Free Webinar | Professional Communication in the Digital Workspace

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Presented by:
Diane P. Mika, Senior Vice President, Risk Management Officer, Berkley Alliance Managers
Joseph Shields, P.E Assistant Vice President, Director of Construction Professional Risk Management, Berkley Construction Professional

Thursday, January 22, 2026
10 AM Pacific/12 PM Central/1 PM Eastern

Registered for:
1.0 AIA Learning Units 
1.0 RCEP Professional Development Hours+

Berkley DP policyholders who participate in this program can qualify for a 15% Risk Management Education credit. Contact your agent for further information*

Register Now

In today’s digital-first workplace, professionals routinely generate and share vast amounts of electronically stored information (ESI). This practical, scenario-based webinar will equip professionals with the knowledge and tools to manage ESI responsibly and reduce risk exposure. Through real-world examples and actionable strategies, Diane Mika and Joe Shields will provide insights into smarter email habits.

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Diane Mika Presenting at Society for Design Administration (SDA) EDSymposium25

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Managing Evolving Risks of AI in Design and Construction

Presented by:
Diane P. Mika, Senior Vice President, Risk Management Officer, Berkley Design Professional

Wednesday, May 21, 2025
11:15-12:15 PM

Diane Mika, senior vice president and risk management officer, will be speaking at the Society for Design Administration (SDA) EDSymposium25. She will present on “Managing Evolving Risks of AI in Design and Construction”.

More details on the event below.

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Design and construction technology has continuously evolved, with artificial intelligence (AI) being the latest advancement. This session will provide an overview of how AI can be effectively administered within design firms. Key topics include establishing a vision and intended use for AI and implementing written AI practice standards. Presented by a professional liability insurance specialist, this session will also emphasize the importance of maintaining human oversight to uphold professional responsibility and
the standard of care.

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Free Webinar: Managing Risk Through Effective Contracts

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Contracts Webinar

Presented by:
Andrew D. Mendelson, FAIA, Executive Vice President, Chief Risk Management Officer, Berkley Design Professional

Tuesday, July 16, 2024
10-11 AM Pacific
12-1 PM Central
1-2 PM Eastern

Earn Learning Units
1.0 AIA Learning Unit
1.0 RCEP Professional Development Hour+

Berkley DP policyholders who participate in this program can qualify for a 15% Risk Management Education credit. Contact your agent for further information*

Register Now

Your professional services agreement is an essential tool in managing your exposure to risk. An equitable contract fairly apportions risk, while an onerous contract can shift inordinate—and sometimes uninsurable—liability to you. The terms and conditions of the agreement establish the roles and responsibilities of the parties, and the negotiation process provides an opportunity to set reasonable expectations with your client.

This workshop reviews the risk management fundamentals that underlie the development of effective contracts, the contract review process and key clauses that impact your risk exposure.

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Andy Mendelson Presenting at 2023 ACEC Fall Conference

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Risky Business: Making the Go/No-Go Decision on Design-Build Projects

Presented by:
Andrew D. Mendelson, FAIA, EVP, Chief Risk Management Officer, Berkley Design Professional

Monday, October 16, 2023

Andy Mendelson, FAIA, executive vice president and chief risk management officer, will be presenting at the 2023 ACEC Fall Conference in Austin, Texas on Monday, October 16.

Andy will present “Risky Business: Making the Go/No-Go Decision on Design-Build Projects”.

Session Description

Because Design-Build is a more risky form of project delivery, it is essential to establish a Go/No-Go process to objectively evaluate your opportunities. Analyzing and understanding the conditions of the project and the capabilities of the design-build team are critical to making informed decisions in the pursuit and implementation of these projects. This practice-focused workshop addresses the identification of key factors in making the Go/No-Go decision on Design-Build projects, and offers a flexible yet strategic approach that encourages active thought and discussion to reach a reasonable conclusion.

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Diane Mika Presenting at Deltek ProjectCon 2023

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From Scope Creep to Profitability: Managing Chance and Your Client’s Expectations

Presented by:
Diane P. Mika, Senior Vice President, Risk Management Officer, Berkley Design Professional

Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Diane Mika, senior vice president and risk management officer, will be speaking at Deltek ProjectCon 2023.

Mika will present on “From Scope Creep to Profitability: Managing Chance and Your Client’s Expectations”.

More details on the event are below.

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Change challenges the basic premise of project management: the control of resources to meet a certain objective by a specific date within a finite budget. Scope creep happens when there is an expansion of services provided without a corresponding increase in the design professional’s fees or recognition of additional risk exposure. The good news is that while change is inevitable, scope creep is not. This session will help you learn the triggers for change and how to manage the change process to maintain your client relationships—and your firm’s profitability.

