About

Provided by McDermott Will & Emery LLP

McDermott’s DC-based insurance practice group is an elite practice with broad experience across high-value and precedential insurance coverage and insurance tax disputes, insurance tax counselling, taxation and governance matters in all pertinent U.S. and offshore domiciles, health insurance, claim evaluation, insurance program negotiation and structuring, and regulatory work. We handle high profile cases, work with prominent clients in the industry and have succeeded in ground-breaking matters.

McDermott’s practice is built on quality, not volume and is a ‘go to’ team for insurer clients dealing with their biggest litigation exposures, insurance tax liabilities and disputes, and captive insurance matters. McDermott’s high profile client base rely on our experience in insurance matters where much is at stake financially, for reputational reasons or because the issues presented have precedential importance for the industry.

McDermott’s practice is a first choice for clients facing complex claims and coverage litigation; cutting-edge captive formation, taxation and complex insurance program needs; Affordable Care Act and other insurance regulatory matters.

McDermott's lawyers have a wealth of experience in the captive insurance arena including advice on captive insurance tax litigation, structuring captive insurance companies, high deductible and self-insured retentions, trusts, offshore and onshore captives, risk purchasing groups and group captives.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Insurance: Insurer - District of Columbia

2
Band 2

What the Team is Known For

The versatile team at McDermott Will & Emery LLP is adept at handling major coverage litigation, bad faith claims and reinsurance disputes. The firm has particular expertise in life and health insurance and demonstrates specialist knowledge in relation to captive insurance companies and tax-related matters. The firm's expertise also extends to disputes arising from long-tail environmental and toxic tort claims.

Work Highlights

  • McDermott Will & Emery LLP represented Allianz with respect to its handling, evaluation and coverage litigation considerations relating to 3M’s nine-figure PFAS property damage and bodily injury claim to Allianz.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

Margaret H Warner
1
Margaret H Warner
1
Band 1

Margaret Warner is a celebrated litigator with extensive experience in coverage defence and high-stakes disputes. Her expertise includes leading her clients through cybersecurity, sexual misconduct, asbestos and professional liability claims.

Margaret is an excellent writer. She is very experienced at handling high exposure and highly complex matters and we see her as a go-to for this. She is one of the best trial lawyers I've worked with.

Margaret has deep insurance industry knowledge as well as tenacity and brilliant legal analysis. She really understands the business of insurance and incorporates this into her legal work.

She has a substantial practice and is a thought leader in this space.

Margaret knows what she's doing and is very experienced. She is professional, even-keeled and easy to work with. I have nothing but good things to say about her.

She has been working on insurance issues for a long time and has become a go-to litigator across industries.

Ryan Smethurst
1
Ryan Smethurst
1
Band 1

Ryan Smethurst co-heads the firm's insurance litigation and counselling team. He has key experience in a wide range of complex coverage disputes and in major cases concerning sexual abuse, bodily injury and asbestos claims.

He is an excellent attorney.

I only have good things to say about Ryan. He is an excellent writer and researcher. He is very experienced and handles highly complex and high-value cases.

Ryan is an excellent attorney who I trust completely. He is intelligent, articulate and responsive. He is also creative and thoughtful in coming up with ways to address various issues.

He is very knowledgeable and is a talented litigator. He really knows coverage inside out. He's done a great job of rising to the occasion on a highly complex matter.

Ryan is great and has an impressive practice.

Ranked Lawyers at
McDermott Will & Emery LLP

Provided by Chambers
Filter by
Band

District of Columbia

Insurance: Insurer

Margaret H Warner
1
Margaret H Warner
1
Band 1
Ryan Smethurst
1
Ryan Smethurst
1
Band 1

Members

Provided by McDermott Will & Emery LLP