On the Pulse…Our Amusements, Sports & Recreation Liability Practice Group
By Lary I. Zucker, Esq.*
Marshall Dennehey's Amusements, Sports & Recreation Liability Practice Group includes attorneys practicing in all of the firm’s offices. Our clients include major theme parks, water parks, aquatic facilities, professional and amateur sport teams, camps, carnivals, roller skating centers, go-kart tracks, bowling centers, family entertainment centers, carnivals and fairs. Our practice group also has experience with the latest cutting-edge amusement attractions, including aerial adventure parks, zip lines and trampoline centers.
Many law firms handle amusement and recreation claims as part of their general casualty litigation, but our Amusements, Sports & Recreation Liability Practice Group is nationally recognized as one of the go-to firms in the United States for litigation, defense advocacy and risk management focused on the amusement industry. In today's technology-driven world, our specialized technical and regulatory knowledge, as well as our familiarity with industry standards and guidelines, sets us apart and allows us to deliver results and value without having to “reinvent the wheel” for each new case. The plaintiffs’ bar is well aware of this firm's trial skills and capabilities in the areas of amusements, sports and recreation defense.
As chair of this practice group, I have been involved in the amusement industry for more than 40 years. I serve as counsel to the New Jersey Amusement Association and am a member of many industry trade associations, including IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions), OABA (Outdoor Amusement Business Association), BPAA (Bowling Proprietors Association of America) and RSA (Roller Skating Association International). I serve on many amusement committees, including the ASTM F24 Committee, which writes standards for amusement rides and attractions.
I am one of the founding members the International Amusement & Leisure Defense Association, Inc. (IALDA), a group of attorneys and claims professionals who focus their practice on the amusement industry. Six members of this practice group are also IALDA members, who share information and expertise with other members of this national group.
The practice group's familiarity with legal issues impacting the amusement industry enables us to effectively advise our clients on how to avoid litigation without interfering with their business objectives. Members of our group participate in industry safety seminars and collaborate with trade associations on the development of risk management guidelines and loss control protocols. We advise our clients on a wide variety of loss control and risk management issues, including effective signage and warnings, accident investigation, business record retention, and the development of enforceable releases and waivers.
From trials and arbitrations to mediations and settlements, the members of our practice group work closely with insurance carriers, liability programs, TPAs and self-insureds who rely on us to help them manage their litigation expenses and risk exposures. By doing so, Marshall Dennehey is able to offer our clients a range of services that are tailored to their specialized needs.
*Lary, senior counsel in our Cherry Hill, New Jersey office, can be reached at 856.414.6001 or lizucker@mdwcg.com.
Defense Digest, Vol. 20, No. 2, June 2014
Defense Digest is prepared by Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin to provide information on recent legal developments of interest to our readers. This publication is not intended to provide legal advice for a specific situation or to create an attorney-client relationship. Copyright © 2014 Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin, all rights reserved. This article may not be reprinted without the express written permission of our firm.