for an associate attorney, licensed in the State of Tennessee, with 1-5 years of experience. The position requires regular courtroom work in all state and federal courts located in Knox and surrounding counties in the eastern third of Tennessee, all levels of discovery, appellate litigation and contract evaluation and analysis. Excellent research and writing skills are a must. Please email your resume and writing sample to terryadkins@tawpc.com. 

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TDLA Membership News & Upcoming Events• Congratulations to TDLA Member Deana Seymour! The Bureau of Workers’ Compensation

announced the appointment of Deana Seymour as a trial judge on the Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims last week. Ms. Seymour will sit in Memphis after her April 5, 2017 swearing- in. Currently one judge sits in Memphis: the Honorable Jim Umsted, who will be retiring the first week of April. Ms. Seymour’s position is new. Ms. Seymour is a partner at Rainey, Kizer, Reviere and Bell, PLC in its Jackson office, where she concentrates in workers’ compensation and tort litigation. Ms. Seymour brings 27 years of experience practicing law to the bench. She earned her J.D. with honors from the University of Tennessee in 1990 and her bachelor’s in public administration with highest honors from the University of Tennessee at Martin in 1987. Ms. Seymour is a member of the Tennessee and Jackson-Madison County Bar Associations, as well as the Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association and the Defense Research Institute. She will bring valuable volunteer experience from her previous involvement in the Board of Directors for Jackson’s Downtown Development Corporation and as a Girl Scout troop leader and Sunday school teacher. Abbie Hudgens, Administrator of the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, selected Ms. Seymour from recommendations from the Workers’ Compensation Interview Committee. The Committee is composed of representatives of employees, employers and the legal community from all three grand divisions of the state. Administrator Hudgens said, “I am pleased to make this appointment. Ms. Seymour’s experiences and commitment to providing the highest quality court system for workers’ compensation in Tennessee made her an outstanding candidate for judge.” She continued, “We will miss Judge Umsted and his wealth of knowledge about workers’ compensation. He has made many contributions to the work and life of the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.”

TDLA Happy Hours - April 20, 2017- Statewide

TDLA/ ADLA Joint Seminar - June 15-18, 2017 - Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort

TDLA Annual Meeting - September 20-22, 2017— The Peabody Hotel, Memphis, TN

DRI Annual Meeting - October 4-8, 2017 - Chicago, IL

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