Speakers

John F. Wilcox, Jr. is a Director/Shareholder with Dysart Taylor Cotter McMonigle & Brumitt, P.C. in Kansas City, Missouri. For more than 20 years, he has represented clients in the trucking industry, advising motor carriers, drivers, 3PLs, shippers, manufacturers and governmental entities in wrongful death, serious personal injury and property claims.
 
Mr. Wilcox is the current President of The Transportation Lawyers Association and is the Co-Chair of the Missouri Bar’s Tort and Transportation Committee. He is a recipient of TLA’s Distinguished Service Award.
 
Mr. Wilcox earned his Bachelor of Science from Missouri State University and his Juris Doctorate from The University of Kansas.
 
 

Bridgette Blitch is admitted in the state courts of Florida, Wisconsin, and Colorado. Bridgette is also an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association, and zealous advocate for her clients. Bridgette’s practice includes handling the defense and prosecution of high dollar cargo claims, insurance coverage claims, and business law disputes. Bridgette has successfully prosecuted and recovered freight charges for her trucking clients against property owners, insurers, and general contractors. Bridgette has also successfully defended and negotiated favorable settlements for motor carriers in connection with safety enforcement actions brought by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Bridgette has represented both buyers and sellers in multi-million dollar mergers and acquisitions, and counseled clients on regulatory matters, including the Department of Transportation regulations and the Food Safety Modernization Act. Bridgette has represented numerous logistics providers in the drafting and implementation of numerous corporate due diligence documents, including employment policies, supervisor’s policies, driver’s manuals, code of conduct and record retention policies.
 

Jeff is a partner and principal at Lewis Johs Avallone Aviles, LLP in New York.  Jeff’s practice focuses on the defense and trial of catastrophic losses in the trucking and transportation industry.  He also handles matters involving high exposure construction accidents, construction defect, defamation, claimed product defects as well as those matters stemming from municipal and premises liability, medical and dental malpractice, nursing home liability and vehicular negligence.
 
Jeff is co-chair of the firm’s transportation group and a member of Lewis Johs’ Catastrophic Loss Response Team.  He acts as advisory counsel to companies involved in the transportation industry, either directly or through their insurance carriers.
 
Jeff started his career as Assistant District Attorney where he handled all phases of criminal prosecution.  He considers himself privileged to have tried jury cases for over thirty years.
 

Louis Amato-Gauci is a Partner with Miller Thomson LLP (Toronto, Canada), and co-chair of the firm’s Transportation & Logistics Team. He provides strategic advice to shippers, carriers, warehouse operators, freight forwarders and 3PLs in connection with commercial matters, risk mitigation strategies, safety matters and regulatory compliance. Louis serves as lead counsel in mid-market M&A and financing transactions, and assists U.S. companies seeking to expand their operations into Canada. As a member of the firm’s Customs and International Trade team, he is frequently consulted in connection with the international sale of goods, import/export matters, trade compliance verifications and preferential tariff treatment under free trade agreements.
 
Louis is a graduate of the University of Toronto (B.A. 1995, and J.D. 1998) and was called to Bar of Ontario in 2000. He is a past-president of the Canadian Transport Lawyers Association, and is recognized as a leading practitioner in the area of Transportation Law (Road & Rail) by Best Lawyers in Canada, Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, and Chambers Canada. Louis was ranked Best Lawyers in Canada Lawyer of the Year – Transportation (2018 & 2020: Toronto), and is listed in the Lexpert Guide to US/Canada Cross-Border Lawyers in Canada (Trade).
 

Sandra Bang is the Chief Diversity & Talent Strategy Officer at the international law firm, Shearman & Sterling LLP, and leads the diversity and inclusion, professional development, legal recruitment, and partner and counsel services teams and initiatives. Originally from Canada, Sandra began her career in the legal industry as a litigation lawyer both in private law firms as well as in government, serving as a prosecutor for the Province of Ontario. Her passion for talent management and career coaching led her from practicing law to managing and developing lawyers, which she has been doing for over 17 years at several different law firms in Canada and the US. Sandra has shared her expertise and experiences by participating as a speaker and panelist at various conferences and panels hosted by, among others, the New York City Bar Association, the Professional Development Consortium, the Professional Development Institute, the Association for Legal Career Professionals, the Center for Talent Innovation and various law schools. Sandra is a certified executive coach, having completed the Advanced Coaching Intensive program at Columbia University. She also served as the Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors for Girls Write Now, the first not-for-profit organization in the US with a writing and mentoring model exclusively for underserved New York City public high school girls.

Mark Barber is a shareholder in the Atlanta office of Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC.  Mark has been practicing transportation law for 30 years.  During that time, he has handled cases throughout the southeastern U.S. for motor carriers, logistics companies and trucking insurers.  In his litigation practice, Mark is responsible for all aspects of the truck accident case, including the on-scene rapid response investigation, litigation, discovery, trial and appeal.  In addition to handling accident cases, Mark also handles cargo and insurance coverage cases.  Mark has tried numerous cases to verdict, has mediated several hundred more to resolution, and has been involved in numerous appeals involving tort, transportation and insurance coverage issues.
 

