Gallo Vitucci Klar has acquired the various practice areas of the firm formerly known as Rubin, Fiorella, Friedman & Mercante LLP, including its Reinsurance law practice group. The Reinsurance law practice group, chaired by Bruce Friedman, focuses primarily upon the handling of reinsurance disputes in both arbitral and judicial settings. The team is comprised of highly qualified and experienced attorneys, all with at least 15 years of reinsurance experience.
The Reinsurance team has been involved in some of the highest profile reinsurance disputes over the past 35 years, including matters of first impression. Its intimate knowledge of the business of reinsurance and ever-evolving industry practices, enable the team to provide cost-effective representation without the need to dedicate the client’s administrative resources to educating the lawyers about the technical aspects of the dispute. Our extensive involvement with arbitral disputes enables us to identify the most skilled and appropriate arbitrators to serve as party advocates and as the neutral umpires. The Chairman of the group is well known throughout the reinsurance industry and among ARIAS-certified reinsurance arbitrators and is widely regarded to be among the top ten reinsurance litigators in the country.
In addition to handling disputes in arbitration and litigation, the Reinsurance team offers services in contract drafting and review, reinsurance auditing, providing coverage analyses, commutation negotiations, dealing with insurance regulators in insurance insolvencies, and addressing reinsurance security issues.
GVK represents its clients before the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and all state insurance departments. The firm participates in the periodic meetings of the NAIC and serves on a multitude of advisory and other committees established to address critical issues confronting the insurance industry and its individual clients. Through its working relationships with these regulators, the firm is well equipped to recognize, address and resolve various regulatory issues as they arise. Accordingly, the firm participates in the crafting of insurance legislation and monitors, on a daily basis, the ever-changing laws, rules and regulations which govern the industry.
GVK’s first party coverage department provides complete risk consultation and claim handling services, including: risk analysis, review and development of policy language, advice on the handling of first party claims arising out of property, fire and theft insurance policies and jewelers block and fine arts policies, pre-litigation investigation of claims, examinations under oath, document examination, coordination of experts, and coverage analysis. To the extent that claims result in litigation, we afford full defense of all first and third party liability claims as well as subrogation where appropriate. Our professional staff is experienced in handling complex litigation issues, interposing fraud and arson defenses, and litigating coverage disputes. Our attorneys have successfully defended insurers against claims of bad faith in which punitive damages have been demanded.
GVK is actively involved in identifying, analyzing and resolving complex insurance and reinsurance coverage issues. The firm’s services are frequently sought to ascertain both the breadth and limitations of coverage and to assist in the development of progressive policy language. The firm also defends insurers and reinsurers on coverage claims interposed by their insureds and reinsureds, and prosecutes declaratory judgment actions on behalf of insurers and reinsurers. The firm is frequently called upon to provide its opinion on areas of coverage involving, among other matters, contract interpretation, environmental issues, professional liability and indemnity, law enforcement liability, aviation, marine and transportation, fidelity and surety, general and municipal liability, and reinsurance.
GVK offers a complete range of corporate and insurance regulatory services to its domestic and international clients in order to satisfy the complex and diverse demands of the industry.
GVK has extensive experience in the defense of liability and property claims on behalf of insureds and self-insureds, including general construction accidents, construction defect claims, premises liability for commercial and residential risks, retail and recreational industries, municipal liability, homeowner exposures and personal and commercial automobile. The firm also represents several multi-line transportation clients in relation to claims arising out of their operations. In addition to aggressive litigation of third-party claims, the firm is actively involved in efforts to mediate claims through alternative dispute resolutions. In multi-party litigation, where liability is apparent, the firm has explored direct resolution of claims with the injured party and separately having the defendants mediate/arbitrate the issues of percentage of fault. In sum, the firm is proactive in seeking to resolve issues by exploring novel approaches to general liability litigation management.
Gallo Vitucci Klar LLP’s Appellate Practice Group is led by its Chair, C. Briggs Johnson. The Group is responsible for handling a wide range of complex appeals and motions across diverse practice areas. This includes preparing briefs and motions involving well-established areas of law, as well as more novel and complex legal issues.
