In its tenth anniversary, the Galloway Claims and Litigation Conference, Tampa 2025 was a rousing success on Thursday, April 3, 2025. Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith provided the daylong event for industry professionals to learn from and network with experts and Galloway attorneys. Across a decade of excellence, Galloway’s Tampa office has built an industry-leading event in Florida.
Director Nicole Fluet opened the conference, noting that it has been her great privilege to spearhead the initiative for the past ten years. Several speakers of this year’s conference were participants in the original Claims & Litigation Conference in 2015, making the day even more special for the Galloway team.
Associate Athina Lehovitis, who has been instrumental in keeping Galloway attorneys and clients in Florida up to date with procedural rule changes issued by the Florida Supreme Court, analyzed those changes with a director of claims litigation at a leading insurer in the first session. They emphasized earlier case management through Case Management Orders, strict discovery timelines, and disclosure considerations that mirror federal standards to reduce ambiguity and discourage legal gamesmanship. Athina highlighted that these reforms aim to promote proactive communication, preparedness, and efficiency through tighter deadlines, proportional discovery, and early dispute resolution efforts.
Director Phillip Howell moderated an engaging panel discussion on due diligence and compliance considerations. The panelists, a vendor manager in the insurance industry and a business development professional for a boutique forensics consulting firm, discussed the comprehensive process of building compliant vendor relationships that carefully evaluates financial health, risk management, SLA/KPI adherence, data security, and corporate alignment to ensure a long-term partnership of success. Clear communication and regulatory awareness are essential to maintain trust and support business continuity on each side of the relationship.
In an illuminating and instructive session, Nicole was joined by Galloway technology lawyer Mark Lehman on the topic of inbox invaders, email scam liability, and other cyber coverage issues. They explained email fraud and cyber liability threats, with tactics like phishing and account takeovers that exploit human error and leave corporations vulnerable to attacks and loss. Nicole and Mark shared the benefits of strong safeguards, employee training, cyber insurance, and proactive response to mitigate risk, comply with evolving legal standards, and prevent costly breaches.
Following lunch, Director Anna Kirkpatrick was joined by a litigation team leader from an insurance company to uncover hidden nuggets in data through an effective understanding of the who, what, when, where, why, and how of each request, leveraging tools like machine learning and Excel for deeper insights in a tailored presentation based on the requesting audience. Data can drive smarter decisions by balancing structured analysis with the human element of a legal practice, ultimately fostering collaboration without losing sight of the necessary nuance.
Galloway labor and employment lawyers Doris Bobadilla, Wendell Hall, and Matthew Williams navigated the complex forest of intersecting employee leaves, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Pregnancy Workers Fairness Act at the federal, state, and local levels. Doris, Wendell, and Matt highlighted actionable employment law takeaways for addressing leave-related challenges while supporting employers, and they emphasized tailored legal strategies and proactive compliance.
Two in-house counsel joined Directors Autumn George and Sarah Baggett for a dynamic presentation on the evolving legal and regulatory landscape of short-term rentals and transportation. Zoning conflicts, community concerns, and constitutional challenges were a primary focus, and an additional conversation centered on worker classification in transportation, with shifting federal standards and the growing role of technology in managing liability and operational oversight.
In the day’s final session, Galloway attorneys Austin Moretz and John “Trip” McCormick analyzed recent case law updates with an insurance director of litigation and a seasoned mediator. From construction defect battles to challenges over civil jurisdiction, the discussion highlighted how nuanced rulings and appellate decisions are reshaping litigation strategies.
Participants celebrated the successful conference with a happy hour reception, with an exciting wine pull that benefitted local non-profit Joshua House.
We thank our sponsors for their support and our guests for their outstanding participation. We are already looking forward to the Galloway Claims and Litigation Conference, Tampa 2026. Connect with our team for more information on our events as a participant or sponsor.