CLE in the Red Rocks: An Advanced Personal Injury Conference for Plaintiffs and Defense Counsel

Amy P Hernandez Related Seminars and Products

Owner

Amy Hernandez received her law degree in 2003 from Drake University (with Honors). After law school she served as a law clerk at the Arizona Court of Appeals. Ms. Hernandez has served on the Civil Practice & Procedure Committee for the State Bar of Arizona and as the Chair of the State Bar Trial Practice Section. She is a former member of the Morris K. Udall Inn of Court and a former board member for the Arizona Association of Justice. Ms. Hernandez served in the United States Army from 1996 - 2000 as a military intelligence analyst. Ms. Hernandez owns Amy Hernandez Law, PLLC where she focuses her practice on plaintiff’s medical malpractice, legal malpractice, and general personal injury.

Melissa Ann Gardner Related Seminars and Products

Melissa Gardner is Assistant Managing Partner of the Phoenix office of Gordon & Rees Scully Mansukhani LLP. Melissa is also licensed in Illinois and is a member of the National Trial Practice Group. She is an experienced litigator who handles sophisticated legal disputes. She currently handles all aspects of litigation, from claim inception through resolution at trial or on appeal. Melissa has first chaired numerous trials and arbitrations, both before the judge and jury. She regularly counsels corporate and private individuals alike in the defense of a wide array of legal actions. Melissa has actively litigated cases involving medical fraud, auto accidents, trucking and transportation, personal injury, premises liability, product liability, wrongful death, breach of contract, insurance coverage and bad faith issues to name a few. Melissa is actively involved in various professional organizations, including the Arizona Women Lawyer’s Association, the State Bar of Arizona, the State Bar of Illinois, and the Chicago Bar Association. Melissa earned her Juris Doctor from the DePaul University College of Law in 2015, where she was honored with the CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Trial Advocacy in 2014. Prior to her legal education, she completed her Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Illinois in 2012.

Paul J McGoldrick Related Seminars and Products

Shorall McGoldrick Zerlaut

Paul McGoldrick is Partner at Shorall McGoldrick Brickmann. Paul chairs the firm's litigation practice group along with Tom Shorall. Paul focuses his practice on personal injury and insurance cases. He also has experience as lead counsel in complex business disputes. Paul routinely represents clients in nearly every locale of Arizona, and has represented both plaintiffs and defendants, both in tort cases and in the context of commercial and professional liability suits. Paul is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers. He is the former State Chair for the 2019-2021 term. The American Board of Trial Advocates has elected Paul an associate based upon his many jury trials and peer review. He was the Phoenix Chapter President in 2015. In addition to his litigation practice, Paul is a frequent mediator and arbitrator. He draws upon his broad experience as a trial lawyer in helping to reach resolutions to lawsuits short of more expensive jury trials. Paul is a member of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals. Phoenix Magazine recognized Paul as a Top Lawyer in 2022 in the category of Arbitration and Mediation. Before entering private practice in Phoenix, Paul was a law clerk to the Honorable Frank X. Gordon, Jr., the then Vice Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Arizona. Since that time, Paul has been appointed a judge pro tempore of the Maricopa County Superior Court (2002-2015). The State Bar has certified Paul as a Specialist in Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Litigation since 1997. He is currently on the State Bar Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Advisory Commission. Martindale-Hubbell, the directory of American law firms, has consistently given Paul its highest "AV" rating since 1995, based upon the reviews of his fellow Arizona attorneys. Paul has been included in Southwest Super Lawyers every year since 2007 and for 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021and 2022 is listed among Super Lawyers "Top 50" Arizona attorneys. Paul has been selected for inclusion in Arizona's Finest Lawyers and The Best Lawyers in America for Insurance Law, Insurance Litigation and Personal Injury Litigation. Best Lawyers has selected Paul as the Lawyer of the Year (Phoenix) for Personal Injury Litigation - Defense (2023). He has been listed in Top 100 Lawyers in Arizona - AZ Business Magazine, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Andrew E Rosenzweig Related Seminars and Products

Andrew E. Rosenzweig is a partner in the Scottsdale, Arizona office of Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A. An experienced trial and appellate lawyer, Mr. Rosenzweig concluded his litigation practice in the fall of 2021 and now devotes his professional time to mediation and alternative dispute resolution. Although a large portion of his previous practice involved the defense of physicians, nurses, hospitals, and their employees, he has counseled many clients over the years in general liability matters as well. In his 30+ years in practice, he has earned a well-deserved reputation of integrity, professionalism, and collegiality, garnering the respect of his colleagues in both the plaintiff and defense bars.

Mr. Rosenzweig received his Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School, Boston, Massachusetts in 1987 and Bachelor of Science in Management from Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana in 1983. He remains licensed to practice law in Arizona and New York and is also admitted in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Mr. Rosenzweig serves as judge pro tem with the Superior Court, Maricopa County. His professional affiliations include the Maricopa County Bar Association, the Arizona State Bar Association, and the New York State Bar Association. He enjoys an AV®/Preeminent(TM) rating from Martindale Hubbell.

