Speaker Bios

Gail joined Berkley Cyber Risk Solutions (BCRS) as Senior Vice President & General Counsel in June of 2016. BCRS launched its business in the spring of 2016 as an Enterprise Company of W. R. Berkley Corporation. She has over 21 years of insurance company claims, general counsel and management experience, and last held the position of Senior Vice President & Associate General Counsel in the financial lines division of another insurer. 

In her current role, Gail is on the leadership team of BCRS and devotes her time to actively participating in insurance industry associations and cyber educational events, provides general advice in the areas of regulation, compliance, corporate matters and distribution, and develops cyber insurance products. 

Gail was Chair of the Women’s Development Council Mentoring Program at her former employer, and also developed its program (and continues to volunteer) for providing pro bono assistance to Legal Services of Northwest Jersey, representing indigent tenants that are facing eviction.

Gail graduated from the University of Vermont with a BA in Economics, and from Rutgers School of Law with a Juris Doctorate.

Representative MattersRichard Bortnick is an industry-renowned problem solver who litigates and counsels U.S. and international insurers and corporations on cyber, privacy and technology risks and exposures; directors & officers liability; insurance coverage; products liability; and commercial litigation matters. In addition, Rick drafts insurance policy forms of varying types, including those covering cyber/ privacy/ technology risks and exposures, and serves as an expert consultant on cyber insurance matters involving the historical existence and scope of cyber insurance products.

For nearly 20 of his 36-year legal career, Rick has served as a trusted adviser to public and private entities of all sizes on their privacy, cyber and technology risks, and he has trained hundreds of business executives and others on their commercial and legal responsibilities. Rick began his career as a commercial litigator in the antitrust and securities laws sectors and as an insurance coverage attorney handling disputes of all natures, products and subject matters. As such, he has a broad range of experience in corporate and litigation matters that enables him to counsel clients on a full suite of their business needs.
 

Chris is a partner in the New York and New Jersey offices and is a member of Kennedys’ Global Strategy Board. He has extensive experience in handling and resolving— through litigation and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms — insurance coverage disputes, including those involving environmental, toxic tort, asbestos, construction, advertising liability, products, cyber, property, automobile, and employment issues.

Chris has represented clients in insurance coverage disputes in virtually every state in the United States, on both the state and federal level, as well as in Bermuda, Canada, Puerto Rico, and throughout Europe. He also is experienced in resolution of reinsurance disputes and the drafting of reinsurance contracts. Chris often provides counsel to corporate clients on general business matters, contract negotiation, environmental litigation and compliance, and all types of commercial disputes.

Chris is a frequent lecturer on a myriad of insurance and litigation topics, including mediation and negotiation, bad faith, construction defect, toxic tort, hazardous waste and advertising liability. He is AV-Rated by Martindale-Hubbell, is on the Editorial Advisory Board of Insurance Law & Litigation Week, and is a Fellow of the American College of Coverage and Extracontractual Counsel (ACCEC). Chris also is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of St. Joseph's College in New York. 

Dale Coddington is an experienced network security and digital forensics expert with over 18-years of experience gained in the public, private and institutional sectors. In the various roles Dale has held, he has been responsible for security, monitoring, and programming for sophisticated IT systems. A licensed and experienced forensic examiner, Mr. Coddington has provided digital forensic examinations and digital investigative services such as network security/system evaluation, penetration testing, incident response, and electronic evidence discovery. An EnCase Certified Examiner (EnCe), Dale has taken over one hundred hours of industry-recognized digital forensics training.

Scott Corzine co-heads Ankura’s Risk Management Practice, as a Senior Managing Director, working with clients on operational risk and resilience issues. Most of his time is focused on the cybersecurity risks facing his clients - in the areas of governance, cybersecurity risk assessments, cybersecurity posture and maturity assessments, compliance obligations, technical testing and vulnerability remediation.
 
Ankura’s cybersecurity clientele includes Fortune 500 and mid-market companies in financial services, mining, healthcare, law, transportation, airports, manufacturing, insurance, retail and e-commerce, education and hospitality.  Clients are usually senior managers with oversight roles – Risk Manager and Chief Risk, Compliance or Audit Officers, or Board Committees that want independent expertise about their cybersecurity and compliance posture.  
 
The unique risk management issues around the potential cyber vulnerability of control systems and addressable components that drive and monitor industrial processes is of interest to Ankura. These connected elements represent the “operating technology” or the OT of companies, collectively comprising the “industrial internet of things”, or IIOT. The risk management issues around the cyber vulnerability of the IIOT – in much debate - manifests in process industries like energy, utilities, hospitals, natural resources and extraction, manufacturing and transportation.
 
