Alexandria Serra is a legal scholar, practitioner, and nationally recognized authority on AI in litigation. She joins the University of San Francisco School of Law as a tenure-track Professor in fall 2026, with a research agenda centered on artificial intelligence, litigation, and technology's impact on the rights of the accused. For the past three years, she has served as the Advocacy Fellow at UMKC School of Law, where she coached nationally ranked advocacy teams and built one of the first AI-integrated legal education programs in the country. Professor Serra is the author of AI For Litigators: Practical Tools to Transform Your Practice (NITA, forthcoming), a practitioner guide covering prompt engineering, custom AI tools, AI-generated evidence, and practice management applications. She has built and deployed over fifteen custom AI tools, including tools that assist with trial preparation, evidence analysis, advocacy coaching, and case management. She holds a J.D./M.B.A. and is a registered patent attorney with a decade of criminal defense litigation experience at her firm, Serra Law, PLLC. Since transitioning into academia, she has trained military litigators, mediators, judges, public defenders, and students nationwide on AI integration in legal practice. Her published scholarship addresses AI's impact on the profession, and she speaks on the subject regularly at national conferences and bar associations.

Megan Daic is a Texas-based attorney, mediator, and legal educator whose work sits at the intersection of litigation, dispute resolution, and emerging technology. She is the founder and owner of Daic Law, a high-volume flat-fee litigation and debt defense firm, where she has built systems-driven practice management into everyday operations — including the integration of AI tools that streamline client intake, communication, and case workflow. Megan serves as an adjunct professor and Director of the ADR Program at the University of Houston Law Center, where she has spent nearly a decade teaching negotiation, client counseling, interviewing, and dispute resolution. Her teaching philosophy — learn, apply, practice, receive feedback, repeat — reflects her belief that professional skill development requires more than passive instruction. That belief led her to found Empathic Edge, an AI-powered role-play simulation platform designed to help legal and professional teams build practical skills through realistic, scenario-based training. Megan developed and independently built the platform using AI-assisted tools, making her not just a commentator on legal technology, but a hands-on practitioner of it. At this conference, Megan brings a practitioner's perspective to the evolving role of AI in insurance defense practice — exploring both the opportunities it creates and the judgment it still demands from the attorneys who use it. Megan Daic practices in Texas and can be reached at megan@daiclaw.com.

Melissa Ogburn joined Montgomery | Amatuzio in 2024 as a Partner with over two decades of legal experience. Melissa represents construction companies as well as insurers and their insureds in a wide range of disputes, including construction defect, personal injury, premises liability, general liability, bad faith, contract negotiations and disputes, mechanic’s liens and non-payment claims. Melissa has handled cases valued at more than $10 million and works closely with her clients to make sure her legal strategy aligns with broader business goals to resolve cases effectively and efficiently. She also counsels clients on best practices and risk mitigation to reduce the likelihood of litigation in the first place. Melissa believes that her clients are best served by adopting a combination of a collaborative and advocacy approach. She emphasizes communication with her clients, other legal professionals, and even opposing parties to reach a mutually beneficial resolution. At the same time, Melissa is a strong advocate who fights passionately for her client’s rights and interests. She is not afraid of zealous advocacy and will fight for justice for her clients. Melissa is actively involved in many different local industry and legal organizations, including the Colorado Defense Lawyers Association (CDLA) and the American Subcontractors Association (ASA). Currently, she serves as the Legislative Director for CDLA and also serves on the Legislative Committee for the Colorado Chapter of ASA. Beyond advocating for her clients and the construction industry, Melissa enjoys spending time with her husband and three kids and often volunteers with ministries of her church.

David M. McLain is a founding member of Higgins, Hopkins, McLain & Roswell, LLC, a firm which specializes in construction law and construction litigation throughout Colorado. Mr. McLain received his undergraduate degree from Colorado State University, graduating cum laude, and his law degree from the University of Denver, College of Law. Mr. McLain completed the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance Litigation Management Institute, earning the designation from that organization as a Certified Litigation Management Professional. He has a general civil litigation practice with an emphasis on the defense of complex construction lawsuits on behalf of developers, general contractors, and other construction professionals. As a result of the experience gained by defending some of Colorado’s largest residential construction defect lawsuits, construction professionals seek out Mr. McLain to consult on risk avoidance and risk management strategies. Currently among his clients are several of the state’s largest home builders, regional and custom builders, and numerous insurance carriers. In 2015, Law Week Colorado named Mr. McLain’s as the Barrister’s Choice for Best Construction Defects Lawyer for Defendants. In 2019, he was recognized by that same publication as the People’s Choice in the same category. Mr. McLain is an AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell and is a regular speaker at local, regional, and national seminars regarding construction defect litigation in Colorado.

