A Voice for the Disabled
Articles & Engagements
Bonny Rafel, New Jersey Attorney
Speaking Engagements
Date: March 3, 2020
Topic: The Interplay Between Employment Issues and Disability Claims
Organization: Morris Essex Small Firm Networking Group
Date: November 12, 2019
Topic: Primer on Disability Based on Cognitive Impairments
Organization: The Cognitive and Research Center of New Jersey, LLC Springfield, NJ
Invited Lecturer
Date: March 23, 2018
Topic: Insurance and The Disabled: The Interrelationship of Disability Claims, Employment Claims, Social Security and Personal Injury Claims
Organization: New Jersey State Bar Association in collaboration with the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education
Invited Moderator/Lecturer
Date: August 22, 2017
Topic: The Latest Issues in Disability Claims For Professionals
Organization: RubmanGoldman and Associates, Bala Cynwyd, PA
Invited Lecturer
Date: July 13, 2017
Topic: 2017 Insurance Boot Camp: Disability Insurance
Organization: New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education
Invited Lecturer
Date: May 2, 2017
Topic: Current Trends in Disability Claims & Litigation
Organization: Independence Planning Group, Philadelphia, PA
Invited Lecturer
Date: November 17, 2016
Topic: Parkinson’s Disease Disability Claims: The Basics
Organization: National Parkinson’s Foundation
Invited Attorney for Training Webinar
Date: September 15-16, 2016, Boston, MA.
Topic: Partial v. Total Disability: Drawing the Line
Organization: American Conference Institute, 19th Annual Litigating Disability Insurance Claims conference
Invited Lecturer (17th year in row)
Date: June 8, 2016
Topic: Current Trends in Disability Income Planning and Claims Litigation
Organization: NYC Chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals
Invited Lecturer
Date: March 30, 2016
Topic: Multiple Sclerosis Disability Claims Workshop
Organization: National Multiple Sclerosis Society NJ Chapter –
Presenter For Local Workshop, Morris County NJ
Date: January 21-22, 2016, Philadelphia, PA.
Topic: The Latest Vocational Issues in Disability Claims
Organization: American Conference Institute, 18th Annual Litigating Disability Insurance Claims conference
Invited Lecturer
Date: October 29, 2015
Topic: Overcoming Barriers and Succeeding as a Disabled Attorney
Organization: Webinar scheduled by the New Jersey State Bar Association in conjunction with New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education
Invited Moderator and Speaker
Date: October 28, 2015
Topic: Multiple Sclerosis Disability Claims: The Basics
Organization: National Multiple Sclerosis Society –
Invited Attorney for BET Training: ERISA Attorneys, Lunch and Learn Webinar
Date: October 22, 2015
Topic: Latest Trends in Disability Claims- A Primer
Organization: North Jersey Chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals
Invited Lecturer
Date: January 22-23, 2015
Topic: Tips, Strategies and Best Practices for Successful Early Mediation of a Disability Claim
Organization: American Conference Institute National 17th Annual Forum on Disability, Philadelphia, PA
Invited Lecturer
Date: September 20, 2014
Topic: Vocational Evaluations In Disability Claims
Organization:: Law Line, New York City, NY
Invited Lecturer
Date: January 23-4, 2014
Topic: Assessing the Implications and Challenges of a Court’s Decision to Remand
Organization: American Conference Institute National 16th Annual Forum on Disability, Manhattan, NY
Invited Lecturer
Date: August 27, 2013
Topic: Insurance Coverage Boot Camp: Disability and Health Insurance
Organization: New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, New Brunswick, NJ
Invited Lecturer
Date: July 22, 2013
Topic: Litigating Super Storm Sandy: Coverage and Bad Faith Issues to Watch Out For
Organization: American Association for Justice Annual Convention, San Francisco, CA
Invited Lecturer
Date: April 19, 2013
Topic: Post Sandy: Understanding and Handling Insurance Claims
Organization: New Jersey Association for Justice, Annual Convention, Atlantic City, NJ
Invited Speaker
Date: March 16, 2013
Topic: Disability Claims- For Lupus How to Properly File a Claim and Get The Benefits You Deserve
Organization:: Lupus Foundation of America, New Jersey Chapter, Overlook Hospital, NJ
Invited Lecturer
Date: March 14, 2013
Topic: Disability Claims for Multiple Sclerosis-
Organization:: St Barnabus Medical Center, Livingston, NJ
Invited Speaker
Date: February 24, 2013
Topic: Handling a First Party Disability Claim: Analyzing Potential Claims & Protecting the Client’s Interests: February Bridge the Gap Day 2
