I am pleased to have participated in WCI’s 73^rd annual Worker's Compensation Educational Conference in Orlando, August 2018, both as a speaker in my own right, and as co-chair of the National Worker's Compensation Review.

On Monday: I participated as a speaker on behalf of the "Professional Mediation Conference," bringing a trial/appellate attorney’s perspective to the panel "Winning Tactics and Strategies for Adjusters and Attorneys," moderated by renowned-throughout-the-state mediator Stuart Suskin and including talented panel members Naomi Kuker, accomplished senior adjuster for Gallagher Bassett in Miami (and daughter of universal beloved Judge Alan Kuker, Ret. now mediating in Miami), and capable defense attorney Gina Jacobs, of Maitland Florida.

On Tuesday: As part of the "Breakout for Attorneys," I presented on a panel entitled ‘The role of Evidentiary Requirements in the Grand Bargain: Presumptions, Restrictions and Burdens of Proof in Context." This was essentially the final in a trilogy, started during the preceding two years, dealing with the constitutional crisis/grand bargain debates; Judge David Langham, Deputy Chief Judge of Florida workers compensation judges, had been part of this panel the preceding two years and was scheduled to return but developed a scheduling conflict when the time slot changed so we were lucky, pleased and honored to have had Miami Judge of compensation claims Sylvia Medina Shore appear. Moderating was well-known/well-respected and even well-liked Maitland claimant's attorney Paolo Longo (who flattered me/us no end, last year, by introducing the panel as "basically The Beatles of Workers Comp!), but I was especially gratified to have "opposed," on the panel, Miami claimant's attorney Ray Malca, whom I regard as not only arguably Florida's most effective claimant's advocate (ask me why) but he’s also ‘tied’ for best friend since junior high: this marks the first time we spoke together!

NWCR: On both Monday and Tuesday the undersigned, along with cochairs Bill Pipkin and Jim Anderson, had the pleasure to introduce/participate in our 11^th annual National Worker's Compensation Review, a stand-alone breakout which helps to ensure an increasingly national footprint within the larger WCEC.  This year we brought together 39 nationally preeminent speakers, within 11 different substantive presentations of exceptional merit and worth (including our remarkable new offshoot, faith-based claims and it's interrelated ‘prayer breakfast’ Monday morning, an inspired, literally, project brought into fruition by NWCR cochair Bill Pipkin). We are greatly indebted to our NWCR’s Board of Advisors; Dr. Chris Brigham (chief editor, AMA guides, inter alia); Kimberly George (SVP of Sedgwick, Chicago), Steve Tipton (partner, Flahive, Ogden, & Latson, Austin Tx.) and Dr. Michael Webb (Regional Medical Director, Liberty Mutual).  We are going to work this year to expand and cement the roles of each, in this rewarding endeavor, one which nevertheless requires months of planning, recruiting, and hard work by the time it's "Showtime!"  Rather than list all our prestigious speakers, which I'd like to do, I think we will soon develop a website for this now-well-established and highly regarded annual presentation.