Senior Partner Perry Browder to Co-Chair the Event, with Partners Jennifer Alesio, Dan Blouin, Lisa Nathanson Busch, and Jim Kramer Speaking
ALTON, Ill. — Five Simmons Hanly Conroy mesothelioma attorneys will take leading roles at the 2026 National Asbestos Litigation Conference, hosted by Perrin Conferences on Sept. 15-16 at The Charleston Place Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina.
Senior Partner Perry J. Browder will serve as co-chair of the conference, while four of the mesothelioma law firm’s partners will speak on panels spanning trial strategy, science and medicine, bankruptcy trends, and talc litigation.
The National Asbestos Litigation Conference is one of the country’s leading gatherings of plaintiff attorneys, in-house counsel, and industry professionals involved in asbestos litigation. Over two days, attendees will examine recent developments in the litigation, emerging legal trends, trial strategies, and key issues shaping the field.
Browder will co-chair the conference alongside others. He is the former chair of the firm’s Asbestos Department and has represented mesothelioma patients and their families for more than 30 years. He currently serves as the Illinois State Bar Association president.
“This conference brings together the most experienced voices on every side of asbestos litigation, and that dialogue ultimately benefits the families we represent. I’m honored to help shape this year’s program alongside such respected colleagues,” Browder said.
Four additional Simmons Hanly Conroy partners will take the podium as featured speakers:
- Jennifer Alesio: Presenting on Sept. 15 from 10 to 11 a.m., Alesio is speaking on “Trial Attorney Perspectives,” a panel covering motions in limine, jury selection, recent trial developments, demonstratives, AI at trial, and other strategies shaping asbestos litigation.
- Daniel Blouin: Presenting on Sept. 15 from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., Blouin is speaking on the role of science and medicine in asbestos litigation, including the current state of genetics and its connection to mesothelioma causation and treatment. Blouin has secured some of the largest asbestos verdicts in the country.
- Jim Kramer: Presenting on Sept. 16 from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m., Kramer is speaking on “Talc Litigation Overview” and covering new science and exposure analysis, cutting-edge motion strategy, recent verdicts, and current appellate issues. Kramer is among the first attorneys in the country to secure jury verdicts in cases involving asbestos-contaminated cosmetic talc.
- Lisa Nathanson Busch: Presenting on Sept. 16 from 2:15 to 3:15 p.m., Busch is moderating “Developments in Bankruptcy, Dissolutions and Receiverships in Asbestos Litigation,” exploring the latest asbestos bankruptcy trends, dissolutions, receiverships, liquidating trusts, and other key developments impacting the litigation. Busch manages the firm’s asbestos bankruptcy department and serves on more than 20 asbestos trust advisory committees.
“The field of asbestos litigation moves fast. Events like this allow all of us to stay sharp and up to date on where this litigation is heading, regardless of how long we’ve been in the fight,” explained Kramer.
The firm’s strong presence at this year’s conference reflects its longstanding leadership in asbestos litigation. Simmons Hanly Conroy attorneys are regularly called upon to chair, moderate, and present at the nation’s premier legal conferences, sharing insights drawn from decades of trial experience and thousands of cases litigated on behalf of mesothelioma patients and their families.
