Peter Jason

Peter Jason

Peter Jason practices in the areas of commercial litigation, life, health and disability insurance defense litigation, and appellate advocacy. His practice includes representation of life insurance companies in market conduct and sales practice cases, agent termination and employee benefit claims, and in the defense of traditional life, health and disability insurance policy claims, as well as the representation of employers, insurers and employee benefit plans in ERISA and related litigation.

Admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and New York, he is a member of the ABA Section of Litigation and a member of the Life Insurance Law Committee and the Health and Disability Insurance and Employee Benefits Law committees of the Tort and Insurance Practice Section of the American Bar Association. He is also a member of the Association of Life Insurance Counsel and a member of the Life, Health and Disability Insurance Committee of the Defense Research Institute.

Mr. Jason is a 1967 graduate of the University of North Carolina Law School and a graduate of the University of North Carolina.

Representative Matters

· Wise v. American General Life Insurance, 459 F.3d 443(3rd Cir. 2006). Third Circuit affirmance of dismissal of plaintiff's claims was the first circuit court authority in "premium gap" litigation.

· Lead counsel for principal defendants in a securities fraud and RICO action in federal court in the Northern District of New York.

· Won dismissal of nine-count complaint against major disability insurer at the close of plaintiff's case in 10-day federal jury trial in the Southern District of New York.

· Successful defense of insurers in numerous actions involving agents' claims that they were employees rather than independent contractors in New York and Pennsylvania state court and administrative proceedings.

· Successful defense of major insurance company, with a jury verdict dismissing a bad faith claim in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Sampathachar vs. American General Life Insurance Company.

· Nationwide defense of major life insurance companies in federal and state court cases, including claims relating to stranger-owned life insurance, accidental death issues, overseas death claims and others.

· Successful defense of wrongful termination claims by life insurance agents in state and federal courts, including appellate affirmance of dismissal of all claims.

· Representation of corporate employers, insurers and employee welfare benefit plans in ERISA litigation.

· Defense of state and federal class actions in life, disability and excess major medical insurance cases.

Professional Activities

· Association of Life Insurance Counsel

· American Bar Association
- Section of Litigation
- Tort and Insurance Practice Section
-- Life Insurance Law Committee
--- Vice Chair, 1999-2005
-- Employee Benefits Law Committee
-- Health and Disability Insurance Law Committee

· Defense Research Institute
- Life, Health, Accident and Disability Insurance Committee

Experience

· Duane Morris LLP
- Partner, 1998-present

· Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Partner, 1993-1998
- Of Counsel, 1989-1992

· Rubin, Gross, Harris, Fischl & Roth, New York, New York
- Partner, 1974-1989
- Associate, 1967-1974

Civic and Charitable Activities

· Past chairman of the Delaware Valley Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club