Bring ideas. Bring your team. Build your advantage.
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InsuranceFest was a ‘wow’ experience – after more than 600 conferences, I’d rank the networking and social interaction on the Santa Monica Pier in my top five.
INSURANCEFEST AT A GLANCE
Network Like You Mean It
1,000+ insurance leaders, founders, and innovators in one place. Brokers, MGAs, agencies, insurers, InsurTechs. From C-suite to NextGen, they’ll all be on the pier.
Join the Conversation
60+ industry voices you actually want to hear from—from Aon to Marsh McLennan to InsurTech founders. Interactive sessions across every zone where you’re invited to jump in, ask what you really want to know, and steer the discussion. This isn’t sit-and-listen; it’s speak up and be heard.
Hands-On Marketplace
30+ exhibitors and interactive InsurTech demos you can actually touch and test. A buzzing marketplace of ideas, solutions, and collaborations where you discover new tools, products, and partners to tackle your biggest challenges.N ot just watching — finding what you’ll take back to your work.
Discussion Table Real Talk
50+ exclusive, 1-hour Discussion Tables for senior brokers and decision-makers. Small-group, facilitated conversations on Cyber, Digital Transformation, Construction, and E&S where everyone leans in, swaps war stories, and pressure-tests ideas in real time.
Bring Your Crew
Team experiences and group sessions designed so your whole organization goes back energized with shared insights and new connections. Build your own festival lineup as a team, join collaborative workshops together, tackle live challenges side by side, and turn the pier into your offsite — complete with shared moments, fresh ideas, and stories you’ll still be talking about back at the office.
Festival Energy on the Pier
From sunrise yoga to sunset sets, food trucks, cocktails, and ocean air — the pier turns every coffee break into a moment.
THE NEXT ERA OF THE SMALL & MID-SIZE FIRM
Practical strategies on pricing, AI adoption, talent and succession — for managing partners and founders building resilient, adaptable practices.
Hall One is built for the leaders and lawyers who make small and mid-size firms work, where every decision on pricing, hiring and technology hits the bottom line directly. This track cuts through the theory to show what's actually driving profitability, client retention and firm growth right now.
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+FEATURED SESSIONS: HALL ONE
Running a Small Firm in 2026: What's Changing—and What Actually Matters
Three firm leaders open the day with an unfiltered read on where small firms are actually growing margin today, how client expectations on speed and pricing are shifting, and where AI is already replacing admin hours. Leave with a clear view of where the real opportunity sits in 2026.
The Size Advantage: How Agile Firms Are Winning in a Client-Driven Market
Fast-growing firms share the operational shifts behind their growth, from rethinking the core value proposition to aligning technology investment with client demand for transparency. Leave with practical moves for outmaneuvering larger, slower competitors.
From Hiring to High Performance: Rethinking Legal Talent Strategy
A look at how firms are rebuilding compensation, career progression and culture to attract and keep top legal talent, plus how AI is reshaping the partner-associate ratio. Leave with fresh frameworks for building a team that performs and stays.
Case Study: A Small Firm's Transformation Journey to Greater Agility and Efficiency
An honest account of how one small firm used AI, technology and workflow redesign to modernize operations and improve profitability, including the people side of change management. Leave with a practical roadmap for your own transformation.
Succession Planning for SME Law Firms: From Partner Transition to Future Leadership
As senior partners retire, this session tackles how firms structure ownership transitions, build leadership pipelines and protect client relationships through the handover. Leave with a framework for planning succession before it becomes urgent.
Closing Fireside Chat: Building Competitive Advantage Through Leadership & Culture
Senior firm leaders share the real decisions behind building a strong, inclusive culture under pressure. Leave with practical ways to build trust, alignment and accountability across your team.
FEATURED SPEAKERS: HALL ONE
Kim Gale is a seasoned advocate with a diverse background, championing her clients' causes across various platforms. Armed with an LL.M. in Dispute Resolution from Osgoode Hall Law School, she is also a skilled mediator, emphasizing communication and negotiation to resolve conflicts effectively. Kim's journey in law began in 2015 when she graduated from City University of London and gained experience at a prestigious Bay street firm in the UK before returning to Toronto to pursue her legal career further.
