|
MITCHELL S. COHEN is a partner in the New York law firm of Wechsler & Cohen, L.L.P., and has had more than18 years of experience in all aspects of civil litigation and arbitration including a variety of insurance and reinsurance law matters such as first and third-party claims, fraud, environmental and contamination losses, allocation issues, a variety of coverage questions presented by industrial losses, personal injury claims, and large scale subrogation prosecutions. He frequently lectures on a variety of insurance law topics and advanced litigation techniques before groups such as the Continuing Legal Education Department of the New York State Bar Association and the New York Chapter of the American Corporate Counsel Association. Mr. Cohen earned his B.A. degree, cum laude, from the State University of New York at Albany and the J.D. degree from Boston University School of Law. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association (member, Executive Committee Torts, Insurance and Compensation Section). EVE-LYNN GISONNI is a partner in the Woodbury firm of Gisonni & Harms, LLP, where her practice is focused on insurance coverage litigation and insurance dispute resolution (on behalf of insureds) as well as all matters in insurance coverage including long-term disability insurance, ERISA matters and life insurance disputes. Her practice includes state and federal forums, and in addition to New York, she is admitted to practice in the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York and the federal District of New Jersey. Ms. Gisonni has lectured on insurance coverage issues before various groups including the Nassau County Bar Association and the National Business Institute. She earned her B.A. degree from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh and her J.D. degree, cum laude, from Touro College, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center. Recently, Ms. Gisonni successfully litigated and argued a disputed group disability claim before the New York State Court of Appeals on a Certified Question presented by the federal 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals. In Benesowitz v. MetLife, the High Court construed an Insurance Law statute pertaining to pre-existing conditions in the insured's favor. As a result of this case, the New York State Insurance Department has ordered all insurance companies writing group disability policies in the state of New York to reopen claims previously denied for pre-existing conditions. Further, they are all required to change their policy language to conform to the High Court's interpretation. Ms. Gisonni is a member of the Nassau County and American bar associations, as well as the Long Island Center for Business and Professional Women. PAUL J. ISRAELSON has investigated and litigated first-party claims against insurance companies for more than 24 years involving issues of: late notice, coverage exclusions, non-cooperation, fraud, arson, material misrepresentation, damages, liability limits, suit limitation provisions, subrogation and property value. Mr. Israelson has conducted numerous examinations under oath pursuant to the policy terms, and has protected insurance companies from claims where there is no coverage. Additionally, he litigates property damage claims where the insurance company is called upon to defend and indemnify their insured due to their insured's alleged negligence, and also maintains an active appellate practice, handling the appeals of insurance coverage issues. Mr. Israelson teaches a seminar on insurance fraud at C.W. Post's College of Continuing Education. This seminar deals with legal issues applicable to handling claims where coverage is contested because of fraud and is approved for CPCU credit by the New York State Insurance Department. He has written three articles published in the Insurance Advocate: "The Importance Of Suit Limitation Provisions In Insurance Policies"; "The Wear and Tear, Inherent Defect, and Mechanical Breakdown Exclusions Have Been Successfully Applied in New York To Deny Coverage"; and "Helpful Hints For Investigating And Defending Against Fraudulent Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Claims". Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Israelson served as an assistant district attorney for the Kings County District Attorney's Office, assigned to the Economic Crimes and Arson Bureau. While in that bureau, he successfully prosecuted numerous fraudulent insurance claims and arsons for profit. Mr. Israelson earned his B.S. degree from the Wharton School of Economics and Finance, University of Pennsylvania and his J.D. degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law. BRYAN P. KUJAWSKI is a partner in the law firm of Kujawski & Kujawski, where he practices in the areas of medical, legal and dental malpractice, products liability, negligence, F.E.L.A. and insurance litigation in both federal and state courts. He frequently lectures in the areas of civil litigation, New York civil practice, negligence and professional malpractice for the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, the Touro Law School Academy of Law and the Suffolk County Bar Association. Mr. Kujawski is a member of the Nassau County, Suffolk County (past chair, Plaintiffs' Personal Injury Committee; past member, Board of Directors) and Massachusetts bar associations, the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America and the Suffolk Academy of Law. He earned his B.S. degree from Loyola University and his J.D. degree from Boston College Law School. KENNETH R. MAGUIRE is a founding partner in the law firm of Shay & Maguire LLP, where he practices in the areas of insurance litigation and the representation of insurers and insureds in casualty and property claim matters. He commenced his career in 1977, as a home office casualty claims supervisor for a major insurer. Thereafter, he has been engaged in the practice of casualty and property claim litigation and insurance litigation while a partner at two major law firms for the past 24 years. Mr. Maguire has represented many of the largest casualty and property insurers in the handling of insurance coverage and claim disputes in state and federal courts, with many reported cases. He is a longstanding member of the New York State and American bar associations (TIPS Insurance Litigation Committee; past Co-Chair, Agents and Brokers Liability Sub-Committee). Mr. Maguire has been a past lecturer on insurance coverage litigation issues for the American Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, the Defense Association of New York, the American Law Firm Association, National Business Institute and for numerous other trade associations and insurers. He earned his B.A. degree from Queens College of the City University of New York and his J.D. degree from Pace University School of Law. MICHAEL A. MIRANDA is a partner in the New York law firm of Miranda Sambursky Slone Sklarin Verneniotis LLP. He has extensively litigated insurance coverage disputes; municipal liability, including general liability matters; and employment discrimination charges. His insurance coverage experience ranges from common habitational and general liability defenses, such as late notice, lead paint, classification, and anti-subrogation issues, to environmental defenses. He has been to the New York State Court of Appeals three times, prevailing each time in major victories for the insurance industry. Mr. Miranda has spoken at the Practicing Law Institute's Police Liability Panel twice and New York State Bar Association seminars on insurance coverage, municipal liability, construction litigation and police misconduct. He has written articles for the Defense Research Institute and the New York Law Journal. He serves as a member of the Employment and Municipal Law committees of DRI, the Municipal Law Committee of the New York State Bar Association and Insurance Law Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. He earned his J.D. degree from the New York Law School.
|