The 2024 RV Dealers Convention/Expo, set to take place from November 11-15 in Las Vegas, will offer attendees an opportunity to engage with legal experts during a special “Super Lawyers Session.”
A centerpiece of the event is a mock trial designed to help RV dealers understand how to avoid costly consumer lawsuits. The session, titled “The Dealership Strikes Back,” will take place on November 13 and aims to provide insights for industry professionals facing legal challenges related to consumer complaints.
For the second time, audience members will serve as jurors in a mock trial involving an RV dealership and manufacturer facing a consumer claim. This year’s session will focus on fostering partnerships between dealerships and manufacturers to prevent and resolve legal disputes effectively.
Leading the session are several figures in the RV legal landscape, including Harold Oehler, a well-known mediator and industry trainer, Dave Thomas, general counsel of Keystone, Tobi Conroy, THOR’s consumer affairs liaison, and Jim Ganther from Mosaic Compliance Services. Each brings years of expertise in resolving disputes between dealers and consumers, equipping attendees with the tools needed to navigate potential legal battles.
Oehler has over three decades of experience mediating RV-related legal claims and continues providing specialized training for dealerships and manufacturers. His sessions, available in-person or via Zoom, aim to foster collaborative approaches to handling consumer complaints. Oehler’s leadership in this area earned him the RVDA Chairman’s Service Awards in 2010 and 2019 for his dedication to improving the RV industry’s legal landscape.
According to a press release, this mock trial aims to equip RV dealers with strategies for mitigating consumer lawsuits. Attendees will also learn the importance of working closely with manufacturers to resolve complaints and secure manufacturer support in legal defenses.
RVDA President Phil Ingrassia emphasized the value of this session, highlighting how it equips dealers with proactive strategies before disputes escalate into court cases. “This panel has proven to be popular with our members, and this year’s group promises to feature new strategies that dealers, manufacturers, and their management teams can use to avoid expensive and time-consuming litigation,” Ingrassia noted.