The Summit is a one-of-a-kind event that engages defense attorneys, insurance carriers, company representatives, and in-house counsel in thought-provoking conversations protected by the joint defense privilege and aimed at developing creative approaches to common issues in repetitive litigation.  Preserving the individuality of a defendant and simultaneously providing opportunities for creativity and cost savings through joint efforts is at the heart of our discussions.  As has been the goal since its inception in 2011, the Summit offers valuable insight from various perspectives and experiences with the hope of developing new insight and ideas in all of the most relevant areas of asbestos litigation.  The Summit’s format is designed to encourage participants to share their knowledge and ideas with their colleagues.  We look forward to seeing you in May!

About

Forman Watkins & Krutz LLP is a general civil practice firm with a strong emphasis in multi-district tort, environmental, and complex-commercial litigation. For over three decades, the Firm has continuously provided clients with consistency, efficiency, and economic savings by pioneering innovative solutions to national, regional, and local litigation management. The Firm remains at the forefront of mass-tort litigation throughout the United States, and it’s innovative, cost-effective, and 21st century approach to mass-claim defense has been recognized by The New York Times, Business Week, Fortune Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The National Law Journal, and Reader’s Digest.

The History of the Summit

Groundwork for the Summit began in the fall of 2005 in response to major shifts taking place in the federal multi-district silica litigation. The attorneys at FormanWatkins quickly realized the need for collaboration among professionals involved in the defense of asbestos litigation. Several small meetings with some of our clients led to the inaugural Summit in 2011 which was held in New York City and was met with tremendous success. The biennial Summit has been an opportunity for in-house counsel, insurance representatives, corporate representatives, and national coordinating counsel to freely discuss emerging issues in asbestos and other areas of repetitive litigation by sharing their experiences in order to develop innovative asbestos defense strategies for the future.

Bringing it to Nola

Following the success of and feedback from our 2015 and 2017 Summits, FormanWatkins is excited to welcome you back to New Orleans–one of the most culturally diverse, vibrant, and iconic cities in America.

Overview of Topics

Asbestos Summit V, New Orleans

  • Filing Trends & Verdicts
  • The Importance of Epidemiology in Asbestos Litigation
  • Effective and Efficient Use of Focus Groups
  • Asbestos Bankruptcies: The Continuing (and Evolving) Saga
  • Talc Litigation Update and Look Ahead
  • Practical Application of In Personam Jurisdiction
  • Preparation for and Defense of the 30(b)(6)
  • Data Sharing
  • Ethical Issues in Litigation Funding

Locations & Accommodations

The Windsor Court Hotel. You can walk from here to history—from Windsor Court to the heart of the French Quarter—in five minutes or so. We’ve timed it. The Quarter, of course, is timeless. And eternally gracious. Which is our idea of hospitality. Warm and natural. Elegant in the sense of being true to your taste for the best. It’s the old New Orleans way. It’s been our way—shaped and accented by the classic English model—since 1984. See Room Block Rates below.

Windsor Court Hotel : New Orleans

Windsor Court Hotel
300 Gravier Street
New Orleans, LA 70130

(888) 596-0955 (Reservations)
(504) 523-6000 (Hotel main line)
reservations@windsorcourthotel.com

Room Block for Summit V – use reservation code “Forman Watkins & Krutz – Asbestos Summit” to get the following room block rates:

  • Full Suite $265/night
  • Club Floor Full Suite $395/night

 

Additional room block at the Hilton St. Charles, $179/night

Hilton St. Charles
333 St. Charles Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70130

Group name: Forman Watkins 2019  Room Block

(504) 378-2800 (Reservations) or click here to book online.

 

What to Do

  • National World War II Museum – the country’s official WW2 museum lets you experience America’s role in the war and on the Home Front – from the 1930’s prelude to war, to the Normandy Invasion and the battles of the Pacific Islands. Through extraordinary artifacts and exhibits, get ready to discover the courage, teamwork and sacrifice of the Greatest Generation.
  • New Orleans City Park – City Park has a special place in the hearts of generations of New Orleanians and is a must visit for visitors to the city. Located in the heart of New Orleans, City Park is a popular place to picnic, play a favorite sport, wander through its gardens or take a boat ride.
  • New Orleans Botanical Gardens – located inside City Park, the New Orleans Botanical Garden contains more than 2,000 varieties of plants from around the world. Surrounded by the nation’s largest stand of mature live oaks, the Botanical Garden includes the Conservatory of Two Sisters, the New Orleans Historic Train Garden, the Yakumo Nihon Teien Japanese Garden, the Pavilion of Two Sisters, the Garden Study Center, Lath House, and the Robert B. Haspel Garden Stage.

What to See

  • The French Quarter – take a walking tour or a Haunted New Orleans Tour to find out much about the Historic French Quarter. Take a Katrina Education Tour, and then round your trip out with some great jazz music and listen to the greats like Louis Armstrong or some of the new cats like The Marsalis family, Trombone Shorty, and Kermit Ruffins to name a few.
  • Jackson Square – the street performance scene is perhaps most highly concentrated at Jackson Square, which is home to its own vibrant and newly resurgent artist colony. Today it is the outdoor marketplace for an array of artists with a wide range of styles and backgrounds.
  • Royal Street – Royal Street is an eye-pleasing mix of classy antique shops and boutiques, fine jewelry stores, colorful art galleries and world-class hotels and restaurants. The area houses some of the most picturesque and most frequently photographed buildings and iron lace balconies – many of which date back to the 18th and 19th centuries.

Summit Schedule

2019 Summit Agenda

Wednesday, May 8, 2019

Dinner at Galatoire’s 33, cocktails begin at 6:30pm followed by seated dinner

Thursday, May 9, 2019

8:15am – Breakfast, The Windsor Court, 23rd floor

8:45am – Summit topics begin

12:15pm – Lunch, The Windsor Court

1:15pm – Topics continued

5:00pm – Day 1 concludes

Evening – Small group dinners around New Orleans, reservation information will be given at conference

Friday, May 10, 2019

8:15am – Breakfast, The Windsor Court

9:00am – Topics (including Ethics hour)

11:30am – Summit V concludes

RSVP

Welcome to Summit V!

New Orleans – May 8-10, 2019

We would appreciate your RSVP by April 10th but will gladly accommodate any delayed responses to the best of our ability.

 

RSVP to Summit V

Please contact Marketing Director, Holland Familia, for any Summit V questions. And, feel free to bring your spouse! We are confident they will have no trouble entertaining themselves in New Orleans while you are at the Summit. All we ask is that you include a note in the “additional comments” section, so they can be accounted for when we are making the dinner reservations. To RSVP, please fill out the form below.

Holland Familia, Director of Marketing
601-960-3225
holland@formanwatkins.com

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Commitment, ambition, competitive spirit, preparation, diligence, creativity, passion, integrity, and a respect for each other are the fundamentals of our Firm’s approach to its work. Since our beginning over 30 years ago, the Firm has always emphasized non-traditional approaches to our clients’ problems. From alternative fee structures to quantitative analyses of data in order to provide objective evidence in largely subjective cases, FormanWatkins is constantly looking for the new way of doing things to ensure that the client’s best interest is always served. There are no “cookie-cutter” solutions, as each case requires individual attention to ensure that the best approach is taken both economically and strategically. We are intentionally unique.