International law firm Sedgwick will this afternoon stage its eighth annual Hot Topics Seminar for the Bermuda Insurance Market.

Six speakers will cover topics including energy, general liability, directors and officers insurance, class actions and litigation arising out of the sub-prime lending market in the event at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Insititute, starting at 2 p.m. Mark Chudleigh, a partner with Sedgwick's Bermuda office, will host the event.

Eric Scheiner of Sedgwick Chicago will provide an overview of the latest trends in class action litigation in the United States, including whether the future of US class actions is in doubt, whether it is becoming harder to get a class certified in the US Court and the implications of these and other current issues for insurers who issue policies to US companies.

Ed Smerdon of Sedgwick London will examine the vexed question of how to structure global directors' and officers' risks for companies operating in numerous jurisdictions as the affects of the credit crisis continue to work their way through the insurance system.

Jennifer Broda of Sedgwick Chicago will address topics of relevance to employment practices liability insurers, including new US legislation that incentivises employees by offering them "bounties" to blow the whistle on companies that engage in fraud or other illegal activities.

Julie Adams of Sedgwick Houston, a marine insurance specialist, will address products liability issues affecting off-shore energy facilities, a particularly hot topic in light of the huge liabilities emanating from the Deepwater Horizon explosion.

Other speakers are Dick Geddes, an expert on the "Bermuda Form" insurance wording, who will examine trends and likely future exposures affecting the high excess casualty market, and Ralph Guirgis who will review the various on-going US sub-prime lawsuits including an in-depth analysis of one of the leading cases and the insurance issues that it may give rise to.

Sedgwick said the seminar is almost fully subscribed.

Anyone interested in being added to guest list should contact Mark Chudleigh at mark.chudleigh@sdma.com">mark.chudleigh@sdma.com.