America's Leading Lawyers for Business 2004-2005: Insurance

Chambers & Partners has compiled their independent and objective list of America's Leading Lawyers for Business based on comments gathered from thousands of interviews with clients and lawyers from Maine to Hawaii. This guide -- which is designed to reflect market opinion -- contains a view of the firms and attorneys who are considered leaders in their field.

In Chambers' 2004-2005 review of national legal talent in the area of "Insurance," our Firm and our lawyers are listed among the best in the country.

Chambers' comments:

Illinois

Ranking: 3

The Firm: The firm is well known for its outstanding national litigation practice, and attorneys from the Chicago office have played a full part in building this reputation. Its famously versatile and well-trained litigators are active for corporate clients of the caliber of Dow Chemical, Motorola and Siemens in the most demanding and complex insurance coverage disputes. Recent cases include advising Quad/Graphics on a business interruption insurance claim, obtaining full recovery of all losses.

The Lawyers: According to interviewees, Michael Foradas would be one of the leading litigators in Chicago whether or not he focused on insurance. General liability disputes and business interruption as well as officers and directors liability form the mainstay of his practice. His "outstanding trial skills" have been employed in the service of Union Carbide in a dispute with a number of insurers over the existence of insurance coverage for asbestos liabilities. Other recent work includes successfully resolving a dispute on behalf of Motorola over its right to insurance for environmental liabilities at its manufacturing bases.

The Clients: Alcon Laboratories; BP; Central Hudson; Dow Chemical; Dow Corning; Motorola; Bayer; NL Industries; US Gypsum; Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club; Gaylord Container; Honeywell; Union Carbide; Raytheon; Siemens and S&C Electric.  

Reprinted with permission from Chambers & Partners: America's Leading Lawyers for Business 2004-2005