Wood Smith Henning & Berman is excited to share that Founding Partner, Stephen Henning will be a featured speaker at the Perrin National Construction Defect Conference, taking place November 13-14, 2025, at the historic Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans.
Henning will present on Thursday, November 13, from 9:45- 10:45 a.m., as part of a panel entitled "Claims Resulting from Natural Catastrophes." He will be joined by fellow thought leaders: Darwin Cooprider, Director of Building Consulting, Charles Taylor Engineering Technical Services; Scott Loeb, Loeb Law Firm; and Ellen Smith, Boyle Leonard & Anderson, P.A. The panel will explore how natural disasters continue to reshape the construction defect landscape. The presentation will cover:
- How hurricanes, floods, wildfires and other natural disasters often strain the construction industry and fuels litigation
- The pressure for swift repairs leading to new products, mandates, work product issues and more
- Impact of lack of insurance assets in fueling emerging theories of liability
- The surge of construction-related litigation following catastrophic events
- Insurance industry responses, including non-renewals of certain policies; and
- Practice pointers from hurricane Katrina's 20 years later, which are relevant today.
"Natural catastrophes not only devastate communities but also reveal underlying challenges in construction and insurance practices," explained Henning. "This panel will provide an important opportunity to reflect on lessons learned and identify strategies to help clients and insurers prepare for what lies ahead in the aftermath of a disaster."
The National Construction Defect Conference is one of the country's leading gatherings of attorneys, insurance professionals, claims managers, and construction experts. The two-day program delivers critical insights into evolving litigation trends, case law updates, and risk management strategies shaping construction defect disputes nationwide.
For more information about Perrin Conferences National Construction Defect Conference, visit: https://www.perrinconferences.com/assets/Perrin-National-CD-2025_Final09.pdf
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