42^nd Annual Page Keeton

Civil Litigation Conference

Houston Nov 8-9, 2018 The Whitehall Hotel
Conference Concluded

Overview

Join leading litigators, judges, and law professors at the 42nd Annual Page Keeton Civil Litigation Conference in Houston for updates and analysis of important developments in civil litigation practice, insight into developing areas of civil litigation, and substantive coverage of practice tips and advocacy strategies.

2018 highlights include:

Procedural Updates: Writing an order that sticks, early dismissal trends, legislative preview, and Prof. Carlson's annual Texas Civil Procedure update.

Litigation Opportunities: Car crashes as product liability cases, hidden fiduciary duty claims, business tort opportunities, new insurance law litigation, and autonomous vehicles and drones.

Practice and Trial Skills: Winning at pretrial, eDiscovery for every case, the limit on experts' expertise, early case selection, and economically appropriate litigation planning.

Attendees will also receive additional on-demand programming to ensure they have the opportunity to meet their full 15.0/3.0 hours of required Texas MCLE, so register today!

Event Schedule

Program is subject to change.
All times are Central Time Zone.

Day 1 November 8, 2018
Day 2 November 9, 2018

Time

Credit

Subject

Speaker
Thursday Morning, Nov. 8, 2018
Presiding Officer:
Michael K. Oldham, Reynolds Frizzell LLP - Houston, TX
7:30 am

Registration Opens

Includes continental breakfast.
8:20 am

Welcoming Remarks
Procedural Updates
8:30 am

0.50 hr

Responsible Third Parties: Not Responsible, and Not Parties

Third party practice can be a game changer. Be prepared to use it or defend against it.

This session was originally scheduled on Thursday, November 8 at 9:30 a.m.

Karen C. Burgess, Richardson + Burgess LLP - Austin, TX

Karen C. Burgess, Richardson + Burgess LLP - Austin, TX
9:00 am

0.50 hr

Legislative Preview from Both Sides of the Bar

Capitol veterans forecast potential legislation impacting the civil justice system from both the plaintiff and defense perspective.

David E. Chamberlain, Chamberlain & McHaney - Austin, TX
Jay Harvey, Winckler & Harvey LLP - Austin, TX

David E. Chamberlain, Chamberlain & McHaney - Austin, TX
Jay Harvey, Winckler & Harvey LLP - Austin, TX
9:30 am

0.50 hr

The Latest in Texas Procedure and How It Affects Your Practice

Examine recent judicial decisions affecting Texas litigation practice, including proposed modifications to the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure. Review highlights from the accompanying comprehensive review of recent case law – designed to be a handy reference tool for practitioners.

This session was originally scheduled on Thursday, November 8 at 8:30 a.m.

Elaine Grafton Carlson, South Texas College of Law Houston - Houston, TX
Co-Author:
Courtney Taylor Carlson, Jackson Walker LLP - Houston, TX

Elaine Grafton Carlson, South Texas College of Law Houston - Houston, TX
Co-Author:
Courtney Taylor Carlson, Jackson Walker LLP - Houston, TX
10:00 am

Break
10:15 am

0.75 hr
0.50 hr ethics

Early Dismissal Trends: 91a Dismissals and Anti-SLAPP

Early dismissal motions under the TCPA and Rule 91a are hot and getting hotter! How do you use those tools or survive them?

Gregory Philip Sapire, Cleveland Terrazas PLLC - Austin, TX
Mark C. Walker, Dickinson Wright PLLC - El Paso, TX

Gregory Philip Sapire, Cleveland Terrazas PLLC - Austin, TX
Mark C. Walker, Dickinson Wright PLLC - El Paso, TX
11:00 am

0.50 hr

Protecting Trial Court Orders on Appeal: How to Craft an Order that Sticks

Texas lawbooks are replete with examples of appeals that turn on the language included or excluded from judgments and orders. Get the tools you need to draft orders and judgments, in a variety of contexts, that can withstand both early review and an appeal upon a final judgment.