The Appellate practice Group is comprised of experienced appellate attorneys who have, combined, handled hundreds of appeals and even more motions. These experiences have allowed the appellate attorneys to develop strong analytical skills, a deep knowledge of procedural issues, a superior command of the substantive law, as well as excellent writing skills. This unique balance ensures that any appeal or motion handled by the Group yields the best possible result for our clients.
When briefing appeals for our clients, attorneys in the Group provide in-depth and comprehensive legal research; intelligent, sophisticated, and articulate legal analysis; persuasive and effective legal briefs; and they demonstrate their ability to distill complex fact patterns to highlight and accentuate the true legal issues in a particular case.
This collaborative effort between the handling attorney and the appellate practice attorney creates persuasive and sophisticated arguments for dispositive motions in cases involving high exposure if an appeal becomes necessary.
Gallo Vitucci Klar LLP is an established leader in the field of asbestos defense. We have represented a myriad of clients in the context of asbestos-exposure claims for over 20+ years, including companies that have mined, milled, designed, specified, manufactured, processed, compounded, converted, packaged, sold, marketed, distributed, transported, supplied, utilized, installed, removed, handled and/or placed into the stream of commerce asbestos or asbestos-containing products.
We have handled all phases of asbestos litigation in both the state and Federal courts, from inception through verdict, and on appeal. In terms of injuries, we have successfully defended cases involving claims of mesothelioma, asbestosis, pleural plaques, lung cancer, throat cancer and stomach cancer.
On both liability and damages, our investigation and discovery practices are thorough. We fully explore all available defenses, e.g., product identification, duty / discharge of duty, merchantability of products, notice/state of the art defenses, medical causation, intervening/superseding causes, culpable conduct of plaintiff/comparative negligence, negligence of other parties, misuse of products, assumption of risk, mitigation of damages, Statute of Limitations, deduction of duplicate benefits, etc. Our attorneys know how to elicit proof to establish such defenses, including, without limitation, through expert witnesses.
Towards these ends, however, we employ a cost-effective approach that is sensible to our clients.
Gallo Vitucci Klar LLP’s Directors & Officers (“D&O”) litigation practice group defends claims asserted against directors and officers of public, private and not-for-profit companies. We also represent the corporate entity where it is the direct target. Our practice extends to representing boards and individual directors and officers in complex commercial litigation, internal investigations, and government investigations. The attorneys at Gallo Vitucci Klar LLP that handle these cases are learned practitioners that are intimately familiar with the duties and responsibilities of directors and officers, as well as the myriad laws and statutes that regulate corporate governance.
We understand and are sensitive to the high-stakes nature of these lawsuits and are cognizant of the distractions that these claims may pose to the proper functioning of a corporate enterprise. We serve as trusted advisors to the board, individual directors and officers, and keep the insurers that retain us to defend, supervise and monitor these claims apprised of all material developments. Our experience includes, but is not limited to, class action litigation, defending shareholder derivative actions, litigating demand futility issues, representation of special litigation committees, securities class actions, ERISA claims, challenges to corporate governance, employment related claims, and claims for breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract and fraud. We also draft coverage opinions and litigate declaratory judgment actions pertaining to D&O insurance policies.
Gallo Vitucci Klar’s maritime and admiralty practice focuses on the defense of commercial and recreational vessel casualties, merchant mariner licensing, property/vessel damage and personal injury defense.
Our attorneys have vast experience at navigating their clients through the complex maze of recreational and commercial maritime casualties and their aftermath; including but not limited to:
Our attorneys are also highly experienced in defending licensed mariners at United States Coast Guard suspension and revocation proceedings, and at State Pilot Commission investigations and hearings.
GVK’s Maritime Emergency Response Team (MERT) stands ready to provide a 24/7 emergency response team to investigate large vessel claims and catastrophic maritime causalities.
Our attorneys include a former United States Coast Guard officer, Richard Gonzalez, who has the knowledge and experience to provide our clients with unique, realistic, well-rounded legal advice and defense.
To provide our clients with the best maritime coverage, Gallo Vitucci Klar LLP has experienced attorneys admitted in multiple venues and that handle cases in New York, New Jersey, and multiple Federal Courts.
Click here for our Maritime And Admiralty Practice Group Overview.