The trucking industry doesn’t stand still, and neither does the litigation built to hold it accountable.
That reality was on full display at this year’s Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (ATAA) Annual Symposium, where attorneys and paralegals from The Law Firm for Truck Safety once again took the stage to share knowledge, sharpen skills, and push the field of trucking litigation forward.
Day One: Setting the Tone
The symposium opened with welcoming remarks from Partner and ATAA Co-Founder Michael Leizerman, ATAA Co-Founder Joe Fried of Fried Goldberg LLC, and ATAA Board of Regents
Chair Michael Cowen of Begum & Cowen. Michael Leizerman reflected on the progress the trucking safety community has made this year, garnering cheers and applause from the audience when he mentioned the Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II.
From there, the day moved into a full slate of CLE presentations, covering when and how to conduct inspections, best practices for evidence preservation, the ethical questions attorneys face around settlement, and more.
Michael Leizerman returned to the podium for “Values-Based Damages and Speaking to Conservative Jurors,” walking attendees through the language choices that shape how jurors connect with a case – replacing “lost” with “taken,” “give” with “return,” and “award” with “verdict” so that a verdict reflects what jurors are really doing for a client.
Partner Matthew Wright continued with “Cheating with Electronic Logging Devices,” opening with a relatable story about a hectic, hangry Easter Sunday morning before diving into the tactics trucking companies use to manipulate ELD data and how attorneys can catch them.
Day Two: Breakouts for Attorneys and Paralegals
Day two split into breakout programming built for both sides of the case team. Attorneys worked through strategies for non-catastrophic cases, how to build strong demonstratives without a big budget, and how to depose corporate representatives effectively.
Paralegals learned how to choose the right imaging for clients with traumatic brain injuries, practical tips for trial preparation, and effective case file organization. ATAA Board-Certified Paralegal Mara Phillips and Trece Phillips, a paralegal at Kastl Law, P.C., moderated the paralegal track together and presented back-to-back sessions on mediation strategy and how to identify the right people to depose, from first responders and motor vehicle inspectors to bystanders, witnesses, defendants, and safety directors.
Attorney Joe Chenchar brought the energy to his presentation titled “No More Goose Chases: Catching Elusive Trucking Companies with BOC-3 Service.” Joe turned a typically dry topic into one of the symposium’s most entertaining sessions, walking paralegals through a step-by-step, 12-point checklist for tracking down and serving hard-to-find trucking companies.
Day Three: Closing Strong
The final day opened with the firm’s newest Partner, Ryan Skiver, who tackled the ethical conflicts that can arise when representing multiple plaintiffs and how attorneys can navigate them responsibly.
Partner Rena Leizerman followed with a session on Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II that opened with a standing ovation from the crowd. She walked the room through the case’s path to the Supreme Court, including the coalition of 30 states and several trucking companies that filed briefs in support of the firm’s position and the decision to retain Paul Clement for oral argument. Then she covered the Court’s decision itself and what it means for pending and future trucking cases, before answering questions from the group.
On the one-year anniversary of the firm’s largest verdict, Attorney Jon Bond shared the story behind the $82.1 million verdict he and Michael Leizerman recovered for a double-amputee client. Then Michael and ATAA Board of Regents Chair Michael Cowen led a candid session on the lessons they’ve each learned from their trial losses.
Looking Ahead
Michael also shared that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is reviewing the adequacy of current minimum insurance requirements for commercial motor carriers for the first time in more than 40 years. He encouraged law firms to upload data from their cases so they can be used to help build the case for higher insurance requirements. Attorneys and their teams 
can visit cmvdata.org to learn more and upload their case information.
From opening remarks to closing reflections, this year’s symposium reinforced what makes the ATAA community special: attorneys and paralegals willing to share hard-won knowledge for the benefit of the clients and communities they serve. The Law Firm for Truck Safety is proud of the role our team played in this year’s program, and we’re already looking forward to next year’s symposium.
Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed. Here’s to the connections made, the lessons learned, and the work we continue together.
About ATAA
The Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (ATAA) works to distinguish skilled truck accident practitioners from skilled marketers, in service of truck crash victims. ATAA does this through a rigorous vetting process that examines real-world case experience, outcomes in truck crash litigation, and demonstrated skills and knowledge. ATAA designations cannot be purchased, ensuring a level playing field for every attorney and paralegal it certifies, all in pursuit of better legal representation for those affected by truck crashes.
Some photos provided by Robb Cohen Photography & Video
