Total Credits: 6.5 MCLE, 2.0 Ethics, 1.0 Elimination of Bias
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Moderator: William C. Love, Jr., Hyde, Love & Overby, LLP, Springfield
8:00 – 8:30 AM | Registration
8:30 – 9:20 AM | Update from the Division
A review of current administrative and adjudicatory procedures and practices . This discussion will include consideration of the differing practices and customs of each adjudication office.
Speakers: Hon. Victorine R. Mahon, Chief ALJ, Missouri Division of Workers' Compensation, Springfield; Colleen Joern Vetter, Division Director, Missouri Division of Workers' Compensation, St. Louis; Harsh Bhasin, Project Director, Missouri Division of Workers' Compensation
9:20 – 10:10 AM | On Issues of Bias, Diversity, Inclusion, & Cultural Competency (pre-recorded)
A comparison of Missouri Rule 4-8.4(g) and the ABA Model Rule 8.4(g) & COMMENT [4] of both and the implications for their differences, and an overview of general explicit or implicit bias, diversity, inclusion, or cultural competency awareness issues and resources.
Speaker: Christian A. Stiegemeyer, The Bar Plan Mutual Insurance Company, St. Louis
10:10 – 10:20 AM | Break
10:20 – 11:35 AM | Case Law Update
Speakers: Cara L. Harris, Missouri Attorney General’s Office, Springfield; Will E. Peterson, Wood, Cooper & Peterson, LLC, Neosho and Patrick J. Platter, The Law Firm of Neale & Newman LLP, Springfield
11:35 AM – 1:00 PM | Lunch | on your own
1:00 – 1:50 PM | How to Conduct a Psych IME
This session will give a behind the scenes look at the psych IME process. The doctors will walk you through the evaluation process including testing, and the importance of each step. The session will conclude with an open question and answer session.
Speaker: Dr. Dale A. Halfaker, PhD, Springfield
1:50 – 2:40 PM | Post Cosby & 2014 PTD Amendment
This session will address the impact on workers’ compensation procedure and ligation involving the Second Injury Fund in the aftermath of the 2014 Amendments and the recent Cosby v. Treasurer Missouri Supreme Court decision.
Speaker: Skyler E. Burks, Missouri Attorney General's Office, Springfield
2:40 – 2:50 PM | Break
2:50 – 3:40 PM | A Conversation with Deputy Chief Disciplinary Counsel: Relevant Issues in Legal Ethics
An analysis and review of recent decisions and relevant issues in Legal Ethics facing the practitioner from the Office of Disciplinary Counsel.
Speaker: TBA, Representative from the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel
3:40 PM | Adjourn
Harshdeep (Harsh) Bhasin joined the Workers’ Compensation modernization program as a Project Director in October of 2019. Mr. Bhasin has over 13 years of IT experience, of which eight years has been focused on managing multiple large and complex state government projects. Harsh has provided Program/Project Management and Project Delivery services to various State of Missouri agencies, State of Vermont’s Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB) and Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. He is passionate about the process improvement, culture of technological innovation, and how the government can serve its citizens better.
Mr. Bhasin is a graduate of Minnesota State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Technology. He then earned his Master’s degree in Software Engineering from Pennsylvania State University. Mr. Bhasin holds several certifications, including Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSBB), and Certified Scrum Master (CSM) Project Manager (Agile Practitioner.) Harsh is a big proponent of STEM education and sits on local and national universities’ Science, Engineering, and Technology Department Advisory boards to guide future education curriculum for workforce development.
Harsh is a proud resident of Jefferson City from the past nine years. When he is not working, he enjoys spending valuable time with his wife and son and reading Financial & Technical books/magazines.
Skyler Burks has practiced exclusively in the Labor Division of the Attorney General’s Office, defending both the Second Injury Fund and State of Missouri, Office of Administration in workers’ compensation claims in the Springfield area. He is currently the Unit Leader for the Springfield Labor Division of the AGO.
William C. Love is a partner with the law firm of Hyde, Love & Overby practicing in the areas of Medical Malpractice, Appellate Law, Workers’ Compensation and General Litigation. He is admitted to practice in Missouri and the U.S. Western District of Missouri, 8th Circuit Court of Appeals and US Supreme Court. He earned his J.D. from the University of Missouri School of Law. He was recognized for appellate advocacy as a recipient of the David J. Dixon Appellate Advocacy Award from the Missouri Bar. He is also a long time High School Football referee.
Victorine Mahon is Chief Administrative Law Judge for the Joplin and Springfield Adjudication Offices of the Missouri Division of Workers’ Compensation. She obtained her Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Prior to her appointment as an ALJ, she clerked for Missouri Supreme Court Judge George F. Gunn, Jr., served as an Assistant Attorney General, and worked as chief counsel to the Missouri Labor and Industrial Relations Commission. She has been an adjunct professor for William Woods University, a facilitator for the National Judicial College, and a contributor to the Missouri Bar CLE deskbooks on Workers’ Compensation and Administrative Law.
Patrick J. Platter is a partner with the law firm of Neale & Newman, L.L.P. of Springfield, Missouri. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia with undergraduate and law degrees. He specializes in workers’ compensation law, local government law, administrative law, and employment law. He has tried hundreds of workers’ compensation claims before the Division of Workers’ Compensation and appeals before the Labor and Industrial Relations Commission and appellate courts. His appeals in workers’ compensation claims have spanned a wide range of subject in The Workers’ Compensation Law. Mr. Platter is a certified mediator under Rule 17. He is a member of the Mo Bar Fee Dispute Resolution Committee. He is published in the Journal of the Missouri Bar and speaks to many professional and trade organizations in workers’ compensation and employment law. He is recognized in Super Lawyers® in workers’ compensation law and The Best Lawyers of America© in local government law.
Christian A. Stiegemeyer is the Director of Risk Management for The Bar Plan Mutual Insurance Company where he helps lawyers arrive at practical solutions to a wide variety of ethical and legal malpractice issues. He received his J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law.