2024 NABRICO Conference
September 4-6 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Welcome to Calgary!
We are excited to be hosting the 2024 annual North American Bar Related Insurance Companies conference in beautiful Calgary, Alberta, the sunniest city in Canada.
Explore Calgary
Calgary holds the title of the sunniest city in Canada and frequently ranks among the most livable cities in the world. It doesn't hurt that the beautiful Rocky Mountains are an hour's drive west from the downtown core.
Lovingly referred to as Cowtown, Calgary hosts the world's largest outdoor rodeo each July — The Calgary Stampede. With a reputation for its Western hospitality, Calgary is often described as a big city with a small-town feel.
Read more at Visit Calgary
... and Alberta
Venture outside of Calgary to take in a wide array of adventures just a short drive away. If the mountains and glaciers to the west aren't your flavour, a two-hour drive northeast puts you at the doorstep of one of the world's largest displays of dinosaurs and Alberta's Badlands. About two hours south is a UNESCO World Heritage site, showcasing one of the oldest buffalo jumps in North America.
Learn more at Travel Alberta
Thank you to our generous Sponsors!
Premier Sponsor
Welcome Reception Sponsor
Western Dinner and Line Dancing Lesson Sponsor
White Hat Ceremony Sponsor
Gold Tier Sponsors
Silver Tier Sponsors
Bronze Tier Sponsors
Thursday Lunch Sponsor
Friday Lunch Sponsor
Hospitality Suite Sponsor
WIFI Sponsor
Conference Location and Lodging
Hyatt Regency Hotel
in downtown Calgary
700 Centre Street South
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Book your stay
Schedule
Wednesday, September 4
5:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Welcome Cocktail Reception and Registration at the Hyatt Regency Hotel
Thomsons Social Hub Event Space
9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Hospitality Suite
Hyatt 4th Floor
Thursday, September 5
7:30 to 8:30 a.m.
Registration and Networking Breakfast - Buffet with Flapjack Station
Hyatt Grand Foyer 2
8:30 - 8:50 a.m.
Opening Remarks, Land Acknowledgement and Indigenous Welcome by Rev. Elder John Snow Jr.
Hyatt Imperial Room
View Slideshow for Indigenous Welcome Presentation
8:50 to 9:45 a.m.
Session 1: Artificial Intelligence 101 (or 1100101!)
Hyatt Imperial Room
Introduction to AI’s progression, current state, and potential future opportunities and risks.
Presenters:
Colin Lachance - Principal of PGYA Consulting and Ontario Bar Association Innovator-in-Residence
Dan Pinnington - President & CEO at LAWPRO (Lawyers' Professional Indemnity Company)
View Slideshow: Generative AI 101 View Slideshow: Generative AI - No Slowing Down
9:45 to 10:45 a.m.
Session 2: Use of AI by Our Insureds
Hyatt Imperial Room
Potential opportunities for lawyers and firms; regulatory, malpractice, and ethics considerations; and associated risks to us as insurers. Presentation will be followed by a panel discussion.
Presenters:
Colin Lachance - Principal of PGYA Consulting and Ontario Bar Association Innovator-in-Residence
Michael E. Mestinsek, KC - Head of the Advocacy Group, Calgary office, Member of the Partnership Board, Stikeman Elliott LLP
Dan Pinnington - President & CEO at LAWPRO (Lawyers' Professional Indemnity Company)
View Slideshow for Session 2
10:45 to 11:00 a.m.
Networking Break
Hyatt Grand Foyer 2
11:00 a.m. to noon
Session 3: Use of AI by Insurance Companies
Hyatt Imperial Room
Leveraging developments in AI in support of insurance company operational efficiency while mitigating risk; from back-office to front-lines. Will increased productivity mean loss or change of jobs? What should we be doing to prepare? Presentation will be followed by a panel discussion.
Presenters:
Colin Lachance - Principal of PGYA Consulting and Ontario Bar Association Innovator-in-Residence
Justin Pursaga - Vice President & Chief Data & Analytics Officer, Wawanesa Insurance
Yelena Kropivnitskaya - Director, Advanced Analytics, Wawanesa Insurance
Dan Pinnington - President & CEO at LAWPRO (Lawyers' Professional Indemnity Company)
View Slideshow for Session 3
Noon to 12:10 p.m.
White Hat Ceremony
Hyatt Imperial Room
12:10 to 1:00 p.m.
Networking Lunch Buffet
Hyatt Grand Foyer 2
1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Session 4: Predictive Analytics
Hyatt Imperial Room
Using analytic advances and leveraging data for informed decision-making in insurance.
