Maurice Pesso

Work Highlights

Regularly represents insurers' interests in connection with resolution of complex securities claims through litigation and alternative dispute resolution procedures, including the negotiation of complex settlements and insurance coverage workouts.

Successfully negotiated numerous policy settlements in connection with claims noticed under professional liability insurance policies.

Obtained summary judgment for an insurance company that denied coverage for a portion of a multi-million dollar regulatory settlement that was labeled as disgorgement.

Defended insurance companies in coverage actions brought by financial institutions seeking coverage for their settlements of the Enron and WorldCom securities class actions.

Integral part of the lead counsel team that represented the lead plaintiff in the first ever securities class action brought by shareholders of a Turkish company trading on the New York Stock Exchange, resulting in a settlement of over $19 million.

Frequently represents insurers in the mediation of large, complex claims and the negotiation of sophisticated settlements, including coverage workouts.

Practice Areas

Bermuda form

Directors and officers liability

Financial institutions

Fraud

Professional liability

Insurance coverage

Commercial disputes

Insurance and reinsurance

Publications

Co-author, “Macquarie says Second Circuit makes a mockery of Section 10(b),” published for Kennedys (February 2024)

Co-author, “New breed of SPAC-related litigation? Breach of fiduciary duty lawsuits following de-SPAC transactions,” published for Kennedys (April 2021)

Co-author, “Cyber underwriting report released by Bermuda Monetary Authority: And it may remind you of another regulator’s recent report,” published for Kennedys (February 2021)

Personal

Maurice is a partner in the New York office. He has represented domestic and international insurers in connection with insurance coverage and liability issues arising under major professional liability lines, including directors and officers (public and private company), banker and financial professional liability, errors and omissions and fiduciary liability. Maurice has worked with insurers in resolving hundreds of these matters through mediation, domestic and international arbitration, and in coverage litigation before State and Federal Courts across the country.

His work includes advising insurers on coverage and liability/damages issues in securities class actions, shareholders derivative actions, private equity disputes, regulatory investigations/proceedings, transactional litigation, and bankruptcy and insolvency matters. Insurance company clients have sought Maurice for advice and guidance on many of their most significant matters, including some of the most high-profile D&O/FI matters of the past two decades. Maurice also counsels insurance company clients with respect to claims and underwriting issues, and works with insurance company clients on developing new insurance products and drafting policy forms and specialized endorsements.

Maurice is a frequent speaker and author on issues of interest to professional liability insurers, specifically with respect to exposures faced by directors and officers and how those exposure can impact professional liability insurers. Maurice is a member of the Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS).

Awards