McKool Smith Awarded "Insurance Litigation Department of the Year" by The New York Law Journal

NEW YORK, Oct. 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- McKool Smith has been awarded "Insurance Litigation Department of the Year" by The New York Law Journal based on the firm's success in securing a number of significant coverage disputes over the past year. The firm was honored during a reception in New York City on October 17, where Robin Cohen, head of McKool Smith's Insurance Recovery practice, also received a "Professional Excellence Award" for Distinguished Leadership.

With more than 25 trial lawyers across offices in New York, Texas, and California, McKool Smith's Insurance Recovery practice has built an impressive national profile by handling and trying many of the country's largest coverage disputes. Since 2016, the firm has secured more than $1.5 billion in coverage for clients.

Last year, McKool Smith served as lead counsel for Warren Pumps in securing landmark decisions from the New York Court of Appeals on the allocation of long-tail claims and the Delaware Supreme Court on critical issues, including assignment of policy rights and the trigger of coverage, which have allowed Warren to access more than $500 million dollars in asbestos insurance coverage limits. The Court of Appeals victory topped Law360's listing of the "Biggest Insurance Rulings of 2016." The firm also represented TIAA-CREF in first winning dispositive issues on summary judgment and then securing a jury verdict relating to its defense of three class actions. The final judgment anticipated against three insurers, and a confidential settlement with a fourth, will reflect recoveries for TIAA-CREFF in excess of $50 million.

Earlier this year, McKool Smith represented Givaudan Fragrances Corporation in securing a victory before the New Jersey Supreme Court which affirmed Givaudan's right to seek more than $500 million in insurance coverage for claims related to environmental damage. The firm also represented Verizon in securing a Delaware Superior Court decision finding that its insurers must provide coverage for $48 million in legal fees and costs incurred in successfully defending a $14 billion lawsuit filed against Verizon in connection with the spin-off of its directories businesses, which later filed for bankruptcy. Robin Cohen was awarded "Litigator of the Week" by AmLaw Litigation Daily as a result of her success in the case. The firm also represented Medidata Solutions Inc. in securing a Summary Judgment ruling from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York which allows the company to access coverage for a $4.8 million loss that the company suffered as a result of a computer fraud incident. 

Most recently, McKool Smith represented New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit) in securing a New Jersey state court decision allowing the state transportation entity to access up to $400 million in insurance coverage to make much-needed repairs to its property following the devastating impact of Superstorm Sandy.

With more than 180 trial lawyers across offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Marshall, New York, Silicon Valley, and Washington, D.C., McKool Smith has established a reputation as one of America's leading trial firms. Since 2006, the firm has secured ten nine-figure jury verdicts and ten eight-figure jury verdicts. The firm has also won more VerdictSearch and The National Law Journal "Top 100 Verdicts" over the last ten years than any other law firm in the country. Courtroom successes like these have earned McKool Smith critical acclaim and helped the firm become what The Wall Street Journal describes as "one of the biggest law firm success stories of the past decade." McKool Smith represents clients in complex commercial litigation, intellectual property, insurance recovery, bankruptcy, and white collar defense matters.

For more information, please contact Michael R. Coston (212) 402-9450 or [email protected].

SOURCE McKool Smith