Emily Bayton is a partner in the Intellectual Property Group at Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP based out of the firm's Denver office. She grew up in rural Iowa and went to undergrad and law school at the University of Iowa and is a huge Iowa Hawkeye fan. Emily helps clients protect and strengthen their intellectual property assets in the United States and internationally through comprehensive brand and marketing strategies. She has almost two decades of experience advising clients on trademark, copyright, rights of publicity, domain name, and advertising and social media matters. Emily has served as a trusted adviser to clients across various industries with a focus on the sports and outdoor recreation and consumer products and services industries.
 
Emily provides comprehensive counsel to clients in trademark selection, clearance and prosecution. She analyzes trademark portfolios to ensure they have appropriate worldwide coverage and recommends strategies for strengthening brands in the marketplace. Her services often involve helping clients implement trademark enforcement programs to protect their brands.
 

Ken Bryant is a Partner based in Burr & Forman's Nashville office, where he focuses his practice on all types of commercial litigation. Ken regularly represents a variety of businesses in the defense of intermodal cargo damage and transportation litigation, class action litigation, non-compete and trade secret litigation, securities litigation and arbitration, and general business litigation of all types. Ken is an active member of the Transportation Lawyers Association and has been a member of the Conference of Freight Counsel since 1998. From 2015-2016, he served as the Chair of the Conference of Freight Counsel, a group of transportation attorneys in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, and the U.K. Ken also served as co-chair of the Nashville Bar Association’s Federal Courts Committee. Ken was named “Lawyer of the Year” in Transportation Law in 2016 and 2020 by Best Lawyers and he has been listed for Transportation Law and Commercial litigation every year since 2007. He is also recognized by Mid-South Super Lawyers for Business Litigation. Ken received a law degree from The University of Tennessee College of Law, and a B.A. from Vanderbilt University. Ken is licensed in Tennessee.

Emily M. Chiarizia, Esq. General Counsel, Armstrong Transport Group, LLC
University of Baltimore School of Law 
Admitted to Practice in Maryland, DC, North Carolina, and the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.
 
At Armstrong Transport Group, LLC, Mrs. Chiarizia is responsible for risk management, contract negotiation, and resolution of cargo matters for Armstrong's 150 agency offices. Mrs. Chiarizia acts as a liaison with outside legal counsel for all legal matters at the company and understands the relationships between freight brokers, carriers, railroad companies, shippers as well as the stringent regulations that impact the transportation industry. Armstrong is consistently listed among Transport Topics Top 50 Freight Brokers in the U.S. due to its $475 million annual revenue and network of over 65,000 carriers in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Mrs. Chiarizia appreciates the unique issues related to intermodal transportation, carrier selection guidelines, cross-border transportation and increased consumer demand. Mrs. Chiarizia manages the carrier, claims and legal operations departments at Armstrong.
 
Prior to joining Armstrong, Mrs. Chiarizia was a litigation attorney at Franklin & Prokopik, PC, a nationally known trucking and transportation firm located in the DC Metro area.
 

Wesley Chused is one of the nation's leading lawyers on transportation law. He practices from Preti, Flaherty, Beliveau & Pachios, Chartered, LLP's Boston office, focusing on transportation law and litigation. His clients include many of the country’s leading motor carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, and insurance companies specializing in transportation, warehousing, cargo litigation, contract, independent contractor, and related issues. Wes previously practiced at Looney & Grossman in Boston for over 20 years, with an extensive list of clients across industries. His career also includes administrative practice before the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (successor to the former Interstate Commerce Commission) and the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities involving motor carrier, freight forwarder, and broker regulatory and safety issues.

He regularly practices in state and federal courts in Massachusetts and in numerous other jurisdictions on a pro hac vice basis. Wes also speaks at many bar association and industry events, and has authored numerous papers on his practice areas.
 

Steve is a Member of Clark Hill Strasburger’s San Antonio office where he actively represents clients throughout the State of Texas.  Steve’s practice focuses on assisting motor carriers, transportation brokers, and other transportation related businesses in pre-litigation advice, litigation, and trial work.  Steve enjoys working with transportation clients to resolve issues related to cargo claims, freight charges, commercial disputes and accidents of all kinds. 

As an active member of the Transportation legal community, Steve regularly participates or speaks at various conferences sponsored by the Transportation Lawyers Association, Conference of Freight Counsel, and the Texas Trucking Association.  Steve is also a Past President of the San Antonio Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and a current Board Member of the San Antonio Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation. 

Steve obtained his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Public Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and his Juris Doctorate from St. Mary’s University School of Law graduating Summa Cum Laude.  In addition to honing his transportation law skills, Steve enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, playing tennis, and watching the SMU Mustangs (and Texas Longhorns) play football.
 

Megan M. Early-Soppa is a Partner at Moseley Marcinak Law Group. She graduated from Wofford College in 2008 with a B.S. in Intercultural Studies and Spanish. She received her law degree from Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, LA in 2012. She is admitted to practice in Louisiana (2012), South Carolina (2013), and Georgia (2020), as well as a number of federal courts across the country.

Megan serves on a number of boards including the Hispanic Alliance where she currently serves as the Secretary and Euphoria Greenville, as the vice-chairwoman/chair-elect. She has been Named to The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch, Commercial Litigation (2021), GSA Business Report Inaugural Upstate Class of Forty under 40 (2020), Greenville Business Magazine’s Legal Elite, Personal Injury (2020), Named to Greenville Business Magazine's Legal Elite, Business Litigation (2018) and Named to National Black Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 (2018).

