Annual Melvin M. Belli Society Seminar Booklet - 2019.pdfjohn powers nominating: charles monnett,...

72nd Annual Melvin M. Belli Society Seminar

HILTON BAYFRONT HOTEL

Indigo A & B

San Diego, California

July 26, 2019

Melvin M. Belli, Sr.

July 29, 1907- July 9, 1996

Mel Belli was born into a pioneer family in Sonora, Tuolumne County, the heart of

California's Gold Rush region. His father, Caesar Belli, was born in Eureka, Nevada and

was a prominent banker in California's Mother Lode region. His grandmother, Anna

Mouron, was California's first woman druggist. Henri Mouron was a professor of

languages at St Augustine's College and headmaster of the Young Ladies Seminar of St.

Mary's of the Pacific, one of the first schools in California.

Mel Belli attended elementary schools in Sonora and Stockton, California, before

attending the University of California and Boalt Hall School of Law, Berkeley where he

received his LLB in 1933. His first job after graduation was posing as a hobo for the

Works Progress Administration and riding on the railroad to observe the Depression's

impact on the USA vagrant population. His findings were later used as the basis for

transient relief programs throughout the nation.

He was admitted to the California Bar in November 1933 and served as counsel for the

Catholic priest at San Quentin Prison. He accepted the challenge of representing men on

Death Row. Thus began a legal career representing individuals in personal injury cases

and in raising personal injury awards to then-unprecedented heights that earned him the

title of "The King of Torts" by Life Magazine writer Robert Wallace in a 1954 profile.

Wallace later wrote a book about Mel Belli and his work entitled "Life and Limb".

In his first personal injury lawsuit, Mel Belli represented an injured cable car grip -man.

Over defense attorneys' objections, Belli brought a large model of a cable car intersection

and the gearbox and chain involved in the accident to court to demonstrate to the jurors

exactly what happened. Mel Belli was called the "Father of Demonstrative Evidence" for

his pioneering work in illustrating in court the nature of his client's injuries. His early use

of photographs, movies, scale models, human skeletons, animals, prostheses, and other

devices was dramatic, riveting and highly effective.

Mel Belli's high profile clients included Mae West, Errol Flynn, Lenny Bruce, Zsa Zsa

Gabor, Muhammad Ali, Alex Haley, the so-called "Angel of Death - the Nevada nurse

accused of murdering patients, television evangelist Jim Bakker and his wife Tammy

Faye, the Korean jetliner disaster, the MGM Grand Hotel fire in Las Vegas, the collapse

of the Kansas City Hyatt walkway; the Benedictine birth defect cases, and Sirhan Sirhan.

In his best known case, Mel Belli represented Jack Ruby on trial for the murder of Lee

Harvey Oswald, the assassin of President John F. Kennedy. Belli attempted to show that

Ruby was legally insane and had a history of mental illness in his family. On March 14,

1964, Ruby was convicted of "murder with malice" and received a death sentence.

However, in late 1966, Ruby's conviction was overturned by the Texas Appellate Court

and he was granted a new trial outside of Dallas, but Ruby died before the second trial

could take place. Belli wrote a book, "Dallas Justice", on his perspective of the Jack Ruby case.

Belli wrote more than 60 books including the multi-volume "Modern Trials" which is still

considered a classic textbook on demonstrative evidence. Mel Belli loved the law and the

limelight equally and left behind a legacy of both creative and controversial "lawyering".

Belli reveled in his victories and after winning a big case, raised a Jolly Roger on the roof

of his landmark building in San Francisco and fired off two blasts from a signal cannon.

Belli once said, "There may be better lawyers than I, but so far I haven't come across any

of them in court."

a WORD OF THANKS

Thank you to all of our speakers and presenters who have offered their

expertise, talent and energy in furthering the vision of the Melvin M. Belli

Society.

Thank you to our sponsors, High Impact, Injury Board, Halpern Group and

Filevine for their special expertise and for providing much appreciated

refreshments and lunch.

Special thank you to our Executive Director, Diane Gober. Diane goes above

and beyond to make certain that no detail goes unnoticed. Diane’s hard

work has ensured that the 72nd Annual Melvin M. Belli Society Seminar and

dinner are unique and special events.