Scott was Managing Director of Risk Management at FTI Consulting, Senior Vice President and Co-Founder of Risk Solutions International, and has enjoyed a 40-year career with start-ups and growth stage companies in technology and business services. Scott holds a BS from the University of North Carolina, and an Honors MBA from Pace University.

Judith K. Cranberg is a nurse attorney who currently serves as the Executive Director of Risk Management Services at Froedtert Health, a Wisconsin academic health care system of 11, 000 employees with three hospitals, twenty five health centers and clinics for the past eleven years.

In her enterprise risk role, Ms. Cranberg has actively investigated large data breaches within the health system. She has twenty years of risk management and health law experience. She is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago School of Law and a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin and Illinois.
 

Deuayne Crawford is an Underwriting Manager at Ironshore, a Liberty Mutual company. He is responsible for underwriting cyber, media, technology and miscellaneous professional liability insurance for mid-cap and large-cap clients for a Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast broker distribution network within the United States.

Mr. Crawford began his professional career in banking in 2007, working at Morgan Stanley as a financial analyst. In 2009, he transitioned into insurance (AIG) and subsequently held various positions of increasing responsibility. These positions include Senior Underwriter in National Accounts where he worked with large-cap clients and handled New York, San Francisco and Seattle distribution territories before joining Ironshore in 2016. He has over 13 years of experience in financial services, including 11 years of insurance experience focusing on cyber, media, technology and professional liability. He currently manages a team of underwriting professionals with a physical presence in designated Ironshore regional office locations including New York, Philadelphia and Atlanta.

Mr. Crawford holds two insurance designations - a CPCU and an RPLU+. He has a dual undergraduate degree (BS in Financial Economics & BA in English) from Binghamton University. Deuayne also earned a Master of Science degree in Insurance Management from Boston University.

Joan D’Ambrosio concentrates her practice on representing insurers in respect of technology and media errors and omissions claims, including matters involving intellectual property issues, as well as data security and privacy breaches. For more than twenty years, she also has counseled insurers and their insureds in professional liability matters of all types, including claims and risk management issues involving lawyers, architects, engineers and miscellaneous errors and omissions risks. Joan’s practice encompasses all aspects of insurance coverage evaluation, risk management and mitigation, and litigation management.

Joan has been active in working with insurers in the development of manuscripted insurance coverages, as well as developing and implementing risk management solutions for insurers, brokers and professionals. She has conducted pre-underwriting and post-underwriting claims and underwriting operations reviews for insurers.

At various times over the past twenty years, Joan was seconded to two Lloyd’s syndicates in London for extended periods where she worked directly with the syndicates’ specialty insurance teams on claims and underwriting issues involving insurance and reinsurance policies and programs in North America and internationally.

As the General Manager (GM) of Symantec’s Website Security, Roxane Divol is responsible for the end-to-end optimization and growth of the Website Security business. This business offers industry leading SSL/TLS certificates, code signing, device certificates and certificate management offerings. In addition, Roxane drives Symantec’s cyber-insurance initiatives and product development.

Roxane joined the Symantec leadership team in 2013 as Senior Vice (SVP) President of Alliances, where she drove thought leadership and actions across Symantec’s products and services organization on matters related to long-term strategy, technology alliances, partnerships, and operations. Her responsibilities included leading and growing the Internet of Things offerings, Technical Services organization, and Products and Services Strategy and Operations, as well as leading the long-term strategy review for Symantec.

Symantec Corporation (NASDAQ: SYMC), the world’s leading cyber security company, helps organizations, governments and people secure their most important data wherever it lives.

Prior to joining Symantec, Roxane was a Partner at McKinsey & Company for more than 15 years as a leader of its Technology, Media, Telecom Practice as well as its Marketing and Sales Practice. In that role, she helped clients develop effective organizations, increase return on their investments, form strategies and develop go-to-market approaches that delivered the most value. She also created and led McKinsey’s West Coast Executive Women’s Roundtable series.

Roxane holds dual French and Colombian citizenship. Her cross-cultural experiences have helped her to assess and transform global organizations. She is a director at Wolverine Worldwide and currently sit on the board of the Global Fund for Women. She graduated from Ecole Polytechnique and Insead. Roxane is passionate about women’s rights, including access to education, healthcare, jobs, voting rights, and other inequities facing women and people across the globe. 