When Megan isn't working, she enjoys drinking wine, traveling with her husband, and powerlifting!
 

Clarence Easterday is the Executive Advisor for Western Express, Inc., a Nashville, Tennessee based transportation Company. Western Express provides irregular route common carrier service for van, flatbed and over-dimensional freight. Western Express also provides dedicated services for customers across the United States. Clarence graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1978. He started his professional career as a US Army Field Artillery Officer. He started his transportation career with Schneider National Carriers in 1984 and joined Western Express in 2002.  He served as the Senior Vice President for Western Express, Inc. for several years before semi-retiring in November 2020 and assuming his role as Executive Advisor. Mr. Easterday’s responsibilities at Western Express included supervision of safety programs, insurance program design and purchasing, claims and some human resource functions. Upon assuming his duties as Executive Advisor he works closely with defense counsel in case preparation/ strategy and is active in the mediation process. He is also a Rule 31 Listed Mediator in the State of Tennessee.
 

Jennifer Fisher is a partner in Goodwin’s San Francisco office and Co-Chair of the firm’s Cannabis practice. She focuses her practice on litigation, including commercial litigation and white collar defense, and on cannabis law. Ms. Fisher represents cannabis companies at every level of the supply chain, including startups and multi-state operators. She also advises investors in the cannabis space and ancillary businesses providing products and services to the cannabis industry. Ms. Fisher works closely with her cannabis industry clients to provide advice on regulatory and compliance issues and solve business problems. Ms. Fisher also represents cannabis companies in litigation and arbitration. She has experience defending cannabis industry clients in government investigations and enforcement actions.  Prior to joining Goodwin in 2020, Ms. Fisher was a partner at Duane Morris, where she led the firm’s Cannabis Industry Group.
 
Ms. Fisher is a regular speaker at cannabis industry events and has presented on a wide range of topics relevant to the industry, including government investigations and enforcement actions, financial services, licensing and compliance, and crisis communications.  She also co-founded Women Leaders in Cannabis, a networking organization for women entrepreneurs, investors and executives in the cannabis industry.  In 2019, Ms. Fisher was named the Cannabis Lawyer of the Year by the Cannabis Dealmakers Summit in recognition of the quality of legal service she has provided to cannabis clients and the leadership role she has taken in the industry. In 2021, she was recognized as one of Northern California’s Best Lawyers in the area of white collar criminal defense. 
 

Darrell Flesner joined Vanliner Insurance Company in January 2018, after a decade litigating personal injury, contract, and insurance‐related cases in some of the country’s least defense‐friendly jurisdictions. Vanliner is one of the top insurance providers for the moving and storage, parcel and home delivery industries. Darrell is responsible for managing a team of attorneys handling litigated and catastrophic bodily injury claims nationwide for Vanliner and its insureds. Darrell obtained a J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and is licensed to practice law in Missouri and Illinois.
 

Captain Arnold Hardy currently serves as the commander of the Commercial Vehicle Section (CVS) at California Highway Patrol (CHP) Headquarters in Sacramento where he has the responsibility for the Department’s statewide commercial vehicle enforcement programs.  In addition, Captain Hardy serves as the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) chair of the Autonomous Commercial Vehicle Working Group and is a CVSA voting member.  Prior to promoting to captain, he was the lieutenant commander at the San Onofre Commercial Vehicle Inspection Facility (CVEF) and, as a lieutenant in CVS, he managed grants, driver licensing, CVEF, and E-screening technologies programs.  As a sergeant at CHP Valley Division, he supervised Mobile Road Enforcement officers in the field overseeing commercial and other enforcement related activity.  He has also served as the Protective Services Detail Coordinator, a role in which he was the liaison with the Secret Service and allied agencies, to plan, coordinate, and manage Presidential and dignitary motorcades.  Among his numerous other assignments, Captain Hardy has supervised audits and inspections, was a Public Information Officer, and served as an investigator with High Tech Crimes Task Force where he investigated fraud and financial crimes, and a driving instructor at the CHP’s illustrious academy.  Captain Hardy has a Bachelor of Science degree in human development from the University of California, Davis.
 

Gordon Hearn is a Partner with Fernandes Hearn LLP in Toronto, Canada. Gordon is a Past President of the Transportation Lawyers Association. Gordon represents freight brokers, freight forwarders, shippers and carriers and their insurers on matters pertaining to risk assessment and management, regulatory compliance and in commercial and casualty disputes arising from the international, cross-border and domestic carriage of goods by all modes of transport.
 
Gordon is recognized as a leading Transportation Law Lawyer in The Legal 500™, Chambers Global™, Who’s Who Legal™, Martindale Hubbell™, "Best Lawyers in Canada"™ and in “Lexpert™.
 

Bobbi Jo has over 20 years in the trucking and transportation industry, serving in multiple roles and areas, such as a CDL Training and Testing Instructor, CDL Skills Test Examiner, Safety Supervisor, Fleet Dispatching and Route Planning, Fleet Management and Safety Consulting, Federal and  State Audit Procedures and Assistance, Federal and State Safety Management Plans, Driver Safety and Compliance Meetings, as well as Federal and State regulatory compliance within the commercial motor carrier industry.

