2025 Wilderness Risk Management Conference

Name: Now You Can! Recent legislation allows the use of liability release agreements on federal lands
Start: 2025-10-01T10:30:00-0400
End: 2025-10-01T12:00:00-0400

Main Conference: Tuesday, September 30 - Thursday, October 2, 2025

Preconference: Monday September 29 - Tuesday, September 30, 2025

*Schedule subject to change.

Wednesday October 1, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm EDT

Oxford / Somerset

Has a federal land manager (like the NPS or Forest Service) said you can’t use liability release agreements or that you have to use the VAR? Recently enacted federal legislation called the SOAR Act changes the rules. It also eliminates the requirement for state entities to provide indemnity and more. The National Park Service has issued a memo with several revisions to its policies. Come hear from two attorneys about what has changed, who the new law applies to, and what you can and should do now.

Speakers

Frances Mock

Frances Turner Mock, Attorney

Frances Mock is an attorney specializing in risk management and claims management for wilderness and experiential education programs She is counsel to NOLS, SCA, LL Bean’s Outdoor Discovery School, and other organizations, providing advice about: responding to incidents (deaths... Read More →

Paul Sanford

Director of Equitable Access Policy, The Wilderness Society

Paul Sanford is the Director of Equitable Access Policy at The Wilderness Society, where he advocates for policies that ensure everyone benefits equitably from nature and public lands. Paul has been an attorney and public policy advocate at the federal level since 1991. He has extensive... Read More →

Wednesday October 1, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Oxford / Somerset Holiday Inn By the Bay:88 Spring St, Portland, ME 04119

Legal & Insurance, Breakout Session

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2025 Wilderness Risk Management Conference

Frances Mock

Paul Sanford

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