Agenda / Content Covered

All times are shown in Eastern time.

1. Interviewing Clients and Gathering Information
   11:00 - 11:45, Elaine Jensen
   1. Handling Incoming Calls From Prospective Clients
   2. Interviewing and Screening Potential Clients
   3. How to Ask Difficult and Uncomfortable Questions
   4. Detecting When a Client is Lying
   5. Gathering and Reviewing Police and Witness Reports
   6. Getting Insurance Information
   7. Coordinating Treatment
   8. Keeping Clients Updated on the Status of Their Claim
2. Investigation Checklist: Tracking Down Medical Records, Evidence, and Witnesses
   11:45 - 12:45, Elaine Jensen
   1. A Complete Investigation Checklist: What to Look for and Where
   2. Preserving and Collecting Evidence
   3. Requesting Doctor's Reports, Medical Records, and Bills
   4. Organizing, Indexing, and Reviewing Medical Records
   5. Chronologies and Medical Summaries
   6. Tracking Down and Interviewing Witnesses
   7. Documentation for Vehicle Damage, Lost Wages, and Other Damages
3. Communicating With Insurance Adjusters and Lien Holders
   1:00 - 2:00, Elaine Jensen
   1. Communicating With Auto Insurance Companies
      1. The Claimant's
      2. The Defendant Driver's
   2. Unique Considerations for UM/UIM Claims
   3. Drafting Demands
   4. Assisting With Settlement
   5. Identifying and Communicating With Lien Holders (Health Care Providers, Private Insurance, Medicare, and More)
   6. Drafting Lien Reduction Requests
   7. Lien Resolution Documentation
4. Pleadings and Case Management Tips
   2:30 - 3:00, Cari L. Sheehan
   1. Filing in State vs. Federal Court
   2. Drafting Pleadings
   3. Calculating Deadlines and Maintaining Calendars
   4. Communications With the Court and Opposing Counsel
   5. Arranging Mediations and Other Events
   6. Document Management Pointers
5. Discovery: Plaintiff and Defense Paralegal Perspectives
   3:00 - 3:45, Jack P. Burden
   1. Disclosures
   2. Drafting Discovery Requests
   3. Discovery Responses and Document Production
   4. Coordinating and Scheduling Depositions
   5. Your Role in Deposition Preparation
   6. Insights on Preparing Deposition Summaries
6. Preparing for the Trial of an Auto Injury Case
   4:00 - 5:00, Jack P. Burden
   1. What You Need to Be Doing and When
   2. Drafting Briefs
   3. Preparing Exhibits
   4. Organizing Trial Notebooks
   5. Preparing Clients and Witnesses
   6. Logistics and Set Up
7. Personal Injury Paralegal Ethics
   5:00 - 6:00, Cari L. Sheehan
   1. Conflicts of Interest
   2. Competence
   3. Avoiding UPL
   4. Protecting Client Confidentiality
   5. Integrity

Accreditation Details:

JACK P. BURDEN is a shareholder in the law firm of Backus, Carranza & Burden, and is a litigation attorney with practice emphasis in general liability, product liability, food liability and commercial matters. His clients range from Fortune 200 companies to local business owners in Nevada. Mr. Burden is admitted to the State Bar of Nevada; the U.S. District Court, District of Nevada and the U.S. Supreme Court; and currently serves as an author of State Bar of Nevada Jury Instructions. He is also active in the State Bar of Nevada’s Continuing Education Committee and the Canyon Springs High School Advisory Board. Mr. Burden earned his B.S. degree from the University of Nevada, Reno's Reynolds School of Journalism and his J.D. degree from Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas.

ELAINE JENSEN is a paralegal with Axley Brynelson, LLP. She has more than 27 years of paralegal experience, focusing her career on litigation and personal injury law in both defense and plaintiffs' work. Ms. Jensen has considerable client contact, assisting them through the entire personal injury claim process. She also assists Axley Brynelson, LLP attorneys with discovery, accident investigation, establishing special damages and gathering medical evidence. Ms. Jensen has taught multiple seminars for legal assistants and paralegals through the Institute for Paralegal Education. She earned her Associate of Arts and Sciences degree in paralegal studies from District One Technical College.

CARI L. SHEEHAN is of counsel in Barnes & Thornburg, LLP's Indianapolis office and is a member of the litigation department. Ms. Sheehan serves as professional responsibility counsel to the firm and focuses on various legal ethics and professional responsibility matters. She has represented clients in state and federal courts in Indiana and Illinois. Ms. Sheehan is admitted to practice in Indiana and Illinois. Ms. Sheehan also is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Northern and Southern districts of Indiana, U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern districts of Illinois, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, U.S. Bankruptcy Courts for the Southern District of Indiana and Northern District of Illinois, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. She is a member of the Indiana State Bar Association, Indianapolis Bar Association, and the Saint Thomas More Legal Society. She earned her B.A. degree, cum laude, from the University of Southern Indiana and her J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law.