Organization:: Law Line, New York City, NY
Invited Lecturer
Date: January 25, 2013
Topic: Analyzing and Interpreting IMEs, FCEs, Neuropsych Evaluations
Organization: American Conference Institute National Advanced Forum on Litigating Disability Insurance Claims
Invited Lecturer
Date: November 16, 2012
Topic: Helping the Region Rebuild: An Orientation to Property Insurance Coverage, Flood Insurance and FEMA
Organization: New Jersey Association for Justice, BiAnnual Convention, Meadowlands, NJ
Invited Lecturer
Date: April 27, 2012
Topic: Trial Practice- “Facts Can’t Speak for Themselves”
Organization: New Jersey Association for Justice, Annual Convention, Atlantic City, NJ
Invited Moderator- for Eric Oliver, Speaker
Date: January 26, 27 2012
Topic: Handling a Disability Claim from Inception to Trial
Organization: American Conference Institute National Advanced Forum on Litigating Disability Insurance Claims
Invited Lecturer
Date: November 11, 2011(live web cast-available on line)
Topic: Current Trends in Own Occupation Disability Claims
Organization: Lawline.com, Online Continuing Legal Education
Invited Faculty Member
Date: July 10, 2011
Topic: How to Avoid Inadvertent Legal Malpractice in Disability Claims
Organization:: Annual AAJ National Convention, New York City, NY., Section: Social Security Disability Law Section and ERISA, Health and Disability Insurance Litigation Group
Invited Speaker
Date: June 10 & 11th, 2010
Topics: Statute of Limitations in Disability Claims: The Current Trend to Inhibit Bona Fide Claims in Court-and the Impact on Consumers and Their Counsel
Organization:: American Conference Institute, 13th National Advanced Forum on Litigating Disability Claims, Boston, MA
Invited Speaker for the Tenth Consecutive Year
Date: April 23, 2010
Topic: Private Plan Disability Benefits: What You Need to Know and How They Affect a Worker’s Compensation Claim
Organization:: New Jersey Association for Justice, Annual Convention, Atlantic City, NJ
Invited Speaker
Date: March 16, 2010
Topic: What Employment Lawyers Need to Know About Disability Law
Organization:: NJ Institute for Continuing Education and NJ State Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Section, Edison, NJ
Invited Lecturer
Date: February 24th, 2010
Topic: Effective Negotiating Strategies
Organization:: Woman Lawyers of Union County, NJ
Invited Speaker
Date: February 8, 2010
Topic: ERISA and Long Term Disability
Organization:: New Jersey Advisory Council on Safety and Health, Princeton, NJ
Invited Speaker
Date: January 21, 2010
Topic: Disability Insurance Primer for Financial Advisors and Producers
Organization:: The New Jersey Square Table Study Group, Florham Park, NJ
Invited Speaker
Date: June 15 & 16th, 2009
Topics: IMEs, FCEs and Medical and Vocational Experts: Interpreting and Utilizing Testimony and Exam Results to Prove or Refute Claimed Disability
Organization:: American Conference Institute, 12th National Advanced Forum on Litigating Disability Claims, Boston, MA,
Invited Speaker
Date: June 4, 2009
Topic: Disability Litigation
Organization:: New Jersey Dental Association, Annual Session, Atlantic City, NJ
Invited Speaker
Date: May 20, 2009
Topic: Disability Claims in a Down Economy
Organization:: American Law Institute, American Bar Association, Philadelphia, PA,
Invited Lecturer
Date: March 1-3rd, 2009
Topic: Multiple Sclerosis – Totally Frank
Organization:: Eastern Claims Conference, New York City, NY,
Invited Speaker
Date: June 13 & 14th, 2008
Topic: Counsel fees and ERISA; Making the Insurance Company PAY
Organization:: American Conference Institute, 11th National Advanced Forum on Litigating Disability Claims, Boston, MA,
Invited Speaker
Date: July 21st, 2007
Topics: Women With Multiple Sclerosis, When to Stop Working; How to Obtain Disability Benefits Through an Employer Sponsored Plan or Private Insurance
Organization:: South Florida Chapter, Multiple Sclerosis Society Annual Women’s Retreat, Miami FL,
Invited Workshop Leader
Date: June 6 & 7th, 2007
Topic: The IME Doctor, “Paper Reviewer”, and Treating Phyisician: Challenging the Assessment of the Claimant
Organization:: American Conference Institute, 10th National Advanced Forum on Litigating Disability Claims, Boston, MA,
Invited Speaker
Date: April 26, 2007
Topics: Women and the Law, A Roundtable Discussion
Organization:: Association of Trial Lawyers of America, New Jersey, Atlantic City, New Jersey,
Moderator
Date: February 24, 2007
Topic: Protecting Your Practice & Clients When Faced With Death or Disability
