Program Details
2026-09-30 14:30:00
Over 1,000+ webinars
Course Overview
2026-09-30 14:30:00
2h CLE Credits
Intermediate
2
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm ESTThis session examines reptile theory — the plaintiff tactic of conditioning jurors to prioritize safety and survival, replacing the reasonable-person standard with an “ensure safety” standard and framing a damages award as protection for the community. Ms. Karron traces how the tactic first surfaces in overbroad discovery and in safety-rule and danger questions, then presents four rules for defending reptile depositions: answers that “depend,” rejecting the simple safety rule, positioning the defendant’s conduct as reasonable, and leaving damages questions to lawyers and the court.
Julie Karron 3:40 pm - 4:40 pm ESTIn this session Mr. Abernathy examines anchoring bias — the judgmental heuristic that lets a plaintiff’s ad damnum request skew juror valuations of non-economic damages — and the empirically supported strategies proven to deflate it. He covers the research on counter-anchors, exposing and educating jurors on anchoring bias and reptile tactics, damages models that maximize the perceived value of counter-anchor funds, introducing the counter-anchor early in admitted-liability cases, and motions in limine against exorbitant ad damnum arguments.
Sloan L. AbernathyJulie Karron is a Partner and Business Unit Leader at Kelley Kronenberg. She focuses her practice on professional liability defense and civil litigation and serves as a Team Lead on the firm’s Fraud Fighters Team. She has nearly two decades of experience in complex insurance defense, commercial litigation, and professional liability defense.
Sloan Abernathy is a Partner at Deutsch Kerrigan LLP in New Orleans, where he defends personal-injury, commercial auto and trucking, insurance, premises liability, product liability, and professional negligence matters. A former federal judicial law clerk and felony trial prosecutor, he pairs an early-resolution strategy with trial-ready preparation. He is a close student of jury psychology — speaking with willing jurors after trial about how they reached their decisions — and has presented seminars and published articles on anchoring bias, reptile-strategy tactics, and the use of visual technology in response to modern juror expectations.
Julie Karron is a Partner and Business Unit Leader at Kelley Kronenberg. She focuses her practice on professional liability defense and civil litigation and serves as a Team Lead on the firm’s Fraud Fighters Team. She has nearly two decades of experience in complex insurance defense, commercial litigation, and professional liability defense.
Sloan Abernathy is a Partner at Deutsch Kerrigan LLP in New Orleans, where he defends personal-injury, commercial auto and trucking, insurance, premises liability, product liability, and professional negligence matters. A former federal judicial law clerk and felony trial prosecutor, he pairs an early-resolution strategy with trial-ready preparation. He is a close student of jury psychology — speaking with willing jurors after trial about how they reached their decisions — and has presented seminars and published articles on anchoring bias, reptile-strategy tactics, and the use of visual technology in response to modern juror expectations.
Requirements
The Alabama State Bar MCLE Commission requires attorneys to complete 12 credits, including 1 ethics, by December 31 of each year. All credits must be reported by February 15 of the following year. A maximum of 12 credits, including 1 ethics credit, may be carried over for 1 year only.
Formats
