Advice to insurers

David Attisani

David Attisani, a partner in Choate’s top-ranked Insurance & Reinsurance Group (#1 reinsurance and litigation firm according to Reactions and highly rated by Legal 500), assists insurers and reinsurers in problem-solving, shaping, and winning high profile disputes. Using the thoroughly personal and intense service style his clients value, David also provides evaluations of coverage, wordings advice, and market intelligence. He has served as lead counsel with respect to the following industry-significant claims: COVID-19 BI and WC; NFL CTE; the California wildfires; 9/11 (WTC); “Obamacare”; life rate increase disputes; spousal continuation problems; Superstorm Sandy; Hurricanes Wilma, Katrina, Harvey; the Puerto Rico Hurricanes (Maria/Irma); the Las Vegas shooting; the “Big Dig” Tunnel Collapse; NY “reviver” molestation claims; Archdiocese of L.A., Society of Jesus, and other clergy abuse claims; Boy Scouts of America and school-related sex abuse problems; J&J talc exposures; the Nikita Levy/ Johns Hopkins “rogue” doctor case; and Sphere Drake. David’s clients include global insurers and reinsurers Swiss Re, Munich Re, Endurance/Sompo, Chubb, Liberty Mutual, The Hartford, Berkley, Partner Re, The Andover Companies, Aeolus, Symetra, and MIIA.

Peter Chaffetz

Founding Partner

Bryce Friedman

Co-Head of Simpson Thacher’s Business Litigation Practice with focus on complex commercial disputes and trials. Represents the insurance and reinsurance industries in trials and arbitrations of coverage, trade practice and business disputes. Defends insurers against fraud allegations, including alleged False Claims Act violations and government investigations. Representative clients include Beazley, Travelers, Chubb, FM Global, AIG, Utica National and members of the Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group.

Steven Schwartz

Partner

Margaret Warner

Partner

Kevin Finnerty

Counsel

Joshua Polster

Josh Polster represents and counsels insurers in coverage disputes and tries high-stakes cases in court and before arbitral tribunals. He is experienced in handling complex actuarial matters that arise in insurance disputes. He also regularly represents clients in securities and M&A disputes and advises family offices on litigation issues. Josh is recognized by Euromoney’s Benchmark Litigation as a “Future Star” and is a repeat honoree on its “40 & Under List,” which honors the achievements of the nation’s most accomplished law firm partners under the age of 40. He also maintains an active pro bono practice. He has defeated an emergency motion in a Florida voting action and, along with the ACLU and AIC, secured a preliminary injunction blocking a fast-track deportation rule.

Andrew Poplinger

Partner

Erin Valentine

Counsel & Head of Business Development

Andrew Frankel

Andy Frankel is Head of Simpson Thacher’s Insurance and Reinsurance Practice. He has more than 30 years of experience successfully representing clients in a wide variety of complex disputes, including insurance, securities, product liability and other commercial litigation and investigations. Andy has successfully litigated cases in state and federal trial and appellate courts throughout the United States and in domestic and international arbitrations. Representative insurance-related experience includes defending insurers in complex coverage disputes and bankruptcy proceedings involving a variety of mass tort litigations, representing insurers in direct actions, claims alleging bad faith, environmental coverage disputes, claims involving dissolved or defunct policyholders and court-appointed receivers, claims involving alleged disparate impact liability, representing insurers in market conduct examinations and other government investigations, and a wide range of other matters on behalf of insurers.

J.P. Jaillet

Partner

Lynn Neuner

An experienced trial lawyer specializing in securities, shareholder, insurance and false advertising disputes. Representations include: TD Bank in historic litigation related to Allen Stanford Ponzi scheme; Pfizer in Viatris securities litigation and numerous indemnity disputes; Lloyd’s and RSA in successful resolution during the third week of jury trial in connection with a business interruption and physical damage claim; Olon S.p.A. in breach of contract and fraud dispute against Perfect Day; Chubb, Axa XL, and Swiss Re in aviation insurance litigation related to airplanes allegedly grounded in Russia; TD Bank in Ponzi scheme cases involving TelexFree in Massachusetts and National Realty Investment Advisors in New Jersey; Jabil in contract manufacturing dispute with Beckman Coulter and Danaher Corporation; Frontdoor in acquisition litigation with Serviz; co-executors of estate of former CEO of Scholastic Inc. in various trust and probate matters; Hovnanian in landmark securities case regarding credit default swaps; Phoenix Insurance Company in asbestos-related coverage litigation; Travelers in centi-million-dollar pollution coverage action; Bayer in emergency court proceeding that ended competitor’s advertising campaign in two weeks; Weight Watchers in large securities class action and related derivative suits; Bayer in advertising challenges regarding Claritin, Aleve and Maty’s Healthy Products; Ziegler Family businesses in shareholder disputes; Footlocker Board members in derivative suits; and multiple confidential international and U.S. arbitrations. Devotes significant pro bono counsel to U.S. veterans, including work on historic ruling allowing veterans to bring class actions in Veterans Court and winning a 20-year dispute to secure disability benefits for a veteran following a VA appeal.

Heather Richardson

Charles Scibetta

Founding Partner

Ryan Smethurst

Partner

Deborah Stein

Deborah L. Stein is a partner in Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s Los Angeles office. She is a member of the Firm’s Litigation Practice Group and Co-Chair of its Insurance and Reinsurance Practice Group. Deborah has extensive experience representing insurers and reinsurers in trial and appellate courts as well as in arbitration. Clients turn to Deborah to litigate their most significant coverage and bad faith disputes, as well as to represent them in False Claims Act, cybersecurity, and class action cases.

Christopher Carroll

Partner

Heather Simpson

Partner