CSG's lead presenter, Ronald R. Leaders, is a principal in Buckley & Leaders with specialized training and certifications in arbitration, mediation and negotiation from the American Arbitration Association, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Harvard Project on Negotiations, and Disputes Review Board Foundation. For more than 20 years, Mr. Leaders has provided general counsel, risk management and other legal advisory services to engineering and scientific professional service firms, owners and contractors. Mr. Leaders has Bachelor of Chemical Engineering and Masters of Science in Metallurgy from Georgia Tech and a Juris Doctor from the University of San Francisco School of Law.
http://www.buckleyleaders.com/about.html

Michael Loulakisis founder of A/E/C Training Technologies, and president of the construction law firm of Wickwire Gavin, P.C., where he has practiced since 1979. Mr. Loulakis is a dynamic speaker and prolific author, widely recognized as one of the nation's leading experts in design-build issues. Among his publications is Design-Build Lessons Learned, which is required reading for those seeking designation as a “Design-Build Professional” through the Design-Build Institute of America.
http://www.aectraining.com

Donovan Hatem LLP
The Professional Practices Group in the law firm of Donovan Hatem LLP, www.dhboston.com, provide legal services to architects, engineers, surveyors, licensed site professionals and their firms by reviewing and providing risk management advice on contracts, advising as to professional registration matters and providing representation before the Board of Registration. Pre-claim assistance is provided when disputes arise in an effort to resolve matters and to avoid a formal lawsuit being filed. Donovan Hatem LLP defends against professional liability claims made in state and federal courts and represents design professionals and their firms at mediations and arbitrations. Donovan Hatem LLP advises design professionals on legislative issues, including the impact of pending, proposed or enacted legislation.

Presenter David Hatem PC has represented design professionals in insurance defense matters and project insurance programs, offering loss prevention, claims avoidance, and dispute avoidance counsel on large projects. A well known attorney and presenter, Mr. Hatem also teaches Legal Aspects of the Engineering Process at Tufts University and is a prolific writer, authoring many articles and books for Wiley Law, The Defense Counsel Journal, The Construction Lawyer and many other publications.
http://www.dhboston.com/bios/hatemd.html

Presenter Warren Hutchison concentrates his practice in the defense of individual professionals and professional corporations, including architects, engineers, surveyors, accountants, investment advisors and real estate brokers in commercial disputes, securities, lender liability, environmental liability matters. Mr. Hutchison also counsels clients on risk management, contract and procurement issues.
http://www.dhboston.com/bios/hutchisonw.html

Hanson Bridgett Marcus Vlahos & Rudy, LLP
The Construction Practice Group at the law firm of Hanson Bridgett, www.hansonbridgett.com focuses on complex infrastructure projects, participating in project formation, contracting, financing, execution and claims. Hanson Bridgett has extensive experience in alternative project delivery systems, including, design/build, design/build/operate, build/own/transfer and variants. Clients include major public owners, "ENR Top 50" designers, developers and contractors, along with moderately sized regional architectural, engineering and construction firms.

Presenter Howard Ashcraft is a senior partner in the Construction Law Group at Hanson Bridgett. Mr. Ashcraft represents designers, owners and contractors in project formation, professional practice and construction disputes. He is a Fellow of the American College of Construction Lawyers, an Arbitrator on the American Arbitration Association's Large and Complex Case Panel and former Governing Committee member of the American Bar Association's Forum on the Construction Industry. He is currently the outside General Counsel to Terra Insurance Company, a Risk Retention Group of geotechnical and environmental engineering firms. http://www.hansonbridgett.com/attorneys/index.html

Schiff Hardin & Waite
The Construction Law Group at Schiff Hardin & Waite, www.schiffhardin.com, is built around lawyers with extensive construction industry backgrounds and credentials, including architecture, design and engineering as well as decades of construction law experience. Services include choice of design and construction delivery systems, contract negotiation, claim avoidance counseling and claim prosecution and defense. They also have an extensive practice concerning the tax and business issues of firms in the construction industry.

Presenter Paul M. Lurie is the immediate past Chair of Schiff Hardin & Waite's Construction Law Group. For more than thirty years, he has been business and legal counsel for development, design and construction. He has worked on project planning, contracting, and dispute avoidance and resolution. He is a Fellow of the American College of Construction Lawyers. His knowledge of the dynamics of design and construction firms has made him a valuable advisor on issues of ownership structure, transition, mergers and acquisitions. He is also an active mediator and arbitrator on the AAA Large Complex Case Panel. http://www.schiffhardin.com/attorneys/a_luriep.html

Presenter Patricia Costello Slovak is a partner in Schiff Hardin & Waite's Labor and Employment Group. She has extensive experience representing management in all facets of labor and employment law matters, including litigation, collective bargaining, discrimination defense, wage and hour issues, arbitration and general counseling. She is a member of the Council of the American Bar Association's Labor and Employment Law Section and is a frequent author and lecturer on various employment and labor law issues. http://www.schiffhardin.com/attorneys/a_slovak.html

Presenter Mark Friedlander is an active speaker and author and is currently co-chair of the Construction Law Group at Schiff Hardin & Waite, as well as an Adjunct Professor at the Architecture School of the University of Illinois at Chicago. Mr. Friedlander represents contractors, design professionals and institutional owners, providing both transactional and dispute resolution services. A significant portion of his practice involves structuring construction projects and consulting in project delivery methods. He has developed a unique design/build delivery structure and copyrighted a set of contract documents utilizing this method. http://www.schiffhardin.com/attorneys/a_friedlander.html

Other presenters include:

Marty Andrejko - ECS Underwriting. Prior to joining ECS as Senior Underwriter, Mr. Andrejko enjoyed a career as a registered professional geologist with a background in technical and project management positions. Mr. Andrejko provides insurance expertise on several CSG programs.

Art Schwartz- General Counsel, National Society of Professional Engineers. Art Schwartz is Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel for NSPE. Mr. Schwartz is a frequent lecturer on various liability, ethical and business practice issues.

Marsha Fraser - solutions @ work. Marsha Fraser is President of solutions @ work , and has over 25 years experience in organizational development and human resource management. Marsha has served as a consultant, facilitator, manager and public speaker. She specializes in managing organizational change, negotiation techniques, strategic planning, team building and retreat facilitation, leadership development, project management and process improvement.
www.solutions-at-work.com

James Donaldson - Construction Consulting Services. Mr. Donaldson's practice centers on the proactive use of ADR processes, partnering, dispute review boards, negotiation, mediation, arbitration and early recognition and intervention for claims avoidance. Mr. Donaldson is the immediate past president of the DRB foundation, has participated on over 40 DRB's and has mediated or arbitrated approximately 200 disputes.