DRI

What mistakes do young lawyers make most often—and which ones never seem to go away? with Nick Peterson In this episode of  Comp Conversations , hosts Jennifer White and Shane Dawson sit down with veteran workers' compensation defense attorney, Nick Peterson, to discuss the common pitfalls associates encounter early in their careers. Drawing on more than 25 years of practice, Nick shares what he s...

Comp Conversations Live with Chris Turney We were excited to sit down with Chris Turney, one of the country’s most respected and influential litigators, during a live event in April 2026 to talk about witness preparation. In this podcast, Chris shares practical insights on getting witnesses ready for depositions and trial, including what they can control, how to approach the process with confidenc...

ABS, Litigation Funding, MSOs, and the Transformation of the Legal Profession  with Patrick Eckler Zach Pyers and guest Patrick Eckler explore the rapidly accelerating forces reshaping how law is practiced, financed, and regulated. From Alternative Business Structures (ABS) and third‑party litigation funding to Management Services Organizations (MSOs) and private equity influence, this podcast exa...

Jennifer Nutter and Stephanie Holcombe    Join Ericka and Cassie for a fun and informative interview with this year's Chair and Vice Chair of the Women in the Law Committee - Jennifer Nutter and Stephanie Holcombe. Jennifer and Stephanie discuss the committee's plans for the rest of the year, their DRI journeys, and how their DRI networks support their professional and personal lives. Hear about a...

In the latest edition of Drive Time with DRI, Eric Kinder interviews Brian Leinhauser, the Program Chair for the 2026 Employment and Labor Law Committee’s annual seminar.  Brian and Eric discuss the outstanding educational sessions that are planned for the seminar while not neglecting the incredible networking opportunities that make the annual seminar a must attend meeting.  In short, all of the...

Jeffrey F. Clement of BCM Law, P.C. in Chicago, IL speaks with Timothy M. Ravich of Tressler LLP of Chicago, IL regarding Mr. Ravich’s 50-State Survey of Drone Laws.  To learn more about DRI and the Aviation Law Committee visit DRI.org . #DRILawyer #DRICommunity

The Algorithm Made Me Do It – AI and the Legal Profession  with MacKenzie Smith Compton In the inaugural episode of the DRI Professional Liability podcast, committee vice chair Zach Pyers and MacKenzie Smith Compton, both with Reminger Co. discuss how Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept—it’s reshaping the legal landscape today. From predictive analytics and contract review to...

Live from the 2026 WITL Seminar! Join Ericka as she welcomes new podcast co-chair Cassie Ferries! Ericka and Cassie conduct some live interviews from the Omni Resort in Orlando, Florida at the 2026 Women in the Law Seminar. Hear from esteemed WITL leadership Kristen Dennison, Sandy Wunderlich, Marie Chafe, and Jennifer Steinmetz on the best parts of this year's seminar and why you should get invol...

In the inaugural edition of the Employment and Labor Law (ELL) Committee’s new podcast, Eric Kinder interviews e-community standout Jean Faure of Faure Holden Henkel Terrazas, regarding her practice and how she is able to find the right case, at the right moment, on the ELL E-Community.  Eric and Jean also discuss the biggest changes they saw in employment law during 2025 and what they see as like...

Real, Practical Ways Attorneys Are Already Using AI  with Karl Seelbach In this episode, Shane Dawson of Dismore and Shohl and Steve Armstrong of Armstrong and Peake sit down with Karl Seelbach, a seasoned Texas defense attorney turned legaltech innovator, to explore how AI is rapidly reshaping the practice of law. Karl breaks down real, practical ways attorneys are already using AI—from drafting...

AI & Technology Tools for Defense  with Paul Unger In this episode of Comp Conversations , Shane Dawson of Dinsmore and Shohl and Jennifer White of Peterson White sit down with Paul Unger - lawyer, author, nationally recognized speaker, and co-owner of Affinity Consulting—to discuss how AI is reshaping the practice of law, the latest trends in distraction management, and practical strategies f...

A “Comp Conversation ” with Michael Brennan Join us for a conversation with Chairman Michael Brennan of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission. Chairman Brennan discusses the past, present, and future of Illinois Workers' Compensation with Toney Tomaso of Heyl Royster and Jennifer White of Peterson White.  Their conversation took place at the DRI Annual Meeting which took place in Chicago i...

Functional Capacity Exams  with Rob Pearse In this episode of Comp Conversations , Shane Dawson of Dinsmore and Shohl and Jennifer White of Peterson White sit down with Rob Pearse, a clinical exercise physiologist, to demystify what makes a good FCE — and how defense attorneys can use them effectively in workers’ compensation cases. From spotting red flags to interpreting effort validity this disc...

