Agenda / Content Covered

All times are shown in Eastern time.

1. Communicating Effectively With Clients
   10:00 - 10:30, Samantha Sutton
   1. The Client Interview
   2. Keeping Clients Informed Throughout the Case
   3. Working With Clients During Discovery
   4. Communicating With Clients Before Depositions and Trials
   5. Tips for Dealing With Difficult Clients
2. Obtaining Medical Records and Communicating With Medical Providers
   10:30 - 11:00, Samantha Sutton
   1. Ordering and Tracking Medical and Billing Records
   2. Getting Records From Difficult Providers
   3. Consulting with Providers on Treatment, Progress, and Medical Needs
   4. Pointers for Getting Quicker and Better Responses
3. Investigation and Discovery: Communication Tips to Get What You Need
   11:15 - 12:00, Michael R. Mey
   1. Requesting Police and Other Public Records
   2. Interview Tips
   3. Discovery Requests and Subpoenas
   4. Following Up on Discovery Insufficiencies and Missed Deadlines
   5. Coordinating the Delivery of Information and Documents to the Opposing Party
4. Dealing With Insurance Adjusters: Demands and More
   12:00 - 12:30, Michael R. Mey
   1. Communicating With Adjusters: Do's and Don'ts
   2. Handling Requests for Information and Documents
   3. Putting Together the Demand Package
   4. Negotiations and Settlement: What Paralegals Can, Can't, and Should Do
5. Contacting Lienholders and Securing Reductions
   12:30 - 1:15, Samantha Sutton
   1. Medical Providers and Hospitals
   2. Health Insurance Companies
   3. Car Insurance Companies
   4. Worker's Compensation Insurers
   5. BCRC, CRC, and the MSPRP (Medicare Liens)
   6. Medicaid Agencies
   7. Communicating With Other Lienholders
   8. Sample Lien Reduction Request
6. Communicating With the Court
   1:45 - 2:45, Marvin S. Haber
   1. Court Communication Dos and Don'ts for Paralegals
   2. Drafting and Filing Pleadings, Briefs, etc.
   3. Trial: Advance Planning and Preparation With the Clerk and Other Staff
7. Working With Witnesses, Experts, and Vendors
   3:00 - 3:30, Antionette B. VanSchaick
8. Administrative Tips: Coordinating Communications and Schedules
   3:30 - 4:00, Antionette B. VanSchaick
   1. Document Sharing and Collaboration Tools
   2. Scheduling Insights - Coordinating All of the Different Schedules
   3. Staying on Top of Deadlines and Events
   4. Artfully Interacting With Your Attorney
   5. Dealing With Procrastinators and Unresponsive Individuals
   6. Keeping Communications and Documents Secure
9. Legal Ethics: Avoiding UPL and Other Communication Pitfalls
   4:00 - 5:00, Marvin S. Haber
   1. UPL: Navigating the Gray Areas
   2. Avoiding Legal Advice
   3. Being Mindful of Conflicts of Interest
   4. Protecting Privileged and Confidential Information
   5. Email, Texting, and Social Media: Ethical Dos and Don'ts
   6. Avoiding Inadvertent Disclosures
   7. Ethical Considerations in Communicating With Witnesses and Jurors

Accreditation Details:

MARVIN S. HABER is a co-founder of the law offices of Haber DiPaul LLC. Mr. Haber has more than 30 years of civil, commercial and personal injury (litigation) experience. He is a member of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey State bar associations and serves as the firm's New Jersey resident partner. He serves as a certified federal and state arbitrator (PA) and maintains memberships in several state bar and local trial lawyer associations in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Mr. Haber has recently been appointed to the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Judicial Investigation Committee, organized to vet appellate judges and justices in order to maintain integrity of the Pennsylvania Appellate Court System. He earned his B.A. degree, cum laude, his Master's degree in Urban Affairs at Boston University, and his J.D. degree at Temple University's James E. Beasley School of Law.

MICHAEL R. MEY is a partner in the Scranton law firm of Mey & Sulla, LLP, where his areas of practice include personal injury, insurance and construction law. He frequently lectures to various professional and business groups on auto accident injuries, construction law and personal injury issues. Mr. Mey earned his B.A. degree from Wilkes University, and his J.D. degree from Capital University. He is a member of the Luzerne County and Pennsylvania bar associations, the American Association for Justice (member, Insurance Law Section), and the Pennsylvania Association for Justice (member, sections on Bad Faith and Civil Litigation).

SAMANTHA SUTTON is an attorney at Yelverton Litigators. She focuses her practice on personal injury. Ms. Sutton is admitted to practice in both South Carolina and North Carolina. She earned her J.D. degree from Charlotte School of Law.

ANTOINETTE B. VANSCHAICK obtained her B.A. degree in social sciences from Dowling College. She has been employed in the legal field for 27 years, the last 17 of which have been as a certified professional paralegal after having passed the inaugural Professional Paralegal Certification exam offered in 2004 by NALS, the association for legal professionals. Currently, Ms. VanSchaick is in her fourth recertification cycle and is expected to recertify by September 2024. During her 27 years in the legal profession, she has worked in matrimonial/family law, real estate, and estate administration, as well as her primary specialty, plaintiff's personal injury, where she was managing files from intake through resolution. Ms. VanSchaick is employed by Siben & Siben LLP in Bay Shore, New York, as a paralegal in their negligence support department and has been since November 2019. Her primary responsibilities at Siben & Siben LLP are preparing motions, summons and complaints, and bills of particulars, as well as managing the motion calendar. When needed, Ms. VanSchaick also prepares and follows up on various discovery demands. While she has worked in other areas of law, plaintiff's personal injury is the one she always comes home to. Ms. VanSchaick is currently an active member of NALS, the association for legal professionals and has been since 1998, during which she has served in various offices and on various committees on the local, state, and national levels. She also became a paralegal member of the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers in February 2021.