She has spent many years working within the compliance industry. She is committed to, and assisted in, growing Fleet Compliance Group, Ltd. into the successful business it has become today. She was able to work her way up, through the company, to her current position as Fleet Compliance Group, Ltd.’s Vice-President. In addition to growing FCG, Bobbi Jo has also assisted in the growth of two other successful companies. All three businesses were built from the ground up, they were not acquired or purchased, and she is grateful to have been with the businesses since their humble beginnings, which began in a one room office.
 

Kristen M.J. Johnson is a partner at the transportation law firm of Taylor & Associates and leader of the firm’s litigation group. In 2020, Kristen was the only private practice attorney selected as a Top Woman to Watch in Transportation by the Women in Trucking Association. She is licensed to practice in Florida, California, and DC, and admitted to federal district courts in Florida, DC, and Michigan and to the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the First, Fourth, and Eleventh Circuits. Kristen practices a full range of business  litigation,  arbitration,  and  mediation,  including  freight  claims,  contract  and  tort  disputes, appeals, and government investigations. She advises clients on risk management, case and witness preparation, regulatory response and compliance programs, and critical strategy.
 
Kristen graduated the top of her class at American University Washington College of Law. Prior to law school, Kristen received Fulbright scholarship to Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan, and graduated from Michigan State University. As a thought leader, Kristen is active in the transportation industry and legal profession. She is a member of Women in Trucking, the Transportation Lawyers Association, and the Conference of Freight Counsel. When she is not practicing law, she advocates for children and those in need.

Sergeant David Kelly currently serves as the supervisor of the Rulemaking/Regulations, Size, Weight, Loading, and Equipment Unit for the Commercial Vehicle Section (CVS) at California Highway Patrol (CHP) Headquarters in Sacramento.  He has also served as a subject matter expert in the areas of driver licensing, motor carrier permits, implements of husbandry, registration, extra-legal loads, and autonomous vehicle technologies.  Sergeant Kelly is an instructor with the CHP’s Commercial Industry Education Program and has assisted the public and industry with understanding departmental commercial operations.  Sergeant Kelly has been with the CHP for over 14 years and has been in the Commercial Enforcement Program for 11 years, having worked as a Mobile Road Enforcement officer in both urban and rural California locations.  He has held a class A commercial driver license with hazardous materials endorsement for 27 years and has extensive experience as a driver and equipment operator in trucking and agricultural industries.  Sergeant Kelly has a Bachelor of Science degree in Crop Science with a concentration in Agricultural Policy from California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo.
 

Leonard concentrates his practice in defending significant commercial motor vehicle, personal injury, employment, civil rights and professional liability matters. He has tried numerous cases to verdict in the state and federal courts and is recognized by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Certified Civil Trial Attorney.
 
In addition, Leonard has handled precedent-setting appellate matters before the Supreme Court and Appellate Division of New Jersey, including the Johnson v. Braddy Trucking matter. He has also successfully argued appeals before the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
 
Leonard also regularly represents clients in administrative, disciplinary and labor hearings. At the request of his colleagues, he also serves as a mediator and arbitrator.
 
Named among The Best Lawyers in America© for Transportation Law, Leonard has also been recognized as a Top 100 Super Lawyer in New Jersey five times.
 

Nathan Lundquist is the Senior Vice President of Claims at Protective Insurance and oversees the Company’s commercial auto claims operations. He is focused on protecting motor carriers through claims strategies that build strong relationships and control severity for insureds. As part of his role, Nathan oversees complex and potentially high-exposure commercial trucking litigation across the country.

Nathan also is an industry leader in the areas of medical financing and lien-based medical services. He is actively involved in the development of strategies to bring daylight to and combat the social inflation connected with those practices. Prior to joining Protective, Nathan spent several years as a litigator representing motor carriers and other corporate entities. Nathan holds a B.A. from Wabash College and a J.D. from Indiana University’s McKinney School of Law.

Clark Monroe was a founder of DunbarMonroe, PLLC in 2001.  He has represented clients throughout the State of Mississippi in matters before state and federal courts for over 26 years. The majority of his practice involves litigation in the area of truck accidents, premises liability, specialized patient transport liability, and other commercial general liability claims. In addition to liability defense he handles complex employment law litigation, including independent contractor misclassification claims.

Clark regularly provides advice and strategy concerning regulatory issues, leasing regulation compliance, and contract negotiation for motor carriers and brokers throughout the country. He also advises insurers concerning coverage questions and defense obligations in Mississippi under auto and commercial liability policies.

He is an active member of industry organizations including the Mississippi Trucking Association, the Transportation Lawyers Association, Conference of Freight Counsel, Defense Research Institute, and The Gavel. He holds an AV Preeminent rating with Martindale-Hubbell. He frequently presents on various insurance and transportation topics around the country.

He obtained his Bachelor of Accountancy and Juris Doctorate degrees from the University of Mississippi.  After twenty years as a Field Artillery and Air Defense Artillery Officer, he retired from the Mississippi National Guard at the rank of Major in 2006.

Since 1988, Harold has successfully handled all aspects of litigation claims primarily in the area of general liability. He regularly defends transportation related claims, insurance fraud claims, SIU matters, construction, premises liability, motor vehicle, coverage claims, municipal, civil rights and construction related matters.

Throughout his career, Harold has focused his practice in the area of trucking and transportation representing specifically buses and paratransit transportation companies in complex and general coverage litigation. He has experience handling all types of personal injury, fatalities arising out of transportation claims, property damage as well as product liability claims.