We hope you enjoyed the 72nd Annual Melvin M. Belli Society Seminar, and

took away some ideas that you can put to work upon returning to your office.

Here’s to another wonderful Seminar!

Linda Miller Atkinson

Melvin M. Belli Seminar Chair

Thanks for Coming!

See you next year in Washington, DC

July 17, 2020 www.bellisociety.org

NOTES___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2018-2019 PRESIDENT: ERIC ROMANO, West Palm Beach, FL PRESIDENT-ELECT: STEVEN M. GURSTEN, Farmington Hills, MI SECRETARY: TODD O’MALLEY, Scranton, PA TREASURER: JOSEPH A. FRIED, Atlanta, GA PARLIAMENTARIAN: MARION MUNLEY, Scranton, PA IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT: CHARLES MONNETT, Charlotte, NC

COMMITTEES

SEMINAR: LINDA MILLER ATKINSON, TOM DEMPSEY, JASON KONVICKA and STEVE GURSTEN MARKETING: STEVE GURSTEN, JIM LEVENTHAL, JOE FRIED, KAREN KOEHLER and TOM DEMPSEY LAW STUDENT AWARD: MICHAEL MAGGIANO, ERIC ROMANO, MONTY PREISER, ADAM MALONE, GARY GOBER and JOHN POWERS NOMINATING: CHARLES MONNETT, III, ERIC ROMANO, STEVE GURSTEN, JOHN POWERS and SANDRA ROBINSON THE MEL: DOUG SHEFF, CHARLES MONETTE, III, TODD O’MALLEY, JOHN BELL, GARY GOBER and ADAM MALONE STRATEGIC PLANNING: STEVE GURSTEN, ERIC ROMANO, IRA LEESFIELD, HENRY WEIL, JOE FRIED, ADAM MALONE, RONNIE BERKE, JASON KONVICKA, JOHN HILL, JOHN POWERS, CHARLES MONETTE, III, KIRK MORGAN, TODD O’MALLEY, MARION MUNLEY, TOM DEMPSEY and DIANE GOBER WEBMASTER: NOELLE—[email protected] EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Diane M. Gober Nashville, TN

The Belli Society is an International group of trial lawyers dedicated to pre-serving and enhancing the Belli legal legacy. For information about member-ship, contact Executive Director Diane Gober, 3200 West End Avenue, Suite 500, Nashville TN 37203-1322; 615/783-2874 and fax 615/783-1606. Direct line 615/783-2875, email: diane@goberlaw.

Like us on FACEBOOK

Website: www.bellisociety.org

http://www.bellisociety.org

PAST PRESIDENTS 2017-2018 CHARLES MONNETT 2016-2017 DIANE M. BRENEMAN 2015-2016 JOHN K. POWERS 2014-2015 SANDRA H. ROBINSON 2013-2014 WAYNE D. PARSONS 2012-2013 ROSSER ADAM MALONE 2011-2012 THOMAS M. DEMPSEY 2010-2011 S.KIRKPATRICK MORGAN 2009-2010 BRUCE STERN 2008-2009 IRA H. LEESFIELD 2007-2008 HOWARD NATIONS 2006-2007 LINDA ATKINSON 2005-2006 MICHAEL MAGGIANO 2004-2005 RONALD J. BERKE 2003-2004 RANDALL H. SCARLETT 2002-2003 JOHN BELL 2001-2002 THOMAS R. TAGGART 2000-2001 GARY GOBER 1999-2000 JOHN F. ROMANO 1998-1999 CHARLES A. SALADINO 1997-1998 IRVING H. SHEFF 1996-1997 GARY B. PILLERSDORF 1995-1996 LAWRENCE J. SMITH 1994-1995 HENRY E. WEIL 1993-1994 JOHN E. HILL 1992-1993 LAWRENCE B. FRIEDMAN 1991-1992 THOMAS W. MALONE 1989-1991 LEE C. SWARTZ 1988-1989 BETTY A. THOMPSON 1986-1988 SIDNEY BERNSTEIN 1985-1986 DAVID S. SHRAGER 1984-1985 HOWARD A. SPECTER 1983-1984 RICHARD F. GERRY

