BSCR Firm News/Blogs Feed

Jim Jarrow to Co-Present "Hot Takes" Session at ALFA Transportation Seminar

26 Apr 2024

On May 3, Baker Sterchi Member Jim Jarrow will co-present a session titled “How A Mongoose Eats A Reptile: Effectively Dismantling Plaintiff’s Reptile Attack” at the ALFA International (ALFA) Transportation Practice Group Seminar in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This “Hot Takes” session will explore strategies for countering the Reptile method, followed by a five-minute roundtable discussion.

Based in Kansas City, Jarrow primarily defends personal injury matters in the transportation and retail industries. With a 30-year career, he is a seasoned trial lawyer with a track record of trying over 100 cases. Jarrow serves as a co-chair of the Baker Sterchi Trucking Practice Group and a steering committee member of the ALFA Transportation Practice Group.

Baker Sterchi is the Kansas City, Missouri and Overland Park, Kansas, member firm of ALFA International, a premier global legal network of 140 independent law firms. The network provides educational programs across various practice areas for attorneys and clients associated with its member firms.

Michael Shunk to Co-Present at ALFA Insurance Regional Seminar

25 Apr 2024

On April 25, Baker Sterchi Member Michael Shunk is co-presenting the session, “Declaratory Judgment Actions: Strategic Considerations Before Filing,” at the ALFA International (ALFA) Insurance Practice Group Regional Seminar in New York, New York. The session will address the critical factors that often impact the decision to proceed with a declaratory judgment action, while also providing insight and updates on recent developments and trends in this law area.

Shunk's practice centers around the defense of individuals, insurance carriers, and corporate clients in a range of cases, including personal injury, contract and commercial disputes, construction defect, and insurance coverage and bad faith issues. He is a member of the ALFA International Insurance Practice Group and co-chair of the Baker Sterchi Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Practice Group.

Nick Ruble Co-Presents at 2024 ALFA Gig Economy Regional Seminar

22 Apr 2024

On April 18, Baker Sterchi Member Nick Ruble co-presented a session titled “State Law Data Privacy Harmonization, BIPA Litigation And Cybersecurity Issues In The Gig Economy Space” at the 2024 ALFA International Gig Economy Regional Seminar. The session covered data privacy strategies across multiple states, addressed recent litigation trends under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (including the Illinois Supreme Court’s “annihilative” damages decision), and reviewed other data privacy and cybersecurity trends affecting the gig economy.

Ruble, a civil litigation defense attorney based in Kansas City, has extensive experience in employment, labor, business and personal injury law. He serves as vice chair of the Baker Sterchi Employment & Labor Practice Group and contributes to the firm’s Employment Law Blog. Outside of the firm, he is a steering committee member of the ALFA International Labor & Employment Practice Group, co-chair of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association Labor & Employment Law Committee, and a frequent speaker on employment and labor issues. He earned his law degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law and is licensed to practice in Missouri and Kansas.

Richard Woolf to Co-Present Two Sessions at PLRB Claims Conference in Boston

05 Mar 2024

Baker Sterchi Member Richard Woolf will co-present two sessions at the March 18-19 Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB) Claims Conference in Boston, Massachusetts. Woolf’s first presentation, titled “Code Upgrades vs. Pre-Existing Conditions,” will delve into policy terms associated with code upgrade requirements, vocabulary from the codes, requisites of upgrade analysis and scenarios impacting code updates and investigation of prior damages affecting property damage claims. His second presentation, titled “Minor Auto Accidents: Major Damages,” will address third-party minor accidents/incidents that have the potential to escalate into more significant issues and strategies for handling them early to mitigate the exacerbation of damages.

Woolf concentrates his practice on third-party insurance defense and first-party insurance litigation. He is a national presenter on insurance litigation matters, including casualty and property topics, insurance coverage issues and efficient claims handling practices. Best Lawyers in America has recognized him for his insurance law work in the metropolitan St. Louis area.

PLRB is a trade association supporting insurance companies and underwriting organizations licensed to do property or casualty business in the United States through in-person and online education and training and to provide other resources relevant to property and casualty businesses.

For more information or to register for the conference, click here.

Michelle Meloche to Co-Present on Digital Health Advancements at AHLA Conference

05 Mar 2024

On March 20 & 22, Baker Sterchi associate Michelle Meloche will co-present at the American Health Law Association (AHLA) Institute on Medicare and Medicaid Payment Issues Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. Meloche’s presentation, titled “Meet the Jetsons, Telehealth and Digital Health Advancements in Health Care,” delves into the changing digital health landscape currently impacting the healthcare industry.

Meloche has a practice focused on representing healthcare providers, often defending against medical malpractice claims. Actively engaged in various healthcare and legal organizations, she is a member of the American Bar Association’s Health Law Section, the American Health Lawyers Association, DRI’s Medical Liability and Health Care Law Committee, and the Professional Liability Defense Federation’s Healthcare Committee. Meloche earned her law degree from Saint Louis University School of Law with a concentration in Health Law. She obtained her M.P.H. in Health Management & Policy from Saint Louis University and is licensed to practice in Missouri and Illinois.

AHLA is the nation’s largest, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) educational organization devoted to legal issues in the health care field, whose mission is to deliver authoritative educational content and serve as a professional home for all who engage with health law. For more information or to register for the conference, click here.