Additionally, Harold concentrates a portion of his practice in the area of SIU/ fraud investigation, primarily dealing with evaluating both medical provider fraud and fraudulent claims on the part of clients' insureds. He also has experience dealing with insurance coverage disputes, representing numerous insurance carriers across several states for the purposes of SIU investigation, bad faith litigation and general defense litigation.

Harold has taken countless Examinations Under Oath, drafted various complex coverage opinions and litigated topics of insurance fraud in various states including, but not limited to, medical provider fraud, large loss property investigation and bad faith. In particular, he has assisted in several high-value/high-profile matters regarding carrier recovery of monies paid to fraudulent medical providers.

Harold provides legal counsel to municipalities, police departments and private employers. He handles claims involving civil rights, false arrest, municipal liability, public entities, including the defense of police officers, school districts, public officials, and both private and public sector employers. 

At the start of his career, Harold was a prosecutor in the state of New York. As a prosecutor he tried numerous criminal cases while he assisted in overseeing the narcotics unit, the special investigations unit and the child crimes bureau before leaving in 1992. 

Harold has been honored with the request by the New York State Police Investigators Association Union to serve as critical incident counsel as well as counsel for investigators charged with disciplinary violations within the bureau.

He is frequently asked by clients and industry organizations to lecture on a variety of topics concerning bus safety and has presented several times for the Bus Industry Safety Council.

Sue-Lynn Noel is Vice-President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Purolator Inc. as well as Co-Chair of its Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Council. Previously she was a partner in private practice and held senior in-house roles in the customs brokerage, transportation and logistics and waste management industries where her focus was on mergers and acquisitions. She graduated with an LL.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto and was called to the Ontario Bar in 2002. Sue-Lynn is a past President of the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers and served as Vice Chair of the Women’s Equality Advisory Group for the Law Society of Ontario. She has spoken at several seminars and conferences on topics related to business structures, corporate drafting, risk management, due diligence, legal services innovation and the business case for diversity. She regularly speaks to middle school and high school students about a career in business law and mentors many lawyers at all stages of their career. In 2020, Sue-Lynn was named one of Canada’s Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers by Canadian Lawyer magazine in the Business category.

Focus of Practice:
 
Admiralty & Maritime Law
Inland Transportation & Third Party Logistics
Large Loss Subrogation
Insurance Defense
Insurance Coverage
Commercial Litigation
Arbitrations
Trials and Appeals
 
Educational Background:
Roger Williams University School of Law
Juris Doctor, 2015, cum laude
 
Salve Regina University
B.A. International Studies, 2009, magna cum laude
 
Admitted to Practice:
New Jersey (2017)
New York (2016)
Massachusetts (2015)
United States District Court, Southern District of New York
United States District Court, Eastern District of New York
United States District Court, District of New Jersey
United States District Court, District of Massachusetts
United States District Court, District of Colorado
 
Professional Affiliations:
Connecticut Maritime Association
Maritime Law Association of the United States
New York State Bar Association
Women's International Shipping & Trading Association
 

Stephanie S. Penninger is a Senior Director, Legal Counsel at XPO Logistics, a publicly traded, Fortune 500 transportation logistics services provider with over 1,500 locations in 32 countries, and over 100,000 employees.  In her role, Stephanie assists XPO in navigating the ever-changing regulatory landscape in the transportation and logistics industry, developing operational best practices and global customer solutions.  Stephanie works close to the business in its performance of freight forwarding, NVOCC, indirect air carrier, and customs brokerage operations.  She also tends to day-to-day legal matters that arise on the domestic side of XPO’s operations.

Stephanie’s expertise in advising on global supply chain legal matters has also proven valuable to industry associations.  For instance, Stephanie is the Immediate Past Chair and a Current Vice President of the American Bar Association’s Admiralty and Maritime Law Committee and a Member-at-Large, serving on the Transportation Lawyers Association’s Executive Committee.  She is also a proud member of the Association of Corporate Counsel’s International Affinity Group and the Transportation Intermediaries Association’s Food Advisory and Carrier Selection Committees.  Stephanie has spoken before various industry groups and their membership throughout North America and written numerous published articles regarding maritime law matters, avoiding and litigating cargo claims and mitigating risk when transporting or arranging the transportation of food.
 

Marshal Pitchford has close to two decades of experience in the practice of transportation law, government relations and commercial litigation.  Mr. Pitchford and his Ohio firm of DiCaudo, Pitchford & Yoder have repeatedly been recognized by Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers and US News & World Report in the field of transportation law and litigation. His national practice primarily  focuses  on  representing entities  in  the  transportation industry, offering both business planning and representation in litigation, including broker/carrier arrangements, owner/operator agreements, quality agreements, cargo claims, warehousing claims, freight charges collection, bodily injury, and commercial litigation.  Mr. Pitchford represents numerous major and small motor carriers, brokers, manufacturers, and logistics companies as to various transactional issues and regulatory compliance and serves as counsel in related litigation throughout Ohio and across the United States.

 

Alan is a partner in the Bangkok office of Watson Farley & Williams. Alan regularly advises international airlines, logistics companies and operators, insurers and reinsurers on their operations including drafting and negotiating conditions of carriage and other contracts, aviation and multimodal disputes and regulatory issues. In addition to advising and representing airlines and their insurers in litigation, Alan’s aviation practice focuses on commercial and regulatory aspects of airline operations and he regularly advises Thai and international full service and LCC operators, logistics, MRO and technical support companies and banks active in aviation and logistics. 
 
