Concussion Conundrum: March 15, 2013, Villanova Law School Symposium

On March 13, 2013, in Sports Law Journal, Sports Symposia, by noa

Edit: Thanks to all of the panelists and attendees for a very successful symposium!

We will be posting photos and video of the event on this site as soon as they are available.

The 2013 Jeffrey S. Moorad Sports Law Journal Symposium—Concussion Conundrum—explores, debates, and informs on the key issues facing players, teams, leagues, doctors, and lawyers regarding head injuries and brain trauma in sports.

To register, visit http://mooradsportslawjournal.eventbrite.com/#.

Panels include

commentary from well-known retired professional athletes about concussion awareness and prevention amongst players;
an examination of both sides of the NFL Concussion Injury Litigation—the concussion injury class action suit brought by former NFL players against the league;
an exploration of the science and concussion-related liability facing professional and amateur sports;
and a look at where we are and where we are going with media personalities commenting on the state of sports and concussions.

Andrew Brandt, Director of the Jeffrey S. Moorad Center for the Study of Sports Law and NFL Business Analyst, has covered the concussion issue for ESPN and will be moderating all panels. The Symposium takes place from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., in the Arthur M. Goldberg Commons at Villanova University School of Law.

This program is approved by the Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board for 2 substantive CLE credits. The event is free for non-CLE attendees.

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Panel 1: Framing the Issue

The Symposium will begin with a conversation between Andrew Brandt and former athletes, including some that have taken strong and public positions about concussions in sports. Brandt and the players will discuss concussion awareness, prevention and treatment from their playing days as well as their view of the present environment.

Brian Westbrook, former Philadelphia Eagles player
Keith Primeau, former Philadelphia Flyers player and founder of www.stopconcussions.com
Jim Nelson, former Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Indianapolis Colts, and Baltimore Ravens player
Taylor Twellman, former Major League Soccer player, current ESPN analyst, and concussions commentator

Panel 2: Building the Case— A Legal and Medical Background of Concussions

This panel will explore liability issues of amateur and professional sports and bring a medical perspective to diagnosis and treatment of concussions. It will also feature a perspective of a Villanova Law Student who has written about and experienced the effects of concussions in her and her family’s life.

Marc Edelman, Associate Professor of Law, Barry University
Dr. Michael Marino, MD, Attending Physician at Drucker Brain Injury Center
Cailyn Reilly, current student at Villanova University School of Law

Panel 3: Concussion Injury Litigation v. NFL: Looking at Both Sides

This panel will explore the key arguments of the case against the NFL featuring one of the lawyers representing the players, Sol Weiss, a class action defense lawyer and the founder of the definitive Internet site on concussion litigation. It will be a balanced and in-depth look at the major issues of this key case in sports right now.

J. Gordon Cooney, Jr. ’84 VLS, Partner at Morgan Lewis, expert on the defense of class actions suits
Sol Weiss ’72 VLS, Shareholder at Anapol Schwartz, Co-lead Counsel in NFL Concussion Injury Litigation
Paul D. Anderson, Practicing attorney and creator of www.NFLConcussionLitigation.com

Panel 4: What‘s Next?: Parents, Media, Administrators, and Scholars Look Ahead

This panel will feature media personalities such as Roger Cossack and Ashley Fox of ESPN who, along with Brandt, will look at the state of the sport of football in light of concussions, whether parents should let their kids play, and where the NFL will be in 20 years.