Agenda

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Please log into the webinar 15 – 30 minutes before start time.


Monday, October 27, 2025
8:30 am – 4:00 pm PDT


Agenda:

Understanding Washington Personal Injury Law
Presented by Christian C. Pearson

  • The development of personal injury law in Washington
  • Statutes and regulations that affect liability law
  • An overview of liability law in different types of personal injury cases
    • Automobile accident
    • Slip-and-fall
    • Medical malpractice
    • Product liability
  • The law of damages
  • Recent developments and anticipated changes in Washington law

Investigating and Evaluating a Personal Injury Claim
Presented by Jodi Dineen

  • Obtaining information from/about the plaintiff
  • Using (and not using) investigators
  • Identifying and locating parties and witnesses
  • Investigating/documenting the incident
  • Interviewing witnesses
  • Obtaining information on damages
  • Assisting with medical issues
  • Identifying and obtaining other relevant information
  • Helpful resources

Negotiating, Mediating, and Settling Personal Injury Cases
Presented by Christian C. Pearson

  • Creating comprehensive and effective settlement brochures
  • Minor settlements
  • Settlements involving multiple claimants
  • Preparing for and assisting with the negotiation process
  • Preparing for and assisting with mediation

Litigating Personal Injury Cases
Presented by Jodi Dineen

  • Drafting, filing and serving initial pleadings
  • Participating in the discovery process
    • Drafting admissions, interrogatories, and requests for production of documents
    • Responding to discovery requests
  • Deposition practice: preparing for, attending, and reviewing
  • Working with expert witnesses
  • Preparing for and assisting at trial

Mediation and Litigation Ethics for Assistants and Paralegals
Presented by Judge Brian Tollefson, Ret.

  • Attorney and paralegal ethical rules 
  • Specific areas of concern for legal support staff
    • Conflicts of interest
    • Confidentiality
    • Ex-parte communications
  • Avoiding the unauthorized practice of law

 

Webinar Instructions 
 
All attendees must log-on through their own email – attendees may not watch together if they wish to earn continuing education credit. HalfMoon Education Inc. must be able to prove attendance if either the attendee or HalfMoon Education Inc. is audited. 

Certificates of completion can be downloaded in PDF form upon passing a short quiz. A link to the quiz will be sent to each qualifying attendee immediately after the webinar. The certificate can be downloaded from the Results page of the quiz upon scoring 80% or higher. 

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GoToWebinar App requirements:  
Windows 10 or higher, macOS 11 or higher, Linux, Google Chrome OS 

Web Browser:  
Google Chrome (most recent 3 versions) 
Microsoft Edge (most recent 3 versions) 

Internet connection: 1 Mbps or better 

Hardware:  2GB of RAM (minimum), 4GB or more of RAM (recommended) 

For more information, visit the Support section at www.gotowebinar.com 

Credits

Paralegals
6.5 CLE Hours (Including 1.0 Ethics Hour)

NFPA - National Federation of Paralegal Associations
6.5 CLE Hours (Including 1.0 Ethics Hour)

 

Continuing Education Information

This webinar is open to the public and is designed to qualify for 6.5 CLE hours, including 1.0 ethics hour, for paralegals in Washington. Paralegal certification is not required to participate in this course.

The National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) has approved this course for 6.5 total CLE credits, which includes 5.5 general CLE credits and 1.0 ethics CLE credit.

Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the webinar for those who attend the entire course and score a minimum 80% on the quiz that follows the course (multiple attempts allowed).

*On-Demand Credits*

The preceding credit information only applies to the live presentation. This course in an on-demand format is not pre-approved by any licensing boards and may not qualify for the same credits; please consult your licensing board(s) to ensure that a structured, asynchronous learning format is appropriate.

Speakers

Jodi Dineen

Paralegal with Etter, McMahan, Lamberson, Van Wert & Oreskovich, P.C., in Spokane, WA

Ms. Dineen has been a paralegal for 34 years, first starting out in California and then in Spokane since 2000. For the past 23 years that she has been at EMLVO where she has assisted her attorneys with cases in criminal law, personal injury and business litigation. Her “super powers” are managing large volumes of discovery, preparing for trial and attending trial as a “Jodi of All Trades”.

Christian C. Pearson

Attorney with Iddins Law Group in Kent, WA

Mr. Pearson joined the Iddins Law Group in 2020 and his practice areas include personal injury, estate planning, and criminal defense. Mr. Pearson attended the University of Washington and Saint Martin’s University, earning an undergraduate degree. Mr. Pearson earned his J.D. degree from the Seattle University School of Law and is a member in good standing of the Washington State Bar Association.

Brian Tollefson, Ret.

Tollefson Arbitration and Mediation in Tacoma, WA

Judge Tollefson has served as a judge for Pierce County Superior Court for more than 27 years. During his time on Superior Court, he was on the Executive Committee, served as presiding judge, and participated on a number of local Superior Court committees. He served on several committees in the Washington State Superior Court Judges Association and as a trustee on the Association’s board of trustees for five years. Judge Tollefson uses ADR methods such as mediation and arbitration for resolving disputes. With his nearly 50 years of legal and judicial experience, he is committed to resolving disputes to reach a just and proper resolution.