Lisa Bowlin Hobbs, Kuhn Hobbs PLLC - Austin, TX

Lisa Bowlin Hobbs, Kuhn Hobbs PLLC - Austin, TX
11:30 am

0.50 hr

Recovery or Denial? The Latest on Attorneys' Fees

Analysis of recent developments in the law of recovering and defending against attempts to recover attorney’s fees in Texas as well as a refresher on fundamentals of the procedures associated with Texas attorney’s fees jurisprudence.

Carlos R. Soltero, Cleveland Terrazas PLLC - Austin, TX

Carlos R. Soltero, Cleveland Terrazas PLLC - Austin, TX
12:00 pm

Break for Lunch on Your Own
Thursday Afternoon, Nov. 8, 2018
Presiding Officer:
Philip K. Maxwell, Attorney at Law - Austin, TX
Litigation Opportunities
1:30 pm

0.50 hr

Is Your Car Crash Case a Products Liability Case?

Learn step-by-step how to investigate and screen an auto accident case to determine whether there is a potential product liability case lurking in there. Get an exhaustive list with descriptions of specific automotive and tire defects, including new, emerging, and often overlooked product defects.

David Bright, Sico, Hoelscher, Harris & Braugh LLP - Corpus Christi, TX

David Bright, Sico, Hoelscher, Harris & Braugh LLP - Corpus Christi, TX
2:00 pm

0.50 hr

Fiduciary Duty Claims: They’re Everywhere!

Knowing when fiduciary duties arise and how they are applied is essential to trying commercial cases, yet fiduciary duties arise in numerous and sometimes unexpected circumstances and may be overlooked in the development of trial strategy. Their presence can have profound implications for the legal standards governing a party’s actions, the legal and equitable remedies available, and even the assignment of burdens of proof and other procedural aspects of trial. Learn how to spot these claims and what they mean for your next case.

David M. Sheeren, Gibbs & Bruns LLP - Houston, TX

David M. Sheeren, Gibbs & Bruns LLP - Houston, TX
2:30 pm

0.50 hr

Unfair Debt Collection Cases: The Cases That Keep Giving

Explore new ways to think about debt collection cases, and the opportunities they can bring to your practice

Curt M. Langley, Crinion Davis & Richardson LLP - Houston, TX

Curt M. Langley, Crinion Davis & Richardson LLP - Houston, TX
3:00 pm

0.50 hr

Autonomous Vehicles and Drones

Autonomous vehicles and drones no longer exist only in science fiction. How will their arrival change the legal landscape?

Quentin Brogdon, Crain Lewis Brogdon, LLP - Dallas, TX

Quentin Brogdon, Crain Lewis Brogdon, LLP - Dallas, TX
3:30 pm

Break
3:45 pm

0.75 hr
0.25 hr ethics

Practical Considerations in Commercial Litigation and Business Torts

Discuss opportunities in business litigation, including cutting edge issues such as third party finance, jury innovations, and business divorce. Consider potential ethical questions that may arise in each of these arenas.

Sofia Adrogué, Diamond McCarthy LLP - Houston, TX
Hon. Caroline Elizabeth Baker, 295th Civil District Court - Houston, TX

Sofia Adrogué, Diamond McCarthy LLP - Houston, TX
Hon. Caroline Elizabeth Baker, 295th Civil District Court - Houston, TX
4:30 pm

0.50 hr

The Storm Has Not Subsided: Insurance Law Update

Keep up with the latest in Hurricane Harvey claims, Stowers cases, and insurance opinions from the the Texas Supreme Court.

William J. Chriss, The Snapka Law Firm - Corpus Christi, TX

William J. Chriss, The Snapka Law Firm - Corpus Christi, TX
5:00 pm

Adjourn

Time

Credit

Subject

Speaker
Friday Morning, Nov. 9, 2018
Presiding Officer:
Karen C. Burgess, Richardson + Burgess LLP - Austin, TX
7:30 am

Conference Room Opens

Includes continental breakfast.
Practice Skills
8:30 am

0.50 hr

Should You Take that Non-Hourly Case?

Effective case analysis is crucial to coming out ahead on contingency and fixed fee cases. Learn what you need to think about to create a sustainable alternative fee practice.