Sarah Vogel joined Montgomery | Amatuzio as an attorney in 2024. Prior to joining the firm, Sarah served as an attorney with the Office of the Colorado State Public Defender and gained substantial trial and courtroom experience defending the indigent accused. Sarah currently focuses her practice on civil defense and construction litigation, representing businesses, individuals, insurers, and construction contractors in state and federal courts throughout Colorado. Her work further encompasses appellate advocacy for clients seeking justice following unfavorable outcomes in the civil court system. Sarah has handled complex cases involving multiple plaintiffs and claims exceeding available insurance coverage. Sarah focuses on a client-centered approach and zealous defense strategy in legal proceedings. Sarah’s background in scientific research methods informs her efforts to evaluate evidence for completeness and accuracy at every stage of litigation. Sarah is actively involved in various public service and legal organizations, and currently serves as the New Lawyer Director on the executive board of the Colorado Defense Lawyers Association. During law school, Sarah served as a legal extern with Metro Volunteer Lawyers and assisted indigent clients in family law proceedings. Sarah has additionally served as a Hearing Officer presiding over administrative unemployment appeals in the aftermath of COVID-19. Outside of the office, Sarah may be found hiking, chasing locations for nature photography, bungee jumping, or wandering through history museums.

Os (pronounced “Oz”) Baldessari has been a licensed physical therapist since 1997 and has specialized in performing Functional Capacity Evaluations (FCEs) throughout his career. His work focuses on identifying the biomechanical factors that limit an individual’s functional performance, emphasizing objective, evidence-informed assessment practices aligned with current best-practice guidance for FCEs. He clarifies an individual’s physical abilities and limitations while carefully distinguishing true performance barriers from inconsistent or poor effort. His approach is grounded in detailed observation, clinical reasoning, and a strong understanding of biomechanics, allowing him to provide clear, defensible, and meaningful findings. Os is a graduate of The Ohio State University and is fluent in Spanish, reflecting his family’s roots in Argentina. In addition to his clinical expertise, he was a top-10 epeeist in the United States, a background that reflects the discipline, precision, and high-performance mindset he brings to his professional work.

Judge Wallace is a Denver District Court judge where she presides over a civil docket. On her short time on the bench she has presided over 20 jury trials and ten trials to the Court. Prior to her appointment, Judge Wallace was a partner at Ballard Spahr, a law firm she joined in 2013. Before that, she was a partner at a commercial litigation boutique. Judge Wallace specialized in mortgage-related, trade secret, breach of contract, employment, and insurance coverage litigation, regularly representing financial institutions, manufacturers, and software development companies in state and federal proceedings. Judge Wallace earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Colby College in 1992. She then completed a J.D. at the University of Colorado Law School in 1999. After graduating from law school, Judge Wallace began her legal career as a judicial law clerk to chief justice Hon. Pamela Minzner of the New Mexico Supreme Court. She served in that capacity until 2000, at which time she entered private practice. Her memberships have included the CWBA, Federal Faculty of Advocates, Metro Volunteers, the Center for Legal Inclusiveness, CU Law Alumni Board, and the Colorado Legal Aid Foundation.

Adam is a seasoned litigator and trial attorney practicing in the firm's Denver and Phoenix offices. He has litigated well over 500 cases through completion. Every year, for over a decade, Adam has tried multiple cases to juries, courts, and arbitrators in Colorado and across the United States. He is currently licensed in the state courts of Colorado and Arizona, and the United States federal District Courts for the districts of Colorado, the Middle District of Tennessee, Minnesota, and Nebraska. He is licensed in the United States Courts of Appeal for the Tenth and Eleventh Circuits. Adam began his career as a transactional attorney representing both small and Fortune 500 companies handling merger and acquisition projects, corporate and entity structuring and commercial leasing. Drawing on this experience, he transitioned into a dedicated litigation practice in 2012, defending builders, contractors, insurers, and their insureds. Today, Adam works almost exclusively on all types of litigated matters including employment disputes, class actions, shareholder suits, personal injury cases, construction matters and insurance cases. He protects tens of millions of dollars of risk annually and consistently and repeatedly obtains favorable results for his clients.