Organization:: Association of Trial Lawyers of America, New Jersey,
Invited Speaker
Date: February 11, 2007
Topic: Use of the Consumer Fraud Act in States Without Developed Bad Faith Law or Statutes
Organization:: Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Annual Winter Convention, Miami, Florida,
Invited Speaker
Date: Sept. 21 & 22 2006
Topic: The Year in Review: Discussion of Important Bad Faith Decisions in Disability and Life Insurance
Organization:: Mealey’s Bad Faith Litigation Conference, Philadelphia, PA,
Invited Speaker
Date: April 27th-28th, 2006
Topic: What Every Practitioner Needs to Know About Disability
Organization:: Association of Trial Lawyers of America, New Jersey, Annual Convention Boardwalk Seminar, Atlantic City, New Jersey,
Invited Speaker
Date: April 27th, 2006
Topic: The Voice of Women on the Bench, the Judge’s Perspective
Organization:: Association of Trial Lawyers of America, New Jersey, Women Litigators’ Luncheon, Atlantic City, New Jersey, Co-Chairperson
Date: February 23rd and 24th, 2006
Topic: How To Prove Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue and Other Self Reported Symptoms
Organization:: American Conference Institute, 9th National Advanced Forum on Litigating Disability Claims, Miami, Florida,
Invited Speaker
Date: December 2, 2005
Topic: Bad Faith Discovery in New Jersey
Organization:: NJ American Trial Lawyers Association, New Jersey,
Chairperson of NJATLA Bad Faith Committee and Speaker
Date: November 14th and 15th, 2005
Topic: States with the Fairly Debatable Standard for Bad Faith
Organization:: American Conference Institute, 10th National Advanced Forum on Bad Faith and Punitive Damages, Miami, Florida,
Invited Speaker
Date: May 25 & 26, 2005
Topics: Litigating Mental Illness Disability Claims, the Role of the IME; Case Study, Cross Examining the Independent Medical Examiner in Trials
Organization:: American Conference Institute National Advanced Forum on Litigating Mental Illness Disability Insurance Claims, New York City, NY, Invited Moderator for the entire conference,
Invited speaker
Date: April 20, 2005
Topic: Hot Topics in Disability Insurance Presented to Brokers and Financial Consultants
Organization:: Brokerage Concepts Incorporated and International Planning Alliance, LLC,
Invited Speaker
Date: March 29, 2005
Topic: Disability Insurance for Professors of Dentistry and Dentists in Private Practice, The Myths and Reality of Coverage
Organization:: University of Medicine & Dentistry, Newark, NJ,
Invited Speaker
Date: March 22, 2005
Topic: Update, Bad Faith, ERISA and The UnumProvident Reassessment
Organization:: Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Teleconference,
Invited Speaker
Date: March 4 & 5, 2005
Topic: IMEs, Treating Physicians and Paper Reviewers- Who Legitimately Makes the Decision As to Disability?
Organization:: American Conference Institute 8th National Advanced Forum on Litigating Disability Insurance Claims, Miami Florida,
Invited Speaker
Date: January 11, 2005
Topic: Hot Topics in Disability Insurance
Organization:: International Planning Alliance, LLC, A Financial Services
Organization:, Wayne, NJ,
Invited Speaker
Date: Sept. 27 & 28, 2004
Topic: Advice on prosecuting a Summary Judgment Motion in a bad faith case.
Organization:: Mealey’s Bad Faith Litigation Conference, Philadelphia, PA,
Invited Speaker
Date: June 10 & 11, 2004
Topic: Latest trends in Fibromyalgia, Moderator.
Organization:: American Conference Institute 7th National Advanced Forum on Litigating Disability Insurance Claims, Boston, Mass.,
Invited Speaker
Date: March 29 & 30, 2004
Topic: Success with Bad Faith Claims in States with the “No Debatable Reason” Standard
Organization:: American Conference Institute, 10th National Advanced Forum on Bad Faith and Punitive Damages, San Francisco, California,
Invited Speaker
Date: February 15, 2004
Topic: Daubert Challenges in Bad Faith Litigation
Organization:: Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Mid-Year Convention, Orlando, Florida,
Invited Speaker
Date: July 19th-23rd, 2003
Topic: Current Trends in Disability
Organization:: Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Annual Convention, San Francisco, California,
Invited Speaker
Date: May 13, 2003
Topic: Litigating Long-Term Disability Claims Under ERISA Long-Term Disability Practice
Organization:: ATLA National College of Advocacy,
Invited Speaker
Date: May 10, 2003
Topic: ERISA: Treating Physician Rule- Nord
Organization:: Mealy’s Conference, Washington, D.C.