Erica W. Harris, Susman Godfrey LLP - Houston, TX

Erica W. Harris, Susman Godfrey LLP - Houston, TX
9:00 am

0.50 hr

Effective, Efficient, and Economically Appropriate Litigation

Lawyers should communicate early and often with their clients about case planning, proportionate discovery, strategy, and litigation objectives, and should negotiate appropriate dispute resolution agreements with opposing counsel.

Geoffrey L. Harrison, Susman Godfrey L.L.P. - Houston, TX

Geoffrey L. Harrison, Susman Godfrey L.L.P. - Houston, TX
9:30 am

1.00 hr
0.25 hr ethics

Winning at Pretrial

While some regard appellate lawyering as something that happens after verdict, a better way to think about appellate lawyers is as strategists of an entire litigation process. Consider how early tactical and strategic decisions and maneuvers can determine ultimate outcomes or even result in summary dispositions.

Douglas W. Alexander, Alexander Dubose Jefferson & Townsend LLP - Austin, TX
R. Paul Yetter, Yetter Coleman LLP - Houston, TX

Douglas W. Alexander, Alexander Dubose Jefferson & Townsend LLP - Austin, TX
R. Paul Yetter, Yetter Coleman LLP - Houston, TX
10:30 am

Break
10:45 am

0.75 hr

How to Take a Better Deposition

Depositions are one of the most powerful discovery devices but are also one of the most challenging to execute well. Get practical, actionable guidance on taking better depositions, including better preparation, openings, handling opposing counsel and preserving error, and macro and micro examination structures.

Dustin Benham, Texas Tech University School of Law - Lubbock , TX

Dustin Benham, Texas Tech University School of Law - Lubbock , TX
11:30 am

1.00 hr
0.25 hr ethics

Lawyering 2.0: Lessons from the Next Generation

Can old dogs learn new tricks? As we develop new and innovative ways to try cases, millennial lawyers have a frank discussion of the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to the old way of doing things, and provide valuable insight about how the next generation is trying to do it better.

Moderator:
Francisco Guerra IV, Watts Guerra - San Antonio, TX
Panelists:
Raymond J. Baeza, Farmers Insurance Exchange - El Paso, TX
Aaron J. Burke, Fee, Smith, Sharp & Vitullo LLP - Dallas, TX
Nicole Soussan Caplan, Reed Smith LLP - Houston, TX
Donald Delgado, West, Webb, Allbritton & Gentry, P.C. - College Station, TX

Moderator:
Francisco Guerra IV, Watts Guerra - San Antonio, TX
Panelists:
Raymond J. Baeza, Farmers Insurance Exchange - El Paso, TX
Aaron J. Burke, Fee, Smith, Sharp & Vitullo LLP - Dallas, TX
Nicole Soussan Caplan, Reed Smith LLP - Houston, TX
Donald Delgado, West, Webb, Allbritton & Gentry, P.C. - College Station, TX
12:30 pm

Pick Up Lunch

Included in registration.
Friday Afternoon, Nov. 9, 2018
Presiding Officer:
Dustin Benham, Texas Tech University School of Law - Lubbock , TX
LUNCHEON PRESENTATION
12:50 pm

0.75 hr ethics

How Can We Persuade in Polarized Times?

As Americans increasingly rely on information only from sources with which they agree, and the internet increasingly becomes the answer for any question, lawyers need to re-think how they view their jury and how it receives information. Hear global thoughts from several modern sources on creating a tribe in your jury for any case.

Jim M. Perdue Jr., Perdue & Kidd - Houston, TX

Jim M. Perdue Jr., Perdue & Kidd - Houston, TX
1:35 pm

Break
Practice Skills Continued
1:50 pm

0.50 hr

Experts Are Rarely As Expert As You

Get tips on how best to select, prepare, and effectively present an expert for trial, with one eye on surviving Daubert and the other on jury persuasion.

Fields Alexander, Beck Redden LLP - Houston, TX

Fields Alexander, Beck Redden LLP - Houston, TX
2:20 pm

0.75 hr

eDiscovery for Every Case – Even the Small Ones!

