Ms. Bowman formerly served four years as the senior director of ethics and professional practice with the National Society of Professional Engineers. She is the principal of a woman-owned business in civil engineering, dispute resolution, and legal services. She is experienced in boundary law issues, engineering design and forensic analysis, and construction/project management. She is a registered professional engineer, a certified arbitrator, mediator, and Christian conciliator, and a Diplomate of Forensic Engineering. Mrs. Bowman wrote a column for Pennsylvania’s PE Reporter, “Risky Business,” for more than 20 years. Her book, Residential Construction and Remodeling in Pennsylvania: Working with Homeowners and Small Contactors, is going into its second edition. She is a frequent CPE lecturer (law and engineering) for a variety of providers. She received her B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of North Dakota, her M.B.A. degree from Oklahoma University, her J.D. degree from Duquesne University, and she recently completed her certificate in Sustainability Policy from Penn State.

Ryan DesJardins is originally from Michigan and has been practicing law in Oregon since 2013 first serving as a federal judicial clerk then transitioning to private practice. While his practice is varied, he specializes in policyholder-side insurance coverage litigation. Mr. DesJardins has participated in the full range of insurance disputes, including hundred-million-dollar commercial insurance claims, Superfund environmental cleanup claims, and individual home/auto policy disputes. He firmly believes that a strong knowledge of insurance law and the complex interplay between insurance policies can serve all attorneys and business owners. Whether an insurer fulfills the obligations of the insurance policies they issue can be the difference between bankruptcy and business as usual. Mr. DesJardins is of counsel for the boutique firm McDermott Weaver Connelly Clifford LLP in Portland, Oregon, where he represents clients in complex civil litigation.

Mr. Draper is a Knoxville native and the senior shareholder in Lewis Thomason’s Knoxville construction law practice group. He is an AV-rated trial lawyer with broad experience in civil litigation, arbitration, and mediation. Prior to obtaining his law degree, he operated a paint contracting business and worked in commercial construction. His law practice is concentrated in construction defect litigation, professional liability defense, commercial disputes and insurance coverage disputes. His construction clients include owners, designers, industrial, commercial, utility, and residential general contractors, subcontractors and suppliers. He has successfully defended a broad range of licensed professionals, including architects and engineers, lawyers, health care providers, surveyors, and realtors. He also has extensive experience in insurance coverage disputes, much of it related to the construction industry. Mr. Draper has extensive arbitration experience and he serves as both an arbitrator and mediator. He is a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 listed Civil Mediator. He is a founding member and past president (2015) of the Tennessee Association of Construction Counsel, and long-time member of the Steering Committee of the Construction Practice Group of ALFA International – a global legal network of premier law firms in which the firm is a member. In his law practice, he aspires to the example of his now retired father lawyer, Jack Draper, who counseled that a lawyer should always seek to leave no stone unturned, but to resolve, rather than perpetuate conflict wherever possible.

Mr. Pempus has been a risk manager for more than 18 years, with experience in architecture, engineering, land use, law and professional liability insurance, and a unique and well-rounded background in the construction industry. Prior to risk management, he has 25 years of experience in the practice of architecture and engineering, and as an adjunct professor teaching professional practice courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels for the last 37 years. As a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and AIA National Ethics Council 2021 chair, he has demonstrated his impact on architectural profession. He is a licensed architect, attorney and property and casualty insurance agent.

Mr. Sherman is a member of Prince Lobel’s Construction and Business Transactions practice groups. He is an experienced construction attorney with significant construction transactional, consulting, and litigation experience. In this capacity, Mr. Sherman assists construction project owners, developers, general contractors, construction management firms, subcontractors, and material suppliers with realtime project consulting, drafting and negotiating all manner of construction agreements and forms, and with prosecuting and defending construction disputes. Mr. Sherman advises clients during the construction delivery process, assisting with the drafting and review of all forms of design, construction, and consultant agreements. He has experience preparing, negotiating, and amending the standard suite of industry form agreements (e.g., AIA, DBIA, and ConsensusDocs) and preparing other forms of agreement like EPC agreements, construction management agreements, surety forms, guaranteed maximum price contracts, purchase orders, master service agreements, and other ancillary documents used for, by, and with construction project owners and developers, construction management firms, subcontractors, design professionals, and material suppliers.

Mr. Stoner has successfully defended claims against design professionals for design defects, tortious interference, failure to inspect, and damages for delay, and he has handled contractor claims and surety and lien claims. In addition, he frequently represents shareholders in various business disputes, including breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and usurpation of corporate opportunity. He has successfully tried cases in both state and federal courts. Mr. Stoner’s contributions to the legal profession are not limited to the courtroom. He has lectured extensively on various risk management issues for design professionals and contractors on areas such as contract drafting, project documentation, claims handling, and other issues that typically arise during the course of a construction project. Mr. Stoner’s legal practice is centered on delivering the best possible legal outcome for his clients. He works to ensure that clients make solid and informed business decisions. Mr. Stoner strives to educate clients on the law and to bring them as much information as necessary to ensure they make good business decisions. He provides uncompromising legal representation for businesses and professionals. Mr. Stoner relies on 28 years of experience in the legal field and a background of academic excellence. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degrees in Economics and Political Science from Indiana University in 1993 and his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Toledo College of Law in 1996.