Recent Honors by Chambers and Super Lawyers^®

The firm was recognized by Chambers for 2025’s Spotlight New York Guide as a leading practice in the area of Insurance.

Attorneys Bruce Strikowsky, Sim Shapiro, Allison Drachman and Theodore Hecht were designated as Super Lawyers® for 2025.

Defense Verdict on Product Liability Claim

Sim Shapiro and Dua Tahir, supported by Renee Fancher, achieved a defense verdict yesterday on a case alleging that our client manufactured a defective adaptive device attached to a vehicle’s steering wheel.  We did not dispute that the device broke apart while the car was being driven (though there were grounds to do so), deciding instead to focus on the common sense argument that plaintiff could not show that the failure was a substantial cause of the resulting crash (or the four surgeries the plaintiff underwent in its wake).  The jury did find the device to have been defective, but accepted our defense that the defect was not a cause of the crash.  There were complex issues presented to the Westchester jury:  its ability to see past the testimony of plaintiff’s expert was a reassuring demonstration of why a capable jury is the best arbiter of a factual dispute and the most meaningful way to obtain exoneration from overreaching claims.  Tremendous credit lies with their attention to details and their fair consideration of the case. Credit also belongs principally to the support of our client and its insurer, who never wavered in their support of our evaluation of the case, and, despite a series of adverse evidentiary rulings, never buckled to the pressure from plaintiff.  It takes resolve to see it through to the right result, and we could not be more proud of Sim and Dua and Renee for obtaining this result for a client that did not deserve to have its reputation unfairly sullied.  It bears mention that this is Sim’s THIRD defense verdict in just over a year.  AMAZING

Expanding our Insurance Coverage Practice

We open 2024 with the addition of Erik Kallhovd to strengthen our growing insurance coverage practice. Erik is already engaged in helping clients analyze, navigate and litigate complex insurance coverage matters. Both have exceptional capabilities with an array of insurance products, and particular facility with general liability, first-party property, professional liability, commercial auto and trucking, excess/umbrella and specialty lines, as well as the defense of extracontractual claims.

Erik Kallhovd rejoins our group after a stint with the Insurance and Reinsurance Group at Riker Danzig et. al., reuniting the coverage team we had at our prior firm before launching this enterprise.  His background includes all-risk/first-party property, builder’s risk, commercial general liability, inland marine,  commercial auto, and professional liability.  He also has experience working in-house for a market-leading insurer where he managed complex coverage litigation arising out of casualty and first-party property claims. He has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Rochester and a Juris Doctor from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. We are thrilled to welcome Erik back to the team.