ROUNDTABLE NEWS - Today SER's Practice Management Committee (PMC) hosted the fourth event in a series of webcasts designed to assist members with running the business side of being an expert witness. Whether a seasoned expert or just starting the journey, "The Expert’s Agreement: Writing Engagement Letters That Work” provided insights and practice tips to help members establish and maintain harmonious relationships with their clients while protecting their interests and managing legal risk. The panel shared their experiences navigating some of the "real-world” challenges that may arise during a case, including how engagement letters can help the expert manage difficult clients or unexpected developments. Specific suggestions were shared about the essential components of an engagement letter and how each relates to the work of an expert. PMC Chair Colleen Diles moderated the panel of SER members including Jeff Holik, Alan Bensoff and Richie Leisner. SER members will be able to access the recording in our Library once uploaded, along with presentaion materials. Keep abreast of upcoming events by visiting Our Upcoming Events calendar!
ROUNDTABLE NEWS - SER opened registration today for its Annual Member Meeting & Conference. In it's 33rd year, the 2025 event takes place at the Loews Chicago Hotel, located in the vibrant Streeterville neighborhood along the Chicago River. In response to member survey results, President-Elect and Conference Chair Patrick Dennis built an agenda focused on current hot topics in securities dispute resolution and packed the sessions with outside attorney speakers. Members will enjoy more networking time with longer breaks in between sessions as well as more time at the reception and dinners. Non-members interested in membership can attend the conference for a $100 premium, which can be applied toward membership. See all of the details and the full agenda on our Upcoming Conference page!
MEMBER HIGHLIGHT - SER member Catherine Mustico was quoted in Fraud Magazine's March cover story, "Under Pressure". The article published by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) explores how younger generations have been put at greater risk than older adults of falling victim to online scams due to their trust in online platforms and heavy involvement in social media. Catherine, a Certified Fraud Examiner and former FINRA Examiner, discusses how she is noticing a trend of younger people aiding and abetting (sometimes unintentionally) scams targeting older adults. In one previous case she realized a 26-year-old woman had likely been the victim of an employment scam and had unwittingly acted as a "money mule" in an imposter scam where a 93 year old lost $750,000 from his brokerage account. Another scam affecting people in their 30s and early 40s she has noticed, is when they join online trading groups and inadvertently participate in securities "pump-and-dump" schemes. The full article is available on the ACFE's website here.
ROUNDTABLE NEWS - SER's Practice Management Committee (PMC) hosted another member only webcast on Wednesday March 5th. "From Expertise to Income: Building Your Expert Witness Practice” was the third event a series of webcasts presented by the committee. The hour long discussion focused on the essential skills and strategies to establish and grow an expert witness practice. Panelists, SER members Jeff Holik, Rob Jones and Lori Raineri, discussed the transition from a professional in your field to an expert witness including: identifying and honing your niche; staying current in your field; strategies for establishing trust and credibility with attorneys; identifying conflicts of interest; setting fee schedules; and scaling your business. SER members can access the recording in our Library. Keep abreast of upcoming events by visiting Our Upcoming Events calendar!
MEMBER HIGHLIGHT - SER member Richard Leisner was a recent guest on "On the Stand with Ashish Arun", a podcast on the law, practice and business of being an expert witness. In the episode, Richie shares with Ashish his journey from a transactional lawyer to an expert witness specializing in complex business litigation and professional malpractice matters. Through war stories of surprises he faced and lessons he learned, he emphasizes the importance of learning the skills necessary to be an effective witness: mastering the art of testifying; navigating depositions; crafting expert reports that could hold up in court. Richie is a senior member at Trenam Law, a former SER President, served six years on the SER Board of Directors as well as numerous other committees. You can find this podcast on various platforms including YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify, or directly on Exlitem's webcast with their other expert witness podcasts.
MEMBER HIGHLIGHT - SER Members Bruce Foerster and Charles Bennett, together with Jeffrey Posner, are authors of the Capital Markets Handbook, published by Wolters Kluwer. The Handbook is a primer on the mechanics and conduct of the entire underwritten public offering process. Bruce conceived the Handbook in 1999 and it has been in publication ever since, the first 10 years of which, under the auspices of the Securities Industry Association (n/k/a SIFMA). The 2025 Supplement to the Seventh Edition was released January 2, 2025. The Handbook is available online from Wolters Kluwer.
MEMBER HIGHLIGHT - SER member Stuart Rosenthal announced the launch of DamagesPro℠, a new software application that automates damages analysis and reports for disputes asserting securities-related losses. The news release, shared in January, explains the proprietary software uses a simple drag-and-drop interface that "uniquely combines investments and damages expertise with AI-enhanced technology, to systematically classify, extract and process the datasets needed to calculate account-based damages". Stu created the program from robust methods and algorithms he developed over the course of his work as a consulting and testifying expert. The resulting product is a cloud-based software service for litigators and experts, that looks to standardize and scales the process while saving time and expense for the client. Read the full press release here.
ROUNDTABLE NEWS - SER's Practice Management Committee (PMC) hosted a member only webcast on Wednesday February 5th. "Understanding Negligence and Insurance: Insights for Expert Witnesses” was an hour long discussion including the potential legal exposure experts may face, carrying E&O insurance and pros and cons of certain clauses in the retainer agreement. Moderated by committee member Gordon Yale, the guest speakers were two long-time professional negligence defense experts—John Raspante and Lyndon Sommer. Mr. Sommer has defended professional negligence claims in both state and federal courts while Mr. Raspante has advised firms, including professional liability carriers, on loss prevention. The event is the second in a series of webcasts planned by the PMC and has received high praise from attendees. SER members can access the recording in our Library along with the presentation slides. Keep abreast of upcoming events by visiting Our Upcoming Events calendar!
(Speaker contact: lsommer@sandbergphoenix.com, 314-446-4264; jraspante@mcgowanprofessional.com, 732-856-1061)
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