Georgia Chamber Civil Justice Forum Agenda

August 16, 2012, Loews, Atlanta

Winning Today’s Business Competition by Advancing Civil Justice Reform

8:30 AM – Registration

9:30 AM – Winning Today’s Business Competition

• An overview of Georgia’s current ability to compete for business growth and development---what is working, what puts Georgia at a disadvantage, and steps that can be taken to remove barriers to economic growth.
  • Chris Clark, President and CEO, Georgia Chamber of Commerce

9:45-10:30 AM – Worrisome Trends: The Costs of Civil Litigation to Business and Consumers

• An examination of the costs of civil litigation to businesses and consumers, explore ongoing litigation trends and analyze the economic significance of enacted reforms in states across the country, including an in-depth review of how legal reforms spurred major economic growth in Texas.
  • Bryan Quigley, US Chamber’s Institute for Legal Reform
  • Sherry Sylvester, Texans for Lawsuit Reform

10:30-11:15 – A Look Back: SB3 and Georgia’s History with Civil Justice Reform

•  A discussion of the history of tort reform in Georgia and what has resulted from SB 3 seven years later
  • Preston Smith, Former Chairman of Senate Judiciary
  • Shannon Goessling, Southeastern Legal Foundation
  • Representative Larry O’Neal, House Majority Leader

11:15-12 – Supporting Georgia’s Traditional Industries through Key Legal Reforms

• A look at how in several significant ways, large and small business product manufacturers do not enjoy the same benefits of Georgia law that other litigants receive- even though manufactured good exports are one of the strengths of Georgia’s economy.
  • Doug Lampe, Ford Motor Company
  • Holly Hempel, Nelson Mullins   
  • Senator Charlie Bethel, Georgia State Senate

12:00 PM – Lunch and Address by Jim Proctor, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, McWane, Inc.

• Learn how Alabama, one of Georgia’s closest competitors, has substantially changed its legal reform climate to achieve a significantly more favorable view of the state’s civil justice environment, and how the Alabama business community has helped to maintain the reforms and continues to improve its court system. 

1-1:45– The Neighboring States and the National Picture---How can Georgia stand-out?  

• An assessment of what positive reforms are being enacted and are succeeding in other states, as well as a look to what Georgia must do to attract top doctors and drive down insurance premiums.
  • Tiger Joyce, ATRA
  • Steven Hantler, Bernie Marcus Foundation
  • Donald Palmisano, Medical Association of Georgia

1:45-2:30 – Keys to Improving Georgia’s Legal Climate

• This session will lay out a blueprint to improving Georgia’s legal climate through reforms such as eliminating double recoveries and damages untethered to reality and insuring that unsubstantiated liability is eliminated and otherwise rationalized.
  • Oriana Senatore, Institute for Legal Reform
  • Effa Farnsworth, General Electric
  • Senator Bill Cowsert, Georgia State Senate

2:30-3:15– Creating a “Game Proof” Legal System

• This panel will inspect methods used by lawyers who game the system for their own benefit and the real cost to Georgia businesses through abusive pre and post-trial tactics.
  • John O'Tuel, Glaxo
  • Marsha Rabiteau, LPSG
  • [Tony Cochran, Chilivis Cochran Larkins & Bever, LLP]

3:15-4 PM – Closing Keynote Address will be delivered by Representative Rich Golick, House Judiciary Non-Civil Chair and Southeast Regional Counsel, Allstate

• Representative Golick will discuss the importance of fairly balancing the interests of the consumer and business and restoring predictability to our tort system without restricting access to the courts and task the business community with the need to remain engaged on the issue. 

*** Potential speaking targets are in brackets