Alan is recognised as a leading lawyer by Chambers Asia Pacific 2021 as well as Legal 500 Asia Pacific. He is ranked in Band 1 for transport.
 
 

Peter Quinter is the Chair of the U.S. Customs and International Trade Law Group at GrayRobinson, P.A., based in Miami, Florida. Peter represents all players in the international supply chain such as importers, exporters, customs brokers, freight forwarders, air and ocean carriers, bonded warehouses, and trucking companies regarding compliance with Federal law enforcement agencies such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (CBP), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), and the U.S. State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC). Peter advises clients to comply with laws, regulations, and practices, and resolves investigations, seizures, audits, and monetary penalty enforcement actions taken by the Federal agencies. Peter has litigated several reported Federal litigation cases, including in the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT).

On a person level, Peter is an avid marathoner, triathlete, and goes by the name ‘Maverick’ when backpacking the Appalachian Trail every summer.

Nick Rauch is an attorney at the Larson King law firm in St. Paul, Minnesota. Nick’s practice focuses on transportation and logistics liability, products liability, and professional liability. He also serves as a member of Larson King’s accident rapid response team. Nick is a proud of his Japanese-American heritage, and currently serves as Chair of the Diversity Committee for the Minnesota Defense Lawyer’s Association. Nick is licensed to practice both state and federal court in Minnesota, Iowa, and North Dakota. Nick is also licensed to practice in the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Court.

Admitted to the bar since 2001, joined ARNECKE SIBETH DABELSTEIN in 2004, Managing Partner
 
Lawyer, consultant and service provider to the (transport) industry; extensive knowledge in drafting and negotiating project, supply and logistics contracts for forwarders, shipping companies, airlines, airports, offshore companies, trade and the manufacturing industry; solution-oriented advice on transport liability, transport and hull claims for all carriers, insurers and P&I clubs, experienced litigator, arbitrator
 
Diverse professional experience as attorney with focus on transport/trade/insurance at Dabelstein & Passehl, Hamburg (2004-2018), Bodis, Gienapp & v. d. Decken, Hamburg (2001-2004) as well as the legal department of major German automotive suppliers, Hamburg (1998-1999) Legal clerkship in Hamburg, Flensburg and Fresno, California, USA (1999-2001) Studies in Bonn, Lausanne (1993-1998)
 
Doctorate, Technical University of Dresden (2005), Lecturer for Insurance Law, University of HamburgFurther information
 
Memberships: ABA (American Bar Association SIL), IBA (International Bar Associaton), TLA (Transportation Lawyer Association), DGTR (German Association for Transportation Law), DVIS (German Association for International Maritime Law), GMAA (German Maritime Arbitration Association).
 
President of the Transportation Law Commission of AIJA Association Internationale des Jeunes Advocats (2008-2011), Vice-Chair of the Transportation Law Committee of the ABA American Bar Association Section of International Law (2011-2016)
Languages: English, French, German
 
Awards: Legal 500 Recommended Transport Lawyer (2014-2020).
 
References:
Re-drafting of transport and logistics contracts for major German food manufacturer as well as TIER 1 supplier to the automotive industry.
 
Judicial and extrajudicial support of various carriers in major maritime claims (Hanjin insolvency, MOL COMFORT, AND ADIYATIK, MSC NAPOLI)
 
Development of a new insurance product for worldwide operating parcel service providers
 
Ongoing consulting as external legal department for various logistics and trading companies
 

Jameson Rice is a partner with Holland & Knight, based in their Tampa office (and for the last year, his home office).  He is principally a transactional and regulatory attorney, with a practice focused primarily in the areas of road, rail and intermodal transportation and logistics.  He is chairman of the Rail Committee for TLA. He also leads the Transportation Sector of Holland & Knight's Blockchain Initiative.  Law360 named him a Transportation Rising Star for 2020.  
 

Melissa T. Richardson is a Member of Walters Richardson, PLLC, which is a civil defense firm that has offices strategically placed in order to serve its clients in Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and Tennessee.  She is a 2004 summa cum laude graduate of Centre College and a 2007 graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Law.  Mrs. Richardson is admitted to practice in Kentucky's state and federal courts.  She has been a member of TLA since January 2017 and has served as the Young Lawyers Committee Chairperson for several years and has helped plan the 2021 annual conference.  Mrs. Richardson is a trial attorney at heart, having tried over twenty cases to verdict before a jury in various locales both inside and outside of Kentucky.  Mrs. Richardson also has a personal fondness to the trucking industry in particular as her father drove a truck for himself for many years during her childhood.  The summers always allowed for some fun road trips as a result.
 

Cameron Roberts is a partner at Roberts & Kehagiaras LLP in Long Beach, California, with more than thirty years of experience in international trade. His practice areas include customs law, export compliance, domestic and international transportation law, maritime law, trade and insurance issues. He is a member of numerous trade and legal associations. He is a past president of the Foreign Trade Association and Harbor Transportation Club. Mr. Roberts is an adjunct professor at California State University, Long Beach. He is a frequent presenter and author on topics related to his practice areas. He is a licensed customs broker (1989) and former transportation executive.