Tony is responsible for the Cyber line of Business on the claims side, working closely with the Cyber Claim Manager and her team. Over the course of his 17 year tenure with Chubb, he has handled several large Cyber matters and frequently speaks at industry events. He is also an Advisory Board Member of the CLM Management and Professional Liability Community and the co-chair of the Cyber Committee.
 
While at Chubb, he has managed several groups handling financial lines claims, including Cyber, Media, Lawyers and Miscellaneous Professional Liability lines of business. Most recently, Tony was the Eastern Regional Manager for Large Commercial D&O claims. Prior to joining Chubb, Tony was an attorney with the law firm of Murtha Cullina, specializing in insurance coverage and commercial litigation.  Tony also served as the law clerk for the Hon. William J. Lavery, Chief Judge of the Connecticut Appellate Court.  He earned his B.A. and J.D. from the University of Connecticut and is a member of the Connecticut state and federal bars and also holds the CIPP/US  and RPLU designations.  

Elissa brings more than 15 years of industry knowledge and works with Mosaic’s brokers and insureds throughout the Americas to guide coverage under the company’s six product lines. She started her insurance career as claims counsel with AIG and later was cyber and technology product manager at AXA XL. Elissa also has extensive experience counseling companies and proactively mitigating risk from her tenure on the broker side, including roles at Marsh and Lockton. Prior to 2006, she began her legal career in tax with Deloitte.

Lance J. Ewing has extensive executive experience in the field of risk management and insurance including his current role EVP of Risk Management at Cotton Holdings, Inc.. Previously he was Industry Practice Group Leader for AIG. Prior to this position; he served in senior risk management capacities for Harrah’s Entertainment, Caesars Entertainment, GES Exposition Services/VIAD and for the City of Philadelphia School District. Mr. Ewing additionally worked for various insurance companies including Lumbermen's Underwriting Alliance, Pennsylvania Hospital Insurance Company (PHICO) and NY Lumberman's Insurance Trust in risk management and risk control capacities.

Mr. Ewing received his Master's degree in Law & Justice from the University of Pittsburgh and completed his second Master's degree in Occupational Safety Engineering. In addition to his Associate in Risk Management (ARM) designation and his International Certified Risk Manager (CRM) designation, he is a matriculated Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) candidate and has completed his Enterprise Risk Management Professional designation (ERMP).

Lance was National President 2003-2004 for the Risk & Insurance Management Society (RIMS) and was also the Chief Risk Officer (CRO).  He teaches risk management as a faculty member for the National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research.  In 2004, the Lance J. Ewing Educational Scholarship was established for the Certified Risk Management designation.  He serves on the University of Mississippi RMI Advisory Board.

Mr. Ewing was honored as the Real Estate Insurance Leader 2014-2015 for Globe Street and was the 2008 Risk Innovator of the Year.  In 2007, Lance was named Risk Manager of the Year.  He is a frequent speaker on enterprise risk management, claims, disaster recovery and risk financing.  He has spoken internationally to promote insurance and risk management in Asia, North America, South America Europe and Australia.   Mr. Ewing continues to be a strong and outspoken supporter of the insurance and risk management industry.

John Farley currently serves as Vice President and Cyber Risk Practice Leader for HUB International’s Cyber Risk Services Division. In this role he provides pre-breach planning and post-data breach response consultative services. He provides training that assists clients’ efforts in understanding the latest cyber threat landscape, taking steps to prevent network security and privacy liability events, and forecasting potential loss costs related to data breach incidents.
 
John acts as a central coordinator between all parties involved in a data breach and applies extensive knowledge in data breach response best practices, working diligently with clients to achieve optimal results in cost mitigation. Based out of HUB’s New York City office, John holds over 25 years of risk consulting experience. He has performed a variety of cyber risk consulting services for clients across many industries, including but not limited to Healthcare, Retail, Financial Services, Higher Education and Information Technology companies.
 
John is a regular speaker on multiple network security and privacy liability challenges facing organizations today. Areas of focus include: HIPAA compliance, PCI Data Security Standards, and data breach notice requirements at the state, federal and international levels. John has also advised the U.S. Treasury on matters related to cyber risk. Most recently, John has been presenting at HUB hosted educational cyber liability seminars, featuring a live data breach demonstration.
 
John is a well published editorial contributor. In 2017, he authored a book titled “Online and Under Attack: What Every Business Needs To Do Now To Manage Cyber Risk and Win Its Cyber War.” In addition, he published multiple articles on InsuranceThoughtLeadership.com.
 
