Hinshaw Propels Insurance Practice Growth with Addition of Eight Partners
Firm Advances Next Step in Fulfillment of Strategic Plan with Nationally Recognized Thought Leaders Michael Marick and Scott Seaman
Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP announced today the arrival of eight attorneys from Meckler Bulger Tilson Marick & Pearson LLP (MBT). The seven MBT partners joining include MBT founder Michael M. Marick and Scott M. Seaman who are both recognized leaders in the insurance industry, as well as John E. DeLascio, Karen M. Dixon, Rebecca R. Haller, James H. Kallianis Jr. and Jason R. Schulze. Timothy H. Wright, formerly an associate at MBT, will join Hinshaw as a partner. The team will be based in the firm's Chicago office and their nationwide practice will complement the firm's legal services across the United States and in London.
"A year and a half ago, Hinshaw set out to grow and develop high priority practices that complement our existing strengths and contribute to differentiating our firm in the marketplace. To achieve that goal, we created a detailed strategy to deepen the firm's insurance practice with professionals who are recognized as leaders in their field," said Kevin Joseph Burke, Vice Chairman of Hinshaw. "I cannot imagine any lawyers better suited to help lead our efforts than Mike Marick and Scott Seaman. We are thrilled to bring on this team that adds tremendous property, casualty and reinsurance experience to our existing capabilities."
The group's arrival comes on the heels of Hinshaw's merger with Barger & Wolen, a household name in the insurance industry with a history of strong litigation, reinsurance and regulatory practices. Since last October, the firm has added more than 50 attorneys to its Insurance & Reinsurance Practice Group. Furthermore, the firm has seen growth in San Francisco area with the recent addition of Forrest Booth, Pamela Schultz, Phillip Barilovits and Bradley H. Pace, who have an international admiralty and maritime claims and oil and gas energy practice.
"Kevin and I practiced law together in the 1980s when I was an associate at Hinshaw. The lawyers who we grew up with are now leading the firm and have become notable figures in the Chicago and national legal communities," said Mr. Marick. "Insurers are looking for innovative strategies, solutions and results to resolve complex insurance disputes. Hinshaw speaks the language of insurers and our clients understand and appreciate that working with Hinshaw lawyers requires no indoctrination. We are going to accomplish great things together."
Mr. Seaman added, "Hinshaw is a longstanding, financially stable, well-managed law firm that now has assembled the best team of insurance lawyers in the United States." He continued, "The firm has solid assets in its traditional lawyers, up and coming leaders, the Barger legacy team and now our group, which gives the firm added national recognition and makes Hinshaw a premier firm for general liability insurance coverage, extra-contractual liability and reinsurance law. We are uniquely positioned to provide insurers with the responsive, creative, championship caliber representation they require and to partner with insurers in meeting the challenges and taking advantage of the opportunities presented to them."
Marick and Seaman are luminaries in their field, serving as prolific authors and frequent speakers on insurance issues and leaders of the insurance bar. Mr. Seaman's treatise, Allocation of Losses in Complex Insurance Coverage Claims (3d Thomson Reuters 2014) addresses many of the important issues driving contemporary insurance and reinsurance disputes and has been cited by state and federal courts across the country. Mr. Marick has been called to testify as an expert witness on insurance issues, his published works have been cited by courts as persuasive authority, and for many years he taught insurance law at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. He was named the 2015 Chicago Insurance Law "Lawyer of the Year" by The Best Lawyers of America, and he has been elected to the Board of Regents of the American College of Coverage and Extracontractual Counsel, of which Mr. Seaman also is a member.
Assisting clients from 11 states nationwide and in London, Hinshaw counsels clients across all areas of concern in the area of insurance. From policy drafting to reinsurance recoveries, the firm has been involved in virtually every aspect of risk transfer. The Group routinely handles disputes between: insurers and brokers involving the placement of coverage; insurers and policyholders regarding the applicability of coverage; and insurers and other insurers concerning their respective obligations to provide coverage.
