Berk Named LexisNexis Insurance Law Center Finalist

The LexisNexis Insurance Law Center Advisory Board released the following list of finalists for the LexisNexis Insurance Law Center Person of the Year awards for 2008.

The Nominated Finalists for LexisNexis Insurance Law Center Person of the Year are:

Insurer Attorney of the Year -- the attorney who did the most in 2008 to effectively advance insurer positions and improve insurance law from the perspective of insurers.

William S. Berk - Berk, Merchant & Sims, PLC, Coral Gables, FL.
Stuart Cotton – Mound Cotton Wollan & Greengrass, New York
Gary M. Eldin - Grippo & Elden LLC, Chicago
Lawrence Greengrass -- Mound Cotton Wollan & Greengrass, New York
Lloyd A. Gura -- Mound Cotton Wollan & Greengrass, New York
Rick L. Hammond – Johnson & Bell, Chicago
Laura J. Hanson, Meagher & Geer, Minneapolis
Bradley M. Jones Meagher & Geer, Minneapolis
Leo J. Jordan -- West Orange, New Jersey
Peter H. Klee -- Luce Forward, San Diego
Randy Maniloff – White and Williams, Philadelphia
Barry R. Ostrager -- Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, New York
Mark D. Plevin - Crowell & Moring, Washington, D.C.
Francine Semaya -- Nelson Levine de Luca and Horst, LLC
Philip Silverberg -- Mound Cotton Wollan & Greengrass, New York
Chuck Spevacek, Meagher & Geer, Minneapolis
James Veach -- Mound Cotton Wollan & Greengrass, New York

Policyholder Attorney of the Year – the attorney who did the most in 2008 to effectively advance policyholder positions and improve insurance law from the perspective of policyholders.

Ray Cotkin, Cotkin & Collins, Los Angeles.
Mark DeBofsky, Daley DeBofsky and Bryant, Chicago
Robert Horkovich, Anderson Kill, New York
Ernest Martin, Jr., Haynes and Boone, Dallas
William F. Merlin, Jr., Merlin Law Group, Tampa
Kirk Pasich, Dickstein Shapiro, Washington D.C.
Brian S. Sheldon, Phillabaum, Ledlin, Matthews & Sheldon, Spokane, Washington
Roger Simpson, Cotkin & Collins, Los Angeles
Richard C. Trahant, Law Offices of Richard C. Trahant, Metairie, Louisiana
Ray Zuppa , The Zuppa Firm, Brooklyn, New York

FACAP Ethics Seminar

BMS Member Bill Berk recently taught a workshop on the Adjuster's Code of Ethics at the annual Florida Advisory Committee on Arson Prevention (FACAP) seminar in Ocala, Florida.

Mr. Berk is an instructor approved by the Florida DFS, and this workshop is eligible for CE credit.

For further information contact Mr. Berk at wberk@berklawfirm.com

2007 Florida Windstorm Insurance Network Conference

Melissa Sims and Bill Berk recently attended the 2007 Florida Windstorm Insurance Network Conference in Tampa, Florida January 30-February 1, 2007. Mr. Berk, who is a Director of Florida Windstorm Insurance Network, was the Program Chair, presiding over the largest group in the history of the conference, with over 1,300 attendees from 35 states and Canada. Ms. Sims taught "Appraisal A to Z," one of the most highly attended workshops at the conference.

Insurance Committee for Arson Control (ICAC)

Bill Berk recently taught a workshop on adjuster's code of ethics at ICAC's 18th Annual National Arson Investigation Training Seminar in Destin, Florida February 19-22, 2007. The workshop, which Mr. Berk has presented to various organizations and private groups, teaches the Adjuster's Code of Ethics, including the recent 2006 revisions, in the context of a real life claim scenario.

Berk Serves As Faculty Member at FACAP Training Conference

William Berk recently served as a faculty member at the 29th Annual Training Conference for the Florida Advisory Committee on Arson Prevention (FACAP). On November 15, 2006 Mr. Berk taught a workshop on "Ethical Issues for Attorneys & Adjusters."

Mr. Berk is an approved DFS instructor, and is available to present this workshop, and others, to private groups. Please contact him at wberk@berklawfirm.com

Merchant on Construction Defect Claims

Evelyn Merchant was a faculty member at the National Business Institute (NBI) Seminar, Insurance Coverage Trends on June 13, 2006 at the Hyatt Regency in Miami, Florida. Ms. Merchant spoke on Construction Defect Claims.

For more information contact Ms. Merchant at emerchant@berklawfirm.com or the NBI at www.nbi-sems.com.

The Defense Speaks

BMS attorneys William Berk and Thomas Cantwell are co authors of a chapter in the Florida Defense Lawyers Association (FDLA) comprehensive manual for civil defense attorneys, The Defense Speaks. Their chapter is Conflicts Arising in Defense of the Policy Holder.

The manual is available from the FDLA, which may be contacted at www.fdla.org

Berk Named Program Chair of 2007 Windstorm Conference

Bill Berk has been selected to be the Program Chair for the 2007 Florida Windstorm Insurance Conference to be held in Tampa, Florida. The 2006 Conference hosted over 1, 000 attendees from the insurance and related industries.

If you are interested in participating or require further information contact Mr. Berk at wberk@berklawfirm.com.

NBI Mold Seminar

On April 4, 2006 William Berk was a faculty member at the National Business Institute's Seminar "Proving Damages Caused By Mold Infestation in Florida" at the Hyatt Regency in Miami. The seminar addressed not only mold damages, but also the science of mold, coverage issues, and remediation. For further information please contact Mr. Berk at wberk@berklawfirm.com.

2006 Florida Windstorm Conference

William Berk taught a workshop, "Appraisal from A to Z--Everything You Wanted to Know About Appraisal, But Were Afraid to Ask" at the 2006 Florida Windstorm Insurance Conference February 8-11 at the Hilton Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.

In the wake of the past two years' storms, appraisal has become one of the most used, yet least understood, methods of alternative dispute resolution. Mr. Berk's workshop was attended by over 300 participants and focused on the legal, practical and strategic aspects of the process.