Columbia partner Dell Chappell will participate in a panel discussion at the 16th Annual Electronic Discovery Institute (EDI) Leadership Summit in Lahaina, Hawaii, on October 13-15, 2026. This Nelson Mullins sponsored event will take place at the Westin Maui Ka’anapali where participants will network and engage with e-discovery industry leaders and peers and discuss a variety of emerging issues at the intersection of law and technology.

Chappell will be joined by Kathleen Corpus with Ford Motor Company, Kimberly Harlowe with Altria Client Services, and Jeffrey Salling with Moderna for the panel discussion “On the Record: Preparing Corporate Witnesses for the ESI Deposition” on the second day of the event.

As technology transforms the deposition landscape, corporate witnesses are increasingly questioned using reconstructed chat threads, email metadata and AI-generated chronologies designed to expose gaps and inconsistencies. This panel will discuss practical strategies for preparing witnesses to confidently explain ESI practices, communicate technical issues in plain language and collaborate with discovery counsel to minimize exposure well before a deposition begins.

Chappell is a member of the firm’s litigation practice group, including the electronic discovery division, Encompass. He has a wide litigation practice that he focuses on products liability, pharmaceutical and medical devices, business disputes, toxic torts, cybersecurity and data breach response, e-discovery, and criminal law. As an experienced litigator, Chappell has represented and counseled clients in a variety of national legal matters in both state and federal courts across the country in end-to-end litigation matters.

For two decades, the EDI Leadership Summit has brought together a close-knit community of legal professionals recognized for unparalleled expertise, curiosity and collaboration. This year’s summit in Maui marks a special milestone, the 20th anniversary of EDI, and will be a celebration of the relationships, insights and innovations that have shaped both the organization and the broader legal technology landscape.