Presenter:
Ivy Zhou - Actuarial Analyst, Commercial Risk Solutions, Professional Services for Aon
View Slideshow for Session 4
2:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Session 5: Wellness / Managing Mental Health
Hyatt Imperial Room
Promoting well-being for staff, insureds, and claimants and addressing the risks.
Presenter:
Lindsey D. Draper - VP of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion; The Institute for Well-Being in Law
View Slideshow for Session 5
3:00 to 3:15 p.m.
Networking Break
Hyatt Grand Foyer 2
3:15 to 4:30 p.m.
Breakout Sessions
Various locations
- Claims
Hyatt Imperial Room
- Underwriting / Risk Management / Loss Prevention
Walker Room
- CFO / Accounting / Finance
Herald Room
- IT / Tech
Bannerman Room
- Comms / Sales / Marketing
Neilson Room 1
- CEO / Leaders
Doll Room
5:45 p.m.
Bus Transportation to Ranchman’s Cookhouse & Dancehall
Meet in Hyatt Front Lobby. Busses depart at 6:00 p.m.
6:45 to 9:00 p.m.
Western Dinner and Line Dancing Lessons at Ranchman’s Cookhouse & Dancehall
Friday, September 6, 2024
7:30 to 8:30 a.m.
Networking Breakfast
Hyatt Grand Foyer 2
8:30 to 8:35 a.m.
Welcome and Announcements
Hyatt Imperial Room
8:35 to 9:45 a.m.
Session 6: Claims
Hyatt Imperial Room
By popular demand, a full plenary session on Claims! Potential topics include:
- Origin of claims;
- New claim types and trends;
- Claims handling practices and software;
- Defence cost strategies and alternatives to trial;
- Dealing with buyer’s remorse: settle and sue;
- Coverage gaps depending on who was negligent;
- Mobility challenges: coverage for lawyers who practice foreign law or live or work in more than one jurisdiction;
- Ex Gratia payments.
Presenter:
Anna Lerch
9:45 to 10:45 a.m.
Session 7: Cyber Insurance
Hyatt Imperial Room
Market update and trends
What cyber hygiene gives the best results?
Should social engineering be covered?
Presenters:
Greg Markell - President & CEO, Ridge Canada Cyber Solutions
Katie Andruchow - Senior Vice President and National Cyber Broking Practice Leader, Aon Risk Solutions | Professional Services Group
View Slideshow for Session 7
10:45 to 11:00 a.m.
Networking Break
Hyatt Grand Foyer 2
11:00 to 11:50 a.m.
Session 8: Loss Prevention: What works, what doesn’t, and how do you know?
Hyatt Imperial Room
- Loss avoidance and mitigation;
- Dealing with frequent flyers;
- Mandatory professional development;
- High risk/cost areas of practice;
- Common mistakes;
- Dealing with statutory / regulatory changes (e.g. the end of non-competes).
Presenters:
Dave Jackson - Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Lawyers Insurance Association
Melanie Hodges Neufeld - Policy and Communications Advisor, Canadian Lawyers Insurance Association
View Slideshow from Session 8
11:50 to noon
Concluding Remarks and Wrap-up
Hyatt Imperial Room
Noon to 1:00 p.m.
Taco Buffet Lunch (boxes provided for take-away)
Hyatt Grand Foyer 2
Speakers
Rev., Elder JOHN Snow Jr.
AB.Sc., P.M.L.M., M.A., M.Div., O.M. ICD., CAPLA, CALEP, Stoney Tribe, Treaty 7John is a direct descendant of Treaty 7 signatory, Chief Jacob Goodstoney. John is a Residential Day School survivor, and a Stoney Nakoda champion traditional dancer and cultural pipe holder. He is also an ordained Minister in the United Church of Canada. And, he is a six-time world champion in country-western dance.
John was educated in Canada, the United States and England. He holds an M.A. in Political Science in Public Policy, Law and Administration from the University of Calgary, and an M.Div. from the Vancouver School of Theology. He is currently working towards his PhD. at the University of Pretoria.
John’s petroleum mineral land management background had him working in the industry for 30 years as a negotiator, instructor and senior Indigenous advisor.