He earned his B.A. degree in political science and international relations from California State University, Long Beach, and his J.D. degree, cum laude, from the Seattle University School of Law. Mr. Roberts has qualified as an expert witness in Federal court, is admitted to practice in California and Washington, the Court of International Trade and before the Federal Maritime Commission.
 

Rocky represents an array of clients involved in the commercial motor vehicle industry, including motor carriers, 3PLS, transportation intermediaries, and insurers. He provides regional and nationwide guidance on insurance coverage, cargo/freight claims, commercial litigation matters, collections/contract disputes, and FMCSA and state regulatory compliance and permitting. Highlighting his proactive approach to client services, he serves as an advisor to many of his clients, providing guidance on potential legal issues before they arise. In this capacity, he has experience serving as outside in-house counsel for a national last-mile freight broker and an interstate motor carrier. Regardless of the nature of the legal issue at hand, Rocky always focuses on the client's goals first, then crafts his approach to meet those needs.

While in law school, he was on the editorial board of the South Carolina Law Review and earned Order of the Coif and Order of the Wig and Robe honors. 
 

Sarah Routhier is an associate in the Transportation group at Stein Monast, in Quebec. Her practice involves all aspects of surface transportation law including commercial, penal and regulatory litigation as well as contractual aspects of the transportation of freight and passengers in Canada.
 
She specializes in regulatory compliance and licensing in road transportation. She regularly represents motor carriers before the Quebec Transportation Board.
 
She is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Transport Lawyers Association and of the Young Bar Association of Quebec City. Sara was called to the Quebec Bar in 2016.
 

Tommy has presented information concerning insuring motor carriers for the CIC since 1983. He was asked to develop the program because his father was a trucker.
 
For the past 35 years, Tommy has shared his passion for motor carrier operations with those who share his profession – the insurance industry. He balanced his knowledge of trucks with his understanding of insurance coverages and underwriting. Early on, his main objective was to make it easier for a trucker to obtain insurance coverage from a provider that offered a competitive program reflective of the trucker’s operation.
 
He founded the Motor Carrier Insurance Education Foundation in 2013 (mcief.org).
 
 
 

Lesley Sachs is a transportation regulatory compliance attorney assisting clients in complying with state and federal regulations.  She represents companies, senior executives, and employees in government enforcement matters and investigations.  Lesley regularly helps clients to review, assess and implement corporate compliance programs.

Lesley’s practice began in Washington, D.C. at a major international law firm where she worked on a full range of regulatory compliance and litigation matters in a variety of industries, including health care, export control and sanctions, False Claims Act, and motor vehicle safety.

Part of Lesley’s practice has involved working with independent compliance monitors to oversee compliance obligations with consent orders or deferred prosecution agreements.  She has acted as counsel to the monitor for FCA US LLC in a three-year appointment by the US Department of Transportation – National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Additionally, she has served as legal counsel to independent compliance monitors in the automotive engineering, education and manufacturing sectors.  Lesley brings her unique insight into the perspectives of the regulating agencies and regulated entities to assist her clients in regulatory compliance matters.

Prior to attending law school, Lesley was a senior consultant with IBM Business Consulting Services advising federal government clients.  While attending law school, Lesley clerked with the Federal Communications Commission.
 

Peggy is an experienced litigator, advocate and counselor. She has two decades of experience defending corporations, large self-insureds, and public entities against claims of premises liability and product liability. Peggy routinely defends claims involving premises liability, product liability, negligent security, food contamination and adulteration, amusement and theme park litigation and general liability.
 
Peggy brings experience handling commercial matters (breach of contract, breach of warranty, contract review and interpretation, indemnification), code compliance and enforcement, defamation, environmental toxic tort, crisis management and damage control, false imprisonment, , malicious prosecution, negligent hiring and retention, , non-compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act in premises and complex website claims. She also has ten years experience in public entity defense, including: Florida’s Public Records Act (Chapter 119, Florida Statutes); Florida’s Sunshine Law (Chapter 286, Florida Statutes); sovereign immunity in tort actions, statutory damage limitations, attorney fee issues, statutes of limitations, protections and exclusions under Florida Statute §768.28; reviewing and advising on compliance with policies and procedures, enforcement of performance contracts, and working with Risk Management in investigation of claims, litigation, and risk avoidance.
 
She holds Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating 5.0/5.0 Preeminent©, is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator, and a Certified Claims and Litigation Management Professional.
 

Rick A. Steinberg is Of Counsel to the law firm, Price, Meese, Shulman & D’Arminio, P.C., in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, where he practices bankruptcy and creditors’ rights, transportation and maritime law, and commercial litigation. Rick is admitted to the bars of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of Columbia University and Rutgers University School of Law. He is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute; the Transportation Lawyers Association, where he is Chairman of the Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights Committee; and, the Maritime Law Association, where he is a Proctor in Admiralty.
 
Rick has published numerous articles, including: “Cross-Border Insolvency and International Transportation: Chapter 15 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code,” The Transportation Lawyer, October, 2020; “Venue in Bankruptcy: To Change or Not to Change,” The Transportation Lawyer, July 2018; “Ocean Carrier Claims in Bankruptcy,” The Transportation Lawyer, October 2017; “The UIIA: A Primer on the Uniform Intermodal Interchange Agreement,” The Transportation Lawyer, July 2015; “The Intersection of Bankruptcy Law and Maritime Law: Selected Topics for the Transportation Law Practitioner,” The Transportation Lawyer, April 2013; “The End of Winter Storms: The End of Prejudgment Attachment of Electronic Funds Transfers under Maritime and Admiralty Law,” The Transportation Lawyer, April 2010; and, “The New Bankruptcy Code’s Ordinary Course of Business Defense to a Preference Proceeding,” In Transit, Summer 2006.
 