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Manhattan College, is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) and received an Associate in Claims (AIC) designation.

Elizabeth S. Fitch is a founding and managing member of the Righi Fitch Law Group.  She is a trial lawyer with 35 years of civil defense experience and has the AV Preeminent rating. Beth has defended numerous multi-million dollar cases ranging from catastrophic injuries to construction defect cases. She has defended all types of professionals from lawyers to architects. In 2017, Beth was selected as a Business Insurance Women to Watch Honoree. In 2023, she was  once again recognized as a Super Lawyer, which makes this her twelfth year in a row.  Beth is board certified in Privacy and US Data Protection. This CIPP/US certification is the preeminent privacy credential in the US private sector. She is also certified by the International Association of Privacy Professionals and serves as the Co-Dean of the CLM School of Cyber Claims College.  She is the co-founder of Ladder Down, an award winning program that empowers female lawyers to fulfill their career potential.  She is the past President of Arizona Association of Defense Counsel. Beth looks for innovative solutions that bring about the clients desired result in an economical and expedient manner. She even writes and speaks nationally on law firm leadership.

Joshua Gold is a shareholder in Anderson Kill's New York office. He has represented numerous corporate and non-profit policyholders in various industries, with recoveries for his clients well in excess of $1.5 billion. Mr. Gold is chair of the Cyber Insurance Recovery Practice Group. He is also co-chair of Anderson Kill's Financial Services Industry Group and a member of the firm's Hospitality Industry Group.

Mr. Gold's practice involves matters ranging from international arbitration, data security, directors and officers insurance, business income/property insurance, commercial crime insurance, admiralty, cargo, and marine insurance disputes. He has been lead trial counsel in multi-party bench and jury trials, and has negotiated and crafted scores of settlement agreements including coverage-in-place agreements.

Tracie Grella is Head of Professional Liability for Global Financial Lines at AIG. In this role, Ms. Grella is responsible for establishing underwriting strategy and implementing best practices in multiple lines of business including cyber liability, reputational risk insurance, architects and engineers liability, and specialty professional liability worldwide.  
 
Most recently, Ms. Grella served as President of Professional Liability for Financial Lines in the U.S. and Canada Region. Ms. Grella began her insurance career with AIG in 1995 as a professional associate in AIG’s U.S. Executive Liability division, and subsequently held a number of positions of increasing responsibility, including President of National Accounts and Chief Underwriting Officer for Professional Liability.    
 
Ms. Grella is commonly called upon as an industry expert by insurance trade and mainstream publications on cyber liability and professional liability issues. She holds a B.S. in finance from Rutgers University and holds a CPCU designation. 
 
 

Daniel Hecht is Assistant Vice President, Senior Claims Counsel at Sompo Insurance where he handles accountants' and lawyers' professional liability claims. Daniel has 23 years of insurance industry experience and 9 years of law firm experience working on commercial litigation and insurance coverage matters. 

Sean Hoar is the chair of the national Data Privacy & Cyber Security Practice at Lewis Brisbois. He has extensive experience managing responses to data breaches and working with businesses to mitigate digital risk. He served as the lead cyber attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Oregon where he was the point of contact for the FBI, Secret Service, and Homeland Security in system intrusions and other digital crime emergencies. He now manages responses to data breaches and counsels businesses on best practices in data privacy and cyber security. He also serves as the Executive Director of the Financial Crimes & Digital Evidence Foundation, and he served as an adjunct professor at the University of Oregon School of Law and the Lewis & Clark Law School, where he taught cybercrime and privacy law.

Kevin Kalinich joined Aon in September 2000, from Altima Technologies, where he served as Chief Executive Officer and led the successful launch of a Web-enabled software product that provides intelligent visualization of network equipment in the areas of telecommunications, data, cables, and computers. 
 
Prior to Altima, he was a partner at Chapman and Cutler Law Firm, where he represented domestic and international public and private entities in general corporate matters, intellectual property, M & A, venture capital, institutional investor and IPO transactions. 
 
Kevin holds a Juris Doctor from The University of Michigan and received his B.A. degree in Economics and Mathematics, Cum Laude, from Yale University.
 
Kevin leads Aon’s global practice to identify exposures and develop insurance solutions related to Technology Errors and Omissions, Miscellaneous Professional Liability, Media Liability, Network Risk and Intellectual Property.

