Tuesday, July 21, 2026

2026 Statewide Hearing Officer Training Agenda Now Available

COLUMBUS, OH — Below is the agenda for the event:

Statewide Hearing Officer Meeting
Monday, September 28, 2026
The Ohioan Hotel and Event Center
Lewis Center, Ohio

Agenda

7:30 - 8:00

Registration (Refreshments and Morning Snacks)

8:00 - 8:20

Opening Remarks & Update: Jim Hughes, Esq., Chairman; Cheri Hottinger, Commissioner; Daniel Massey, Esq., Commissioner; Jim Burkart, Esq., Executive Director

8:20 - 9:30

The Injured Reserve List: Getting the Industrial Athlete Back on the Field: David Pettit, M.D., Orthopedic Surgeon, Adena Orthopedic and Spine Institute

9:30 - 10:00

Hearing Room Civility: Amanda Brown, Esq., Chief Legal Counsel

10:00 - 10:20

Break

10:20 - 11:20

Artificial Intelligence & Lawyer Ethics: D. Allan Asbury, CCM, Deputy Director & Senior Counsel, Ohio Board of Professional Conduct

11:20 - 12:30

Lunch Break (Served in Dining Room)

12:30 - 1:25

The Medical Services Take: Demystifying Diagnostics, BWC Formulary, and Other Medical Matters: Terrence Welsh, M.D., Chief Medical Advisor; Sara Castle, M.Ed., Director, Medical Services

1:25 - 2:25

Trending Topics in Workers' Compensation & Case Law Update: Paul Goodburn, Esq., Attorney, Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC; Christopher Russell, Esq., Partner, Porter Wright Morris & Arthur, LLP

2:25 - 2:45

Break

2:45 - 3:15

Firefighter Cancer Claims in the Workers' Compensation System: Ben Crider, Esq., Director of Hearing Services, Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation