Best's Recommended Insurance Attorneys - General Defense

Bernard London

Los Angeles, CA

• E-Mail: BLondon@LondonFischer.com

Admitted

• New York, 1978
• U.S. District Court, Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Districts of New York
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
• U.S. Court of Federal Claims

Additional Biographical Details:

Trustee, Village of Lloyd Harbor, 1999; Police Commissioner, Village of Lloyd Harbor; Selected for inclusion in the New York Super Lawyers List (2009-2019)

Memberships:

• New York State Bar Association (Committees on Professional Liability, Reinsurance and Litigation)
• Defense Research Institute

Publications:

• Author and Lecturer on Construction and Insurance Law
• Author of Municipal Zoning Codes, Professional Liability Insurance and Construction Law

Education:

• New York University, B.S., 1972
• The College of Insurance, St. John's University, 1973
• St. John's University School of Law, J.D., 1977

Born: 1950

Richard S. Endres

Los Angeles, CA

• E-Mail: REndres@LondonFischer.com

Practice Areas

• Advertising Injury
• Agent/Broker Liability
• Bad Faith
• Bodily Injury
• Carrier Defense
• Casualty Insurance Law
• Catastrophic Injury
• Commercial Insurance
• Comprehensive General Liability
• Construction Accidents
• Coverage Analysis
• Declaratory Judgments
• Directors and Officers Liability
• Errors and Omissions
• Excess and Surplus Lines
• Excess and Umbrella
• Extra-Contractual Liability
• Extra-Contractual Litigation
• Fire Loss
• Insurance Coverage Litigation
• Insurance Defense
• Medical Products Liability
• Premises Liability
• Product Liability
• Professional Errors and Omissions
• Property and Casualty
• Property Damage
• Risk Management

Admitted

• California, 1989
• New York, 1990
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of California, 1989
• Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division - Second Department, 1990
• U.S. District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York, 1991
• U.S. District Court, Central and Northern Districts of California, 2003
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California, 2004
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

Memberships:

• New York State Bar Association (Sections on Product Liability, Torts and Insurance, Construction, Trial Lawyers)
• State Bar of California (Sections on Product Liability, Torts and Insurance, Construction, Business Litigation)
• Los Angeles County Bar Association
• Orange County Bar Association (Insurance Section Secretary, 2016-2017; Chair Elect, 2017-2018; Chair, 2018-2019)
• Professional Liability Underwriting Society

Education:

• State University of New York at Albany, B.S., 1985
• California Western School of Law, J.D. (magna cum laude), 1989

Born: 1963

Nicholas Davila

Los Angeles, CA

• E-Mail: ndavila@londonfischer.com

Practice Areas

• Construction Defect
• Defense Litigation
• General Liability
• Product Liability

Admitted

• California, 2008
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of California

Memberships:

• Orange County Bar Association
• Association of Southern California Defense Counsel
• Defense Research Institute

Education:

• University of Vermont, B.A., 2003
• New England School of Law, J.D., 2006

Language:

• Spanish

Born: 1980

Thomas A. Leghorn

Los Angeles, CA

• E-Mail: tleghorn@londonfischer.com

Practice Areas

• Commercial Litigation
• Defense Litigation
• Insurance
• Intellectual Property
• Litigation
• Professional Liability

Admitted

• New York, 1982
• U.S. District Court, Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Districts of New York
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, 1986
• U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut, 1989
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
• Supreme Court of the United States

Additional Biographical Details:

Selected for Inclusion in the New York Super Lawyers List (2018-2019)

Memberships:

• American and New York State Bar Associations

Education:

• New York University, B.A., 1977
• St. John's University School of Law, J.D., 1981
• New York University School of Law, LL.M., 1986

Born: 1956

James Walsh

Los Angeles, CA

• E-Mail: JWalsh@LondonFischer.com

Practice Areas

• Construction Litigation
• Insurance Coverage
• Insurance Defense
• Professional Liability
• Directors and Officers Liability
• Reinsurance
• Errors and Omissions
• Arbitration
• General Liability

Admitted

• New York, 1993
• U.S. District Court, Eastern, Northern and Southern Districts of New York
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit

Reported Cases:

Klewinowski v. City of New York, 103 A.D.3d 547, 959 N.Y.S.2d 493 (1st Dep't 2013); In re Ancillary Receivership of Reliance Insurance Company. O'Brien & Gere Technical Services, Inc. v. New York Liquidation Bureau (Reliance Insurance Company in Liquidation) 81 A.D.3d 533, 918 N.Y.S.2d 25 (1st Dep't 2011); In the Matter of Continental Casualty Company v. Tibor Lecei, 47 A.D.3d 509, 850 N.Y.S.2d 76 (1st Dep't 2008); Romang v. Welsbach Electric Corp., 47 A.D.3d 789 (2d Dep't 2008); Travelers Indemnity Co. v. Bally Total Fitness Holding Corp., 448 F.Supp.2d 976 (N.D. Ill. 2006); Mickey's Rides-N-More Inc. v. Anthony Viscuso Brokerage Inc., 17 A.D.3d 308, 792 N.Y.S.2d 750 (2d Dep't 2005); Gannon v. JWP Forest Electric Corp., 275 A.D.2d 231, 712 N.Y.S.2d 494 (1st Dep't 2000)

Education:

• Fordham University, B.A. (magna cum laude), 1989
• University of Pennsylvania Law School, J.D., 1992

Born: 1967

Anthony F. Tagliagambe

Los Angeles, CA

• E-Mail: ATagliagambe@LondonFischer.com

Practice Areas

• Construction Litigation
• Product Liability
• Negligence
• Medical Malpractice
• Municipal Liability

Admitted

• New York, 1979
• U.S. District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York

Additional Biographical Details:

Lecturer, New York State Bar Association, New York City Bar, Practicing Law Institute, Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (Topics: Cross Exam of Experts, Defending Product Liability Actions, Defending Construction Cases, Handling Catastrophic Injury Cases, Litigating Food Safety Cases); Selected for inclusion in the New York Super Lawyers List (2007-2019); Selected Best Lawyer in New York (2010-2020)

Memberships:

• New York State Bar Association
• Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (Elected Member, Chairman of the Premises and Security Liability Section)

Publications:

• Author: "Defendant's Strategies for Summation in a Labor Law Case," NYSBA CLE, December 2011
• "Cross-Examination of the Liability Expert," NYSBA CLE Construction Site Accidents, December 2009
• "Food for Thought: Defending the Food Purveyor When the Meal Turns Bad," Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel Quarterly, Fall 2008
• "An Employee By Any Other Name is Still An Employee: Determining Employment Status Under New York Law," New York State Bar Journal, February 1992
• "Jury Selection Chapter in Preparing For and Trying the Civil Lawsuit," NYSBA

Reported Cases:

Mas v. Two Bridges, 75 N.Y.2d 680, 55 N.Y.S.2d 669, 554 N.E.2d 1257; Abbadessa v. Sprint, 291 A.D.2d 363, 736 N.Y.S.2d 881 (Mem), 2002 N.Y. Slip Op. 01067 N.Y.A.D. 2 Dept. Feb. 4, 2002; Allen v. Village of Farmingdale, 282 A.D.2d 485, 723 N.Y.S.2d 219 2001 N.Y. Slip Op. 02991, N.Y.A.D. 2 Dept. Apr. 09, 2001; Colon v. BIC USA, Inc., 199 F. Supp. 2d 53, So. Dist. N.Y. 2001; Uzdavines v. Metropolitan Baseball Club Inc., 115 Misc. 2d 343, 454 N.Y.S.2d 238, N.Y. City Civ. Ct. , August 25, 1982

Education:

• Columbia University, B.A. (cum laude), 1975
• Albany Law School of Union University, J.D., 1978

Born: 1953

Clifford B. Aaron

Los Angeles, CA

• E-Mail: CAaron@LondonFischer.com

Practice Areas

• Product Liability
• General Liability
• Insurance Defense
• Catastrophic Injury

Admitted

• New York, 1984
• Tennessee, 2010
• U.S. District Court, Eastern, Southern and Western Districts of New York

Additional Biographical Details:

Assistant District Attorney, Bronx County, New York (1983-1988); Adjunct Professor, New York Law School (1992-1995); Lecturer, DRI Electronic Discovery Abuse, 1999, San Francisco, CA; Lecturer, New York County Lawyers Association Continuing Legal Education (2004-Present); DRI Steering Committee on Trial Tactics; DRI Mock Trial Faculty and Participant (2014), Miami, FL; Selected for inclusion in the New York Super Lawyers List (2009-2019)

Memberships:

• American Bar Association
• New York County Lawyers Association (Treasurer, Product Liability Subcommittee of Tort Division)
• Defense Research Institute

Education:

• Franklin & Marshall College, B.A. (cum laude), 1980
• Villanova University School of Law, J.D., 1983

Born: 1958

Virginia Goodman Futterman

Los Angeles, CA

• E-Mail: VFutterman@LondonFischer.com

Practice Areas

• Defense Litigation
• Product Liability
• Personal Injury
• Premises Liability
• Construction Litigation
• Employment Discrimination

Admitted

• New York, 1983
• U.S. District Court, Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Districts of New York

Additional Biographical Details:

Mediator, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York

Memberships:

• New York State Bar Association
• International Risk Management Institute
• Attorney Grievance Committee, 1st Department
• Claims and Litigation Management
• Jewish Lawyers Guild
• Defense Research Institute

Education:

• Marymount College, B.A. (magna cum laude), 1979
• St. John's University School of Law, J.D., 1982

Born: 1957

Brian A. Kalman

Los Angeles, CA

• E-Mail: BKalman@LondonFischer.com

Practice Areas

• Product Liability
• Construction Law
• General Liability

Admitted

• New Jersey, 1993
• New York, 1994
• U.S. District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York, 1995
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York, 1999
• U.S. District Court, Western District of New York, 2006

Additional Biographical Details:

Selected for inclusion in the New York Super Lawyers list (2009-2019); Lecturer, New York County Lawyers Association Continuing Education (2012-Present)

Reported Cases:

UTC Fire & Security Americas Corp. v. NCS Power, Inc. 844 F.Supp. 2d 366 (S.D.N.Y. 2012), Auriemma v. Biltmore Theatre 82 A.D. 3d 1, 917 N.Y.S.2d 130 (1st Dept. 2011), Gayle v. National Railroad Passenger Corp. 701 F.Supp. 2d 556 (S.D.N.Y. 2010), Astudillo v. City of New York, 71 A.D. 3d 709, 895 N.Y.S.2d 731 (2d Dep't 2010), Mann v. Dambrosio, 58 A.D.3d 701, 873 N.Y.S.2d 317 (2d Dep't 2009); Heimbuch v. Grumman Corp. 51 A.D.3d 865, 858 N.Y.S.2d 378 (2d Dep't 2008); Meza v. Consolidated Edison Co. of New York, 50 A.D.3d 452, 854 N.Y.S.2d 646 (1st Dep't 2008); Seabury v. County of Dutchess, 38 A.D.3d 752, 832 N.Y.S.2d 269 (2d Dep't 2007); Singh v. Kolcas, 283 A.D.2d 350, 725 N.Y.S.2d 37 (1st Dep't 2001); Glockenberg v. Costco Wholesale Corporation, 110 A.D. 3d 612, 973 N.Y.S.2d 360 (2d Dep't 2013)

Education:

• State University of New York at Binghamton, B.A. (with honors), 1990
• Boston University School of Law, J.D., 1993

Born: 1968

Spiro K. Bantis

Los Angeles, CA

• E-Mail: SBantis@LondonFischer.com

Practice Areas

• Insurance Corporate Practice
• Insurance Coverage
• Insurance Law
• Insurance Regulation

Admitted

• New York, 1986
• U.S. District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York

Additional Biographical Details:

General Counsel, Gulf Insurance Company (Retired); Board Member, Insurance Federation of New York; Board Member, Atrium Insurance Corporation

Memberships:

• Bar Association of the City of New York

Certifications:

• Certified Arbitrator - ARIAS-US

Education:

• New York University, B.A., 1982
• Temple University Beasley School of Law, J.D., 1985