From the largest class actions to small individual claims, almost all litigation matters touch on some form of electronic discovery. Learn about key issues related to preservation, collection, processing, and review of electronically stored evidence, along with some of the latest tools and technology that can help you make the most of your time and resources regardless of case size.

Rachel Ratcliff, Stroz Friedberg - Dallas, TX

Rachel Ratcliff, Stroz Friedberg - Dallas, TX
3:05 pm

0.75 hr

How to Charm a Snake (and Maybe a Few Reptiles)

How can you recognize a popular plaintiff’s trial theory and combat it? How can you spot it, take advantage of it, attack it pretrial, and at trial? Get expert focus on trial themes and how they help you win your case.

Derek T. Gilliland, Nix, Patterson & Roach, L.L.P. - Daingerfield, TX
Britta Stanton, Lynn Pinker Cox & Hurst, LLP - Dallas, TX

Derek T. Gilliland, Nix, Patterson & Roach, L.L.P. - Daingerfield, TX
Britta Stanton, Lynn Pinker Cox & Hurst, LLP - Dallas, TX
3:50 pm

Adjourn

Day 1 November 8, 2018
Day 2 November 9, 2018

Download Schedule

Conference Faculty

Sofia Adrogué

Diamond McCarthy LLP
Houston, TX

Douglas W. Alexander

Alexander Dubose Jefferson & Townsend LLP
Austin, TX

Fields Alexander

Beck Redden LLP
Houston, TX

Raymond J. Baeza

Farmers Insurance Exchange
El Paso, TX

Hon. Caroline Elizabeth Baker

295th Civil District Court
Houston, TX

Dustin Benham

Texas Tech University School of Law
Lubbock , TX

David Bright

Sico, Hoelscher, Harris & Braugh LLP
Corpus Christi, TX

Quentin Brogdon

Crain Lewis Brogdon, LLP
Dallas, TX

Karen C. Burgess

Richardson + Burgess LLP
Austin, TX

Aaron J. Burke

Fee, Smith, Sharp & Vitullo LLP
Dallas, TX

Nicole Soussan Caplan

Reed Smith LLP
Houston, TX

Courtney Taylor Carlson

Jackson Walker LLP
Houston, TX

Elaine Grafton Carlson

South Texas College of Law Houston
Houston, TX

David E. Chamberlain

Chamberlain & McHaney
Austin, TX

William J. Chriss

The Snapka Law Firm
Corpus Christi, TX

Donald Delgado

West, Webb, Allbritton & Gentry, P.C.
College Station, TX

Derek T. Gilliland

Nix, Patterson & Roach, L.L.P.
Daingerfield, TX

Francisco Guerra IV

Watts Guerra
San Antonio, TX

Erica W. Harris

Susman Godfrey LLP
Houston, TX

Geoffrey L. Harrison

Susman Godfrey L.L.P.
Houston, TX

Jay Harvey

Winckler & Harvey LLP
Austin, TX

Lisa Bowlin Hobbs

Kuhn Hobbs PLLC
Austin, TX

Curt M. Langley

Crinion Davis & Richardson LLP
Houston, TX

Jim M. Perdue Jr.

Perdue & Kidd
Houston, TX

Rachel Ratcliff

Stroz Friedberg
Dallas, TX

Gregory Philip Sapire

Cleveland Terrazas PLLC
Austin, TX

David M. Sheeren

Gibbs & Bruns LLP
Houston, TX

Carlos R. Soltero

Cleveland Terrazas PLLC
Austin, TX

Britta Stanton

Lynn Pinker Cox & Hurst, LLP
Dallas, TX

Mark C. Walker

Dickinson Wright PLLC
El Paso, TX

R. Paul Yetter

Yetter Coleman LLP
Houston, TX

Planning Committee

Karen C. Burgess—Co-Chair

Richardson + Burgess LLP
Austin, TX

Michael K. Oldham—Co-Chair

Reynolds Frizzell LLP
Houston, TX

Deborah Salzberg—Director

The University of Texas School of Law
Austin, TX

Sofia Adrogué

Diamond McCarthy LLP
Houston, TX

Craig Ball

Craig D. Ball, P.C.
New Orleans, LA

Dustin Benham

Texas Tech University School of Law
Lubbock , TX

Quentin Brogdon

Crain Lewis Brogdon, LLP
Dallas, TX

Elaine Grafton Carlson

South Texas College of Law Houston
Houston, TX

William J. Chriss

The Snapka Law Firm
Corpus Christi, TX

Erica W. Harris

Susman Godfrey LLP
Houston, TX

Philip K. Maxwell

Attorney at Law
Austin, TX

Jim M. Perdue Jr.

