(April 4 , 2005, Philadelphia, PA) – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – Reed Smith LLP, a top 25 international law firm, has added two attorneys, Jay Levin and Douglas Widin, in its Philadelphia office as counsel in the firms Insurance Recovery Practice Group, effective immediately.
Mr. Levin was formerly a member of Cozen Connor in Philadelphia, where he was Co-Chair of that firm’s National Insurance Coverage Practice Group. Mr. Widin was a partner in the Complex Fidelity & Surety Practice Group at Wolf, Block, Schorr and Solis-Cohen LLP in Philadelphia.
According to Doug Cameron, head of Reed Smiths Insurance Recovery Practice Group, the pair will help expand the groups national practice representing corporate policyholders in insurance coverage matters and disputes with their insurers.
“Reed Smith is pleased to get two seasoned attorneys, each with two decades of experience representing insurers, who are interested in collaboratively working the other side of the street,” said Mr. Cameron. “Their combined extensive insurance coverage expertise will undoubtedly be invaluable to our corporate policyholder clients looking to Reed Smith to help resolve complex insurance coverage matters.”
Mr. Cameron added that Reed Smith has a national client base in its Insurance Recovery practice which is serviced from many of the firms offices, We have been focusing our attention on adding laterals in many of the firms markets and have increased our ranks in recent months both in DC and NYC. Mr. Cameron explained. â€We expect these two experienced insurance coverage practitioners will lead the effort to expand this group and its practice in Philadelphia as we continue to look for candidates in Philadelphia and our other markets. This will enable us to better serve what we already know are the needs of policyholders both existing clients and others.
Although Mr. Widin and Mr. Levin were partners with thriving practices in their former firms, they are rejoining as a team at Reed Smith with the expectation of rapidly building a new client base and achieving even greater success in the future with their new focus. Both previously worked together at Cozen Connor and are very pleased to be practicing together again. “We believe their plan for this new venture will be fully operational very quickly and naturally, with a new venture, they’ve come aboard of counsel, but we expect them to become partners in short order,” said Mr. Cameron.
“We are building upon a strong foundation at Reed Smith and we know theres a demand for legal representation on the policyholder side,†said Mr. Widin. Jay and I will be using the same skills and insurance expertise weve developed over the years, but now we will be applying them on behalf of policyholders in dealings and disputes with their insurance companies.”
Mr. Levin adds, “We will also provide counsel and advice relating to coverage renewal, including the type of coverage held and the type of coverage needed. We expect to be able to pinpoint potential problem areas and advise clients in how they should negotiate terms and conditions of their policies. Doug and I can also draft policy language to address client specific issues. ”
Mr. Widins previous practice focused on complex commercial and insurance coverage matters, including property and casualty insurance coverage litigation and counseling, bad faith counseling and litigation, reinsurance, surety, and complex business and commercial litigation. He provided litigation support and consulting counsel for both plaintiffs and defendants in complex litigation from coast to coast and abroad.
Mr. Widin graduated from Dickinson School of Law at Pennsylvania State University in 1983, and subsequently served as law clerk to the Honorable John B. Hannum of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. He is admitted to the Bars of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and several U.S. district courts.
Mr. Levins previous practice principally focused on complex insurance coverage litigation in state and federal trial and appellate courts around the country, most recently in the areas of property insurance, professional liability coverage and construction litigation coverage. He currently serves as a Vice-Chair of the TTIPS Property Insurance Law Committee in which he has been an active member for many years. Mr. Levin speaks frequently on insurance coverage issues and is scheduled to speak on intellectual property and technology coverage issues this spring and summer.
A 1981 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School, Mr. Levin received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the same university in 1977. He is admitted to the Bars of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and the District of Columbia. He is also admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Second and Third Circuits and numerous U.S. District Courts. Before beginning private practice, Mr. Levin served a one-year clerkship with the Honorable I. Raymond Kremer of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.
Today also, Daniel K. Winters joins Reed Smith LLP in New York City in the firm’s Insurance Recovery Practice Group. Mr. Winters joins Reed Smith from Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, PC, where he served as head of its New York office. Mr. Winters is a commercial litigator whose practice focuses on representing policyholders in insurance coverage disputes in federal and state courts throughout New Jersey and New York.