A 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012(Finalist), 2014 and 2016 (Finalist) Risk & Insurance “Power Broker,” Kevin writes frequent articles & blogs and is quoted in numerous publications, including Ted Koppel’s 2015 book, Light’s Out (with Ajit Jain of Berkshire Hathaway), the Wall Street Journal, Time and Bloomberg, and a frequent speaker regarding Professional Liability related issues in various venues, including CNBC, RIMS, American Bar Association, American Bankers Association, FERMA, World Economic Forum, Stanford  Program in Law, Science and Technology, CCH Computer Law Advisory Council,  and Association of Financial Professionals.
 
 

Fred Karlinsky is a Shareholder and Co-Chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Global Insurance Regulatory and Transactions Practice Group. Fred has over 30 years of experience representing the interests of insurers, reinsurers, and a wide variety of other insurance-related entities. He is a recognized authority on national insurance
regulatory and compliance issues and has taken a leadership position in many insurance trade organizations. Fred has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, Florida Trend 500, and Florida Trend’s “Legal Elite” for his work in insurance law.
Fred is recognized as the only Band 1 Florida insurance lawyer by Chambers & Partners and one of the most influential leaders in Florida politics by City & State Florida and INFLUENCE Magazine. He has in-depth knowledge of insurance compliance matters and is a primary strategist in all Florida insurance-related legislative initiatives. In addition to his role with Greenberg Traurig, Fred has been an Adjunct  Professor of Law at Florida State University College of Law since 2008. Since 2014, Fred has served on and currently chairs the Florida Supreme CourtJudicial Nominating Commission (JNC), which appointed five of the seven current sitting Justices on the Florida Supreme Court during his tenure on the JNC.

Jay Kramer is a partner in the New York office of Lewis Brisbois and a member of the firm’s Data Privacy & Cyber Security Practice. Jay has extensive operational experience in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Division, and has held leadership positions in the FBI’s offices in both Washington, D.C. and New York. As a Special Counsel for the FBI in its Office of General Counsel (OGC), Jay was a founding member of its Cyber Law Unit where he helped investigative teams tackle complex issues of law and policy nationwide. Upon his return to the FBI’s New York office, Jay led its primary criminal cyber intrusion squad, and helped develop and staff its new Cyber Incident Response Team (CIRT). Jay brings to the firm a comprehensive understanding of the ever-shifting cyber threat landscape, as well as significant experience in formulating an effective response to a host of data breach and cyber intrusion incidents.

Serving as long time Counsel at the FBI, Jay has developed executive training programs on federal law and policy, and on the acquisition and use of digital evidence and electronic data. A frequent speaker on cyber security, information sharing, and public-private partnerships, Jay has served on several interagency working groups, most recently as the FBI representative to the multi-agency effort to create a National Cyber Incident Response Plan (NCIRP). The NCIRP was adopted on January 18, 2017, and now serves as the national framework for a whole-of-nation approach to cyber security. 
 

Jason joined Willis Towers Watson from Arch Insurance Group where he most recently served as an Assistant Vice President in Enterprise Product Development within the Corporate Underwriting Department. While at Arch, Jason focused on a number of products or industries including Cyber, D&O, and Professional Liability including lawyers, real estate professionals, accountants, captive agents, broker dealers, and architects and engineers. Before joining Product Development at Arch, Jason managed a claims team in adjusting professional liability claims and worked closely with underwriters in procuring new business and drafting policies and endorsements. Prior to joining Arch, Jason worked at Zurich North America as a Claims Analyst in the Diversified Financial Institutions Group. 
 
Role at Willis Towers Watson
Jason serves as a thought and product leader for cyber and E&O insurance for the FINEX team.
 
Education and Credentials
Jason earned a Juris Doctor degree from New York Law School and a Bachelor of Science degree in Administration of Justice from the Pennsylvania State University. He is admitted to legal practice in New York.

Sean is a Vice President with the FINPRO Practice in Marsh’s New York office. His responsibilities include assisting clients in the areas of cyber, technology E&O, miscellaneous professional liability, and media coverage.

Prior to joining Marsh, Sean worked at ACE insurance where he handled a variety of E&O and cyber claims including numerous high severity data breaches. Prior to ACE Sean practiced as a commercial litigation attorney in New York and New Jersey.

Sean earned his Juris Doctorate from Rutgers School of Law in Newark, New Jersey. Sean earned his Bachelor of Arts degree, with a dual major in economics and political science, from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

John Loyal is a partner in the firm’s Philadelphia office.  He is co-chair of the firm's Cybersecurity, Information Privacy and Data Security team and focuses his practice primarily on cyber and privacy matters.

Over the last several years, there has been an exponential rise in cyber related incidents impacting companies of all sizes and of varying market segments.  Mr. Loyal serves as breach counsel to these companies, providing guidance and legal counsel to impacted entities.  Specifically, Mr. Loyal specializes in coordinating the breach response for his clients by closely working with companies to help identify the nature and scope of the incident and ensuring compliance with all applicable state, federal and international laws.  He works with his clients to provide regulatory correspondence and to handle any resulting litigation arising from a cyber or privacy matter.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Loyal had the unique experience of managing cyber claims for a leading cyber insurance carrier.  Thus, he is well versed in working with his clients in conjunction with their cyber insurance provider.

Mr. Loyal is admitted to practice in New York as well as the U.S District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Mr. Loyal received his B.A., cum laude, from the State University of New York at Binghamton in 2007 and his J.D. from New York Law School in 2010, graduating magna cum laude.

Jonathan Meer focuses his practice on insurance coverage, including monitoring and coverage determinations, with a concentration on directors and officers (D&O), professional errors and omissions (E&O), lawyers’ (LPL), employment practices and cyber liability programs. Jonathan represents the interests of primary and excess insurers based in the United States, China, London and Bermuda in high-exposure claims against directors and officers of public and private companies, nonprofit boards, financial institutions and insurance companies. He has addressed claims related to shareholder class actions seeking multimillion-dollar damages against public companies and their directors and officers, as well as other high-profile fraud cases involving a variety of issues.

In addition, Jonathan’s litigation practice focuses on commercial litigation and professional liability. He has experience with matters arising under E&O policies covering attorneys, co-op boards, software developers, engineers, consultants, agents and other professionals. Jonathan’s practice also includes employment matters involving all types of discrimination and harassment, retaliation and wrongful termination claims.

Jonathan is active in firmwide development activities, including serving on Wilson Elser’s Associate Focus Committee and the firm’s Peer Mentor Committee.

Jason Meshekow is a Principal and Founder of InTouch Insurance Services, a Southern California based independent retail insurance agency. He is currently chairs the agency’s professional liability department, with an emphasis on Errors and Omissions, Directors and Officers, and Cyber liability. Public and privately held companies throughout the country rely on his expertise in risk management and property casualty insurance to protect their assets. In addition to the CLM Cyber Committee, he is a member of the organization Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS), and has been a contributor to their annual international conference each year. He also served as the past President for the Insurance Brokers & Agents (IIABA) of Los Angeles, and was active on the Board from 2001 thru 2011. 
 
 

Please check out my full bio at www.jamsadr.com and also on Linked In.  I am a mediator and arbitrator focused on complex disputes most of which involve insurance in some way.  I handle premises, products, GL, NY Labor Law, EPL, medical malpractice, legal malpractice, accountants malpractice and insurance broker E&O claims.  I handled coverage disputes involving cyber, pollution, E&O, D&O, commercial property, CGL, umbrella, excess, event cancellation, reps and warranties, captive, fronted and reinsurance policies.  In my prior life, I was both a coverage lawyer as well as Global Head of Casualty Claims at AIG (17 years in claims at AIG).  I believe a mediator should be prepared, committed and engaged throughout the mediation process and should be able to engage all parties on the merits of their dispute in a productive forward-looking manner.  Please feel free to contact me to discuss my approach further.   

Richard Reiter represents client interests in complex business disputes, intellectual property, cyber, real estate and insurance coverage. A member of the firm’s Information Governance Leadership Committee and a co-chair of the Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Practice, Rich advises on business interruption, threats to a client’s reputation, notification obligations, data management and the Internet of Things. In addition, he assists with e-commerce and technology errors and omissions. Rich counsels clients on the protection of intellectual property assets and represents individuals and businesses accused of infringement and computer technology implementation failures. Rich also advises and represents high-profile U.S. and global clients on trademark, copyright, patent, cyber liability, false advertising, trade secrets and unfair competition issues. He serves a range of clients from large hedge funds to top insurance companies and lending institutions to high-net-worth individuals, as well as businesses in other industries that have integrated technology into their operations.

In addition to handling cases before New York state courts, Rich has considerable federal court litigation experience and frequently employs arbitration and mediation to facilitate the cost-effective resolution of disputes. Rich has litigated and arbitrated multimillion-dollar disputes arising from commercial agreements and a range of business-related matters.