Carrie has been in the insurance industry since 2009.  She began her insurance career as an auto and premises liability adjuster for a prominent national insurance company. In 2013, Carrie joined Bill Fralic Insurance Services as the agency’s claims and risk manager.  Bill Fralic Insurance provides customized coverage plans for commercial motor carriers, specializing in automobile haulers.  As claims and risk manager, Carrie ensures her clients’ claims are properly handled in accordance with their unique coverage provisions, monitors and manages litigated claims, coordinates catastrophic loss first response, and provides ongoing policy and claims education.  She also analyzes client and industry loss trends in order to identify best practices and make recommendations for future risk mitigation.  Outside of work, Carrie enjoys cooking, reading, and playing with her sheltie, Buddy.
 

Partner, Chair of the Commercial Transportation Group
Bachelor of Arts, Temple University 1987
M.A American University, 1989
Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law, J.D, 1998
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York
 

Richard A. Westley is admitted in the state and federal courts of Wisconsin and is a founding member of Blitch Westley Barrette, S.C. which focuses on broad-based transportation law services for motor carriers and brokers.  The firm has offices in Florida, Illinois and Wisconsin and serves clients throughout North America.  He is a past president of the Transport Lawyers Association and a recipient of TLA’s Distinguished Service and Lifetime Achievement Awards.  Richard’s practice includes litigation, with special focus on property damage, personal injury as well as a variety of labor and employment disputes and safety compliance and enforcement issues.  He also represents parties in general business litigation matters including real estate and contract disputes, adverse possession, condemnation, easements, unemployment, workers compensation, wage and hour issues, overtime and trademark matters.  His transactional practice includes a wide variety of transportation-related contracts as well as corporate formation and mergers/acquisitions.  He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School, practices in Madison, Wisconsin, and recently celebrated the 46^th anniversary of his admission to practice.

Ashley Winsky is a litigation partner in Gentry Locke’s Richmond, Virginia office. She specializes in defending motor carriers against personal injury claims resulting from roadway accidents. She has over a decade of experience defending trucking companies in catastrophic injury, brain injury, spine injury, and wrongful death cases. Ashley responds to accident scenes throughout Virginia and works with experts in the fields of human factors, biodynamics, and accident reconstruction. Her trucking clients range from small, family-owned operations to some of the nation’s largest truckload carriers.
 
Ashley received her undergraduate degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and her law degree from Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University.
 
Ashley is a member of the American Trucking Association (ATA) and the Transportation Lawyers Association (TLA). She has been consistently recognized in the transportation arena by Chambers USA and was most recently named an “Up and Coming” lawyer in Nationwide Transportation: Road (Carriage/ Logistics). In 2019, she was selected as a “Rising Star” in Transportation by Legal 500. For the past nine years, Ashley has been named a Super Lawyers “Rising Star” by her peers. She maintains an AV Preeminent peer rating with Martindale-Hubbell.
 

Scott Zackaroff is an attorney at FedEx Custom Critical.  Headquartered in Ohio, FedEx Custom Critical provides various transportation services to the FedEx enterprise, including brokerage, secure high value, temperature-controlled and air network support.  While providing legal support to the company's numerous business units, Scott's primary focus is on compliance, employee relations, litigation and regulatory and transactional matters.
 
Scott is an active member of the Transportation Lawyers Association and welcomes this conference as his first speaking engagement.  He earned his undergraduate degree from Brandeis University and his Juris Doctor from the University of Akron.  Scott resides with his wife and two children in Akron, Ohio.
 

Eric Zalud is Co-Chair of Benesch’s Transportation & Logistics Practice Group, Associate Chair of its Litigation Practice Group and is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee.
 
Under Eric’s leadership, Benesch was named Law Firm of the Year for 2020, 2017, 2016 and 2014 in the area of Transportation Law by Best Lawyers®/U.S. News & World Report “Best Law Firms”. Only one law firm per practice area in the U.S. receives this recognition each year, making this award a particularly significant achievement.
 
Eric is a member of the Ohio Foreign Commerce Association; the Association of Transportation Law, Logistics and Policy; The Traffic Club of Cleveland; The Trucking Law Subcommittee of the American Bar Association; The Transportation Consumer Protection Council; the Conference of Freight Counsel; the Transportation Loss Prevention & Security Council; The Transportation Intermediaries Association; The National Tank Truck Carriers; The Association of Transportation Law Professionals; the International Warehouse Logistics Association; the Intermodal Association of North America; the Council on Litigation Management; and a regular attendee at the Air Transport Association freight claims seminar. He is a member of the Defense Research Institute, Trucking Law Subcommittee; the Air Forwarders Association; the Customs Brokers Roundtable; the Specialty Carriers & Rigging Association and the Swedish American Chamber of Commerce.
 
Eric has litigated or arbitrated matters in 29 states, before various state and federal trial and appellate courts, before the Surface Transportation Board, the U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals, the United States Olympic Committee, the Better Business Bureau and the Federal Maritime Commission.