Date: April 28th and 29th, 2003
Topic: Legal, Tactical, and Practical Guide for Litigating Your Bad Faith Case
Organization:: American Conference Institute, 9th National Advanced Forum on Bad Faith and Punitive Damages, San Francisco, California,
Invited Speaker
Date: April 24th-25th, 2003
Topic: Disability Law: Finding the Diamond in the Rough,
Organization:: Association of Trial Lawyers of America, New Jersey, Annual Convention Boardwalk Seminar, Atlantic City, New Jersey,
Invited Speaker
Date: March 24 and 25th, 2003
Topic: Utilizing and Monitoring Vocational Assessment and Rehabilitation: Current Trends and Court Decisions
Organization:: American Conference Institute 6th National Advanced Forum on Litigating Disability Insurance Claims, Boston, Mass.,
Invited Speaker
Date: October, 2002
Topic: Discovery in Disability Claims
Organization:: NOCCSR, San Francisco, California
Date: July, 2002
Topic: Confidentiality: What’s So Secret Anyway?
Organization:: Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Atlanta, Georgia
Date: February, 2002
Topic: Confidentiality
Organization:: Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Miami, Florida
Date: July 2001
Topic: Mock Trial of a Disability Case
Organization:: ATLA, Montreal, Canada
Date: June 2001
Topic: Bad Faith in the Handling of Disability Claims
Organization:: American Conference Institute, Boston, MA
Date: July 2000
Topic: Bad Faith Litigation and ERISA, A Change is in the Air
Organization:: ATLA, Chicago, IL
Date:]une 2000
Topic: Material Duties of the Occupation and Employer Contact
Organization:: American Conference Institute, Boston, MA
Date: April 2000
Topic: Unforeseen Pitfalls When Filing for Disability
Organization:: Local Dental Association
Date:]uly 1999
Topic: Discovery of Company Documents That They’d Rather Not Disclose
Organization:: ATLA Annual Conference, San Francisco, CA
Date: January 28, 1997
Topic: Special Needs Trusts
Organization:: Essex County Bar Association
Date: 1996
Topic: Proof of Traumatic Injuries
Publication: Cyclopedia of Trial Practice
Date: October 15, 1996
Topic: Paralegal’s Utilization in a Major Law Firm
Organization:: The Legal Assistant’s Association of New Jersey
Date: 1995
Topic: Products Liability Sample Complaint
Publication: Handling Accident Cases
Articles
Several articles are available in PDF file format. To view these on your computer you will need Adobe’s Acrobat Reader. If you don’t yet have Acrobat Reader, it is available as a free download on the Adobe web site. Click here to get the reader.
- Helping the Region Rebuild: An Orientation to Property Insurance Coverage, Flood Insurance and FEMA November 16, 2012, New Jersey Association for Justice, BiAnnual Convention, Meadowlands, NJ
- The Advocacy of Disability Claims Involving Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia; A Case Survey ACI Litigating Disability Insurance Claims February 23 & 24, 2005, Coconut Grove, Florida, By Bonny G. Rafel.
- The Consumer Fraud Act and Its Application to First Party Insurance Claims Atla Mid Year Conference, 2007by By Bonny G. Rafel.
- The UnumProvident Settlement Proposal: How it Will Affect Consumers Nationwide By Bonny G. Rafel(November 18, 2004).
- Disability insurance as promised? By Bonny G. Rafel.
- Legal, Tactical, and Practical Guide for Litigating Your Bad Faith Case By Bonny G. Rafel.
- The Dozen Most Litigated Issues Involving Vocational Evaluations By Bonny G. Rafel.
- ATLA Presentation, May 12, 2003 Discovery in a Disability Claim: What You Need to Prove Your Case By Bonny G. Rafel.
- ERISA: A Practitioner’s Guide Claim Denied! New Trends in Employee Benefit Claim Litigation – The Treating Physician Opinion Quagmire By Bonny G. Rafel.
- UNUMPROVIDENT Presentation to Insurance Practice Section Annual National ATLA Convention, San Francisco, California, July 22, 2003 By Bonny G. Rafel.
- Bad Faith in the Handling of Disability Claims: Is it Real or Imagined? By Bonny G. Rafel.
- Confidentiality Agreements – What’s So Secret? By Bonny G. Rafel.
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