Large loss and catastrophic claims require a special kind of counsel. Theodore M. Schaer is regularly hired by some of the nation’s largest insurers, third party administrators, motor carriers and businesses when they face such matters. Ted also serves as National Emergency Response Counsel for Coach USA/Megabus and holds appointments as National and Regional Counsel for several large transportation companies and third party administrators defending, personal injury suits arising from truck and bus accidents.

Under Ted’s guidance and supervision, Zarwin Baum has a uniquely experienced Catastrophic Accident Response Team (“CAT Team”) staffed 24/7, 365 days per year. Working with a team of experts and investigators, numerous carriers and self insureds rely on Ted’s expertise to direct the CAT team’s early investigation and manage large claim exposure. Ted serves as National Trial Counsel for a leading insurance company defending and coordinating the defense of liquor liability claims throughout the country. He is TIPS certified in alcohol intervention procedures for bartenders and servers. Since 1987, Ted has routinely handled a variety of retail, strict liability, professional and construction related claims.

When a matter cannot be resolved, Zarwin Baum’s impressive list of casualty defense clients rely on Ted’s expertise in the courtroom. He has tried more than 50 jury trials in a number of states and has selected an additional 40 jury panels where the case has resolved during trial. Ted is an AV rated attorney who is a Certified Trial Attorney by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He has taught trial advocacy for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) and also teaches Communications Law at Temple University.

Ted joined Zarwin Baum as a third year law student and has risen to co-chair its Property and Casualty Defense department. Ted is a graduate of The American University and Temple University School of Law where he was an assistant editor of the International Law Review. He has been named to New Jersey and Pennsylvania "Super Lawyers" in transportation each year since 2005. In 2006, Ted was named one of the Top 100 Lawyers in the State of New Jersey.

Rich Sheridan joined Berkley Cyber Risk Solutions as SVP, Chief Claims Officer, in March of 2017.  Prior to Berkley, Rich worked at AXIS PRO, where he was a Vice President of Claims overseeing the company's claims stemming from its Miscellaneous E&O and Data Breach, Cyber Liability, and Technology product lines.  Prior to joining AXIS PRO, Rich served in a similar role at ACE North American Claims in New York and New Jersey for more 10 years, and before working at ACE, he was a Complex Claim Director for Miscellaneous Professional Liability Claims at AIG Technical Services in New York for more than five years.  Before entering the insurance industry, Rich worked as an associate at the law firms Heidell, Pittoni, Murphy & Bach, P.C., and Tellerman, Paticoff & Greenberg in New York City, and before that as an Assistant District Attorney in The Bronx, New York, for more than five years.
Rich has been a speaker on various insurance-related issues for PLUS, Net Diligence, MLRC, Eagle International, Execusummit, and for the ABA.  Rich earned his JD from Fordham University School of Law in 1989, and graduated a BA from the State University of New York at Albany in 1985.

Hillard M. Sterling is a commercial litigator and trial lawyer with thirty years of experience bringing cases to successful resolutions through settlement, judgment, and verdict in tribunals across the country. Hillard brings a strategic, creative, and focused approach to his clients’ cases and disputes, and a wealth of litigation and trial experience at firms ranging from big law (Kirkland & Ellis, Arnold & Porter) to boutique.

Hillard’s matters span the spectrum of commercial and insurance-defense matters, including professional-liability cases (defending agents, brokers and financial advisors), technology system-implementation disputes (representing vendors and customers), cyber matters (breach coaching and counseling clients on risk reduction), privacy cases (defending clients against allegations of wrongful disclosures and access), defamation claims (defending and bringing claims on behalf of private and public figures), intellectual property (defending against infringement allegations), and a panoply of other business disputes representing companies, shareholders and LLC members.

Hillard has served as an expert commentator in print and broadcast media on breaking stories in the technology-law realm. He also speaks at conferences across the country regarding a wide range of technology and cyber issues as well as other insurance-defense topics.

Mr. Sterling is a 1986 graduate of Northern Illinois University, where he received his B.A., summa cum laude. He received his J.D. in 1989, magna cum laude, and Order of the Coif, from Georgetown University Law Center, where he was an Executive Editor of its flagship law review, the Georgetown Law Journal.

Mr. Sterling is admitted to practice law in Illinois and Washington, D.C., and various federal courts including the trial bar of the Northern District of Illinois.

