This episode features national employee benefits litigator J.J. Conway whose small firm has built a big reputation representing employees in mission-driven lawsuits. Host Maxwell Goss talks to J.J. about a class action he handled that changed how autism treatment is covered and another addressing pension fund abuse during Detroit's Kwame Kilpatrick era that had an impact on Detroit’s bankruptcy filing and saw city officials sent to prison. Don't miss J.J.'s insights on litigating employment cases, spotting potential class actions, and making a big impact with a lean team.

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The Litigation War Room is hosted by litigation attorney Maxwell Goss. Max represents clients in intellectual property and business cases in Michigan and around the country, bringing forceful advocacy and creative solutions to every case he handles.

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On this episode host Max Goss facilitates a discussion with attorneys Megan Bonanni and Elon Scharf about a historic $380 million settlement for survivors of sexual abuse by Dr. Larry Nassar. The episode explores the litigation strategies, innovative settlement approaches, and the significant non-monetary terms secured to ensure justice for the survivors and institutional reforms for all those who come after these athletes.

Megan and Elon share insights on the challenges posed by institutional failures, how they collaborated with 500 plaintiffs and their legal teams, and the powerful role of survivor testimonies in influencing negotiations. The episode highlights the legal effort to secure both financial compensation and meaningful institutional change for over 500 survivors.

Episode outline

00:20 Brief Overview of the Scope of the Nassar Abuse and the Survivors’ Case

01:29 Participants and Their Roles

03:57 Megan Bonanni on the Criminal and Civil Cases

07:55 USA Gymnastics and Its Culture of Enablement

15:26 Ilan Scharf on Bankruptcy and Mediation Process

25:39 “Game of Thrones” - Negotiation Strategies and Challenges

33:18 Non-Monetary Relief and Important Institutional Reforms that didn’t Make Headlines

40:16 Final Thoughts and Takeaways from Megan Bonanni and Ilan Scharf

42:29 Closing Remarks

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Ilan Scharf bio page

Ilan Scharf on LinkedIn

Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP

Megan Bonanni bio page

Pitt McGehee Palmer Bonanni & Rivers

Megan Bonanni on LinkedIn

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The Litigation War Room is hosted by litigation attorney Maxwell Goss. Max represents clients in intellectual property and business cases in Michigan and around the country, bringing forceful advocacy and creative solutions to every case he handles.

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Facebook

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On this episode, host Maxwell Goss speaks with Chris Darrow about his dual role as a patent attorney and special master. Chris offers insights into his intellectual property work and details about his experience serving as a special master in nearly a hundred cases.

Max and Chris discuss bridging the knowledge gap for lay judges and juries in technical patent cases. Chris also talks about interesting cases including the "Rainbow Loom" patent case and the "Indoor Snowball Fight" copyright case. This episode offers an inside look at how special masters do their job and help parties resolve their disputes.

00:27 Meet Chris Darrow: Patent Attorney and Special Master

05:14 The Role and Responsibilities of a Special Master

16:19 Chris’s Notable Cases and Experiences

16:37 The Rainbow Loom Case

19:28 Understanding Claim Construction in Patent Cases

22:40 The Indoor Snowball Fight Copyright Case

26:04 How a Special Master Adds Value by Saving Time and Money

28:52 Final Thoughts on the Value of a Special Master and Getting in Touch

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Chris Darrow bio page

DarrowMustafa.com

Chris Darrow on LinkedIn

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The Litigation War Room is hosted by litigation attorney Maxwell Goss. Max represents clients in intellectual property and business cases in Michigan and around the country, bringing forceful advocacy and creative solutions to every case he handles.

-----

Show Website

X

LinkedIn

Facebook

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Episode website