Based primarily in Washington DC, the group at McDermott Will & Emery LLP has experience across a range matters impacting insurers, from coverage litigation to complex underwriting. Margaret Warner co-leads the team, a highly experienced insurance litigator who has handled matters concerning antitrust, class action, mass tort, product liability, reinsurance, and many other types of disputes at trial and appellate level. Other co-chair Ryan Smethurst is a go-to for policy drafting guidance and various contentious insurance matters, from high-profile class actions, tax, ERISA disputes, and insurance litigation arising from large transactions, and is also an experienced advisor of captive insurers. Recent engagements span matters connected to PFAS, asbestos, and several sexual abuse matters, including the representation of Allianz in coverage litigation related to sexual abuse cases brought against the Roman Catholic Bishop of Orange County.
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Accolades
Client satisfaction
Key clients
- Allianz Global Risks US Insurance Company
- Allianz Underwriters Ins. Co.
- Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company
- Interstate Fire & Casualty Corporation
- Jefferson Insurance Company
- National Surety Corporation
- OKA, The Carbon Insurance Company
Work highlights
- Representing Allianz and Jefferson in the Boy Scouts of America's Chapter 11 appeals, involving the largest sexual abuse bankruptcy and insurance cases in U.S. history, including handling appeals on insurance policy assignments and legal compliance under the Bankruptcy Code.
- Advising Allianz Global Risks US Insurance Company in evaluating and managing litigation over 3M's nine-figure PFAS property damage and bodily injury claims.
- Representing Allianz in an insurance coverage litigation related to Daimler Truck North America's nine-figure asbestos and environmental liabilities.
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Practice head
Margaret Warner; Ryan Smethurst