Robert Kole > Choate, Hall & Stewart > Boston, United States > Lawyer Profile

Choate, Hall & Stewart
TWO INTERNATIONAL PLACE
BOSTON, MA 02110
MASSACHUSETTS
United States

Position

Rob Kole helps domestic and foreign insurers and reinsurers to achieve successful outcomes in some of the most significant, cutting edge issues affecting them, including opioids, mass shootings, terrorism, asbestos, environmental, food contamination, oil and gas, catastrophic property damage, and catastrophe bonds. Clients value the experience he brings in providing insurance and reinsurance advice, coverage opinions, litigation representation, arbitration guidance, and appellate work.

Rob has argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First, Second, Fifth, Ninth, and Eleventh Circuits as well as the Connecticut Supreme Court and the California Court of Appeals in connection with insurance and reinsurance disputes. He has successfully litigated in the trial court, and affirmed on appeal, two of the earliest opioid coverage decisions in the U.S.: Travelers v. Anda (11th Circuit) and Travelers v. Actavis (California Court of Appeals); successfully litigated an issue of first impression in the Connecticut Supreme Court regarding insurance coverage for crumbling home foundations (Karas v. Liberty Mutual; Vera v. Liberty Mutual); successfully litigated in the trial court, and affirmed on appeal, the first dispute in the U.S. concerning coverage under catastrophe bonds (Mariah Re); and successfully arbitrated dozens of reinsurance disputes on behalf of ceding companies and reinsurers

A number of Rob’s clients cannot be disclosed publicly due to the confidential nature of the proceedings. However, past or current clients in public matters include Liberty Mutual, Travelers, St. Paul, Swiss Re, Hartford, and American Family Insurance.

Rob is a member of Choate’s Executive Committee.

Education

University of Virginia School of Law
JD, 1996
Lafayette College
BA, 1993, cum laude

Lawyer Rankings

United States > Insurance > Advice to insurers

Choate, Hall & Stewart‘s Boston-based team specializes in advising insurers and reinsurers on multi-jurisdictional disputes, including coverage issues, reinsurance arbitrations and subsequent appeals. The firm advises major insurers on their exposure in a number of notable areas, including widespread opioid exposures, COVID-19 reinsurance and retrocession matters, sexual abuse litigation, large-scale disasters such as wildfires and mass shootings. The practice is headed by David Attisani, who offers extensive experience representing insurers and reinsurers engaged in coverage and life rate increase disputes, Robert Kole, who supports clients involved in mass shooting, product liability and sports injury litigation, and J.P. Jaillet, who also handles coverage disputes and reinsurance arbitrations. Kevin Finnerty represents insurers and reinsurers in coverage disputes.