John is a seasoned speaker, instructor and negotiator for technical oil and gas projects. He has worked with provincial and federal governments to advise on policy and received a federal Deputy Ministers’ Award for changes to the Indian Oil and Gas Act. John is well versed in Indigenous history, and consults, teaches and lectures on a wide scope of Indigenous issues. More recently, John is offering guidance on Reconciliation matters to ecumenical and denominational organizations — by implementing the principles of Treaties, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action and The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Lindsey D. Draper
AttorneyFollowing his 2006 retirement as a Milwaukee County Circuit Court Commissioner, Lindsey D. Draper oversaw Wisconsin’s adherence to the mandates of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) as the state’s Disproportionate Minority Contact Coordinator and Compliance Monitor until his retirement in 2014.
He is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors at St. Charles Youth and Family Services and the Alma Center in Milwaukee; a member of the Board of Directors of the Milwaukee County Historical Society, the Zilber Group, and the cabinet of the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee Graduate School; a Director-at-Large of the National Client Protection Organization (NCPO); and a member of the ABA Center for Professional Responsibility Continuing Legal Education and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committees.
He currently serves as Chair of the ABA Standing Committee on Public Protection in the Provision of Legal Services.
Melanie Hodges Neufeld
Policy and Communications Advisor,Canadian Lawyers Insurance Association (CLIA)
Melanie is a practising lawyer who joined CLIA in 2023 in the newly created role of Policy and Communications Advisor. From 2020 – 2023, she worked with the E-Justice Team at the Ministry of Justice as lead Knowledge Engineer on the development of legal guided pathways for online dispute resolution projects. Previously, she was Director of Legal Resources with the Law Society of Saskatchewan.
Melanie holds a Bachelor of Law and Master of Laws from the College of Law at the University of Saskatchewan.
Dave Jackson
Chief Executive Officer,Canadian Lawyers Insurance Association (CLIA)
Dave is the first CEO of CLIA and joined the organization in January 2016. The CEO and the Office of the CEO are based in Regina, Saskatchewan and are responsible for the coordination and management of all phases of CLIA’s operations. CLIA was formed as an insurance reciprocal in 1988 and provides specialized professional liability insurance for private practice lawyers in Canada.
Prior to joining CLIA, Dave was the Director of Legal Services, Insurance, and Risk Management for the Saskatchewan School Boards Association. Dave also sits as a Board Trustee on the 3S Health Board, providing oversight to an Employee Benefits Plan for 45,000 health care workers in Saskatchewan.
Dave holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and Finance and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the University of Regina. He is a Certified Risk Manager (CRM), receiving his designation from the University of Toronto in 2005.
Colin Lachance
Principal of PGYA Consulting and Ontario Bar Association Innovator-in-ResidenceColin supports legal professionals and organizations on their AI journey. Through his role with the OBA, he is spearheading a comprehensive initiative aimed at assisting lawyers with effectively integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into their practice to better serve their clients.
He is a frequent writer and speaker to national and international audiences on legal tech/information/innovation topics, and very active in supporting the development of legal information and technology projects through advocacy, consulting, business development and advisory services for courts, law associations, legal publishers and startups. Colin served as CEO of the Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII) from 2011 to 2015, where he developed and successfully executed its first independent multi-year strategic plan and expanded its operations to include high-quality secondary sources, gaining him recognition from the ABA Journal as a 2014 “Legal Rebel”, Canadian Lawyer Magazine as among the “Top 25 Most Influential” of 2014, and Fastcase as a member of the 2013 Fastcase 50 class of legal innovators and visionaries. As its interim General Manager of North America, Colin grew the Canadian presence and prominence of international legal publisher vLex and also served on its global executive committee. As founder / co-founder of Compass Law, the Legal Innovation Data Institute and Jurisage AI, Colin has actively contributed to the advancement of legal AI in Canada.
Admitted to the law societies of Alberta (1998) and Ontario (2004), his prior roles included senior legal, advocacy, marketing and lobbying roles in the telecommunications industry. Finally, although an average and unimpressive student in all his schooling, Colin added an LLM in law in technology in 2013 to degrees in law and business earned in the bloom of youth.
Katie Andruchow
MBA, Senior Vice President andNational Cyber Broking Practice Leader, Aon
Katie Andruchow is a Broking Leader within our National Cyber Broking Practice. In this role, she is responsible for creating a broking strategy and empowering Aon’s Canadian cyber team to deliver best-in-class products to our national client base. Her collaboration with major domestic and London markets has led to the creation of leading-edge cyber solutions proprietary to Aon (recent initiatives include Aon’s global cyber MGA, an online quoting platform for SME risks and various proprietary wordings). Katie also regularly conducts educational and informative presentations about cyber risk to both internal and external stakeholders.
