Peter D.Laun

Partner

Dallas + 1.214.969.4530

Pete Laun has recovered more than $2.5 billion for clients as a plaintiff and has successfully defended lawsuits with damages claims as high as $1.6 billion. His experience includes insurance recovery, engineering/construction, product liability, contracts, employment, and class actions. He has litigated in more than 20 federal and state courts, including in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Illinois, Georgia, Texas, Minnesota, and California, and has argued appeals in more than 10 courts. His first-chair trial experience includes trials and injunction proceedings in state and federal courts and arbitrations. Pete has handled matters in the United Kingdom, Bermuda, Europe, and Latin America. He has taken and defended more than 500 depositions.

Pete regularly represents policyholders in coverage disputes and counsels clients on insurance matters. He has litigated under virtually every type of insurance policy, including property/business interruption, D&O (directors and officers), E&O (errors and omissions), general liability, employment, environmental, crime, and workers compensation, as well as reinsurance policies. He has drafted insurance policies and has litigated against virtually all major insurers. Pete also regularly represents owners, contractors, and professionals in construction disputes, and he has drafted construction contracts for projects valued up to $500 million. His construction experience includes disputes on the front page of newspapers.

Pete is an avid tennis and pickleball player and played lacrosse in college, serving as captain. Pete has been involved in a wide range of community activities, from pro bono matters to coaching lacrosse. He has taught, spoken, and written on a range of insurance, construction, and expert witness topics.

