Join us in-person or live-stream, June 11-12, 2021, at the 2021 FEWA National Conference. This year’s can’t-miss conference features a faculty of numerous outstanding speakers including active trial attorneys from Texas, California and Illinois. More information on the program, speakers, and credit hours coming soon!

The FEWA Education Committee is rolling out some fantastic new programs that will move the Association to the next level—and YOU are invited for the ride! Join this committee and find out how much fun can be had by all, when providing professional educational offerings to members!

FEWA member, Paul Burkett is the President and CEO of Snoaspen Insurance Group, Inc. Paul began his career as a Loss Control Representative for SAFECO Insurance Company after serving as an Officer in the United States Air Force. During his career with SAFECO, Paul served as a Loss Control Supervisor, Loss Control Manager, Commercial Sales Representative, Division Commercial Lines Underwriting Manager, and Regional Workers Compensation Manager. Read more about Paul below.

In complex litigation, the majority of cases settle prior to trial, meaning the real battle often takes place during discovery. Though fact witnesses are certainly important, any experienced attorney knows that an expert witness can make or break a case. This is why expert deposition is typically one of the most significant events for your case—and one of the most important things to get right.

Video-meeting fatigue will remain a challenge for remote workers in 2021 and beyond. But if you get intentional, there are ways that you can take full advantage of this great video technology without letting it become a drain on your happiness or your productivity. 

The old adage in trial practice is that no party wants to face a surprise. Unfortunately, just as life can be unpredictable, the status of an expert’s availability can change unexpectedly. Depending on the stage that trial has reached, the court may place serious restrictions on the replacement of an expert. Even worse, replacing an expert at the last minute can be stressful and expensive for an attorney. Knowing the unique challenges of replacing an expert and having a contingency plan can be key to prevailing under such circumstances.

“How do I write a good DFIR report?” – Literally Everyone at some point

You wouldn’t believe how many times that question gets asked out of me here at Marshall University (and sometimes in the DFIR community). Year after year I’ve given the same answer: a list full of outdated links and a verbal “laundry list” collection of tidbits and other documents I’ve collected and have seen work over my 15+ years of working in this field. Hence, the motivation to put together a compendium of resources and “lessons learned” into a single living resource per-se.

The use of medical images as evidence in a court case has become a pre-requisite for cases constructed by personal injury, workers' compensation, and criminal attorneys. This digital evidence is subject to the same discovery standards as hard copy documents and photographs. As such, the attorney has to be prepared to share these digital images with opposing counsel as they prepare for trial. But medical images are just compilations of electronic bits, subject to strict privacy law and are only as good as the medical image viewer on which they are analyzed. This presents a special challenge as it relates to transport and sharing of these medical images.