Justice Susan Blanco was the first female to serve as the Chief Judge of the 8th Judicial District of Colorado (Larimer and Jackson Counties). She was appointed to the bench in January 2017 where she has presided over criminal, civil, probate, domestic relations, adoptions, and appeals. She also presides over specialty and problem-solving court dockets including the Competency Court, Wellness Court, and Veteran’s Court. Prior to the bench, she served as a Deputy District Attorney followed by a decade in private practice in criminal defense and as a guardian ad litem for children and vulnerable adults. Justice Blanco has earned an LLM from Duke, JD from the University of Colorado School of Law, and B.S. from Colorado State University. She currently serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado School of Law and previously taught for the School of Social Work at Colorado State University. Justice Blanco is dedicated to the advancement of access and inclusivity for those served by the courts. Through her community engagement and leadership, she pioneered the first Competency Court in Colorado and launched the first Veteran’s Court in the 8th Judicial District. Justice Blanco also developed the 8th Judicial District’s Latinx Task Force and has served as a Commissioner on the Colorado Access to Justice Commission since 2020. Justice Blanco currently serves on the board for Bridges of Colorado as well as the Institute for the Advancement for the American Legal System. For the Judicial Branch, Justice Blanco served as Co-Chair of the Chief Judge's Council, chairs two standing committees to the Colorado Supreme Court: The Pathways to Access Committee and The Information Technology Committee. In addition, she chairs the Digital Courts and Records Committee and the Advisory Committee on Language Access. Justice Blanco serves on the Executive Council for Peer 2 Peer Coaching and the Criminal Model Jury Instruction Committee. Outside of her work for the Judicial Branch, Justice Blanco has served on the Colorado Women’s Bar Association’s Board of Directors and helped create their “Lawyer’s Teaching for Change” program. She has served on the Colorado Bar Association’s Executive Council, Judicial Section, and Criminal Law Executive Council. She was a founding board member of the Colorado Bar Association’s Diverse Attorney Community Circle and serves as a co-chair of the Colorado Bar Association’s leadership training program, COBALT. She is a founding member of Colorado’s Middle Eastern North African Bar Association. Justice Blanco is a Tedx Speaker and the recipient of the 2025 Colorado Judicial Institute’s Judicial Excellence Award, 2024 Conrad Ball Award, 2023 CWBA Judicial Excellence Award, and 2022 Colorado Hispanic Bar Association Community Service Award. Under her leadership the Competency Court has earned the City of Fort Collins Human Relations Award in 2022 and the Visionary in Law Award in 2024.

Judge Olafson (he/him/his) has been on the bench since 2023. Prior to his appointment, Judge Olafson was an experienced corporate, employment, commercial, and litigation attorney, who was routinely recognized by SuperLawyers, Best Lawyers, and 5280 Magazine. Judge Olafson is also a frequent and an award-winning speaker and leader regarding organizational engagement and cognitive bias. Judge Olafson has his BA from the University of North Dakota and his JD from the Texas Tech University School of Law. Judge Olafson also has certificates from Cornell University and Harvard University, where he studied cognitive bias. Judge Olafson currently serves as the Secretary of the Board for the Center for Legal Inclusiveness, Student Liaison for the Sam Cary Bar Association, the Immediate Past President of the Nathan Yip Foundation, and an ex officio Director for Opera Colorado. Judge Olafson is also the President Emeritus for the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra, an organization he served for over ten years. He is the recipient of the 2021 Attorney of the Year award from the Colorado LGBT Bar Association, the 2022 Ben Aisenberg Diversity Leadership Award from the Sam Cary Bar Association, the 2022 Professor Benson Public Service Award from the Texas Tech University School of Law, and a 2024 Spotlight Award recipient from the CLBA.

Mark Hillman is a Colorado native, a farmer, and a "recovering journalist." He was elected to two terms in the Colorado State Senate, serving two years as Majority Leader, and later served as State Treasurer. Since 2009, he has served as executive director of Colorado Civil Justice League, the state’s leading organization in the fight against lawsuit abuse. In elected office, Mark was a leader in the fight to protect the rights of private property owners against government takings, halting frivolous lawsuits, and using choice and competition to improve options in education and health care. He was named Legislator of the Year by the American Legislative Exchange Council for his work on civil justice reform, including passing Colorado’s Attorney General Sunshine Act. His commentaries have appeared in numerous publications including the Wall Street Journal, Denver/Colorado Springs Gazette, Denver Post, and RealClearPolitics.com. Mark and his wife, Heidi, have two sons and make their home in Burlington where they operate a farm and ranch, raises horses and growing winter wheat. He is board member of Leadership Program of the Rockies, Independence Institute, and the Colorado Thoroughbred Breeders Association. He has also served on his local board of education and ground water management district board.

