Lisa Cirando is an experienced insurance recovery litigator who crafts and implements innovative strategies to resolve coverage disputes and maximize insurance recoveries. Corporate buyers and sellers frequently consult Lisa on complex risk transfer and indemnification matters. She is highly regarded for her work in transactional M&A and private equity insurance placements and claims, including with respect to representations and warranties (warranty and indemnity) insurance.
Lisa represents clients in a wide range of industries located throughout the world. Her experience spans R&W, D&O and E&O, catastrophic property damage and business interruption, intellectual property, product recall and product liability, environmental, construction defect, unfair competition, business torts, tax, data breach/cyber liability, and employment policies and claims. Lisa has secured hundreds of millions of dollars in insurance recoveries for her policyholder clients.
Nationally recognized for her experience, Lisa speaks and publishes widely, particularly on emerging insurance issues, and she is regularly invited to chair industry conference panels at insurance and bar association conferences. She has devoted thousands of hours of pro bono legal services in connection with diverse organizations. In 2014, Lisa received the Pro Bono Publico Award for outstanding service to The Legal Aid Society and its clients in recognition of her efforts to help New York City residents impacted by Superstorm Sandy. A dedicated community leader, Lisa has been honored for her service on the boards of several nonprofits engaged in the arts and social justice initiatives.
Erfahrung
The following represents experience acquired prior to joining Jones Day.
Successfully litigated an appeal to a New York State appellate court on behalf of a famed New York City hotel and obtained a landmark victory for policyholders in Hotel des Artistes v. General Accident Insurance Company of America, 9 A.D.3d 181 (1st Dep't 2004), which recognized that a general liability policy provides a duty to defend against claims involving breach of contract and that allocated the burden of proof to the insurance company to demonstrate those portions of the settlement that are not covered by the policy.
Represented PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP seeking errors and omissions coverage for a $182 million verdict resulting from a claim brought by the receiver for Ambassador Insurance Company.
Represented a global financial services firm in a dispute with its fidelity bond insurance companies relating to a claim involving an elaborate fraud perpetrated by a financial advisor who sold fake securities and used the funds to invest in risky trading schemes that benefitted himself and reached a settlement with the insurance companies that involved offsets, assignments, and contingency clauses that took into account the amounts received in restitution proceedings brought against the individual advisor and his family; the amounts of settlements/judgments ultimately paid to those clients who refused to settle their claims; and the legal fees and costs required to pursue and/or defend such actions.
Represented Rank Group Plc. (Hard Rock Cafe) in international litigation regarding its business interruption claims for the New York and Washington, D.C. Hard Rock Cafe restaurants for business losses sustained as a result of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Represented Paxson Communications Corporation in multistate litigation regarding its property damage, business interruption, and extra expense losses incurred as a result of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Represented WellCare Health Plans, an HMO, with respect to errors and omissions liability claims arising out of a dispute with one of WellCare's sales/marketing agents.
Represented Hartz Mountain Industries in litigation regarding a competitor's wrongful act claims under a directors and officers liability insurance policy and in litigation regarding construction defect/property damage claims under a CGL insurance policy.
Represented Warnaco Group in directors and officers liability insurance claims involving a competitor's claims, multiple shareholder securities class actions, and an SEC investigation.
Represented a brewing company's claims for coverage under D&O and fiduciary liability policies for international securities class actions and ERISA actions.
Represented a major steel manufacturer in litigation involving first-party and business interruption claims resulting from an explosion at one of the steel manufacturer's facilities.
- April 29, 2015
RIMS 2015 Annual Conference and Exhibition, The Fourth Industrial Revolution: Managing The Many Dimensions of 3D Printing - October 3, 2012
The New Jersey Association for Food Protection: An Introduction to Insurance for Food and Beverage Claims, Rutgers University - April 17, 2012
Your D&O Roadmap - How to Avoid Pitfalls, Potholes and Pileups, Risk and Insurance Management Society's 2012 Annual Conference - March 29, 2012
Insurance for Alternative Asset Managers: Not All Policies Are Created Equal, The Westchester/Southern Connecticut Chapter of The Association of Corporate Counsel - June 28, 2011
2011 Speaker Series
Labor and Employment: The EEOC's Renewed Focus on Systemic Discrimination - March 6, 2010
Now You See It, Now You Don't - Demystifying Exclusions and the Illusion of No Coverage, ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee CLE Seminar - December 3, 2009
Emerging Coverage Disputes, HB Litigation Conference's Fidelity Bond and Crime Coverage Conference - August 2, 2009
The Changing Climate of Insurance, American Bar Association Annual Conference - June 11, 2009
Current Issues in D&O Liability & Insurance - Madoff Liability, The Association of the Bar of the City of New York - May 5, 2009
The Basics of Municipal Insurance Contracts, The County Attorneys' Association of the State of New York's Annual Meeting - February 27, 2009
Climate Change and Its Challenges for Policyholders and Insurers, ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section's Annual Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee Program - April 28, 2008
Green by Design - Insurance Coverage for Building Green, Risk and Insurance Management Society's 2008 Annual Conference - February 29, 2008
Coverage for an Inconvenient Truth? D&O Coverage for Global Climate Change, ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee CLE Seminar
- Fordham University (J.D. 1996); Colgate University (B.A. 1990)
- New York, Maine, and U.S. District Courts for the Southern District of New York and the District of Maine
- Recognized in Chambers USA for her established reputation for excellence in advocacy on behalf of insurance policyholders