1981-1983 STANLEY E. PREISER

THE MEL AWARDS 2001 JANICE KIM

2002 IRA LEESFIELD 2003 STANLEY PRISER 2004 HENRY WEIL 2005 GARY B. PILLERSDORF 2006 GARY GOBER 2007 FRANK BRANSON 2008 LINDA MILLER ATKINSON 2009 THOMAS MALONE 2010 HOWARD NATIONS 2011 BETTY A. THOMPSON 2011 RANDAL H. SCARLETT 2012 J.D. LEE 2013 JOHN E. HILL 2014 SHELDON MILLER 2015 MICHAEL MAGGIANO 2016 ADAM MALONE 2017 STEVEN GURSTEN 2018 MARY BETH RAMEY & RICHARD HAILEY

4:10 - 4:25pm Closing Remarks

President-Elect, Belli Society

Steven Gursten

NOTES_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Linda Lipsen, CEO-AAJ American Association for Justice

777 6th St., NW, STE 200,

Washington, DC, 20001

202/965-3500

Email: [email protected]

Website: justice.org

3:40 - 3:55pm “Challenges Ahead: Navigating through a

Broken DC”

Derrick Walker Allen & Allen 1809 Staples Mill Road

Richmond, VA 23230

P: 804/353-1200


Website: www.allenandallen.com

3:10 - 3:25pm “Why You Need Admiralty”

Stephen Herman

Herman Herman & Katz

820 O’Keefe Avenue

New Orleans, LA 70110

P: 504/581-4892


Website: hhklawfirm.com

3:25 - 3:40pm “Inoculating Experts”

3:55 - 4:10pm “Proving Chronic Pain Damages”

Robert J. Francavilla

Casey Gerry

110 Laurel Street

San Diego, CA 92101

P: 619/238-1811

Website: caseygerry.com

Program Introduction

Moderator/Seminar Chair

Welcome!

9:00 - 9:05am From the President of the Belli Society

Linda M. Atkinson Atkinson, Petruska , Kozma & Hart

N13927 Newberg Road

Channing, MI 49815

P: 906/396-6912


Website: www.need-lawyer.com

Eric Romano Romano Law Group

1005 Lake Avenue

Lake Worth, FL 33400

P: 501/533-0700


Website: www.romanolawgroup.com

9:30 - 9:45am “Let Witnesses Speak at Summary Judgment &

Mediation”

9:45 - 10:00am “Anatomy of a $73 Million Dollar Verdict”

Tom Doehrman

Doehrman Buba

600 East 96th Street, Suite 450

Indianapolis, IN 46240

P: 317/844-9999

Website: tortslaw.com

Kent Buckingham

Buckingham Barrera Law Firm

1707 West Wall Street

Midland, TX 79701

P: 432/570-1919


Website: medmal-law.com

David Arbogast Smoger & Associates

933 Woodland Avenue

San Carlos, CA 94070

P: 650/587-3006


9:15 - 9:30am “Compensating Injured Workers: Tort

Struggles with the Grand Bargain”

Todd O’Malley O’Malley & Langan 201 Franklin Avenue

Scranton, PA 18503

P: 570/344-2667

Website: www.omalleylangan.com

9:05 - 9:15am “Remembering Mel”

“A LAWYER’S PERFORMANCE IN THE COURTROOM IS

RESPONSIBLE FOR ABOUT 25 PERCENT OF THE OUTCOME;

THE REMAINING 75 PERCENT DEPENDS ON THE FACTS.”

- MELVIN BELLI

2:55 - 3:10pm “The ‘Ride the Ducks’ Trial: Handling a Mass

Transit Disaster”

2:10 - 2:25pm “How Paraplegia + Neuropathic Pain =

$148 Million Verdict”

2:25 - 2:40pm “Can Lawyers Stop Windows Killing Children”

Karen Koehler

Stritmatter Kessler Whelan Koehler Moore

3600 15th Avenue West, #300

Seattle, WA 98119

P: 206/448-1777


Website: www.stritmatter.com

Jeff Kroll

Kaveny & Kroll

180 North Stetson Avenue

Chicago, IL 60601

P: 312/761-5585


Website: kavenykroll.com

Steve Gursten Michigan Auto Law

30101 Northwestern Highway

Farmington Hills, MI 48334

P: 248/353-7575


Website: www.michiganautolaw.com

2:40 - 2:55pm “Letting Fitbit & Garmin Do the Talking”

