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Catherine Serafin

Of Counsel

Washington, D.C.
T: +1 202.753.3754 F: +1 973.597.6227 cserafin@lowenstein.com
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  • EXPERIENCE
  • HONORS & AWARDS
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A "litigation star" (Benchmark Plaintiff), Cathy has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in insurance payments over her 30-year career representing policyholders nationwide. She has substantial lead counsel experience in federal and state court trials, mediations, and arbitrations. She also helps policyholders develop and execute strategic prelitigation insurance recovery plans for high-value, complex claims. Her tailored approach to each matter, and focus on practical and creative solutions, helps policyholders efficiently and effectively maximize their insurance assets.

With extensive experience resolving policyholders' complex insurance disputes, Cathy obtains coverage for clients facing liability claims alleging securities fraud, mismanagement, products liability, environmental liability, and defamation, among others. She also assists clients with coverage claims for business interruption losses and theft, and she has significant transactional experience working on deal teams to find solutions to problematic insurance coverage issues.

Cathy represents large corporations, municipalities, individual company officers, and other policyholders facing insurance claim problems under many types of insurance policies, including:

  • Directors and officers
  • Commercial general liability
  • Errors and omissions
  • Primary and pool mortgage insurance
  • First-party property policies and financial institution bonds

Cathy has successfully represented Fortune 100 companies as well as individuals.

The author of numerous articles on insurance and policyholders' rights, Cathy frequently lectures at programs sponsored by the Practising Law Institute, the Risk and Insurance Management Society, Federal Publications, and the American Bar Association, among others.

  • Currently representing a Pennsylvania policyholder in a declaratory judgment and bad faith lawsuit in New Jersey federal court for coverage under errors and omissions liability insurance policies in connection with claims alleging misrepresentation in investment advice.
  • Represented Goodrich Corporation against more than 30 insurance companies in an environmental liability coverage dispute regarding tens of millions of dollars in liabilities. Served as lead counsel in the mediation with the company's carriers, and later shared first-chair trial responsibility against the remaining carriers, eventually obtaining a $42 million verdict that was upheld on appeal.
  • Represented several Blue Cross Blue Shield entities in litigation to obtain insurance coverage for RICO class actions. Obtained significant rulings about the broad scope of reinsurance discovery. Matter settled formally on the eve of trial.
  • Represented New Castle County, Delaware, from the pre-complaint stage through the trial and appeals process in an action against two dozen insurance companies regarding coverage for environmental liabilities at the no. 2 and no. 9 National Priorities List (NPL) sites. Successfully negotiated multimillion-dollar settlements with most carriers and obtained a favorable trial verdict against the remaining carrier.
  • Represented a national home builder in disputes with general liability carriers regarding alleged construction defects. Helped obtain multimillion-dollar settlements without resorting to litigation.
  • Represented Sun-Times Media Group and a number of its individual directors and officers in an action regarding coverage for securities claims. Helped obtain a favorable forum decision and a ruling requiring the insurers to advance defense costs.
  • Served as lead counsel in a warehouse theft case involving aircraft "black boxes" for a major aerospace company. Confidential arbitration led to favorable settlements for the client.

Education

  • Villanova University School of Law (J.D. 1986)

    King's College (B.A. 1983), summa cum laude

Affiliations

  • American Bar Association
    • Section on Litigation
    • Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee
      • Co-Chair, D&O Subcommittee
  • King's College
    • Board of Directors
    • Chair, Enrollment Management Committee
    • Executive Committee

Admissions

  • District of Columbia

Related Areas

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