Experience

  • Meridian Bioscience agrees to be acquired by SD Biosensor and SJL Partners in $1.53 billion all-cash transactionJones Day advised Meridian Bioscience, Inc. in its $1.53 billion all-cash acquisition by SD Biosensor and SJL Partners.
  • Owens Corning acquires Natural PolymersJones Day advised Owens Corning (NYSE: OC) in the acquisition of Natural Polymers, LLC, an innovative manufacturer of spray polyurethane foam insulation for building and construction applications.
  • Follett Corporation acquired by private investor groupJones Day advised Follett Corporation in the sale of its corporate entity as well as Follett Higher Education, the company’s collegiate retail and Follett ACCESS business, to a group of private investors led by Jefferson River Capital LLC, a private investment company controlled by the James family.
  • Asbury Automotive Group acquires Larry H. Miller Dealerships and Total Care Auto for $3.2 billionJones Day advised Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. (NYSE: ABG), one of the largest automotive retail and service companies in the U.S., in its acquisition of Larry H. Miller Dealerships, and Total Care Auto, Powered by Landcar for $3.2 billion.
  • Follett Corporation divests Baker & Taylor division to private investor groupJones Day advised Follett Corporation in its divestiture of its Baker & Taylor division, the world's premier distributor of physical and digital books and services to public and academic libraries, which will now operate as an independent, privately-owned entity group led by Baker & Taylor's President and CEO Aman Kochar.
  • Procter & Gamble enters into two 15-year virtual power purchase agreements with EDPR for solar and wind energy in EUJones Day advised The Procter Gamble Company in entering into two 15-year virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs) to purchase electricity and guarantees of origin (GOs) from solar and wind energy projects in the EU owned by a subsidiary of renewable energy developer EDP Renováveis, S.A. (EDPR).
  • Follett sells Follett School Solutions to Francisco PartnersJones Day advised Follett Corporation in the sale of Follett School Solutions to Francisco Partners.
  • Signature Aviation sells Global Engine Services business to StandardAero for $230 millionJones Day advised Signature Aviation plc, a market-leading provider of global aviation support services, in the $230 million sale of the Engine Repair and Overhaul (ERO) business to StandardAero, a portfolio company owned by The Carlyle Group and a leading provider of maintenance, repair, and overhaul services.
  • Procter & Gamble enters into long-term VPPA with ENGIE for Sun Valley solar energy projectJones Day advised The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) in entering into a long-term virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) for a solar energy project owned by ENGIE North America Inc., subsidiary of renewable energy developer Engie SA (Engie).
  • Truck-Lite receives significant investment from Genstar CapitalJones Day advised Truck-Lite Co., LLC, a leading provider of safety lighting, filtration systems, and telematics services for commercial vehicles, in connection with Genstar Capital's significant investment in Truck-Lite.
  • Bad Boy receives investment from The Sterling GroupJones Day advised Bad Boy, Inc., a leading manufacturer of high-performance zero-turn riding lawn mowers, in its cash and stock sale to The Sterling Group.
  • Beneficient Company Group acquires shares in GWG Holdings, Inc.Jones Day advised The Beneficient Company Group, L.P. (BEN), a provider of liquidity products and services to the owners of alternative assets and illiquid investment funds, in its acquisition of shares in GWG Holdings, Inc. (GWG Holdings), a NASDAQ listed company that is a leading provider of liquidity to owners of life insurance in the secondary market, previously held by GWG Holdings’ founding stockholders, Jon R. Sabes and Steven F. Sabes.
  • Motorola successfully obtains affirmation of judgment in case involving clean room claimsJones Day successfully represented Motorola Solutions, Inc. in insurance coverage litigation in Cook County, Illinois arising from "clean room" cases asserted against Motorola.
  • Granite Construction acquires Layne Christensen for $536 million stock mergerJones Day advised Granite Construction Incorporated in its $536 million stock-for-stock acquisition of Layne Christensen Company, a global water management, construction, and drilling company.
  • KeyBank sells Key Insurance & Benefits Services to USI Insurance ServicesJones Day advised KeyBank in the sale of Key Insurance & Benefits Services, Inc. to USI Insurance Services.
  • Calgon Carbon acquired by Kuraray for $1.3 billionJones Day advised Calgon Carbon Corporation (NYSE:CCC) in its $1.3 billion all-cash acquisition by Kuraray Co., Ltd. (TSE:3405).
  • Koch Disruptive Technologies leads $150 million investment in INSIGHTECJones Day advised Koch Disruptive Technologies, a subsidiary of Koch Industries, Inc. focused on finding and funding innovative and emerging companies, as the lead investor in a $150 million Series E funding round for INSIGHTEC, a commercial stage medical device company.
  • Smith & Nephew acquires Rotation Medical Inc. for up to $210 millionJones Day advised Smith & Nephew plc in its acquisition of Rotation Medical Inc., a developer of a novel tissue regeneration technology for shoulder rotator cuff repair, for an initial cash consideration of $125 million and up to $85 million over the next five years, contingent on financial performance.
  • USI Insurance Services acquires Wells Fargo Commercial Insurance businessJones Day advised USI Insurance Services ("USI"), a portfolio company of KKR and CDPQ, on the acquisition of Wells Fargo Insurance Services USA, Inc. ("WFIS") from Wells Fargo & Company.
  • comScore achieves successful settlement agreement with Starboard Value LPJones Day advised comScore, Inc. in its successful settlement agreement with activist shareholder Starboard Value LP.
  • Additional Speaking Engagements

    • November 7, 2017
      2017 Jones Day Speaker Series: Current Trends in Securities Litigation and Enforcement
    • October 15, 2015
      2015 Regional Energy Conference: Navigating Turbulences in Global Oil & Gas Markets
    • April 26-29, 2015
      "On Directors & Officers Insurance: 50 Ways to Lose Your Coverage." and "Deconstructing Construction Coverage: What on Earth Do Construction Project Policies Cover?", RIMS 2015 Annual Conference and Exhibition
    • July 25, 2014
      Jones Day Regional Energy Conference, International Implications of the Marcellus and Utica Shale
    • May 20, 2014
      2014 Speaker Series: Energy and Construction Law Update
    • February 14, 2013
      Jones Day Regional Energy Conference, Harnessing Regional Opportunity in the new Energy Economy
    • November 15, 2012
      2012 Speaker Series
      International Disputes: Laying the Foundation for an Effective Resolution Strategy
    • April 2012
      Insured/Insurer Privilege: Can You Tell Your Insurer Your Deepest Secrets, RIMS 2012
    • April 2012
      On Foreign Soil - Best Practices for International Property Insurance Claims, RIMS 2012
    • February 2012
      Global Insurance Risks, Business Insurance Risk Management Summit 2012
    • March 2, 2009
      Insurance Coverage Issues, Association of Corporate Counsel