Paul W. Kalish is a partner and co-chair of the firm's Insurance and Reinsurance practice. He represents both insurer and reinsurer clients in a variety of matters, including:
· Serving as national counsel for insurers with regard to various tort (implants, asbestos, pharmaceuticals), environmental and other types of coverage-related matters.
· Representation of insurers and reinsurers in liquidation matters, such as the Midland Insurance Company and Home Insurance Company liquidation proceedings.
· Representation of an insurer in an international arbitration involving coverage issues arising out of Hurricane Katrina.
· Representation of insurers sued for unfair claims handling practices and negligent undertaking in connection with the handling of thousands of underlying claims.
· Counseling insurers with regard to new insurance products and policy wording.
In addition to his insurance and reinsurance practice, Paul also represents both defendants and insurers in underlying litigation, with regard to asbestos, silica and other mass tort claims. In that regard, he is a member of the Steering Committee of the federal asbestos multi-district litigation ("MDL 875") in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. And since 2000 he has served as counsel for the Coalition of Litigation Justice, a group formed by insurers to address abuses and inequities in the current mass tort litigation environment. The Coalition files amicus briefs (including briefs in the United States Supreme Court and the Supreme Courts of various states), promotes judicial education through legal scholarship and educational conferences and works with counsel in key jurisdictions to promote changes in the way in which courts handle mass tort litigation.
Paul is a member of the American Bar Association's Section of Litigation and, among other things, has served as a Co-Chair for the ABA Section of Litigation's Annual Meeting, a member of the ABA's Task Force on the State of the Civil Justice System and a Co-Chair of the Section of Litigation's Pretrial Practice and Discovery Committee. Since 2004, he has been recognized by clients and peers as a top lawyer in Chambers USA in the area of Insurance. Paul has also been selected by his peers as a leader in the area of Insurance law in The Best Lawyers In America since 2008 and was also recognized in 2012 by the Top Attorneys in Washington, D.C.
Publications
· "Where are They Now, Part Four: A Continuing History Of The Companies That Have Sought Bankruptcy Protection Due To Asbestos Claims," Mealey's Asbestos Bankruptcy Report, Vol. 6 No. 7 (February 2007). Co-Authors: Mark D. Plevin, Paul W. Kalish and Kelly R. Cusick.
· "A Letter to the Nation's Trial Judges: Serious Asbestos Cases - How to Protect Cancer Claimants and Wisely Manage Assets," American Journal of Trial Advocacy, Vol. 30:2 (Fall 2006). Co-Authors: Paul W. Kalish, Victor Schwartz and Phillip Goldberg.
· "Silicosis: Explaining the Inconsistency Between Declining Public Health Statistics and the Epidemic in Litigation," Chest 128, Suppl. 4:2145 (November 2, 2005). Co-Authors: Paul W. Kalish, Robert Glenn and Fred Krutz.
· "Where Are They Now, Part Three: A Continuing History of the Companies that Have Sought Bankruptcy Protection Due to Asbestos Claims," Mealey's Asbestos Bankruptcy Report, Vol. 5, No. 4 (November 2005). Co-Authors: Mark D. Plevin, Paul W. Kalish and Leslie A. Davis.
· "Where Are They Now, Part Two: A Continuing History Of The Companies That Have Sought Bankruptcy Protection Due To Asbestos Claims," Mealey's Litigation Reports: Asbestos, Vol. 17, No. 20 (November 15, 2002). Co-Authors: Mark D. Plevin, Paul W. Kalish and Leslie A. Davis.
· "Where Are They Now? A History Of The Companies That Have Sought Bankruptcy Protection Due To Asbestos Claims," Mealey's Asbestos Bankruptcy Report (August 2001). Co-Authors: Mark D. Plevin and Paul W. Kalish.
· "What's Behind The Recent Wave of Asbestos Bankruptcies?," Mealey's Litigation Reports: Asbestos (April 20, 2001). Co-Authors: Mark D. Plevin and Paul W. Kalish.
· "Don't Bankrupt Asbestos," Legal Times of Washington (March 19, 2001). Co-Authors: Paul W. Kalish, Mark D. Plevin and Victor E. Schwartz.
Speaking Engagements
· "Asbestos Bankruptcy Current Trends and Future Outlook," HB Litigation Conferences (October 2010). Moderator: Paul Kalish; Panelist: Mark Plevin.
· "Emerging Issues In Asbestos Coverage Litigation," Mealey's The New Face of Asbestos Litigation (2007). Speaker: Paul W. Kalish.
· "Tyrant and Terrorist: Bringing the Leaders of the Revolutionary War to Trial," American Bar Association Annual Meeting (July 2000). Program Chair