DRI's 2025 Annual Meeting is Built for Business. This year, DRI has a fantastic lineup of speakers, networking opportunities, Continuing Legal Education (CLE) offerings, and more.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) may dominate today’s headlines with splashy teasers about the sci fi of the future, but its integration into consumer products has been quietly evolving for decades. Now embedded in everything from vehicles to household appliances, AI presents new legal and ethical challenges for manufacturers and the attorneys who defend them.

Effectively managing fee-related issues is crucial to law firms’ loss prevention efforts and ensuring financial stability. This panel will address the significance of well-drafted fee provisions, the strategic use of retainers and alternative fee arrangements, and guidelines for good billing and timekeeping practices. Ethical and risk considerations related to fee collections and withdrawing from a representation will also be discussed, along with the importance of carefully weighing the decision to sue clients for unpaid fees.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how claims are investigated, triaged, and resolved – often before a human even opens the file. This session explores how insurers and manufacturers are using AI tools to streamline document review, identify risk patterns, analyze surveillance, and assist in case strategy. We’ll review practical use cases and tools currently in the market, discuss compliance and ethical considerations, and evaluate how AI can strengthen early positioning for defense and resolution.

This conference session will explore the key elements and the decisions it should help you make — then review 1-2 tangible examples and explore you how might adapt them. Come away from this session with tangible tools, next steps, and resources to help you implement GACA 1.

Jonathan Storper: "Tools for developing your Responsible Lobbying Policy: Demystifying GACA 1"

LCI is a non-profit organization founded in 1997 and operates as a catalyst to transform the industry through Lean project delivery using an operating system centered on a common language, fundamental principles and basic practices. Join this event to gain valuable insights from speakers who specialize in their field.

Howard Ashcraft: "IPD After 20 Years: Where has it gone? Where is it going?"

Join fellow members of the OGC for a look at current legal trends, an update on recent developments, presentations on risk-related topics, and of course the Open Roundtable Discussion. CLE credit will be provided. 

Bradford Hise: "The Law Firm General Counsel Survey"

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly reshaping the legal landscape, and its impact is being felt across all areas of law practice—from contract drafting and document review to litigation strategy, compliance monitoring, and risk management. This panel will offer an in-depth and practical discussion on how transportation lawyers can effectively and responsibly integrate AI tools into their daily workflows.

More info to come.

Shannon Nessier: "From Report to Retort: Testifying with Confidence as an Appraisal"

While all lawyers are subject to the same ethical duties, those duties may be implicated in unique ways for estate planning attorneys. This program will include an overview of the lawyer’s duties of competence, confidentiality, loyalty, and how those duties can be implicated when representing individuals, couples, or multiple generations in estate planning matters and related areas. The program will also include a discussion whether a lawyer has duties to non-clients, such as beneficiaries.

Join these legal, medical and hospice experts as they explore end-of-life options available to residents and the ethical, practical and legal parameters and implications – from taking end of life drugs to voluntarily stopping eating and drinking, palliative sedation and more. This session will also explore how hospice agencies can partner with care teams to provide person-centered support and improve quality of life in residents’ final days. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of the residents’ perspective and insights into honoring their wishes with compassion and care.

ADA, Fair Housing and Civil Rights laws can impact not only physical environment but operational aspects. Join this attorney-provider duo as they examine the core principles of these laws along with real-world examples of how they apply in senior living communities. Using case studies, you’ll hear about the recent claims against California operators involving American Sign Language interpretation service and the legal responsibility to assist deaf and hard of hearing residents and prospective residents with their communication needs.

Join these labor law experts to learn about the actions you should take now to reduce or eliminate penalties under PAGA. Learn about the latest developments in PAGA cases filed since the 2024 amendments took effect on June 19, 2024, as well as key employment related laws passed by the Legislature in 2025 that go into effect in 2026 so you can begin to prepare for any changes that impact them.

More info to come.

Molly Kaban, Judith Boyette, Matthew Peck, and Mikaela Habib: "Tough Budget Times: How to Reduce Your Workforce"

More info to come.

Gilbert Tsai and Brenda Quintanilla: "Keeping Your Employee Handbooks Up to Date: Changes in the Law Under a New Administration"

More info to come.

Alfonso Estrada and Molly Kaban: "Pre-arbitration strategies: Winning your case in the grievance process"

More info to come.

Alfonso Estrada, Steven Miller, and Alexa Galloway: "Investigating Elected Officials When They Overstep"