Brian P. Kershaw is a Partner in the Denver office of Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A. Mr. Kershaw's proficiency spans a wide variety of civil litigation fields, including insurance defense focused on the representation of insurance companies and their insureds, commercial litigation, product liability, bad faith, and subrogation. His expertise encompasses both first and third-party cases, from pre-litigation to resolution, with a proven track record of success in appellate courts. Licensed to practice in Colorado, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, Mr. Kershaw leverages over 9 years of litigation experience to provide strategic counsel to clients, guiding them through legal complexities and ensuring their rights and obligations are upheld. Originally from outside Tulsa, Oklahoma, he pursued his undergraduate studies at Oklahoma State University, where he actively participated in the student government association. Later, he obtained his Juris Doctor from the University of Tulsa College of Law in 2014, during which time he served as an Articles Editor for the Energy Law Journal. Mr. Kershaw is admitted to practice in the Federal District Court for the District of Colorado, the Federal District Court for the Western, Eastern & Northern Districts of Oklahoma, and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. He maintains membership in several professional organizations, including the Colorado Defense Lawyers Association, Colorado Bar Association, Oklahoma Bar Association, Douglas County Bar Association, Oklahoma County Bar Association, and Defense Research Institute. Published Cases State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company v. Payne, 408 P.3d 204 (Okla. 2017) Presentations 2025 Colorado Defense Lawyers Association Annual Conference - Bad Faith Deposition Case Study: Preparing and Defending Against Common Scenarios in Adjuster Depositions

Andrew K. Lavin is a Partner in the Denver office of GRSM and is a member of the Insurance and Employment practice groups. He defends insurers in bad faith and class action matters and provides guidance concerning complex coverage disputes. Andrew also represents employers in litigation and counsels employers in ways to proactively limit potential litigation. He has substantial experience in areas of commercial disputes, automobile/commercial trucking accidents, product liability claims, property loss incidents, civil rights/governmental entity actions, construction defect claims, wrongful death claims, and premises liability actions. Andrew commenced his legal career clerking for the Honorable Arthur P. Roy on the Colorado Court of Appeals.

Katherine Kelley Otto is an accomplished trial lawyer with substantial experience as lead counsel in jury trials. She specializes in professional liability defense, including health care professionals and attorneys. Katherine’s primary practice is devoted to representing professionals facing civil claims and malpractice lawsuits. She also has extensive experience defending professionals in licensing, credentialing, and disciplinary matters before various regulatory boards and agencies. In addition, Katherine has significant experience defending claims of boundary violations and sexual misconduct. She has tried cases to verdict in state and federal courts, and in multiple states on pro hac vice admission. Katherine’s practice is unique because she is licensed in Colorado and New York, and maintains an active practice in both states. She is also admitted to practice in federal court in both Colorado and New York. Katherine began her legal career in Colorado after graduating from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, where she served on Law Review and received multiple Scholastic Excellence Awards. Following graduation from law school, Katherine served in a one-year judicial clerkship for the Honorable Gerald Rafferty in the 18th District of Colorado. Following completion of the clerkship, she joined a national law firm as an associate attorney. After 8 years of Colorado practice, Katherine accepted a Partner position with a mid-size law firm with offices in multiple states, and she moved to New York, where she lived and worked in Manhattan for several years. She then returned to Colorado, but continued building her practice in New York. She currently splits her time between the Denver and New York offices of Recht Kornfeld, and leads attorneys on her team that are full-time in each location. Katherine’s mastery of practicing in two different states is reflected in the exceptional service she provides to her clients. Her paramount concern is always the best interest of her client, and she works collaboratively with her clients to understand and achieve the best outcome for each client’s individual situation. Most importantly, she is a zealous and fearless advocate when it comes to defending her clients at trial. Katherine is rated AV Preeminent, and has received many accolades from her peers, including being named to Colorado’s Super Lawyers list as a Rising Star from 2014 – 2018, and a Colorado Super Lawyer from 2020 to present. She was selected to the Super Lawyers - Top 50 Women Lawyers in Colorado in 2024, and also named to the Best Lawyers in America list in the practice areas of Commercial Litigation and Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants, as well as selected as a Top Lawyer by Denver’s 5280 Magazine. She devotes a significant portion of her practice to mentoring other lawyers, and is particularly committed to inclusion of diverse individuals and the LGBTQ+ community. Katherine is an animal lover and started fostering giant breed dogs through Big Dogs Huge Paws in 2020. She has three Newfoundlands and three cats, and when not caring for her menagerie of animals, she enjoys running half-marathons and spending time with her family and friends.

Emilie Lorden is an adept litigator with extensive experience representing individuals and businesses in civil litigation and regulatory matters in state and federal courts, and in arbitration proceedings. Her practice focuses on insurance defense related to claims involving general liability, premises liability, personal injury, construction defect, and breach of contract. Emilie partners closely with clients to develop strategic, creative solutions and achieve efficient, cost-effective resolutions, guiding them from the pre-litigation stage through trial. For those matters that do not resolve early, Emilie effectively manages the entire litigation process. Prior to joining Wilson Elser, Emilie practiced at a Denver-based firm, where she primarily handled medical malpractice and construction defect claims. Previously, she gained valuable experience at a national full-service business law firm and at several firms in the Denver metropolitan area, where she honed her insurance defense and subrogation skills and handled a range of matters, including criminal defense, family law, and civil litigation involving commercial and residential real estate.