Jason J Bliss Related Seminars and Products

Jason Bliss is a litigator and trial attorney with 27 years of diverse experience. He is a frequent presenter on personal injury topics and has been at the forefront of identifying emerging personal injury subjects related to the Affordable Care Act, “billed vs. paid” issues, and annuity evidence of future damages. He has defended physicians and other health care professionals in medical malpractice claims and lawsuits. In his prior practice with a medium-sized Phoenix law firm he defended scores of other personal injury defendants in cases ranging in subject matter from low-speed motor vehicle accidents to shootings and catastrophic tire failures. He now works in Flagstaff and focuses on pursuing personal injury claims for injured plaintiffs.
Mr. Bliss also has extensive experience litigating construction-related disputes in various contexts, including on behalf of or adverse to design builders, architects, engineers, materials testing consultants, and specialty trade subcontractors in both residential and commercial construction settings. Mr. Bliss co-authored the chapter entitled “Risk Transfer Through the Tender of Defense” in the most recent edition of the Arizona Construction Law Practice Manual.

Mr. Bliss also handles insurance coverage matters on behalf of various insurers, including general liability insurers, professional liability insurers, and auto and property insurers. Mr. Bliss’ experience includes authoring coverage opinions as well as litigating insurance-coverage related disputes.

Some of Mr. Bliss’ recent representative experience includes the following:
• Lakeside Legionnaires, Coconino Superior Court Case No CV87-042997 (class action homeowners’ association matter). In 2020, and after three years of litigation in a complex class action post-judgment proceeding, Mr. Bliss prevailed in having the Defendant planned community association held in contempt of court for filing to comply with its obligations under a 1990 judgment to maintain and repair a common area lake.
• Parks v. Thompson, Coconino Superior Court Case No CV2011-00911 (construction/painting case). In 2015, Mr. Bliss tried the case to verdict and obtained a defense verdict and a judgment of $125,465.22 in attorneys’ fees, costs, and sanctions. The Court of Appeals affirmed all aspects of the trial court’s judgment, including the award of attorneys’ fees and costs, and the Arizona Supreme Court declined review.
• LaFonte v. Lewis, Yavapai County Superior Court Case No. CV2011-01684 (convenience store shooting). In 2014, Mr. Bliss tried the case to verdict and obtained a defense verdict and secured an agreement in which the plaintiff waived any appeal.

Education
• Arizona State University (J.D., 1997)
o Peer writing instructor, 1996-1997
o Externship with the U.S. Attorney's Office, Civil Division, 1996-1997
• Northern Arizona University (B.S., 1994)

Associations & Activities
• Arizona State Bar
• Coconino County Bar Association
o 2022 President
• Flagstaff Leadership Program (FLP)
o Class of 2019
o Board of Directors 2022-present.
• Past president of the Sandra Day O'Connor Inn of Court
• Graduate of the Arizona College of Trial Advocacy
• Phoenix Art Museum Men's Arts Council (Inactive)
• Professional Liability Underwriting Society (“PLUS”) (Inactive)
o Co-Vice Chair, Southwest Chapter, 2016-2017

Bar Admissions
• Arizona, 1997
• Navajo Nation, 2018
• Hopi Tribal Court, 2020

Court Admissions
• U.S. District Court, District of Arizona, 1997
• United States Court of Appeals Ninth Circuit, 2020

Presentations
• Advanced Trial Tactics, National Business Institute, April 25, 2014
• Billed vs. Paid and the Affordable Care Act: Emerging Issues in Bodily Injury Law, Arizona Insurance Claims Association, March 19, 2015
• The Impact of the Affordable Care Act: Emerging Issues in Bodily Injury Damages, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Denver Office, June 16, 2015
• Advanced Personal Injury Litigation, National Business Institute, June 18-19, 2015
• Early Claims Response & Investigation: Spoliation of Evidence and Related Issues, EMC Insurance, July 9, 2015
• Attorney Panel Discussion, Arizona Insurance Claims Association, July 16, 2015
• Early Claims Response & Investigation: Spoliation of Evidence and Related Issues, Auto Owners Insurance Company, October 22, 2015
• Construction Law: What do you do when . . ., National Business Institute, May 18, 2016.
• Auto Injuries: Advanced Personal Injury Strategies, National Business Institute, June 10, 2016.
• Damages in Personal Injury: Negotiating and Litigating the Damages: Plaintiffs’ Tactics, National Business Institute, April 26, 2019.
• Auto Injuries: Advanced Plaintiff Strategies, National Business Institute, November 15, 2019.
• Deposing Medical Witnesses: Dos, Donts, and Emerging Issues, State Bar of Arizona, December 1, 2021.

Publications
• Arizona Construction Law Practice Manual, 3rd Edition, co-author, “Risk Transfer Through the Tender of Defense.”

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