Since her call to the bar in January 2018, Kim has been at the forefront of legal innovation, founding Law For Millennials, NCA Network, and Gale Law Professional Corporation, all aimed at fostering diversity, inclusion, and accessible legal services. Her specialization in estate litigation underscores her dedication to resolving intricate legal matters such as dependant support applications and will challenges. As she completed her Masters of Law in Dispute Resolution, Kim continues to expand her expertise, positioning herself as a prominent figure in the legal community, offering not only legal representation but also mediation services through Gale Mediation.
Erin started her legal career as a corporate commercial litigator at McMillan LLP in Toronto after graduating from the University of Ottawa Faculty of Common Law in 2004. Following several years in a traditional lawyer role, Erin opened her solo freelance lawyer practice in 2013. In 2015 she founded Flex Legal Network Inc., a freelance lawyer platform that matches busy lawyers, law firms, and in-house counsel with freelance lawyers to assist with overflow legal work on a project basis.
Erin is also on the Board of Directors for CanLII, has volunteered with several legal organizations, taught Legal Research & Writing at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, and was the Regional Alumni Advisor (Toronto) for the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law, providing confidential career coaching to new lawyers. In addition to an award-winning law-blog, Erin writes for several legal publications and is a regular speaker on a variety of topics including alternative careers in law. Her first book, “The Modern Freelance Lawyer: A Guide to the Business, Ethics, and Evolution of Freelance Legal Work”, was published in 2025 and has reached several best seller lists on Amazon, and is also available at Indigo, Barnes & Noble, and the Toronto Public Library.
Tara Vasdani is the Principal Lawyer and Founder of Remote Law Canada. In 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, she has been nominated for Canadian Lawyer's Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada. From 2020 to 2024, she has been awarded the Employment Law Firm of the Year Award, by Canada's Prestige Awards. In 2022, Tara has been named a LinkedIn Top Voice in Remote Work, and in 2021, she was recognized as one of the Top 10 Remote Work Advocates and Leaders in North America. In 2024, Tara has been named Female Trailblazer of the Year (Private Practice) by the Canadian Law Awards.
Prior to founding Remote Law Canada, Tara worked as a civil, subrogation and employment litigator on Bay Street. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 2017, but was recognized globally by January 2018, as the first Canadian lawyer to serve a Statement of Claim using the popular social media app, Instagram. Tara’s innovative approach to civil litigation was quickly endorsed by the legal community, and she was featured in Above the Law, Globe Legal Post, Droit-Inc., on CBC, and profiled on the front page of the Law Times. In 2020, Tara joined Microsoft, Uber, FlexJobs, Distribute Consulting, and many others in advocating for remote work arrangements. In 2020, she was awarded a Top 10 Remote Work Advocate and Leader by AAE, nominated for RBC's 'Women of Influence', nominated for the WomenTech Network's Global Awards in the Global AI Inclusion and Global Technology Leadership categories, and a 'Woman of Inspiration' to the Universal Womens' Network.
Allison Speigel is a commercial litigator with broad industry experience, representing clients in complex business disputes across a wide range of sectors. She is known for her strategic approach, intellectual rigor, and willingness to take on difficult cases that others might avoid.
Allison’s litigation practice includes construction, complex commercial and contract disputes, insolvency, real estate, professional negligence, and fraud-related litigation. She is a key member of the firm’s debt collection and enforcement team, where her tenacity and strategic insight are particularly effective against sophisticated fraudsters and judgment debtors intent on concealing assets.
Allison spent the first five years of her career litigating high-profile cases in New York City. Allison and her husband, however, decided that life in the great white north was too good to give up and moved back to Toronto, their hometown.
Since joining Speigel Nichols Fox LLP, she has played a central role in developing the firm’s innovative approach to the business of law, including the creation of alternative fee and value-based billing models. With Allison’s involvement, the firm was among the first in Canada to offer flat-fee, value-based billing for litigation matters.
When not working, Allison enjoys spending time with her family and arguing (with just about anybody) for sport.
Kurt Schlachter is the CEO of Stringam Law. Under his leadership, the firm is expanding throughout Western Canada via a combination of organic growth and targeted mergers, while fostering a culture of excellence and high-calibre client service.. Before becoming CEO, Kurt built a successful legal practice in business law, real estate, civil litigation, and family law. Deeply committed to community service, he has served on the boards of numerous charitable organizations, including as the chair of both Economic Development Lethbridge and the Board of Governors of the University of Lethbridge. In 2023, Kurt and his spouse established an endowment for 2SLGBTQ+ students at the University of Lethbridge. Kurt holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Neuroscience, a J.D., and the prestigious ICD.D designation. Recognized for his leadership and commitment to community building, he was named one of Lethbridge’s Top 40 Under 40, given a traditional Blackfoot name, appointed King’s Counsel in 2022, and awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of Lethbridge in 2024.
Jason Ward is a retired civil litigator, author, and co-owner of WARDS LAWYERS PC, a twelve-lawyer full-service firm in Central Ontario. Certified by the Law Society of Ontario as a Specialist in Civil Litigation, he stepped away from litigation at age fifty after more than two decades inside the pressures of high-conflict legal practice and his own experience with mental health and substance use disorders.
Featured by the American Bar Association, Canadian Bar Association, and Maclean’s, Jason writes and speaks extensively across Canada and the United States on the sustainability crisis facing modern legal practice. His nationally published essays and commentary examine the intersection of AI, billable-hour economics, institutional pressure, burnout, addiction, and the culture of performance that has long defined the profession.
He speaks across North America to legal organizations, regulators, law firms, corporations, and professional audiences about the future of the legal profession — and the personal cost of how that future is being built. More information: Mentally Speaking
THREE CONTENT STREAMS
- GC-Law Firm Partnership
- AI & Innovation
- Small & Mid-Size
The GC–law firm relationship is being renegotiated. Clients expect faster decisions, sharper commercial alignment, and greater accountability from external counsel — and in-house teams are under equal pressure to do more with less. This stream goes beyond the traditional dynamic to tackle leadership, legal operations, risk, talent, and what genuine business partnership looks like in practice.
The legal technology conversation has decisively shifted from “if” to “how.” This stream brings together innovators, early adopters, and constructive sceptics to tackle the real questions - on AI, automation and what meaningful digital transformation looks like for legal teams and firms in 2026.
The firms growing right now are making deliberate choices — on pricing, on technology, on the work they take and the clients they keep. This stream delivers practical, direct guidance on running a profitable and future-ready practice: client expectations, operational efficiency, culture, succession, and how to build something sustainable in a market that's moving fast.
WHAT ATTENDEES ARE SAYING
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WHO ATTENDS
THEMES AT A GLANCE
Digital Transformation & Innovation
Cyber, Risk & Underwriting
Nat Cat & Climate
Regulation, Legal & Compliance
Next Gen
E&S Unfiltered
Construction & Specialty Reports
Market Capacity, M&A & Economic Headwinds
DISCUSSION TABLES
Step into action with our all-new themed discussion tables—built for leaders who want results now. These fast-paced, interactive sessions go beyond theory, delivering tactical conversations and proven takeaways you can put to work immediately.
Cyber
How do you keep up with rapidly evolving cyber policies while driving client education on emerging risks and solutions?
Digital Transformation
What are the transformational benefits of implementing AI effectively across your business?
Construction
What are the biggest hidden builder’s risks brokers and clients need to watch for, and how can you identify them early?
Excess & Surplus Lines
How do you build and maintain client trust in E&S placements, especially in a volatile market?
Cyber
How are you leveraging AI to outpace cyber threats, and what challenges are you facing in the cyber arms race?
Digital Transformation
How can brokers turn data into actionable insights that drive revenue and growth?
Construction
What strategies help brokers navigate high-risk construction projects in a tightening market?
Excess & Surplus Lines
How do you stay ahead of volatility in the E&S market and make confident placement decisions?
Cyber
What strategies have helped you convert cyber skeptics into loyal, proactive clients?
Digital Transformation
How do you design a digital-first client experience that truly delivers value and loyalty
Construction
How do you evaluate and implement jobsite technologies that deliver real value for clients?
Excess & Surplus Lines
What creative strategies help brokers secure E&S coverage when traditional markets say no?
Cyber
What digital threats are most concerning for your clients, and how are you helping them prepare?
Digital Transformation
What lessons have you learned from your digital transformation journey—both successes and failures?