Josh Davis to Co-Present on Rideshare and Gig Economy Insights at AIFA Conference

28 Feb 2024

Baker Sterchi Member Josh Davis will co-present at the Association of Insurance and Financial Analysts (AIFA) 49th Annual Conference in Naples, Florida on March 5. Davis's presentation, titled "Evolution of Auto Insurance Risk – How rideshare/gig-economy is increasing crash rates and changing vehicle user profiles," delves into the changing risk landscape currently impacting the insurance industry.

Davis, a civil litigation defense attorney, focuses primarily on insurance litigation, including third-party defense, first-party litigation and insurance coverage. He focuses on personal and commercial lines, handling matters related to property, casualty and liability, and routinely represents clients in catastrophic injury and property cases.

AIFA is a non-profit organization operated by volunteers from the insurance investment community. Its mission is to provide an annual conference forum addressing the issues, challenges, and opportunities encountered by the property and casualty insurance, life insurance, reinsurance, and insurance brokerage sectors. For more information or to register for the conference, click here.

Clay Crawford to Serve as Panelist on Discovery Issues in Bad Faith Litigation

15 Feb 2024

Baker Sterchi Member Clay Crawford will serve as a panelist on the topic of “Recurring Discovery Issues in Bad Faith Litigation” at the American Bar Association (ABA) 32^nd Annual Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee Mid-Year Program in La Jolla, California on February 22.

The panel session will examine complex issues in practical fashion and analyze them from both insurers’ and policyholders’ perspectives. Panelists will guide participants through conversations and exercises to further explore this concept.

Crawford focuses his practice on commercial, construction and personal injury matters in the insurance industry. He is a Fellow in the American College of Coverage Counsel and a member of ALFA International’s Insurance Practice Group. Crawford is admitted to practice in Missouri and earned his law degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law.

The ABA was founded in 1878 on a commitment to set the legal and ethical foundation for the American nation. Today, it exists as a membership organization and stands committed to its mission of defending liberty and pursuing justice.

For more information or to register for the program, click here.

Davis and Woolf to Present on Large Property Loss at NAMIC Claims Conference

07 Feb 2024

On February 21, Baker Sterchi Members Josh Davis and Richard Woolf will present at the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) Claims Conference in Denver, Colorado. Davis and Woolf’s presentation, titled “Mastering the Maze: Insights on Handling Substantial Property Insurance Claims,” delves into the intricate process of managing large property loss claims effectively.

Davis is a civil litigation defense attorney, with nearly all his cases rooted in insurance litigation, including third-party defense, first-party litigation, and insurance coverage. He works in personal and commercial lines dealing with property, casualty, and liability matters, routinely representing clients in catastrophic injury and property cases.

Woolf concentrates his practice on third-party insurance defense and first-party insurance litigation. He is a national presenter on insurance litigation matters, including casualty and property topics, insurance coverage issues, and efficient claims handling practices. Best Lawyers in America has recognized him for his insurance law work in the metropolitan St. Louis area.

For over 120 years, NAMIC has been championing the interests of mutual insurance companies, both large and small, throughout the United States and Canada. With a membership exceeding 1,500 companies, NAMIC provides support to regional and local mutual insurers across America, as well as many of the nation's largest insurers.

For more information or to register for the conference, click here.

Laura Beasley to Present on Navigating Generational Dynamics at TADC/IDC Winter Seminar

16 Jan 2024

On February 1, Baker Sterchi Member Laura Beasley will present the session, “Hidden Causes of Age Bias in the Legal Workplace,” at the Texas Association of Defense Counsel (TADC) and Illinois Defense Counsel (IDC) Winter Seminar in Crested Butte, Colorado. The presentation will delve into the impact of generational dynamics on law firms, exploring biases unique to each generation. Additionally, it will focus on understanding the origins of these biases and offering strategies for addressing them within a law firm environment.

Beasley is an experienced trial lawyer with a practice focused on civil defense litigation. She currently serves on the Diversity & Inclusion Committee and was a past president of IDC. Additionally, she holds board positions with both the East St. Louis and St. Clair County Bar Associations. She earned her law degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and is admitted to practice in Illinois and Missouri.

The TADC and IDC, professional organizations of civil trial attorneys, are committed to promoting excellence, fairness in our judicial system, and preserving the right to a jury trial. Members focus on representing business, corporate, insurance, professional and individual defendants in civil litigation.

Judge David (Ret.) Slated to Speak at Crisis Management Conference

01 Nov 2023

On November 8, the Hon. Michael David (Ret.) is slated to speak on the topic “The Judicial Side of Crisis Management” at the Product Safety Leadership Crisis Management Conference.

The conference is designed to provide business professionals from various companies and industries with a better approach to crisis management. Notably, this is the first year that the program's development team sought a speaker to address crisis events that find their way into the courtroom.

A former Circuit Judge of the 22nd Judicial Circuit of Missouri, Judge David’s legal career spans 40 years. His recent practice at Baker Sterchi focuses on mediation and arbitration, earning him recognition by the Best Lawyers in America. He is a qualified neutral for the 21^st and 22^nd Judicial Circuits in Missouri, as well as the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.

Judge David remains active in the legal community, currently serving as a Master and Executive Committee member of the Theodore McMillian Inns of Court. Additionally, he is a member and past president of the Missouri Circuit Judges Association.

The conference is jointly sponsored by the University of Missouri – St. Louis Business School, the Society of Product Safety Professionals and the private company, ADK Information Services, LLC. It is scheduled to take place in the College of Business Administration from November 7 to 9.