Darlene K. Alt Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Partner Chicago +1 312 201 2670 +1 401 276 6476 [email protected]
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Darlene K. Alt Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Partner Chicago +1 312 201 2670 +1 401 276 6476 [email protected] Areas of Practice Darlene represents insurers in coverage actions, class actions and complex Insurance & Reinsurance commercial litigation. She has extensive experience in defending and managing Coverage & Claims insurance coverage and bad faith litigation in state and federal courts across the Complex Commercial Litigation country. Darlene also advises leading US and UK insurers on a wide variety of Complex Litigation matters, including coverage, claims handling and bad faith exposures, and counsels insurers on policy wording and review. Darlene also regularly advises clients on high-exposure cases and mass tort liabilities, including 9/11- Education related World Trade Center litigation. Northwestern University School of Law, J.D. Notable Experience cum laude, Order of the Coif University of Michigan, B.A. Darlene routinely advises US and UK insurers on complex coverage issues with distinction involving Bermuda Form, professional liability, and general and excess liability policies. Bar Admissions Illinois Darlene regularly counsels insurers on liability, coverage and claims Rhode Island handling issues arising from professional services, mass torts, product liability and large exposure claims. Court Admissions Darlene serves as both coverage and monitoring counsel to insurers on a U.S. Court of Appeals, First variety of professional indemnity and general liability policies. Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Conagra Foods, Inc. v. Lexington Insurance Company, (Delaware), Circuit Defended insurer in coverage action involving food contamination claims. U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois Roman Catholic Bishop of Springfield v. American Home Assurance U.S. District Court, District of Company et al., (Massachusetts), Defended excess insurers in coverage Rhode Island action involving numerous claims of sexual abuse. U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan Rabinowitz v. Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, (Mississippi), Assisted in defense of mass action against insurer involving Memberships vanishing premium, performance and modal premium claims. Professional Liability Varacallo v. Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, (New Jersey), Underwriting Society Assisted as National Litigation Counsel and Settlement Counsel in Defense Research Institute resolving nationwide insurance sales practices class action. Claims & Litigation Management Alliance Primiano v. Vigilant Insurance Company, (Rhode Island), Defended insurer against breach of contract and bad faith claims. Darlene K. Alt Recent Speaking Engagements and Publications "The Intersection of Insurance and Bankruptcy," quoted, Risk & Insurance, January 22, 2014. "5 Tips for Attorneys Turned Claims Investigators," quoted, Law360, May 31, 2013. "Industry Loss Estimates for Superstorm Sandy Remain at $18.75 Billion," co-author, Edwards Wildman Client Advisory, May 2013. "Potential Claim and Insurance Implications of the Boston Marathon Bombings," speaker, Edwards Wildman Insurance and Reinsurance Webinar, May 23, 2013. "Issue Spotting the Marathon Bombings - A Look at Potential Claims and Implicated Coverages," co-author, Claims Management Magazine, May 7, 2013. "Boston Bombing Insurance Definitions Unclear," quoted, Reactions, April 26, 2013. "An Update on a Storm Called Sandy," speaker, Edwards Wildman seminar, New York, March 28 and London, April 25, 2013. "What Happens When the Lights Go Out? Business Loss Coverages Revealed," speaker, Professional Insurance Agents of Florida, Agent Expo 2013 Building Success, February 21-22, 2013. "Bad Faith Laws for Property/Casualty Claims," co-author, Prepared by Gen Re and Edwards Wildman Palmer, February 2013. "A Storm Named Sandy," speaker, Edwards Wildman Insurance and Reinsurance Seminar, New York, January 17, 2013. "Q&A With Attorneys on Emerging Business Insurance Topics," quoted, Insurance Journal, November 13, 2012. "After Japan: The Causation Dilemma For CBI Coverage," co-author, Risk and Insurance, August 1, 2011. "Fallout from the Japan Disaster: Causation & Aggregation Issues Under CBI & Reinsurance Policies," speaker, Edwards Wildman Palmer Webinar, July 28, 2011. "Swept away: Have insureds' chances of recovery under contingent business interruption insurance policies been wiped out post-Tohoku, ask Edwards Wildman Palmer" co-author, Insider Quarterly, Summer 2011. "Navigating The Medicare Secondary Payer Minefield," author, Law360, April 1, 2011. "SaferProducts.gov - Not Just Another Website," co-author, Law360, February 11, 2011. Darlene K. Alt "Consumer Product Safety Incident Database Set to Launch March 2011," Edwards Wildman Palmer Client LLP Advisory, December 1, 2010 "U.S. Supreme Court Issues Decision in Wyeth v. Levine Rejecting FDA Labeling Pre-emption Argument," co-author, Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Client Advisory, March 2009. "Destruction Checklists: Don't Be Afraid To Use That Shredder," co-author, Edwards Wildman Palmer Class Action & Mass Litigation Bulletin, Fall 2006. "Destruction Checklist," co-author, Law Technology News, October 2005. "Advanced Expert Witness Deposition Tactics," speaker, National Business Institute, September 2007. "The Art of the Settlement," speaker, National Business Institute, March 2007. Stephen M. Prignano Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP Partner Providence +1 401 276 6670 [email protected] Steve represents insurance and corporate clients in class actions, coverage Areas of Practice actions, extra-contractual matters, and complex commercial litigation. He has Insurance & Reinsurance extensive trial and appellate experience in a wide variety of matters in state and Coverage & Claims federal courts across the country. Steve has, for example, defended Complex Commercial Litigation major insurance companies in coverage and bad faith disputes, as well as in class actions alleging market conduct and sales practices claims. He has represented Privacy & Data Protection clients in privacy and data protection matters, including insurance coverage issues Technology, Media & related to privacy and data breach claims. Steve has also represented broadcasters Telecommunications in the defense of media claims, insurers and contractors in the defense Real Estate and Construction of construction defect claims, manufacturers of automotive, industrial and consumer Litigation products in the defense of product liability claims, and accountants, attorneys and engineers in the defense of professional liability claims. Education University of Bridgeport, School Steve’s knowledge in cutting edge issues concerning privacy and data of Law, J.D. protection, electronic discovery and information technology is useful to clients in summa cum laude coverage, bad faith, and complex litigation. He has frequently lectured and written Bryant College, B.S. on insurance coverage issues, bad faith liability, class action litigation, privacy and data protection, electronic discovery, and document retention best practices. Steve cum laude is listed in the Commercial Litigation section of The Best Lawyers in America and has been named a New England Super Lawyer and a Rhode Island Super Lawyer Bar Admissions by Law & Politics magazine since 2007. Connecticut Rhode Island In addition to his commercial litigation experience, Steve is an accomplished Massachusetts matrimonial lawyer with over 25 years experience in the Rhode Island Family Courts. He regularly represents clients in contested divorce, child custody, child Court Admissions support, alimony and other matrimonial matters. Steve is a Fellow of the American U.S. District Court, District of Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Rhode Island U.S. District Court, Notable Experience Massachusetts U.S. Court of Appeals, First In Re Mortgage Foreclosure Cases (Rhode Island). Successfully Circuit represented major financial institution in defeating class-wide injunctive U.S. Supreme Court relief in consolidated mortgage foreclosure cases. Santilli v. AllianceOne Receivables Management (Rhode Island). Memberships Successfully resolved on behalf of defendant a putative class action Defense Research Institute, alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Insurance Law Committee Federal Bar Association Collective Brands v. National Union Fire Insurance Co. of Pittsburgh, P.A. Defense Counsel of Rhode (Kansas). Obtained summary judgment dismissing insured's complaint Island seeking coverage for privacy violations allegedly asserted in two class Rhode Island Bar Association, actions brought against an insured under the Telephone Consumer Volunteer Lawyers Program Protection Act in the sending of unsolicited text messages to residents of Claims & Litigation Management California and Washington. Stephen M. Prignano Alliance Alfano v. National Geographic Channel (New York). Obtained summary Board of Directors, Roger judgment dismissing claims alleging violations of privacy rights under New Williams University School of York Civil Rights Law Section 51 in connection with the use of plaintiff’s Law photograph to advertise a television documentary. Advisory Board, Pro Bono Collaborative Starr-Gordon v. Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company Fellow, American Academy of (California). Obtained summary judgment dismissing bad faith claims Matrimonial Lawyers brought on behalf of a putative class of California policyholders with respect to the administration of disability