Scott Hecht

Scott Hecht

Back in 1999, I got my start as an insurance coverage lawyer by helping defend an insurer that denied coverage under a fiduciary liability policy for two ERISA class action settlements totaling $50 million. This case was special. It was my biggest case to that point. There were few published cases involving fiduciary liability policies. This case dealt with a key feature, the “benefits due” exclusion, and we had a chance to make law. After substantial discovery and briefing, we won the case at the district court level. Then, on appeal, I was at counsel table with one of my mentors who argued to a distinguished Seventh Circuit panel. Judge Posner wrote the affirming opinion. See May Dept. Stores Co. v. Federal Ins. Co., 305 F.3d 597 (2002).

During the three years it took to resolve that case, I transitioned from associate to partner, and I began handling other Fiduciary, D&O, Employment Practices, and E&O liability insurance matters. Since then, I’ve handled dozens of insurance matters under virtually every type of business insurance policy, adding Property/Business Interruption, Cyber, CGL, and other coverages to the mix. Along the way, I also switched sides: now I represent policyholders.

Over the course of my 25 year legal career, I’ve learned a lot. I’m still learning. Here I intend to share some of my knowledge and perspective. I won’t guarantee that all entries will be useful or interesting to everyone. But I hope to offer something useful to most businesses over the course of every month or so.

Learn more about me here.

816.691.3120|
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Christina Arnone

Christina Arnone

I have practiced in the area of insurance coverage litigation since 2010. I graduated from the University of Kansas in 2009 and moved on to a federal district court clerkship with the Honorable John W. Lungstrum before arriving at the firm in the fall of 2010. Right from the start, I had exposure to a broad range of issues under many types of business insurance policies. This was a result of our firm’s broad client base, which runs the gamut from large public and private companies, to small businesses, governmental entities and not-for-profits. I found that I really enjoyed the variety of contexts, issues and intellectual challenges presented by the insurance litigation practice.

I have also successfully represented a wide range of corporate clients in business disputes concerning misappropriation of trade secrets, non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, breach of contract, and tortious interference, and in single, multi-plaintiff and class action lawsuits involving antitrust, oil and gas disputes and employment matters. Since 2016, my practice has focused almost exclusively on insurance – litigating on behalf of, and advising, policyholders adverse to insurers. In 2017, I became a partner in my firm’s insurance practice group.

I have helped dozens of policyholders in disputes with their insurers resulting in total recoveries in excess of $235 million. I routinely advise financial institutions, real estate investors, property developers, and construction companies, but I have also worked with clients in a variety of other industries, including manufacturing, telecommunications, oil and gas, higher education, and food and beverage. I’ve handled insurance disputes under nearly every type of business insurance policy, including Property/Business Interruption, CGL, Product Recall & Contamination, D&O, E&O, Fiduciary and Employment Practices. I’ve advised clients through recoveries under catastrophic losses caused by fire, flood, structural collapse, hurricane, microburst, and contamination under first party policies. And, as a matter of great personal importance, I’ve helped secure insurance recoveries for hundreds of survivors of clergy sexual abuse as insurance counsel to unsecured creditors’ committees in multiple bankrupcy proceedings.

Learn more about me here.

816.691.2469|
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