Meade Heartfield Join Bethany and Ericka for a special interview with DRI WITL's current chair Meade Heartfield. Meade talks about her super inspirational passion project Inflammingo, committee news, her latest hot take, and her hopes for the committee after she steps down as chair (sad face!) Be sure to follow Meade on instagram (@meademark) and Inflammingo (@inflammingo). For more information ab...

Introduction Welcome to Say Hello to my WITL Friends - the official podcast for the DRI Women in the Law "WITL" Committee. DRI is the largest association for civil defense attorneys and in-house counsel nationwide. WITL is one of the affinity groups within the larger organization made up of women from across the US and Canada. We are so excited to feature many of the awesome and aspiring women in...

What Defense Attorneys Need to Know about CRPS with Dr. Jeffrey Summers In this podcast, we hear a conversation from our live event with Dr. Jeffrey Summers, a pain management physician, regarding complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Dr. Summers discusses the making the diagnosis of complex regional pain syndrome under the AMA Guides and the Budapest criteria and the differences in those methods...

Mandatory MSA Reporting  with Jim Anderson Shane Dawson of Dinsmore and Shohl, LLP and Jennifer White of Peterson White, LLP interview Jim Anderson, a Partner with Cattie & Gonzalez, PLLC. In this episode we chat about the key changes CMS implemented in April 2025 regarding mandatory Medicare Set-Aside (MSA) reporting.   Jim shares tips for workers' compensation defense practitioners to proact...

Do's and Don'ts with Cambi McLain-Johns Shane Dawson of Dinsmore and Shohl, LLP and Jennifer White of Peterson White, LLP interview Cambi McLain-Johns, a regional WC Complex Claims Manager with Erie Insurance Exchange.  In this episode we chat about the Law Firm Do's and Don'ts of interreacting with carriers and insureds. We also discuss the importance of communication and mentorship as well as ex...

Realities of Workplace Violence with Andria Lure Ryan Steve Armstrong of Armstrong and Peake PLLC and Jennifer White of Peterson White LLP interview Attorney Andria Lure Ryan of Fisher & Phillips regarding hospitality worker fatalities caused by workplace violence. Andria discusses the realities of workplace violence in the hospitality industry where employees are exposed to danger in areas su...

Legal Bill Review with Tanya Crosse Shane Dawson of Dinsmore and Shohl, LLP and Jennifer White of Peterson White, LLP interview Tanya Crosse, Director of Legal Spend Management at Epiq Legal Solutions.  In this episode we chat about "managed invoice review" otherwise known as "legal bill review", a topic in which most civil defense attorneys are highly invested.  Tanya shares tips for practitioner...

Mastering Dual Defense: Navigating Workers' Compensation Claims and OSHA Compliance with Melissa Bailey Jennifer White of Peterson White LLP and Steve Armstrong of Armstrong Peake PLLC interview attorney Melissa Bailey of Ogletree Deakins regarding her knowledge and expertise of OSHA defense litigation. In this episode, Melissa covers how an employer can be impacted if they admit liability in OSHA...

Investigative Techniques and Best Practices Defending Claims with Jim Anderson Shane Dawson of Dinsmore and Shohl, LLP and Jennifer White of Peterson White, LLP interview Jim Anderson, of Infoquest/Command. In this episode, Jim discusses the different types of investigative tools, tips and tricks for obtaining the best results and other concerns employers and carriers have with regard to the defen...

Walking the Line: Discovering and Admitting Social Media Evidence with your Ethics Intact panel discussion on Ethics in Social Media Discovery at 2024 DRI Annual Meeting Think you know all there is to know about using gathering, using and admitting social media evidence in your case? Are you staying within ethical bounds in your practice? Listen and find out!  Join Shane Dawson and Steve Armstrong...

Trends in Workers' Compensation Fraud with Joe DePolo Shane Dawson of Dinsmore and Shohl, LLP and Jennifer White of Peterson White, LLP interview Joe DePolo, the Assistant Special Agent in Charge overseeing a team of investigators and analysts in Southeastern Ohio.  Currently fraud accounts for millions of dollars in losses in Ohio and billions of dollars lost across the United States.  Mr. DePolo...

Negatives of Marijuana  with Dr. Jeffrey Hazelwood Shane Dawson of Dinsmore and Shohl, LLP and Jennifer White of Peterson White, LLP interview Dr. Jeffrey Hazelwood, a pain management physician, on the topic of the possible negatives of prescribing medical marijuana for pain management in workers' compensation claims.  Dr. Hazelwood discusses recent studies, addiction statistics, the effects of po...