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Ronald A. Norwood Presents “Defense Considerations in Minimizing Policing Liability for Municipalities and Police Officers” at ABA Midyear Meeting

Lewis Rice member Ronald A. Norwood presented at the American Bar Association (ABA) Midyear Meeting in Austin, Texas on February 15 as part of a panel presentation addressing the issue of civil liability for municipalities and police officers arising from allegations of police misconduct. His presentation, entitled "Defense Considerations in Minimizing Policing Liability for Municipalities and Police Officers," addressed developing case law since the events in Ferguson, Missouri regarding qualified immunity defenses for police officers. As developed by United States Supreme Court case law, qualified immunity protects police officers from claims that an individual’s constitutional rights have been violated where a police officer demonstrates that he or she had “probable cause” or “arguable probable cause,” or where an individual fails to identify clearly established law prohibiting the particular police conduct in question.

Ron represents health insurers, health maintenance organizations, and health care providers in health care litigation disputes and represents manufacturers in product liability litigation, consumer fraud claims, and disputes arising under the Uniform Commercial Code. He has also represented governmental, quasi-governmental entities, and municipalities in an assortment of litigation matters, and he has defended various entities in class action lawsuits alleging violations of the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Electronic Funds Transfer Act, the Federal Civil Rights Act, Title VII, and Section 1983.