Jonathan P. McHenry

Practice Areas

Insurance Coverage

Commercial Litigation

Environmental Law

Product Liability and Tort Law

Aviation

Career

Jon McHenry is Co-Chair of the firm's nationally recognized Insurance Coverage Practice Group. Since joining Connell Foley LLP more than two decades ago, Jon has continually achieved groundbreaking results for the firm’s domestic and internationally based clients in a variety of disputes, with a particular emphasis on serving as lead counsel in a broad range of complex insurance coverage litigation and arbitration matters.

Jon represents clients in cases across the country and in international Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) proceedings. His extensive insurance coverage experience includes claims involving: general liability; professional, executive and financial risk; property and business interruption; environmental and mass torts; employment practices liability; construction defects; products liability; multimedia liability; cyber and privacy risk; subrogation; class actions; aviation law; securities litigation; bankruptcy protection; and bad faith/extra-contractual issues. He also regularly counsels insurers in connection with the handling of complex claims prior to litigation and/or arbitration.

Jon is recognized in Chambers USA in the area of insurance coverage. In Chambers, Jon is recognized for his strong insurance coverage practice, which includes an impressive array of claims. In addition, Chambers describes Jon as a very adept strategist, responsive and such a nice person to work with. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. A description of the selection methodology can be found at chambers.com. Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.

Active in industry and professional organizations, Jon is a member of various insurance law sub-committees in the American Bar Association, USLAW, and the New Jersey State Bar Association.

Prior to joining Connell Foley, Jon worked for the United Nations Center for Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland, and as a speechwriter on the staff of the Lt. Governor of South Carolina, among other endeavors.

Professional Memberships

Member, Defense Research Institute (DRI)

Member, International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC)

Member, USLAW Network's Insurance practice group

American Bar Association

New Jersey State Bar Association

Essex County Bar Association

Publications

Co-author, "Pulling the Right Trigger: Identifying the Appropriate Insurance Policy Trigger Approach at the Inception of a Construction Defect Coverage Case"

USLAW magazine , Spring/Summer 2010

Author, "Contamination From Intentional Operations Excluded, Judge Rules"

Mealey’s Litigation Report: Insurance, Vol 23, No. 22 , 04.09.2009

Author, "Defense, Indemnity Coverage Must be Allocated On Pro Rata Basis, N.J. Judge Says"

Mealey’s Litigation Report: Insurance, Vol. 15, No. 25, 04.01.2001

Co-author, "New Jersey Court Rules No Coverage For Sexual Molestation"

Mealey’s Emerging Insurance Disputes, Vol. 5, No. 24 , 12.20.2000

Expert in these Jurisdictions

New Jersey

United States District Court for the Southern District of New York

United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York

United States District Court for the District of New Jersey

United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

Experience

Lead trial and coverage counsel in a variety of high exposure and complex environmental, asbestos, benzene, diacetyl, talc and other leading toxic tort exposure matters for the world’s largest insurance carriers

Lead trial and coverage counsel in a variety of complex E&O, D&O, EPL and Fiduciary Liability cases venued in various domestic and international jurisdictions

Obtained summary judgement in decision of first impression where in the court ruled that an insured polluter's violation of the "loss payable" condition vitiated insurances coverage for a $367 million EPA consent decree

Lead counsel in decision overturning prior judgment against various insurers in connection with a polluted former manufacturing plant in South Carolina involving approximately $40 million in alleged damages

Lead coverage counsel for aviation insurers in connection with a polluted airport involving more than $110 million in alleged damages

Summary judgment for primary insurer in NY action involving a multi-million dollar manufactured gas plant pollution exposure

Lead trial counsel for major domestic primary insurer in multi-million dollar environmental coverage action involving 36 polluted sites located nationwide. Obtained summary judgment, voluntary dismissals and/or full releases for vast majority of waste sites involved in the litigation. Successfully negotiated a favorable settlement with respect to the remaining sites

Representation of airline in the multibillion dollar property and wrongful death consolidated lawsuits arising from the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks

Lead coverage counsel for insurer in connection with bankruptcy filings of major US corporation. At issue was millions of dollars of insurance coverage and multiple settlement agreements sought to be discharged by debtor/policyholder

Representation of charter jet company involved in major NTSB investigation and resulting high exposure litigation arising from airplane accident with multiple fatalities

Successfully obtained summary judgment and voluntary dismissals for insurer with respect to multi-million dollar declaratory judgment action involving contaminated sites located throughout the country based upon coverage issues including successor liability, after-acquired liabilities, and application of the pollution exclusion

Obtained summary judgment with respect to a multi-million dollar contaminated environmental site located in Massachusetts based upon the application of the pollution exclusion contained in various primary insurance policies

Obtained summary judgment upon reversal on appeal for insurer sued by policyholder with respect to multiple acts of sexual molestation

Education

Awards