MINNEAPOLIS
Tuesday, April 28, 2026 - Wednesday, April 29, 2026
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM | Check-In: 8:30 AM
Minnesota CLE Conference Center
600 Nicollet Mall # 370
3rd Floor, City Center
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Exceptional faculty, great session lineup, fun setting – and practical takeaways you can put to work immediately!
The 2026 Workers’ Compensation Institute will feature –
8:30 – 9:00 a.m.
CHECK-IN & CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
9:00 – 9:05 a.m.
Welcome & Introduction
– Joshua W. Laabs & Whitney L. Teel, Institute Co-Chairs
9:05 – 10:00 a.m.
The WCAC: Where It Came From, How It Works, and Why It Matters
The Workers’ Compensation Advisory Council (WCAC) plays a key role in shaping Minnesota’s workers’ compensation laws. This panel discussion offers a practical look at the WCAC’s formation and processes – and how its work affects day-to-day practice. When and why was it formed? What does it do? Who is included? How can one get involved? How do you identify and offer WCAC records when workers’ compensation law provisions are ambiguous and legislative history is limited?
– Jerry W. Sisk, Jessica Stimac & Katie H. Storms
– Honorable Karl Procaccini (moderator)
10:00 – 10:30 a.m.
Update from the New CAH Chief Judge: Court Priorities in the Near and Longer Term
The newly appointed Chief Judge of the Court of Administrative Hearings – Judge Jessica Palmer-Denig – will share her perspective on CAH’s role in delivering fair, accessible, and effective adjudication in workers’ comp matters and outline the priorities she’ll emphasize. Learn how these priorities relate to the resolution of contested cases, the application of best practices in administrative adjudication, and the court’s ongoing engagement with legal practitioners and agency partners.
– Honorable Jessica A. Palmer-Denig
10:30 – 10:40 a.m.
BREAK
10:40 – 11:20 a.m.
It’s the End of an Era!
Jeff Jacobs’ Popular Annual Case Update
Jeff Jacobs returns for the final installment of his popular annual case update – highlighting key workers’ compensation decisions from the past year by the Minnesota Supreme Court and the Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals.
– Jeffrey W. Jacobs
11:20 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.
How Minnesota’s New Paid Leave Law Impacts Your Workers’ Comp Cases – Offsets, Intervention, and Coordination
Minnesota’s new Paid Leave law adds a major new wage benefit into the mix. A workers’ compensation attorney and an employment law attorney will discuss the new law and what it means in terms of offsets, benefit coordination, and potential intervention.
– Andrew J. Flynn & Greta Bauer Reyes
12:20 – 1:30 p.m.
LUNCH BREAK (on attendees’ own)
1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
BREAKOUT SESSION A
101
A Snapshot of the New DLI PTSD Report – Practical Takeaways for Evaluating and Litigating Cases
Petitioner and defense counsel present a big picture look at MN DLI’s new PTSD report. What does the report say? What do the presenters wish the report had also addressed, and why? What are the practical takeaways that might shape how we evaluate and litigate PTSD cases going forward?
– Mary Beth Boyce & Timothy P. Jung
102
Excess Attorneys’ Fees After Jurgensen
What does it take to justify attorneys’ fees beyond the statutory 20%? This session examines Jurgensen v. Dave Perkins Contracting, emerging judicial expectations for fee support, and practical strategies for proving, or challenging, excess fee claims in Minnesota workers’ compensation cases.
– Kelly P. Falsani, Jennifer M. Fitzgerald & Honorable Kathryn Hipp Carlson
103
Complying with New Developments in Ethics and Professional Responsibility
1.0 ethics credit applied for
– Aram V. Desteian
2:30 – 2:45 p.m.
BREAK
2:45 – 3:45 p.m.
BREAKOUT SESSION B
201
Zero Allocations and MSA Strategy
Clear guidance for evaluating and documenting MSA allocation decisions – including implications for using Zero Allocations now that CMS no longer reviews them.
– Annie M. Davidson
202
What To Know About Workers’ Compensation Claims Involving Noncitizen Workers
– Ana Pottratz Acosta & Samuel A. Heacox
– Honorable Veronica Walther (moderator)
203
Family-Provided Nursing Services for Injured Workers: Evaluating and Litigating High-Exposure Claims
– Benjamin J. Harper
3:45 – 4:00 p.m.
BREAK
4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Beyond Black Letter Law – Strategic Advocacy Around Burdens and Standards of Proof
Petitioner and defense attorneys join CAH judges to discuss strategic advocacy around burdens and standards of proof in Minnesota workers’ compensation cases. The panel will examine key presumptions, effective evidence strategies, and the shift from the reasonable-grounds standard of proof at a .239 administrative conference to de novo if there’s a later hearing.
– Honorable Stacy Bouman, Norbert Cuellar, Matthew C. Kopp & Honorable Lisa B. Pearson
– Kelly B. Lambert (moderator)
5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
INSTITUTE RECEPTION
8:30 – 9:00 a.m.
CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
9:00 – 9:05 a.m.
WELCOME & INTRODUCTION
9:05 – 10:05 a.m.
Don’t Feel Like You Have Two Left Feet When Dealing with Ankle Injuries: Inside Insights
An orthopedic ankle injury overview featuring clinical evaluations and their outcomes.
– J. Chris Coetzee, MD
10:05 – 10:15 a.m.
BREAK
10:15 – 11:15 a.m.
What’s New In Neurotrauma: Classification of Traumatic Brain Injury and Treatment for Spinal Cord Injury
– Uzma Samadani, MD, PhD
11:15 – 11:25 a.m.
BREAK
11:25 a.m. – 12:25 p.m.
Pre-Surgical Weight Loss in Work Injury Cases
When injured employees must lose weight before surgery can proceed, what treatment options are physicians recommending? Dr. Daniel Leslie explains the role of medications like GLP-1 drugs, other weight-loss approaches, timelines, risks, and success rates – and what these recommendations may mean in workers’ compensation cases.
– Daniel Leslie, MD
The learning continues even when the Institute is over! Following the Institute, all attendees may view the following 2 live webcasts for free! Instructions for how to register will be distributed at the Institute.
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Effective Communication in Difficult Situations
1.0 standard CLE credit applied for
– Carolien Moors
Thursday, June 11, 2026
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Perfecting Without Perfectionism: How to Strive for Excellence Without Stressing Out Over Unattainable Ideals
1.0 mental health/substance use credit applied for
– Sarah M. MacGillis
LIVE IN-PERSON
Tuesday & Wednesday, April 28-29, 2026
Minnesota CLE Conference Center
600 Nicollet Mall, Suite 370
Seventh Street & Nicollet Mall, Third Floor City Center
Minneapolis, Minnesota
ONLINE REPLAY
Thursday & Friday, May 28-29, 2026
Attend online
Online replay includes all plenary and breakout sessions. A moderator will be available to answer questions by email.
$445 MSBA members / $445 paralegals / $495 standard rate
Other discounts that may apply:
Scholarships available!
Need-based scholarships are available for in-person and online seminars. For further information or to obtain a scholarship application, contact us at 800-759-8840 or customerservice@minncle.org.
Minnesota CLE is applying to the Minnesota State Board of CLE for 9.0 CLE credits, including 1.0 ethics credit for attendees of session #103. The maximum number of total credits attendees may claim for this program is 9.0 credits.