Alex Tievsky is an attorney at Edelson PC where he represents Thomas Robins, the plaintiff in Robins v. Spokeo. Edelson PC is a recognized leader in plaintiffs’ class and mass action litigation, with a special emphasis on technology and privacy cases. As part of the firm’s Issues & Appeals group, Alex litigates class actions on behalf of consumers in appellate courts nationwide. Alex attended the Northwestern University School of Law and the University of Chicago, and he started his career as an analyst and software developer for an enterprise electronic medical records vendor.

Antonio Trotta is the Cyber & Professional Liability Claim Practice Leader at QBE Insurance with over 20 years experience handling large risk commercial claims.  Antonio has handled all manner of claims tendered under Management Liability, EPL, Fidelity, Media, Errors & Omissions and Technology policies.  Prior to working for insurance carriers, Antonio worked in private practice as an insurance coverage, business dispute and securities litigation attorney.  Antonio is a graduate of the University of Maryland and New York Law School, where he served as an editor of the New York Law School Law Review.  Antonio has authored several articles for the Fidelity Law Journal, and has co-authored an insurance guide book on intellectual property and cyber liability claims.  Antonio speaks frequently on negotiation strategy, privacy law, data breach prevention, mitigation and remediation

Vincent J. Vitkowsky serves domestic and international insurers and reinsurers in litigation, arbitration, and counseling of coverage and claims matters, reinsurance disputes, direct defense, and commercial disputes. He also advises on matters involving cyber risks, liabilities, and insurance. Vince represents clients in direct insurance coverage matters and claims litigation in lines such as professional liability, management and D&O, energy, entertainment, terrorism, life and group health insurance. He represents clients in reinsurance disputes in virtually all lines of business. He also represents insurers, reinsurers and brokers in commercial litigation matters such as post-acquisition purchase price disputes, alleged business torts, breach of trade secrets, matters involving runoff companies and managing general agents, and disputes with state Liquidators of insolvent insurers.

Vince’s background in cyber risks, liabilities, and insurance developed from his distinctive skill set as an insurance lawyer with extensive knowledge of terrorism and national security. He combines the disciplines of insurance law, professional liability, international law, national security law, and the law of war in analyzing cyber issues. These include matters such as data breaches, privacy claims, industrial cyber attacks on SCADA systems and other networks resulting in property damage or bodily injury, risks arising from the Internet of Things, extortion, cyberwar, hacktivism, terroristic threats and attacks, information sharing, legislative proposals, the public-private cybersecurity partnership, and cyber insurance policy and reinsurance treaty wordings.

Vince has served as counsel in over 100 arbitrations involving insurance and reinsurance. He has served as counsel or arbitrator in international commercial arbitrations involving agency, sales, distribution, licensing, technology development, employment, joint venture, shareholder and other contracts, in industries such as financial services, aviation, textile and apparel, telecommunications, entertainment, champagne and real estate development. He is a member of the Panel of Arbitrators of the AAA International Centre for Dispute Resolution.

Joseph Weiss is an industry expert on control systems security, with over 40 years of experience in the energy industry. He has provided testimony to federal legislative committees and subcommittees, is an invited speaker at industry and vendor user group security conferences, and is often quoted throughout the industry.
 
Joe has published over 80 papers on instrumentation, controls, and diagnostics including chapters on cyber security for electric power substations and securing water and wastewater systems. He coauthored Cyber Security Policy Guidebook and authored Protecting Industrial Control Systems from Electronic Threats. Joe gave the keynote to the National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine on control system cyber security.
 
Joe has conducted SCADA, substation, plant control system, and water systems vulnerability and risk assessments and conducted courses on control system security. He developed a database of more than 950 control system cyber incidents. Joe is a member of Transportation Safety Board Committee on Cyber Security for Mass Transit, and was a subject matter expert to the International Atomic Energy Agency on control system cybersecurity. He established the annual Industrial Control System (ICS) Cyber Security Conference.
 
Joe is a professional engineer with two patents on instrumentation and control systems, is a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) and Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC).

Anne Winner is an Assistant Vice President and he Employed Lawyers Product Manager for CHUBB.  Currently, she oversees a team of five underwriters in the Philadelphia area and implements strategies for growth.  Her product expertise includes Cybersecurity, Employed Lawyers, Lawyers Professional, Media Liability, Miscellaneous Professional, and Technology errors & omissions.
 
Anne joined CHUBB after starting with Executive Risk in 1998 as an underwriter assistant for Lawyers Professional Liability Insurance and subsequently assumed an E&O underwriting role in 1999.  
 
Anne graduated from Villanova University with a B.A in Psychology and a minor in Political Science.