Stradley Ronon expands litigation team with four re/insurance law experts

New hires bolster the firm’s insurance, reinsurance, and regulatory practice

Stradley Ronon expands litigation team with four re/insurance law experts

Reinsurance

By Kenneth Araullo

Stradley Ronon has expanded its litigation team with the addition of four lawyers specializing in insurance coverage, reinsurance, and regulatory matters.

The group, which joins from Mintz, includes partners Deirdre Johnson and Paul Kalish, managing counsel Marc Haas, and senior counsel Elaine Panagakos. Johnson and Kalish will be based in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office, while Haas and Panagakos will be located in New York and Washington, respectively. 

Johnson represents insurers, reinsurers, and captive insurers in coverage disputes, litigation, and arbitration proceedings in the U.S. and internationally.

She also handles life reinsurance treaty disputes and has experience defending public corporations in class actions, securities litigation, and enforcement actions brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 

Kalish has advised global insurers for more than 36 years, handling class actions, international arbitrations, and coverage disputes related to mass tort and environmental claims. He has served as national coverage counsel on cases involving Hurricane Katrina and Deepwater Horizon.

His practice also includes advising insurers in complex litigation and arbitration in federal, state, and bankruptcy courts. 

Haas advises domestic and international insurers and reinsurers on coverage disputes. He has represented clients in state and federal courts nationwide, as well as in alternative dispute resolution proceedings. 

Panagakos has more than 30 years of experience in insurance and reinsurance matters, focusing on complex coverage disputes related to environmental, toxic tort, and institutional policyholder claims. She counsels insurers on litigation strategies, dispute resolution, and coverage concerns. 

Jeff Grossman, co-chair of Stradley Ronon’s litigation department, said the new team will enhance the firm’s insurance and reinsurance-related services at a time when demand for legal counsel in the industry is increasing.

“Together, we counsel some of the largest insurance companies worldwide and a variety of other industry participants, including financial services firms that play a key funding role within the insurance market,” Grossman said.

With these additions, Stradley Ronon’s insurance team now comprises nearly 30 lawyers representing insurers, reinsurers, and other industry participants in coverage disputes and other matters across the United States. 

The expansion follows a period of growth for the firm, which has made several hires across key practice areas and regions. Recent additions include partner Amy Vulpio, who focuses on bankruptcy litigation and restructuring, a trio of New York-based partners in investment management, and a 10-lawyer litigation team that launched the firm’s Southern California office. 

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