Perdue & Kidd
Houston, TX

Britta Stanton

Lynn Pinker Cox & Hurst, LLP
Dallas, TX

Mark C. Walker

Dickinson Wright PLLC
El Paso, TX

Credit Info

Houston

MCLE Credit

Texas – 13.00 hrs | 2.00 hrs Ethics
Legal Specialization(s): Civil Appellate Law, Civil Trial Law, Personal Injury Trial Law

You may claim your credit online in Your Briefcase, and UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the State Bar of Texas. A Certificate of Attendance will be provided in Your Briefcase for your records. The system reports Texas CLE credit every Tuesday. If you are claiming credit in the last week of your birth month, self-report your CLE credit directly to the State Bar of Texas at texasbar.com, using the course number provided on your certificate of attendance.

California – 13.00 hrs | 2.00 hrs Ethics

You must claim your credit online in Your Briefcase, and will then be provided a Certificate of Attendance for your records. UT Law CLE is required to provide the State Bar with electronic attendance records for any MCLE participatory activity within 60 days of completion of the activity. The California licensee is responsible for reporting their compliance/credit hours earned to the State Bar at the end of their reporting period directly to the State Bar of California at calbar.ca.gov UT Law CLE will maintain Attendance Records for four years.

Louisiana – 13.00 hrs | 2.00 hrs Ethics

At the completion of the conference you must claim and certify your credit online in Your Briefcase, and will then be provided a Certificate of Attendance for your records. UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the Supreme Court of Louisiana Continuing Legal Education Committee within 30 days after the conference.

Oklahoma – 15.50 hrs | 2.50 hrs Ethics

You must claim and certify your credit online in Your Briefcase, then you will then be provided a Certificate of Attendance for your records. UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the Oklahoma Bar Association within 30 days after the conference.

Other Credit

TX Accounting CPE – 15.50 hrs

The University of Texas School of Law (Provider #250) live conferences are presumptively approved by The Texas State Board of Public Accountancy for Texas Accounting CPE credit based on a 50-minute credit hour. Approved for general CPE credit only.

At the conference, you are welcome to sign in on the Accounting CPE Record of Attendance form at the registration desk, but we are now reporting all credit online. You will receive a Texas Accounting Certificate of Completion in Your Briefcase. Self-report your CPE credit directly to TSBPA. UT Law CLE will maintain Attendance Records for four years.

Contact us at accreditation@utcle.org if you have additional questions.

Key Dates

Houston – Nov 8-9, 2018 – The Whitehall Hotel

Conference Concluded

Buy

Houston

Individual
Last day for $545.00 Regular pricing: Oct 31, 2018
$595.00 for registrations received after this time

Group (5 registrants minimum)
Last day for $491.00 Regular pricing: Oct 31, 2018
$541.00 for registrations received after this time

Group (10 registrants minimum)
Last day for $436.00 Regular pricing: Oct 31, 2018
$486.00 for registrations received after this time

Cancellation Policy
Last day for full refund cancellation: Nov 2, 2018
$50 processing fee applied after this date
Last day for cancellation: Nov 5, 2018

Venue

The Whitehall Hotel

1700 Smith Street
Houston, TX 77002
713-739-8800
Map

Accommodations

A limited amount of rooms are available at a room rate of $172 per night. This rate will be available through October 17th, or until the room block is sold out, whichever comes first. Please mention the 2018 Page Keeton Civil Litigation Conference room block when you make a reservation over the phone.

Parking Information

Daily or Overnight Valet Parking: $10