Thank you to our past sponsors for supporting diversity in MDL Leadership. We are now accepting new sponsorships.

Agenda

Second Annual Shades of Mass Conference

September 21 - 23, 2023 | Fontainebleau Miami Beach

We are excited to host the Second Annual Shades of Mass Conference. Please join in supporting representative leadership in cases of national significance.

Thursday September 4, 2025

Registration Open

Time: 8:00am – 6:00pm
Location: TBD

Shades of Mass Board Meeting

Time: 4:00pm – 5:00pm
Location: TBD

Sponsor & SOM Board Reception – By Invite

Time: 5:30pm – 6:30pm
Location: TBD

Opening Reception & Sponsor Networking

Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Location: TBD

Friday September 5, 2025

Registration Open

Time: 8:00am - 10:00pm
Location: TBD

Breakfast

Time: 8:00am - 9:00am
Location: TBD

Opening Plenary

Time: 9:00am - 9:45am
Location: TBD

Speaker
President Ben Crump, Ben Crump Law PLLC

Mass Tort Overview I (Hair Relaxer, NEC, Heavy Metal Baby Food and Ozempic/ GLP-1)

Time: 9:45am - 10:30am
Location: TBD

Moderator
Diandra "Fu" Debrosse, DiCello Levitt (Hair)

Speaker
José Rojas, Levin, Rojas, Camassar & Reck LLC (NEC)

15-Minute Break

Experts, Experts, Experts – Recent Wins and Challenges

Time: 10:45am - 11:30am
Location: TBD

Moderator
Carl Solomon, Solomon Law Group

Speaker
Parvin Aminolroaya, Seeger Weiss
Kendra Y. Goldhirsch, Chaffin Lahuna, LLP
Jennifer Winn, Morgan & Morgan

The Defense Bar – Tales from the Other Side

Time: 11:30am - 12:15pm
Location: TBD

Moderator
Shreedhar Patel, Simon Greenstone Pantier

Luncheon w/ Keynote Speaker

Time: 12:15pm - 1:45pm
Location: TBD

Class Action and Antitrust MDLs – An Overview

Time: 1:45pm - 2:30pm
Location: TBD

Moderator
Marlon Kimpson, Motley Rice

Speaker
Sabita Soneji, Tycko Zavareei LLP
Phong-Chau G. Nguyen, Lieff Cabraser
Elizabeth Tran Castillo, Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy

Judicial Panel – DEI Executive Order and Leadership Appointments What Now?

Time: 2:30pm - 3:45pm
Location: TBD

Moderator
Larry Taylor, The Cochran Firm

Litigation Funding – Realities, Proposed Rules and Ethical Dilemmas

Time: 3:45pm - 4:30pm
Location: TBD

Moderator
LaRuby May, May Jung

Speaker
Andy Rogers, Shield Legal
John Gomez, Gomez Trial Attorneys
Ruth Rizkalla, The Carlson Law Firm

15-Minute Break

Mass Tort Overview II (Depo Provera, Camp Lejeune, Social Media, CPAP, Ultra Processed Foods)

Time: 4:45pm - 5:30pm
Location: TBD

Moderator
Previn Warren, Motley Rice (Social Media)

Speaker
Ava Marie Cavaco, Nigh Goldenberg Raso & Vaughn (Depo Provera)
Carl Solomon, Solomon Law Group (Camp Lejeune)
Ron Austin, Ron Austin Law (CPAP)

Sponsor Networking

Time: 5:30pm – 6:00pm
Location: TBD

Evening Reception

Time: 6:00pm – 6:30pm
Location: TBD

Dinner

Time: 6:30pm – 8:00pm
Location: TBD

SOM Party with Entertainment

Time: 8:00pm – 10:30pm
Location: TBD

Saturday September 6, 2025

Registration Open

Time: 8:00am – 6:00pm
Location: TBD

Breakfast

Time: 8:30am – 9:00am
Location: TBD

Environmental Justice Mass Litigation – An Overview & Pending Cases

Time: 9:00am - 9:45am
Location: TBD

Moderator
Gregory Cade, Environmental Litigation Group

Speaker
Shreedhar Patel, Simon Greenstone Pantier

Settlement! – Lien Resolution & Distribution Realities

Time: 9:45am - 10:30am
Location: TBD

Moderator
Navan Ward, Beasley Allen

Speaker
Shery Ramezanian, LitPRO

15-Minute Break

Judicial Panel – Mass Tort Challenges – From First Day Orders to Resolution

Time: 10:45am - 11:45am
Location: TBD

Moderator
Larry Taylor, The Cochran Firm

Sponsor Networking

Time: 11:45am - 12:15pm
Location: TBD

Luncheon w/ Keynote AG Panel

Time: 12:15pm - 1:30pm
Location: TBD

Moderator
Diandra "Fu" Debrosse, DiCello Levitt

Bellwether Trials – From Selection to Verdict

Time: 1:30pm - 2:15pm
Location: TBD

Moderator
Khaldoun Baghdadi, Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger

Speaker
Roland Tellis, Baron & Budd
Maria Fleming, Napoli Shkolnik, PLLC

15-Minute Break

State Court/ Federal MDL Court Coordination – Lessons Learned & Strategies

Time: 2:30pm - 3:15pm
Location: TBD

Moderator
Priscilla Jimenez, Kline & Specter

Speaker
Michael Blakely, The Blakely Firm
EricaRae Garcia, Weitz Luxenberg

Proposed Changes to the Federal Rules & Pending Legislation Impacting Mass Tort Cases Nationally

Time: 3:15pm - 4:45pm
Location: TBD

Moderator
Navan Ward, Beasley Allen

Open Forum with Leaders of Mass Tort – How to Navigate and Establish Yourself in Mass Tort Litigation – A Workshop

Time: 4:55pm - 5:45pm
Location: TBD

Moderator
President Ben Crump, Ben Crump Law PLLC
Diandra "Fu" Debrosse, DiCello Levitt

Speaker
Carl Solomon, Solomon Law Group

Have a Question?

Contact conference@shadesofmass.org if you have any questions.