Wood Smith Henning & Berman Partner Katie Klapsa will speak at Perrin Conferences' National Construction Defect Conference, taking place November 12-13, 2026, at the Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale.
Klapsa will moderate the panel discussion, "Going Beyond the Defect: Managing the Emotional Architecture of Construction Litigation," on Friday, November 13. She will lead a panel of distinguished experts, including Kelly Behrens, CRIS (Vice President of Claims, Upland Specialty Insurance), Ian Hall (Assistant General Counsel, Beazer Homes), and Barbara Laskaris-Lorigan (Senior Vice President, Head of Claims, Golden State Claims Adjusters).
The discussion will explore the behavioral pressures that can shape decisions throughout a construction dispute, from tensions within project teams to the psychology of mediation. Speakers will offer practical approaches to recognizing those pressures, communicating more effectively and setting expectations that support productive negotiations.
"A construction dispute involves more than the technical questions in an expert report," said Klapsa. "The people involved bring their own pressures, priorities, and expectations to the table. Recognizing those dynamics early can help counsel and claims professionals have more useful conversations and find a path toward resolution."
Katie Klapsa is a partner based in the Orlando and Miami offices of WSHB. She specializes in representing builders, developers and general contractors in a wide range of issues including complex litigation and appellate matters. Katie handles various disputes, including construction defect claims, contract disputes, insurance coverage issues and general liability defense. Her experience includes representing clients at all stages of litigation in the courtroom and in administrative forums and advises clients on construction licensing and has experience defending clients in licensing board enforcement actions.
Katie regularly advises firm clients on strategies to avoid or mitigate litigation risk and helps clients avoid disputes by providing creative contract drafting ideas that reward early resolution of disputes. She is also experienced in Alternative Dispute Resolution efforts, including mediations, settlement conferences, and non-binding arbitrations.
For conference details and registration, visit the Perrin Conferences event page: https://www.perrinconferences.com/conferences/cd26/
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