Panelists 4323

Kevin M. Quinley

July 1, 2007

4 Min Read
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PRODUCT LIABILITY

Panel Discussion: Product Liability Issues




Genese Kay Dopson is special counsel in the law firm of Sedgwick Detert Moran and Arnold LLP (San Francisco), where she focuses her practice on the representation of clients in the medical device and pharmaceutical industries. She specializes in medical device and pharmaceutical products liability litigation and wrongful termination litigation. Formerly a registered nurse, she is national coordinating counsel for Vital Pharma Inc. in multistate medical device litigation.

Dopson's representative clients include Interpore International, Circon, Oakwood Laboratories, Ben Venue Laboratories, Eon Labs Manufacturing, BioSafety Systems, Andros, Ricon, Arrow International, Chattanooga Group, Bovie Medical, Vital Pharma, Vital Signs, SSA Marine, SSA Terminals, and Medmarc Insurance.

In 2005, Dopson was honored as the Medmarc Insurance defense attorney of the year. She is admitted to practice in state and federal courts in California, and is a member of the California State Bar Association, Defense Research Institute, and Association of Defense Counsel.

Dopson obtained a BS in nursing from Mt. St. Mary's College and practiced as a registered nurse in acute hospital settings prior to becoming an attorney. She obtained her JD from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles and has practiced as a litigation and trial attorney since 1982.

Elona Baum is director of regulatory, quality, and compliance policy at Genentech (South San Francisco), where she is responsible for identifying policy and regulatory trends relevant to the company and to the pharmaceutical industry, evaluating their potential impact, and creating strategies to influence regulatory bodies and trade associations.

Since Baum joined the company in 1996, Genentech has tripled in size as a result of breakthrough biotech products. Baum's practice has varied over the years, although she has always been the primary contact for operational matters, including environmental health and safety, acquisitions, and engineering and construction agreements.

Baum holds a BA in economics from the University of California, Los Angeles, and received her JD from the University of San Francisco School of Law. While in law school, she was an extern at the California Supreme Court. After graduation, she joined the law firm of Steefel Levitt & Weiss and later practiced at Carroll Burdick & McDonough before joining Genentech.

Madhuri Bhat is associate director for regulatory affairs at Abbott Vascular (previously Guidant; Santa Clara, CA), where she is responsible for regulatory review and compliance of all device and drug-device combination product labeling, advertising, promotions, public relations, and investor materials worldwide.

Before joining Guidant, Bhat was knowledge and demand planning manager for i2 Technologies (Redwood City, CA). Previously, she was director of the North Carolina Child Advocacy Institute (Raleigh, NC), and before that was a senior public relations executive for Ogilvy & Mather Public Relations (Mumbai, India).

Bhat holds a BS in biology from the University of Mumbai, India; a diploma in mass communication from Sophia Polytech (Mumbai, India); and a master's degree in public policy from Duke University (Durham, NC).

Kevin M. Quinley is senior vice president for Medmarc Insurance Group and Hamilton Resources Corp. (Chantilly, VA). He is a frequent writer and speaker on topics relating to medical risk management and claims handling.

A contributing editor of Claims magazine, Quinley is the author of more than 500 published articles and 10 books. His articles have appeared in publications including MX, Medical Device & Diagnostic Industry, Bone Zone, Medical Malpractice and Law Newsletter, Hospital Risk Management, Second Source Imaging, and the Journal of Emergency Medical Services. His 10 books on risk management include Managing Product Liability and Avoiding Litigation.

Quinley teaches classes in insurance, claims, and risk management for the Washington, DC, chapter of the Society of Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriters (CPCU). He is a past president of the Washington, DC, chapter of CPCU.

Quinley has a BA from Wake Forest University and an MA from the College of William and Mary. He holds the CPCU designation and specialty designations from the American Insurance Institute in risk management, claims, reinsurance, and management.

John (Rick) F. Runkel is senior vice president and general counsel at Intuitive Surgical Inc. (Sunnyvale, CA), which he joined in December 2005. Most recently, Runkel was senior vice president for business development, general counsel, and secretary at VISX Inc. (Santa Clara, CA), a global leader in laser vision correction technology.

Prior to joining VISX in 2001, Runkel was a partner in the law firm of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter and Hampton, where he practiced law for 17 years and served as managing partner of the firm's San Francisco office. Runkel received his law and undergraduate degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles.

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