Cynthia Shoss is a nationally recognized adviser on insurance regulatory matters including transformative transactions such as demutualizations, mergers, conversions, and other restructurings and acquisitions. She assists clients with legislation, examinations and investigations, and with compliance, governance and investment issues.
For more than 20 years, Cynthia has counseled clients in various insurance sectors including life insurance, property/casualty insurance, health insurance and workers' compensation. She has worked with Fortune 500 companies, state departments of insurance and attorneys general, investment bankers and multinational clients.
Cynthia joined Sutherland from Dewey & LeBoeuf where she was co-chair of the Insurance Regulatory Department and formerly Managing Partner of the firm's London office and chair of the firm's pro bono practice.
Representative Experience
Cynthia's representative experience includes:
ˇ Representing Security Benefit Life on its mutual holding company (MHC) conversion and subsequently on its sponsored demutualization by Guggenheim Partners.
ˇ Representing Pan-American Life on its MHC conversion.
ˇ Representing Union Central on its MHC conversion/merger with Ameritas Acacia (now UNIFI).
ˇ Representing Lincoln Financial on its acquisition of Jefferson-Pilot.
ˇ Representing Prudential on its demutualization and subsequently on its acquisition of American Skandia Life.
ˇ Representing Sun Life of Canada on its multinational demutualization.
ˇ Representing Western & Southern Life on its MHC conversion and subsequently on its merger with Lafayette Life MHC.
ˇ Representing CUNA Mutual Insurance Society and CUNA Mutual Life Insurance Company on their merger and subsequent MHC conversion.
ˇ Representing Foresters on its acquisition of First Investors Life.
ˇ Representing Principal Mutual on its MHC conversion.
ˇ Representing Farm Family on its demutualization.
ˇ Representing AXA on its sponsored demutualization of The Equitable.
ˇ Representing Trygg-Hansa on demutualizing its affiliated mutual life insurer in Sweden.
ˇ Representing Fidelity National Financial on various restructurings, acquisitions and redomestications.
ˇ Representing the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance and the New Jersey Attorney General on the proposed conversion of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS).
ˇ Representing the Delaware Department of Justice on the proposed acquisition of Carefirst by Wellpoint and subsequently on the affiliation of BCBS of Delaware with Highmark BCBS.
ˇ Representing the California Insurance Department on the Pacific Mutual MHC conversion.
ˇ Representing the Massachusetts Division of Insurance on the State Mutual demutualization and subsequently on the MassMutual/Connecticut Mutual and MetLife/New England Mutual mergers.
ˇ Representing the Nebraska Insurance Department on the Guarantee Mutual demutualization and subsequently on the Medico transactions.
ˇ Representing the North Carolina Department of Insurance on the proposed conversion of BCBS of North Carolina and subsequently on the acquisition of MAMSI by United HealthCare.
Professional Honors and Awards
ˇ YWCA-NYC Academy of Women Leaders (2011)
ˇ Named among "25 Women to Watch" in Insurance, Risk Management and Employee Benefits Worldwide by Business Insurance (December 2010)
ˇ Recognized in Chambers USA America's Leading Business Lawyers in Insurance (2003-2011)
ˇ Named to Best Lawyers in America (2006-2012)
ˇ Named to Best Lawyers in New York (2005-2012)
ˇ Named among New York Super Lawyers (2006-2012)
Professional and Community Involvement
ˇ Member, Board of Directors, The Compliance and Ethics Forum for Life Insurers
ˇ Member, Board of Overseers and Executive Committee of the School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science of the Peter J. Tobin College of Business of St. John's University
ˇ Chair, Insurance Section and Co-Chair, Diversity Committee, and former Board member of the Association of Life Insurance Counsel
ˇ Vice Chair, Board of Advisors, and former Chair, Board of Directors, of Lawyers Alliance for New York
ˇ Former Member, Board of Directors, and former Vice President of The Risk Foundation
ˇ Chair, Board of Directors, Economic Mobility Corporation
ˇ Former Chair, Board of Directors, Power of Attorney
ˇ Member, International Insurance Society
ˇ Formerly certified by the Insurance Marketplace Standards Association (IMSA) as a Qualified Independent Assessor
ˇ Former Member, Westchester County Airport Advisory Board
Publications and Speaking Engagements
ˇ Co-Editor-in-Chief, PLI Insurance Regulation Answer Book (2012)
ˇ Co-author, Capital Enhancement Strategies for Mutual Property and Casualty Insurance Companies, NAMIC (1998)
ˇ Speaker, "Regulatory Modernization Activities Affecting Insurers - The Impact on Fraternals," American Fraternal Alliance Annual Meeting (2011)
ˇ Moderator, "Financial Services Regulatory Reform," ALIC Annual Meeting (2010)
ˇ Speaker, "State, NAIC and Federal Responses to the Economic Crisis," LICONY (2010, 2009)
ˇ Speaker, CLE Presentation on "Mutual and Stock Insurance Companies and Conversions from One to the Other" (2008)
ˇ Moderator, "Defining Roles and Responsibilities: Regulatory Compliance and Risk Management," ACI Annual Meeting (2007)
ˇ Speaker, "Compliance Developments and Emerging Issues," ACLI Annual Meeting (2006)
ˇ Speaker, CLE Presentation on "Demutualizations, MHC Conversions and Mergers of Mutuals" (2004)
ˇ Speaker, "Closed Blocks in Demutualizations and Mutual Holding Company Conversions," ALIC Annual Meeting (1998)
ˇ Speaker, "Alternative Structures, Regulation and Fairness to Policyholders," Tokyo (1998)
Legal Alerts
Legal Alert: FSOC Finalizes Rule for Designation of Insurance Company and Other Nonbank "Systemically Important Financial Institutions"
April 17, 2012
Legal Alert: The NAIC Releases Draft ORSA Model Act for Public Comment
April 10, 2012