Finally, Katie also acts as a broker for a portfolio of large global companies with complex risk transfer solutions and provides support to the national broking team to ensure cyber risk transfer solutions across Aon’s client case are leading edge and performing efficiently.
Prior to joining Aon in 2014, Katie served as the Specialty Lines Underwriting Manager at Trinity Underwriting Managers. She first began working in the industry in 2007.
Katie’s expertise includes diverse product knowledge, structured portfolio and bespoke product solution and a solid understanding of the global cyber insurance market.
Justin Pursaga
FCAS, FCIAVice President & Chief Data & Analytics Officer Wawanesa Insurance
Justin began his career as a general insurance broker in 2002, advising customers on personal lines P&C product needs. He joined the Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company in 2006 within actuarial services and held traditional actuarial roles for the first several years. He then went on to hold multiple leadership roles in Advanced Analytics, Business Transformation, Financial Planning & Analysis, as well as the lead on the enterprise wide IFRS Program.
In 2021, Justin took on a newly created role as VP, Pricing for all Canadian P&C Products. He then transitioned into his current role as VP & Chief Data & Analytics Officer overseeing the enterprise Data & Analytics Office. In 2024, Justin’s responsibilities expanded to include oversight of Artificial Intelligence throughout Wawanesa.
Justin is a Fellow of both the Casualty Actuarial Society (FCAS) and the Canadian Institute of Actuaries (FCIA).
Dr. Yelena Kropivnitskaya
Director, Advanced AnalyticsWawanesa Insurance
Dr. Yelena Kropivnitskaya is the Director, Advanced Analytics at Wawanesa Insurance, where she contributes to the development and execution of the company’s Data & Analytics Strategy and AI Framework. In this role, she is instrumental in fostering a data-driven culture across the enterprise by leveraging advanced analytics techniques and approaches.
Yelena focuses on embedding predictive models within business processes and decision-making systems to drive value and support Wawanesa’s strategic initiatives. Her expertise in data science and machine learning has been pivotal in enhancing operational efficiency and delivering innovative solutions within the enterprise.
Born and raised in Kazakhstan and currently based in Winnipeg, Yelena brings a diverse perspective to her work. She is passionate about responsible AI, talent development, and continuous learning. Yelena is also deeply committed to education, having contributed to the development and teaching of the Artificial Intelligence Diploma program at the University of Winnipeg. She has shared her knowledge and expertise through presentations and workshops at industry conferences.
Michael E. Mestinsek, K.C.
Head of the Advocacy Group in the Calgary office, member of the Partnership Board, Stikeman ElliotMichael represents numerous domestic and international clients in all major areas of commercial litigation, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution.
Michael’s dispute resolution philosophy is predicated on the principle that every dispute has unique characteristics and exigencies. Efficient and effective dispute resolution requires a flexible and business outcome oriented approach. His primary focus is to provide decisive advice his clients can trust when these disputes arise.
Michael regularly advises clients on litigation matters involving oil and gas, corporate governance and shareholder activism, product liability, construction, directors and officers liability, professional liability, securities, commercial real estate and insurance. Michael is recognized for his particular expertise in the areas of directors and officers liability, upstream and midstream oil and gas litigation involving pipelines and processing facilities, breach of confidence as well as product liability claims involving medical devices.
Greg Markell
President & CEO,Ridge Canada Cyber Solutions
Greg Markell is a leading insurance expert in the topic of cyber and privacy liability. He has advised public, private, and non-profit organizations regarding their risk transfer of organizational exposure to cyber-related losses.
Greg began his career underwriting for a large national insurer, starting in property and casualty before quickly moving into executive and professional risk, with a focus on director’s and officer’s (D&O) insurance. He then moved on to join a national brokerage, focusing on specialty insurance products for financial services companies, including D&O and cyber liability. He left this firm as a partner in 2014 and joined a top 10 global broker, where he was a resource for his colleagues for D&O and the practice leader for cyber and privacy liability.
Most recently, Greg became the president and CEO of Ridge Canada Cyber Solutions (RCCS). Ridge Canada is a managing general agent, focused on providing insurance solutions for clients’ cyber and privacy needs. Greg provides wholesale solutions to retail brokers, along with consulting work regarding cyber and privacy insurance programs. Greg has been published in numerous insurance publications, and speaks frequently on the topic of cyber and privacy liability for public and private organizations.
