Robert J. Morrow

In a litigation practice spanning decades, Robert Morrow has frequently managed large-scale litigation campaigns stretching over multiple years, venues, and individual cases, many of which have ultimately gone to trial. Robert’s numerous trials include a first-of-its-kind jury verdict for a health insurer against the tobacco industry and precedent-setting trial victories in environmental insurance coverage litigation.

Robert has advised and litigated on behalf of policyholders, brokers, and insurers with regard to a wide range of insurance and reinsurance disputes and coverage questions, including those involving professional negligence, environmental, D&O, and E&O coverage. His complex litigation and arbitration matters have also frequently involved securities-related issues, including claims of securities fraud and unauthorized trading.

Robert started his career at White & Case in New York, where he worked with Holwell Shuster & Goldberg partners Richard Holwell, Mike Shuster, Dan Goldberg, and Dwight Healy on several high-profile litigation matters, including multiple pieces of litigation arising from hostile takeovers. Prior to joining Holwell Shuster & Goldberg, he was a partner at Hunton & Williams.

Noteworthy

• Recognized by New York Super Lawyers as being among the top 5% of business litigators in New York

Notable Cases

• Blue Cross and Blue Shield in the first successful lawsuit by a third party payer against the tobacco industry seeking recovery of excess health care costs. This landmark 10-week trial resulted in an $18 million verdict.
• Visa, Inc. and subsidiaries in defense of class and individual antitrust actions by merchants around the United States alleging hundreds of billions in damages.
• Representation of Judge Holwell in his role as Independent Consultant for a major financial institution under an agreement between the institution and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
• The primary property insurer in a New York federal trial and a multi-billion-dollar arbitration concerning insurance coverage for the destruction of the World Trade Center Complex on September 11, 2001.
• Novartis and its predecessors in liability and damages trials in New Jersey state court in environmental insurance coverage litigation involving over 100 insurance company defendants, 75 environmental sites, and nearly $1 billion in damages.
• Liability insurance carrier in nationwide series of coverage cases arising from class actions alleging civil rights violations.
• Ceding company in reinsurance arbitration arising from complex workers’ compensation carve-out coverage.
• Ceding insurer in litigation and arbitrations with reinsurers regarding asbestos liabilities.
• Ceding  insurer in claims regarding reinsurance of property damage liabilities. 
• Reinsurance company in connection with claims regarding asbestos and other long-tail liabilities. 
• Reinsurance company in connection with investigation of finite risk contracts.
• Commodities brokerage firm in federal bench trial regarding alleged unauthorized trades.
• Bankers Trust in a professional negligence suit against a firm of petroleum engineers tried in federal court in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
• British industrial holding company against claims of securities fraud and breach of contract by minority partner in a jury trial in New York federal court.

Writings

• “NJ Insureds Benefit From Broad Reading Of Physical Loss,” Law360 (December 19, 2014)

• “Defining the Scope of Cyber-Insurance Protection,” New York Law Journal (December 9, 2013)