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Committee Leadership
Upcoming
Defending Trucking Litigation
A Primer for Young Lawyers
June 6–7, 2013
Chicago, Illinois
Seminar
June 20-21, 2013
Las Vegas, Nevada
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| From the Chair |
The Chair’s Corner
by Robert Craig Mayfield
 Let me start by saying "Happy Holidays" to everyone reading The Whisper this month. This time of year always encourages me to take a step back and appreciate all of life's blessings, big and small – our friends, families, colleagues – the list, hopefully, goes on and on for us all. For example, on the "big blessing" ledger for me is my wife and three wonderful, healthy kids. On the "small blessing" side, as much as I'd like for it to be otherwise, is the always pleasant transition at this time of year from the life-sucking mediocrity of UNC football to the perpetual excellence and enjoyment of UNC basketball. It's one of those things un-noticed by many and insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but a small blessing I am thankful for, nonetheless.
[FULL STORY]
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| Featured Articles |
Narrow Exception to Federal Courts’ General Denial of Bullying Claims Against Schools for Bullying of Disabled Children
by Annmarie Giblin
 Bullying used to be a child's problem. It was seen as a part of growing up, a learning experience and an inevitable part of youth. In recent years, bullying has become a topic of discussion, legislation and litigation. Indeed, in the advent of school shootings, resulting suicides, and the prevalence of cyberbullying, what was once considered a schoolyard topic is now emerging as an area of social concern and law. So much so, that on March 10, 2011, President Obama and the First Lady held the first Conference at the White House about bullying (http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/03/10/president-obama-first-lady-white-house-conference-bullying-prevention); organizations have been created against bullying (http://www.bullying.org; http://www.youthfrontiers.org; http://www.bullypolice.org; http://solutionsforbullying.com/Associations.html) and 47 states have passed anti-bullying laws (http://www.bullypolice.org). But with all of this attention, the fundamental question of who is responsible to stop the bullying seems to remain unanswered. This is true in the litigation context as well, since many of the bullying lawsuits fail.
[FULL STORY]
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The Consumer Finance Protection Bureau: There’s a New Cop in Town
by R. Scott Adams
.jpg) A creation of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Pub. Law 111-203 ("Dodd-Frank Act"), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ("CFPB") is charged with regulating consumer lending activities of financial institutions and, in partnership with state attorneys general, enforcing numerous federal consumer protection laws. For commercial litigators involved in the defense of financial institutions in federal and state consumer protection lawsuits and attorney general investigations, the ongoing development and actions of the CFPB are important concerns. This article discusses the structure and logistics of the CFPB's regulatory and enforcement mechanisms, what the CFPB has been doing since its creation, and what financial institutions and their attorneys can anticipate from the agency moving forward.
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| DRI Europe News |
Introduction of Class Actions in French Law: The Ultimate Rejections?
by Christine Gateau
 After years of discussions, the introduction of class actions in France recently faced two major rejections: one from the French Supreme Court and the other from the French Government.
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| Leadership Spotlight |
Leadership Spotlight
 Jamie Weiss practices with the firm of Ellis & Winters LLP in Cary, North Carolina. He focuses his practice on both commercial litigation and products liability. Mr. Weiss graduated from the University of Virginia and earned his law degree at Washington University in St. Louis. Jamie was recently elected to the DRI Young Lawyers' Steering Committee and serves as vice-chair of The Whisper.
How did you get involved with DRI?
My former colleague, Laurie Miller, was very involved in DRI (that's an understatement!), and introduced me to the organization and to the first few seminars I attended.
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| New Member Spotlight |
New Member Spotlight
 Robert Abramson is an associate with the firm of Kopka, Pinkus, Dolin & Eads, in Farmington Hills, MI. He specializes in first-party, third-party, uninsured and underinsured motorist cases. Mr. Abramson also handles a variety of insurance matters, including premises liability, construction defect, coverage and declaratory judgment actions, condominium law, contracts, employment, and landlord/tenant disputes. He attended the University of Michigan, and University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.
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| Upcoming |
A Call to Young Lawyers! Save the Date!
 Countdown to Miami begins . . . .Get ready for next year's Young Lawyers Seminar in Miami, June 14-15th! Remember, by signing up a new DRI member, you will receive a $100 certificate to use toward your Young Lawyer Seminar registration fee. If you have any questions about the seminar, or want to get more involved with DRI, please contact Kelly Jones at Harris Beach PLLC (kjones@harrisbeach.com).
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| News & Announcements |
News & Announcements
 The Whisper congratulates DRI Young Lawyer Jennifer Dukart and her husband Kyle on the birth of their son, Oliver Yatskis Dukart. Oliver was born on October 4, 2011, weighing 8 pounds 1 ounce and 19 inches long. Oliver joins his siblings Alexander, Henry and Julianna.
 Kudos to Anne Laurie McClurkin together with her partners, Brian P. McCarthy and Thomas M. O'Hara, of McDowell Knight Roedder & Sledge, LLC in Mobile, Alabama who recently obtained a defense verdict in a multi-plaintiff employment action asserting claims for racially hostile work environment, disparate treatment based on pay and/or failure to promote, and retaliation. Anne Laurie practices in Mobile, Alabama. She became a member of DRI in 2005 and joined the Young Lawyers Steering Committee in 2008.
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Seminar Information
In an effort to provide more consistent and timely material to our seminars attendees, DRI is changing the way we distribute course materials in advance of a seminar. From this point forward, an email link will be provided to registered attendees two weeks prior to the event. This link will allow registrants to download and review the course materials in advance of the event – a CD-Rom will not be mailed. When an registrants arrive onsite for a seminar, they will receive an updated CD-Rom with course, any late paper submissions and onsite materials. This change, while small, ensures that we are delivering the resources to grow your practice in the most efficient way possible.
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| Special Offer |
Have you visited DRI's new online portal, DRI Today yet? DRI Today is your one-stop resource to news, market updates, legal commentary and more all designed specifically with the defense attorney in mind. Browse the DRI Blog for interesting discussions or catch up on past articles from For The Defense. DRI Today provides a convenient resource to find information on any practice area topics with just the click of your mouse. Be sure to make DRI Today your homepage to keep up with the fast changing world of legal news. Don't forget to like DRI on Facebook and follow DRI on Twitter!
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If you have any questions or comments regarding The Whisper, please contact the Whisper editors, Jennifer Crisera (