Managing Business Risk: Legal and Insurance Perspectives

June 3, 2025
San Diego, CA

three people sitting at long tables in a row

Engineers are trained to anticipate and manage risk. Murphy’s Law (“anything that can go wrong will go wrong”) was coined by Edward A. Murphy Jr., an American aerospace engineer who worked on safety-critical systems.

A section of the CSIA Best Practices manual is dedicated to “Project Risk Management.”  When it comes to financial investments, taking higher risks means higher rewards.

Managing a business demands a proactive approach to risk management. Business owners are confronted with risks from very different sources: personnel, operational, financial, technical, strategic, etc. The scope of this workshop is limited to legal- and insurance-related topics.

Through a combination of presentations and presenter-facilitated roundtable discussions you will take a deeper dive into various topics including:

  • Limiting Liability by Contracting
  • Transferring Liability through Insurance Programs
  • Understanding the Nuances of Insurance Contracts
  • Understanding the importance of developing a Safety Culture to minimize risks
  • Understanding Indemnity Requirements
  • Addressing Warranties and Warranty Limitations and Exclusions
  • Protecting Intellectual Property Interests
  • Obtaining Price and Schedule Relief for Unexpected Events and Circumstances
  • Resolving Disputes

If you are a system integrator who values understanding and managing business risk, then this one-day workshop presented by professionals who work with companies just like yours every day, is for you.

Participant Takeaways

You will walk away with an understanding of key legal terms commonly found in contracts in the automation and system integration industry, including strategies for limiting liability, narrowing indemnity obligations, addressing warranty terms, protecting intellectual property rights, obtaining relief from unexpected events and circumstances, and resolving disputes.

You will also gain an understanding of the necessary insurance policies needed in the automation and system integration industry and how these policies protect your bottom line by transferring the inherent risks.

You will also take away the importance of creating a culture centered around safety which directly impacts the management of the associated risks.

Price ranges from $900- $1,100 (The earlier you register, the more you save!).

Workshop includes a full day of education and materials, breakfast, lunch, two breaks and complementary access to the CSIA Conference Emerging Leaders and Welcome Receptions.

While CSIA will make every effort to deliver the agenda as presented here, the speakers, schedule and sessions are subject to change as circumstances do.

Presented by

The workshop will be delivered by Brian Clifford, representing Faegre Drinker, a CSIA Partner member and provider of the CSIA Legal Plan, and Michael Cunningham, representing ECBM, a CSIA Partner member and provider of the CSIA Insurance Program.

Tentative Agenda

8 am Registration and Breakfast
8:30 am Welcome and Intro
8:55 am Limiting Liability by Contracting
9:10 am Legal: Understanding Indemnity
9:25 am Breakouts
10 am Discussion and Takeaways
10:10 am Break
10:20 am Legal: Warranties, and Warranty Limitation and Exclusions
10:35 am Breakouts
11:05 am Discussion and Takeaways
11:15 am Legal: Force Majeure and Similar Events
11:30 am Breakouts
12 pm Discussion and Takeaways
12:10 pm Lunch
12:55 pm Legal: Protecting Intellectual Property Interests
1:10 pm Legal: Resolving Disputes
1:25 pm Breakouts
1:45 pm Discussion and Takeaways
1:55 pm Insurance: Types of Standard Coverage for SIs
2:40 pm Insurance: Creating a Culture of Safety
3:10 pm Discussion and Takeaways
3:40 pm Break
3:50 pm Insurance: Claims Process and Strategies
4:10 pm Discussion and Takeaways
4:20 pm Legal and Insurance Q&A/Wrapup
5 pm Conclusion