Insurance claims are on the rise and being able to handle the volume of cases coming through your door will be simplified if you know what issues are critical. Understanding the key elements of an insurance policy and ways to properly handle a claim are the cornerstones of a successful insurance case. Order today to master the challenges of insurance law and get the solid foundation you need to take on insurance law cases.

1. Legislation and Case Law of Which Every Practitioner Should be Aware
2. Establishing the Foundation: Reviewing the Insurance Contract
3. Understanding Coverage Options: Exploring First and Third Party Coverage Issues and Answers
4. Bad Faith: What it Is and What it Isn't
5. How Ethics Applies to Insurance Law
6. Putting Your Insurance Knowledge to Work: Litigating the Insurance Claim

1. LEGISLATION AND CASE LAW OF WHICH EVERY PRACTITIONER SHOULD BE AWARE
   9:00 - 9:45, Stephen M. Fowler
   1. Current and Pending Legislation
   2. Implications of Current Case Law
2. ESTABLISHING THE FOUNDATION: REVIEWING THE INSURANCE CONTRACT
   9:45 - 10:45, William L. Mundy
   1. Contract Interpretation
   2. Identifying the "Insured"
   3. Identifying the Cause of the Loss
   4. Timing Issues
   5. Exclusions
3. UNDERSTANDING COVERAGE OPTIONS: EXPLORING FIRST AND THIRD PARTY COVERAGE ISSUES AND ANSWERS
   11:00 - 12:00, Cheryl A. Fisher
   1. Homeowners
   2. Fire
   3. Automobile
   4. Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist
   5. General Liability
   6. Directors and Officers
   7. Errors and Omissions
   8. Professional Liability
4. BAD FAITH: WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT ISN'T
   1:00 - 2:00, William L. Mundy
   1. The Elements of Bad Faith
   2. Classification – First Party vs. Third Party Claims
   3. Breach of Legal Duties
   4. Exploring the Duty to Defend
   5. Related Causes of Action
   6. The Statute of Limitations
5. HOW ETHICS APPLIES TO INSURANCE LAW
   2:15 - 3:15, Cheryl A. Fisher, Stephen M. Fowler and William L. Mundy
   1. Rules of Professional Conduct
   2. The Tripartite Relationship
   3. Conflicts of Interest
   4. Entitlement to Independent Counsel
   5. Selection of Independent Counsel
6. PUTTING YOUR INSURANCE KNOWLEDGE TO WORK: LITIGATING THE INSURANCE CLAIM
   3:15 - 4:30, Cheryl A. Fisher
   1. Evaluating a Case for Litigation
   2. Venue, Jurisdiction and Choice of Law Problems
   3. Discovery in an Insurance Coverage Matter
   4. Settlement of an Insurance Coverage Matter
   5. Trial of an Insurance Coverage Matter
   6. The Use of Experts in Insurance Coverage Litigation

CHERYL A. FISHER is an attorney with Tiano O'Dell, PLLC, where her main areas of practice are insurance coverage, insurance bad faith, products liability and medical malpractice. Her prior experience representing insurance companies, healthcare professionals and coal operators brings a unique perspective to clients pursuing their rights against those types of entities. Ms. Fisher has practiced as a defense lawyer for 14 years, and since 2008, has been focusing her practice on victims of medical malpractice and those who have been mistreated by their own insurance company. She earned her B.A. degree from Miami University and her J.D. degree from the University of Cincinnati.

STEPHEN M. FOWLER is a founding member of the law firm of Pullin, Fowler, Flanagan, Brown & Poe, PLLC, with offices in Charleston, Beckley, Morgantown and Martinsburg, West Virginia. The law firm of Pullin, Fowler, Flanagan, Brown & Poe, PLLC is currently celebrating its 20th year anniversary. Mr. Fowler began his legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable Magistrate Judge Donald E. Abram for the U.S. District Court, District of Colorado from 1983 to 1984. His law practice has been focused on insurance defense litigation since 1984. While in Colorado, Mr. Fowler's insurance defense litigation included asbestos, construction and other product liability claims. Upon returning to West Virginia, his practice continued in asbestos, which has been a major focus of his litigation experience. West Virginia is a venue of national importance in asbestos litigation. Another area of focus for Mr. Fowler's law practice is governmental liability. He has served as counsel to the West Virginia Board of Risk and Insurance Management since 2003. Mr. Fowler has represented numerous state entities and municipalities in West Virginia, including West Virginia University in asbestos related litigation. One final area of focus is legal malpractice defense. Mr. Fowler has been successfully defending legal malpractice claims in Kentucky and West Virginia. His trial experience includes more than 50 trials to a jury or the court. Mr. Fowler has argued cases to the Colorado Court of Appeals, the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

WILLIAM L. MUNDY is a partner in the firm of Mundy & Nelson in Huntington, West Virginia, where he practices in the areas of personal injury, medical malpractice, products liability, auto litigation, bad faith, toxic torts, commercial litigation, employment discrimination, sexual harassment and trial practice. Mr. Mundy earned his B.A. degree from West Virginia University and his J.D. degree from the University of Dayton. He is a fellow of the National Board of Trial Advocacy, and a member of the Cabell County, Kentucky, The West Virginia and American bar associations; The West Virginia State Bar; The Association of Trial Lawyers of America; and American Association of Justice.

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