About the Attorneys Joining the Firm
Michael M. Marick represents property and casualty insurers in high exposure coverage disputes at the claims stage, in trial, and on appeal. He has served as lead counsel in mass tort and environmental coverage cases, excess and primary insurer disputes, rescission actions, managed care professional liability claims, reinsurance disputes and a wide variety of other insurance-related cases. Before founding MBT, Mr. Marick began his legal career at Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, where he practiced from 1982-85. Mr. Marick chaired the Defense Research Institute's Insurance Law Committee and currently serves as a National Director of DRI. He earned his J.D. at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law and B.A. at Denison University.
Scott M. Seaman is a civil litigator and trial lawyer with a long track record of successfully representing companies in trial courts, appellate courts, and before arbitration panels across the country spanning a variety of high stakes matters, including cases and cessions involving general liability coverage (primary, umbrella, and excess), professional liability coverage, first-party property coverage, bad faith and extra-contractual matters, facultative and treaty reinsurance contracts, as well as in various commercial and tort matters. His advice is sought frequently on emerging coverage issues as well as on a wide-range of case specific and portfolio issues. Recognized for his preeminence in complex insurance and reinsurance matters, he assists companies in evaluating and resolving issues in the claims and cession stages. He served as chairman of MBT's national insurance coverage litigation and counseling practice group. Mr. Seaman earned his J.D., magna cum laude at Loyola University of Chicago School of Law and his B.A. at Barat College.
John E. DeLascio represents insurers, reinsurers and retrocessionaires in coverage and reinsurance matters and has extensive experience in litigating, arbitrating and mediating a wide array of insurance cases including bad faith; mass tort coverage cases; and risk pool-related matters. His experience extends across various lines of insurance. He also regularly assists and advises clients on policy drafting, claims handling Medicare reporting issues and reinsurance and retrocessional collections. Mr. DeLascio earned his J.D. from John Marshall Law School and his B.A. from DePaul University.
Karen M. Dixon has spent her entire legal career counseling insurers on complex insurance coverage issues and litigating coverage matters on their behalf. Her counseling practice is focused on advising an insurer throughout the entire claim handling process. She has significant experience in working with clients on coverage determinations, drafting coverage position letters, selecting defense counsel, coordinating cost share agreements and pursuing other sources of recovery. Ms. Dixon earned her J.D. at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, with high honors, Order of the Coif, and her B.A. from University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Rebecca R. Haller has provided legal counsel and litigated coverage issues arising under commercial general liability, errors and omissions liability, professional liability, and directors' and officers' liability policies. She has experience with construction related claims, product liability and mass tort claims, nursing home claims and intellectual property/advertising injury claims. Ms. Haller has represented clients in all phases of litigation, including trial and appellate work, as well as arbitrations and mediations. She earned her J.D. from DePaul University College of Law and her B.A. from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
James H. Kallianis, Jr. concentrates his practice in insurance coverage and complex commercial litigation. He has counseled and represented insurers in coverage litigation involving directors & officers, cyber, employment practices, and professional and general liability policies. He has defended individuals and corporations in securities, shareholder derivative, unfair trade practices, copyright and trade secret disputes. Mr. Kallianis has tried cases in state and federal courts around the country and has argued appeals before state and federal appellate courts. He is a member of the Defense Research Institute and serves as Chair of the Data Privacy & Security Sub-Committee for DRI's Insurance Law Committee. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana and his law degree from DePaul University College of Law.
Jason R. Schulze concentrates his practice on the representation and counseling of insurance companies in litigation and coverage disputes. He represents insurers in actions filed in jurisdictions throughout the country and in a variety of contexts, including actions regarding coverage for mass tort liability claims, environmental contamination claims, construction claims and professional liability claims. He has extensive experience litigating, arbitrating and mediating coverage claims, including representing insurers in complex, multi-party coverage litigation. Mr. Schulze co-authors the allocation treatise. He earned his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law and his B.A. from the University of Iowa.
Timothy H. Wright represents insurers in a broad range of insurance coverage matters. He earned his J.D. from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law and his B.A. from the Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut.