DRI--The Voice of the Defense Bar, Selects Executive Leadership Committee for 2005; Veteran Litigator Richard T. Boyette Named President at DRI's Annual Meeting in New Orleans.

CHICAGO -- DRI--The Voice of the Defense Bar, celebrated the appointment of Richard T. Boyette as president of the nation's largest defense bar organization. The news was announced as more than 1,000 defense attorneys and corporate counsel gathered in New Orleans for DRI's annual meeting to address issues of pressing concern to the legal community, such as tort reform and crisis management.

Boyette is a veteran litigator of over 25 years and a nationally recognized defense attorney practicing mediation, product and professional liability, insurance, real estate and construction law at the law firm Cranfill, Sumner & Hartzog, LLP in North Carolina. His years of experience uniquely position him to lead DRI as it continues to address issues critical to the civil justice system and DRI's members in 2005. He succeeds William R. Sampson, partner of Shook, Hardy & Bacon in Kansas City. Sampson will serve as the organization's immediate past president.

"Richard has demonstrated strong leadership skills and a real commitment to promoting the interests of the defense bar and its members," said John R. Kouris, executive director of DRI. "We are thrilled to have an outstanding business and civic leader of Richard's caliber stepping into this critical role at DRI and look forward to his continued contributions towards guiding the mission of the organization."

DRI's new leadership was appointed at the organization's annual meeting in New Orleans, where humorist Ben Stein and luminaries such as reporter Howard Fineman, trial techniques expert James McElhaney and ABA President Robert J. Grey, Jr. spoke.

Other key officer appointments include:

--President-Elect--David E. Dukes, managing partner of Nelson, Mullins, Riley & Scarborough in Columbia, SC

--First Vice President--Patrick A. Long, partner of Long, Williamson & Delis in Santa Ana, CA

--Second Vice President-- John H. Martin, partner of Thompson & Knight in Dallas, TX

--Secretary-Treasurer--Matthew Y. Biscan, principal of Clisham, Satriana & Biscan in Denver, CO

The following DRI members were appointed to the organization's board of directors. DRI's board consists of both national and regional directors:

--National Director--Patricia O. Alverez, partner of Alvarez Notzon Gutierrez in Laredo, TX

--National Director--Keri Lynn Bush, partner of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard in Costa Mesa, CA

--National Director--Paul M. Lavelle, partner of Landry & Lavelle in New Orleans, LA

--National Director--Randall R. Riggs, senior partner of Locke Reynolds in Indianapolis, IN

--Mid-Region Director--Daniel R. McCune, member of Kennedy, Christopher, Childs & Fogg in Denver, CO

--Mid-Atlantic Director--Robert Delano, partner of Sands, Anderson, Marks in Richmond, VA

--Northeast Director--R. Matthew Cairns, partner of Ransmeier & Spellman in Concord, NH

--Pacific Director--Wayne Maire, founding partner of Maire, Mansell, Beasley in Redding, CA

DRI--The Voice of the Defense Bar, is the national organization of 21,500 defense trial lawyers and corporate counsel. DRI provides numerous educational and informational resources to members and offers many opportunities for liaison among defense trial lawyers, Corporate America, and state and local defense organizations. DRI also has an international presence, seeking to enhance understanding of the law among members of the defense community who have reason to be concerned with the expanding globalization of litigation defense. The organization can be reached at www.dri.org.