Born: 1960

Michael J. Carro

Los Angeles, CA

• E-Mail: MCarro@LondonFischer.com

Practice Areas

• Personal Injury
• Labor and Employment
• Medical Malpractice
• Premises Liability
• Product Liability
• Toxic Torts
• Construction Accidents
• Catastrophic Injury

Admitted

• New York, 1988
• U.S. District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York, 1989

Additional Biographical Details:

Lifetime Member of Strathmore's Who's Who; 2015 Honored by International Top 100 Magazine

Memberships:

• New York State Bar Association

Education:

• Queens College, B.A., 1983
• Pace University School of Law, J.D., 1987

Fraternity Information:

Phi Alpha Delta

Born: 1960

Matthew K. Finkelstein

Los Angeles, CA

• E-Mail: MFinkelstein@LondonFischer.com

Practice Areas

• Construction Accidents
• Construction Defect
• General Liability
• Motor Vehicle
• Premises Liability
• Product Liability
• Professional Liability
• Transportation

Admitted

• New York, 1998
• U.S. District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York, 2000
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, 2009
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York, 2018

Memberships:

• New York State Bar Association

Education:

• Franklin & Marshall College, B.A., 1991
• St. Johns University School of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 1996

Born: 1970

Daniel W. London

Los Angeles, CA

• E-Mail: DLondon@LondonFischer.com

Practice Areas

• Commercial Litigation
• Insurance Coverage
• Insurance Law
• Insurance Regulation

Admitted

• New Jersey, 2005
• New York, 2006
• U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
• U.S. District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Second and Ninth Circuits

Memberships:

• Professional Liability Underwriting Society
• New York County Lawyers Association

Reported Cases:

Beazley Ins. Co. Inc. v. ACE American Ins. Co. 197 F.Supp. 3d 616 (S.D.N.Y 2016)

Education:

• University of Pennsylvania, B.A., 2001
• Brooklyn Law School, J.D., 2005

Born: 1979

James T. H. Deaver

Los Angeles, CA

• E-Mail: JDeaver@LondonFischer.com

Practice Areas

• Insurance Coverage Litigation

Admitted

• New York, 1993
• U.S. District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York

Reported Cases:

Representative Cases: Appalachian Ins. Co. v. General Electric Co., 796 N.Y.S.2d 609 (N.Y. App. Div. 1st Dep't, 2005); Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, LLC v. Sompo Japan Ins. Co. of America, Civ. Ac. No. 3-02-1117 (M.D.Tenn)(case filed 2002)

Education:

• The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, B.S., 1985
• Temple University School of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 1991
• New York University School of Law, LL.M., 1992

Born: 1961

Wendy J. Keenan

Los Angeles, CA

• E-Mail: WKeenan@LondonFischer.com

Practice Areas

• Professional Liability
• Insurance Coverage
• Claims/Litigation Management

Admitted

• New Jersey, 2000
• New York, 2001
• U.S. District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York
• U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey

Memberships:

• American Bar Association
• Claims and Litigation Management Alliance
• Professional Liability Underwriting Society

Education:

• Binghamton University, B.A. Political Science, 1997
• Hofstra University School of Law, J.D., 2000

Born: 1975

John McDonough

Los Angeles, CA

• Telephone: 212-331-9450

Practice Areas

• Appellate
• Construction Law
• Product Liability
• Professional Liability

Admitted

• Massachusetts
• New York
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
• U.S. District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York
• U.S. Supreme Court

Awards

• Senior Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America DANY James S. Conway Award for Outstanding Service to the Defense Profession Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Attorney, 2013-2023 Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Attorney – Judicial Edition, 2017-2023 Irish Legal 100, 2015-2023 Best Lawyers in America, 2018-2023 The American Lawyer & Corporate Counsel: 2020 Top Rated Litigator America’s Most Honored Lawyers, 2016-2023 Martindale-Hubbell Top-Rated Lawyers in Litigation ALM New York Top-Rated Lawyer CLM, Certified Litigation Management Professional

Education:

• Boston College, B.A., 1976
• New England School of Law, J.D., 1979