Mintz has added two new attorneys with captive insurance experience to its insurance and reinsurance practise, based in Washington DC.
Deirdre Johnson and Paul Kalish are both joining as members and have both previously practised at Squire Patton Boggs.
Johnson is a seasoned litigator who focuses her practice on representing insurers, reinsurers, and captive insurers in a broad spectrum of coverage disputes and handling domestic and international arbitration proceedings and litigation involving insurance and reinsurance matters.
She represents companies in disputes concerning life reinsurance treaties and defends public corporations in class action lawsuits, securities litigation, and US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) enforcement actions.
In the reinsurance/insurance litigation side of her practice, Johnson has extensive experience with all types of coverage disputes, including those involving professional liability, life and health, variable annuity, general liability, surety, product liability, first-party property, and environmental matters. She has represented numerous clients in disputes arising under policies on the Bermuda form. Her work also encompasses guiding clients through US-based, Bermuda, and London arbitration proceedings.
Kalish is a litigator with more than 30 years of experience serving the insurance and financial services industries. He focuses his practice on insurance and reinsurance matters, frequently representing clients in coverage disputes involving tort and environmental claims, class actions related to claims handling practices, international arbitrations, and liquidations.
Since 2000, Kalish has also served as counsel for the Coalition for Litigation Justice, a nonprofit established by property and casualty insurers to address abuses and inequities in mass tort litigation. He also advises insurers and captive insurers on new insurance products and policy language.
In addition to these hires, Suman Chakraborty and Ellen MacDonald Farrell also join as members, and Elaine Panagakos joins as Special Counsel of Mintz’ insurance and reinsurance practice.
Commenting on the new hires, Bob Bodian, managing member of Mintz, said: “When highly accomplished lawyers such as Deirdre Johnson, Paul Kalish, Suman Chakraborty, Ellen MacDonald Farrell, and Elaine Panagakos decide to come to Mintz, we think it makes an important statement about our firm, both in terms of our growth trajectory and our exceptionally collaborative culture.”
“This group has practised together for years with great success and complement and augment our existing capabilities. We are pleased to welcome them to support our clients’ complex insurance and reinsurance needs,” he added.
