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Join us for our 2026 Primerus Defense Institute Fall Seminar in Chicago, Illinois. There will be an exceptional educational program covering several pertinent topics, with the additional benefit of CLE credits. Don't miss this opportunity to learn, (re)connect, and develop new relationships.
Meeting Location
Sable at Navy Pier Chicago
900 E Grand Ave., Chicago, IL 60611
Click here to book!
The hotel deadline is EXTENDED to Wednesday, October 21!
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Registration Fees
$789 First Member
$599 Second Member Fee
$599 First Time Member Fee
$699 Young Lawyer Fee
$789 Client Fee
$1,500 Client Assessment Fee
Register Now!
Click Here for the 2026 PDI Fall Seminar Client Packet
AGENDA
Thursday, November 5, 2026
| 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Dinner Reservations at Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse (Pay on your own) Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse: 1028 N Rush St., Chicago, IL 60611 |
| 7:15 PM – 9:30 PM | Dinner Reservations at Tortoise Supper Club Pay on your own) Tortoise Supper Club: 350 N State St., Chicago, IL 60654 |
Friday, November 6, 2026
Meeting Rooms: Michigan – Superior Ballrooms
| 8:00 AM – 8:30 AM | Attendee Breakfast |
| 8:30 AM – 8:50 AM | Welcome and Opening Remarks – Including Primerus Member and Client Introductions |
| 8:50 AM – 9:50 AM | Bad Faith Exposure in High-Risk Jurisdictions Mark DiGiovanni – Global Indemnity (Bala Cynwyd, PA) Blane Smith – Law Office of Blane A. Smith (Sacramento, CA) |
| 9:50 AM – 10:00 AM | Break |
| 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM | Claims – Underwriting – Coverage Alignment Failures Tom Paschos – Thomas Paschos & Associates, P.C. (Haddonfield, NJ) Laura Mills – Old Republic Insurance Co. (Chicago, IL) Nick Poteres – Munich Re Specialty (Chicago, IL) |
| 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | 30(b)(6) Witness Preparation Michael Pérez – Pérez Vaughn & Feasby (San Diego, CA) Tom Peretik – Belk Inc. (Charlotte, NC) |
| 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Lunch |
| 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Time-Limit/Policy – Limit Demands Sidney Degan, III – Degan, Blanchard & Nash, PLC (New Orleans, LA) Bob Terback – McNeal Schick Archibald & Biro Co., L.P.A. (Cleveland, OH) |
| 2:00 PM – 2:10 PM | Break |
| 2:10 PM – 3:10 PM | An Executive View on Recent Trends in the Insurance Industry David Corey – Argo (Chicago, IL) |
| 3:10 PM – 4:10 PM | Expert Retention/Timing & Use of Mock Trials/Focus Groups James Whalen – Lipe Lyons Murphy Nahrstadt & Pontikis Ltd. (Chicago, IL) Blake Cole – Saalfield Shad, P.A. (Jacksonville, FL) Hayley Crosby – Saalfield Shad, P.A. (Jacksonville, FL) |
| 4:10 PM – 4:15 PM | Closing Remarks and End Seminar |
Click Here for Printable Agenda
Register Now!
The hotel deadline is EXTENDED to Wednesday, October 21!
Questions?
Contact Katie Bundyra at kbundyra@primerus.com or +1 616.454.9939