Financial Crisis Spurs Possible Legislation, Opportunities

Philadelphia –The legislation and regulations governing the insurance and reinsurance industries that appear directly tied to the financial crisis are causing discussion both in the mainstream press and in smaller markets hoping to involve themselves to a positive end.A story in this morning’s Washington Post described moves by insurance companies to buy savings and loans to get a piece of the $700 bailout pie. Lincoln Financial Group, Genworth Financial and The Hartford Financial Services Group are among several carriers that have recently announced plans to qualify for the government’s $700 rescue funds by purchasing a thrift.

Meanwhile, Mealey’s Litigation, part of BVR Legal, a division of Business Valuation Resources, has established a conference for insurers and legal experts to discuss both the additional legislation/regulations that may be promulgated as a result of the financial crisis, as well as its potential opportunities.Held December 8-9 in Philadelphia , Mealey's Litigation Conference is entitled "The Insurance Industry's Top 10 Risks & Opportunities."

"The global economic crisis has edged out most other issues and is the topic driving everything else in the insurance and reinsurance industry right now," said New York attorney James Veach of Mound Cotton Wollan & Greengrass. "The meltdown feeds right into the fight between federal and state regulation."

The litigation conference will feature three top panelists who address these regulatory and legislative issues: 

-- New York Liquidation Bureau Special Deputy Superintendent in Charge Mark Peters.  

-- American Insurance Institute Senior Vice President & General Counsel Stephen Zielezienski. 

-- Reinsurance Association of America Senior Vice President & General Counsel Tracey Laws. 

The Insurance Industry's Top 10 Risks & Opportunities Conference is being chaired by Jennifer Devery, Esq., Partner-Elect, Crowell Moring LLP, Washington D.C. and Lloyd Gura, Esq., Mound Cotton Wollan & Greengrass, New York.

Other topics and speakers include:

--Nanotechnology: Is it the Next Plastics? Or the Next Asbestos?-- Jonathan Pittman, Esq., Crowell & Moring LLP, Washington D.C. and Matthew Schlesinger, Esq., Reed Smith LLP, Washington D.C.

--The Ripple Effects of Subprime Lending and the Capital Markets Crisis on the Insurance Industry -- James Gkonos, Esq., Saul Ewing LLP, Philadelphia and Larry Johnson, Chairman and CEO, Veris Consulting, LLC, Reston, Va.

--Right to Associate Counsel in Insurance & Reinsurance Disputes -- Michael Murphy, Nixon Peabody LLP, New York and John Iole, Esq., Jones Day, Pittsburgh, Pa..

--Lost Enterprise Value: A New Form of Consequential Damages -- Jeffrey Crawford, Esq., Mound Cotton Wollan & Greengrass, New York and Jeffrey Baliban, Senior Vice President, NERA Economic Consulting, New York.

--Commutations: An Insider's Perspective -- Janet Kloenhamer, President, Allianz of America Resolution Services, Novato, Calif.; Cindy Koehler, Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Complex and Emerging Risks Claims Department, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, Boston;Anthony Vidovich, Assistant Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, The Hartford, Hartford, Conn; Susan Grondine, General Counsel, Cavell USA, Cambridge, Mass.

--M&A Due Diligence:Assessing Potential Risk and Minimizing Exposure in Corporate Dealmaking -- Sean Keyvan, Esq., Co-head of Insurance M&A, Sidley Austin LLP and Michael Conley, Esq., Anderson Kill & Olick, P.C.

--The Globalization of the Insurance industry -- Peter Rogan, INCE & Co. Solicitors, London; Joseph Donley, Esq., Thorp Reed & Armstrong, LLP, Philadelphia; Bruno Balduccini, Esq., Pinheiro Neto Advogados, Sao Paolo, Brazil.

--Global Warming and Climate Change -- Andrew Marks, Esq., Crowell & Moring LLP, Washington, D.C.; Domenick DiCicco, Head Vice President, Litigation Management & Complex Claims, Zurich General Insurance, New York.

Sources:Washington Post, PRNewswire, American Banker