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Free Webinar with Deltek | Managing Project and Financial KPIs to Boost Firm Profitability

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Presented by:
Andrew Mendelson, FAIA, EVP, Chief Risk Management & CX Officer, Berkley Design Professional
Megan Miller, Director, Product Marketing, Deltek

Wednesday, September 13, 2023
1:00 pm to 2:00 pm Eastern Time
1 AIA Learning Unit
1 RCEP Professional Development Hour

Berkley DP policyholders who participate in this program can qualify for a 15% Risk Management Education credit. Contact your agent for further information*

Register Now

Managing projects goes beyond just schedule and deliverables, but also requires a focus on project performance and profitability as well as the overall impact of the project to the bottom line. In this session, attendees will gain insight into top key performance indicators (KPIs), identify industry benchmarks for KPIs, and understand how to leverage the metrics to boost profitability.

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Free Webinar with Deltek | Developing a Risk Management Plan for Your Firm

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Presented by:
Andrew Mendelson, FAIA, EVP, Chief Risk Management & CX Officer, Berkley Design Professional
Michael Heinsdorf, PE, Senior Director, Product Alliances, Deltek

Wednesday, August 9, 2023
2:00 pm to 3:00 pm Eastern Time

Register Now

Developing a formal risk management plan is an essential step in proactively protecting your firm from financial risk, and setting your firm up for success.

During this session, our Chief Risk Management Officer, Andy Mendelson, will join Michael Heinsdorf from Deltek with the key steps you can take to reduce your risk with a formal plan at your firm, and explain the importance of understanding what risks can be controlled through legal contracts and insurance products.

Session highlights:

  • Learn how to establish a risk management team to proactively identify, assess, and mitigate risk
  • Explore how careful project and client selection can significantly reduce potential risks
  • Gain insights into the importance of understanding the role of legal contracts and insurance products in managing risks effectively
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WTW A&E Webinar: Pre-Construction Services – Cure or Curse?

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Presented by:
Andrew Mendelson, FAIA, EVP, Chief Risk Management & CX Officer, Berkley Design Professional
David Ericksen, Esq., Attorney at Law, Hinshaw Culbertson

Monday, December 11, 2023
11:30 am – 1:00 pm Central Time

Register Now

Andy Mendelson, executive vice president and chief risk management officer, will co-present alongside David Ericksen on a WTW A&E webinar, “Pre-Construction Services – Cure or Curse?”, on Monday, December 11.

Third-party review and comment on any design professional’s work product can be uncomfortable. It exposes the design to critique, second guessing and “alternative” views. However, it can also validate and improve the design before any deficiencies lead to economic harm and consequences.

Drawn from real-life cases in the media and courts, this program will highlight the potential risk and risk management opportunities emerging from third-party pre-construction design review by other design professionals, contractors and construction managers. In addition, it will offer corresponding strategies to help you successfully engage in those processes as the designer or the reviewer.

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Diane Mika Presenting at Society for Design Administration (SDA) EDSymposium23

Posted by & filed under Events.

Managing Risk Through Effective Contracts

Presented by:
Diane P. Mika, Senior Vice President, Risk Management Officer, Berkley Design Professional

Tuesday, June 13, 2023

Diane Mika, senior vice president and risk management officer, will be speaking at the Society for Design Administration (SDA) EDSymposium23.

Mika will present on “Managing Risk Through Effective Contracts” as part of the conference’s Project Administration Workshop.

More details on the event below.

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Everyone practices project management. Whether getting a building out of the ground, planning a health care open enrollment, an office move, or working a marketing plan, the skills needed to reach your goal rely on project management:  budgeting, scheduling, communicating, and managing people. The role of the project administrator (PA) in managing A/E projects also requires an understanding of project phases, contract administration, document control, financial management, and risk management.

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Be a Good Neighbor: Strategies to Mitigate Risk of Damage to Adjacent Properties

Posted by & filed under BDP Blog.

By Andrew Mendelson, FAIA
Executive Vice President, Chief Risk Management and CX Officer
Berkley Design Professional, a Berkley Company

May 9, 2023

One of the emerging 21st Century perils for design professionals, particularly for structural and geotechnical/CMT engineers and architects, is the potential impact of new projects on the condition and even the integrity of adjacent properties.

An architect or engineer’s legal duty is to their client according to the scope and terms of the professional services agreement as well as the responsibilities embodied in state statutes for licensed professionals. However, consideration should be given to adjacent property owners during the planning stages and efforts should be undertaken to protect against claims that could be made by other “injured parties” on adjacent properties.

In states where the applicable law embodies the principle of “joint and several liability,” disproportionate responsibility and financial exposure can be allocated to the design professional—even if their actions had very little to do with the cause of damages to an adjacent structure.

Trends in design and construction claims and litigation indicate the casting of an ever-widening net with plaintiffs seeking defendants with deep pockets, such as the professional liability insurance policy and the assets of a firm. Therefore, it’s prudent for design professionals to be proactive in managing risk with respect to potential exposure for damages beyond the property line of the project, especially in dense urban or suburban areas.

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