Wayne Parsons Wayne Parsons Law Office

1406 Colburn Street, Suite 201C

Honolulu, HI 96817

P: 808/845-2211

Website: www.wayneparsons.com

1:45 - 1:55pm Mystery Topic

1:55 - 2:10pm “How to Fight Arbitration & Keep Your Case

in Court”

1:30 - 1:45pm “Rosen v. UCLA: Universities’ Duty to Protect

Student”

F. Paul Bland, Jr.

Executive Director of Public Justice

1620 L Street NW, Suite 630

Washington, DC 20036

P: 202/797-8600

Deborah Chang

Panish Shea & Boyle

11111 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 700

Los Angeles, CA 90025

P: 210/928-6200


Website: www.psblaw.com

1:15 - 1:30pm “Tony Gwynn v. US Tobacco: Handling High

Profile Cases”

David Casey

Casey Gerry

110 Laurel Street

San Diego, CA 92101

P: 619/238/1811

Website: caseygerry.com

Natalie Sticesen, Springfield, NJ

www.halperngroup.com

P: 800/524-1631

10:40 - 10:55am “No Offer? Nasty Remarks? No Problem! $25

Million”

10:00 - 10:10am “Relationships & Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Tactics Build the Practice”

10:10 - 10:25am “Amputation Injuries: What Damages?”

10:25 - 10:40am “Exaggerated Liability: Punitive Damages in

Truck Cases”

Joseph Fried

Fried Rogers Goldberg

3560 Lennox Road, NE, Suite 1250

Atlanta, GA 30326

P: 404/591-1818


Website: www.frg-law.com

Stephanie Andre

Tampa, FL

Conal Doyle Doyle Law

9401 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 608

Beverly Hills, CA 90212

P: 310/385-0567


Website: www.conaldoylelaw.com

Marion Munley

Munley Law

227 Penn Avenue

Scranton, PA 18501-1066

P: 570/983-3846


Website: www.munley.com

INJURY BOARD

11:05 - 11:20am “South Africa: Lawyers Together”

11:20 - 11:35am “Ethics and Social Media”

11:35 - 11:50pm “Even 6 Year Olds Count”

Sandra Robinson

The Cochran Firm

1100 New York Avenue NW, Suite 340


P: 202/682-5800


Website: www.cochranfirm.com

Tad Thomas

Thomas Law Offices

9418 Norton Commons Boulevard, Suite 200

Louisville, KY

P: 877/955-7001


Website: www.thomaslawoffices.com

10:55 - 11:05am “Maximizing Law Firm Efficiency”

Ryan Anderson

Provo, UT

Patrick Malone

Patrick Malone & Associates, PC

1310 L Street NW, Ste. 800


P: 202/742-1500


Website: www.patrickmalone.com

11:50 - 12:00pm “The Latest & Greatest Visual Tools”

12:45 - 1:00pm “Dealing with Deposition Obstruction”

1:00 - 1:15pm “How to Reform a System with Individual

Settlements”

Mark Kosieradzki

Kosieradzki Smith Law Firm

3675 Plymouth Boulevard, #105

Plymouth, MN 55446

P: 763/746-7800


Website: koslawfirm.com

Julia Sherwin

Haddad& Sherwin

505 Seventeenth Street

Oakland, CA 94612

P: 510/452-5500


Website: www.haddadandsherwin.com

LUNCH 12:00 - 12:30pm

Tyler Komarnycky 8008 E. Arapahoe Court, Centennial, CO

CEO & Visual Media Strategist P: 800/749-2184

Enrique Martinez

Law Offices of John E. Hill

333Hegenberger Road, Suite 500

Oakland, CA 94621

P: 510/588-1000


Website: www.hill-law-offices.com

12:30 - 12:45pm “Class / Collective Actions: Low Wage Workers

Fighting for their Rights”

Annual Melvin M. Belli Society Seminar Booklet - 2019.pdfjohn powers nominating: charles monnett,...

Documents

Transcript of Annual Melvin M. Belli Society Seminar Booklet - 2019.pdfjohn powers nominating: charles monnett,...