Construction
How do you identify and negotiate contract clauses that can make or break a construction deal?
THEMES AT A GLANCE
Digital Transformation & Innovation
- Turning AI from hype to ROI in real brokerage workflows
- Building a digital client journey that wins (and keeps) business in a virtual world
- Choosing InsurTech and RegTech partners that accelerate real transformation
Cyber, Risk & Underwriting
- Turning cyber risk into a client‑value conversation, not a fear pitch
- Cyber crisis playbooks: who does what, when it hits
- Underwriting the next wave of cyber and personal cyber exposures
Nat Cat & Climate
- Rethinking nat cat models for a world that won’t sit still
- Helping clients understand climate‑driven pricing and coverage shifts
- Placing and structuring nat cat and climate‑exposed risks when volatility is the norm
Regulation, Legal & Compliance
- What new rules really mean for AI, cyber, and everyday brokerage workflows
- RegTech that actually simplifies audits, file reviews, and reporting
- Staying compliant on claims, E&S, and specialty without killing broker speed
Next Gen
- Career playbooks: what rising brokers wish they’d known earlier
- Mixing veteran experience with new ideas in
- Finding your lane as a NextGen broker in a consolidating, tech‑driven market
Diversity & Inclusion
- Real stories from women and under‑represented leaders on breaking through and bringing others with them
- How brokers can sponsor others, share opportunities, and use their voice even without a hiring title
- Where inclusion has changed client relationships, ideas, and outcomes – not just internal messaging
E&S Unfiltered
- Winning in a capacity‑tight, appetite‑shifting E&S market
- Designing E&S solutions for “wild risks” the standard market won’t touch
- Broker, MGA, and carrier partnerships that unlock specialty placements
Construction & Specialty Reports
- Managing construction risk under climate, cost, and regulatory pressure
- Spotting breakout niches across specialty lines before the market crowds in
- Claims and coverage lessons from large, multi‑party and specialty projects
Market Capacity, M&A & Economic Headwinds
- Broker playbooks for navigating consolidation and staying relevant
- Positioning your firm for sale, scale, or strategic partnership
- Competing when capacity, pricing, and client demand all move at once
Digital Transformation & Innovation
- Turning AI from hype to ROI in real brokerage workflows
- Building a digital client journey that wins (and keeps) business in a virtual world
- Choosing InsurTech and RegTech partners that accelerate real transformation
Cyber, Risk & Underwriting
- Turning cyber risk into a client‑value conversation, not a fear pitch
- Cyber crisis playbooks: who does what, when it hits
- Underwriting the next wave of cyber and personal cyber exposures
Nat Cat & Climate
- Rethinking nat cat models for a world that won’t sit still
- Helping clients understand climate‑driven pricing and coverage shifts
- Placing and structuring nat cat and climate‑exposed risks when volatility is the norm
Regulation, Legal & Compliance
- What new rules really mean for AI, cyber, and everyday brokerage workflows
- RegTech that actually simplifies audits, file reviews, and reporting
- Staying compliant on claims, E&S, and specialty without killing broker speed
Next Gen
- Career playbooks: what rising brokers wish they’d known earlier
- Mixing veteran experience with new ideas in
- Finding your lane as a NextGen broker in a consolidating, tech‑driven market
Diversity & Inclusion
- Real stories from women and under‑represented leaders on breaking through and bringing others with them
- How brokers can sponsor others, share opportunities, and use their voice even without a hiring title
- Where inclusion has changed client relationships, ideas, and outcomes – not just internal messaging
E&S Unfiltered
- Winning in a capacity‑tight, appetite‑shifting E&S market
- Designing E&S solutions for “wild risks” the standard market won’t touch
- Broker, MGA, and carrier partnerships that unlock specialty placements
Construction & Specialty Reports
- Managing construction risk under climate, cost, and regulatory pressure
- Spotting breakout niches across specialty lines before the market crowds in
- Claims and coverage lessons from large, multi‑party and specialty projects
Market Capacity, M&A & Economic Headwinds
- Broker playbooks for navigating consolidation and staying relevant
- Positioning your firm for sale, scale, or strategic partnership
- Competing when capacity, pricing, and client demand all move at once
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