Anna Lerch
Senior Manager, Operations,Alberta Lawyers Indemnity Association (ALIA)
Anna joined ALIA in 2010 in the role of Claims Counsel after practicing at a national law firm. Developing her skills in handling claims over several years, particularly through managing the resolution of the mortgage fraud claims which arose from the Alberta real estate boom in 2008, she was promoted to the role of Senior Claims Counsel in 2018. In that role, she handled complex claims while also mentoring other Claims Counsel. Anna was promoted to the role of Manager, Claims in July 2019, bringing her depth of technical knowledge to leading the Claims Counsel team. That lead to her further promotion to the role of Senior Manager, Operations in August 2023.
Anna holds a Bachelor of Arts with a major in English Literature and minor in Latin from the University of British Columbia, and a Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall Law School. She was called to the Bar of Ontario in 2005 and was called to the Bar of Alberta in 2008.
David Weyant, K.C.
President and CEO,Alberta Lawyers Indemnity Association (ALIA)
David is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Alberta Lawyers Indemnity Association.
In addition to his 35-year legal career, he has served as a board director and chair of various publicly listed, private, and not-for-profit entities including a regulated insurance reciprocal. He currently serves on the board of The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company. For 2023-2024, David is Co-President of NABRICO.
David is Lean Six Sigma certified and holds a B.A., a J.D., an ICD.D certified director designation, as well as two MBA degrees (Queen’s University and Cornell University).
In recognition of his legal leadership, including professional and ethical excellence, and his contributions to the administration of justice, the community, and the legal profession, David was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2004 (now King’s Counsel). In 2022, he was awarded The Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal in recognition of his significant contributions to the province.
Dan Pinnington
President & CEO, LAWPRODaniel E. Pinnington was appointed President & Chief Executive Officer of LAWPRO in 2018. From 2012 to 2018, he served as Vice President, Claims Prevention & Stakeholder Relations, overseeing LAWPRO’s claims prevention and outreach initiatives.
Dan joined LAWPRO in 2001 as Director, practicePRO – LAWPRO’s innovative and internationally recognized claims prevention initiative. He used his unique combination of practice experience and technology expertise to provide lawyers with tools and resources to assist them to avoid malpractice claims and succeed in the practice of law.
Before joining LAWPRO, Dan practised for eight years in the litigation department of a Niagara-area law firm. Dan was called to the bar in 1993, having graduated with a combined LL.B./J.D. from the University of Windsor and Detroit Mercy College of Law.
Dan is a Fellow of the College of Law Practice Management and is a prolific writer, speaker and blogger on risk management, legal technology and law practice management issues. He has given hundreds of presentations throughout North America and has chaired more than a dozen major conferences.
Dan was the President of the National Association of Bar-Affiliated Insurance Companies (NABRICO) in 2019. He has been very active in the American Bar Association’s Law Practice Division and was a long-time member of the ABA Legal Professional Liability Standing Committee.
Ivy Zhou
Actuarial Analyst, Commercial Risk Solutions, Professional Services, AonIvy Zhou is a skilled Actuarial Analyst at Aon, specializing in commercial risk management. With a strong background in actuarial pricing & reserving and financial analytics, she takes a pivotal role in delivering data-driven insights and strategic risk assessments for large-scale international clients.
Her expertise is built on a solid foundation of experience, including roles in asset liability management, claims analytics, and commercial risk. She demonstrates dedication to continuous learning which empowers her to develop innovative solutions for complex risk challenges.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Register for the Conference here.
That's ok. You are welcome to attend as much of the conference as you are able. Please note, however, that registration is for the full event only. There is no à la carte option.
Contact us to cancel your conference registration.
Lodging cancellations are your responsibility.
Refund Policy
14+ calendar days prior to start date: full refund available.
5-13 calendar days prior to start date: $200 cancellation fee applies.
4 calendar days or fewer prior to start date: no refund available.
Option to do a name transfer, if applicable.
Lodging cancellations are your responsibility.
Refund Policy
14+ calendar days prior to start date: full refund available.
5-13 calendar days prior to start date: $200 cancellation fee applies.
4 calendar days or fewer prior to start date: no refund available.
Option to do a name transfer, if applicable.
You are welcome to attend as much of the conference as you are able or would like to. Please note, however, that registration is for the full event. There is no à la carte option.
There are many options for getting around Calgary, including public transit, taxis and ride sharing apps (Uber, Lyft), and even electric scooters. Visit the Tourism Calgary website for more information.
The 2024 NABRICO Conference is hosted by Alberta Lawyers Indemnity Association and Canadian Lawyers Insurance Association.
