John J. Kavanagh III

Of Counsel

• jkavanag@steptoe.com
• vCard
• Washington Office

John J. Kavanagh is of counsel in the Washington office of Steptoe & Johnson LLP, where he is a member of the firm's Litigation and International Departments. He focuses on insurance coverage, reinsurance and complex litigation.  He also has experience in criminal defense matters.

Insurance Coverage and Reinsurance Disputes
Mr. Kavanagh has extensive experience in litigating insurance coverage disputes on behalf of insurance carriers.  His experience includes first party-property matters involving hundreds of millions of dollars in environmental coverage, as well as many other matters involving a wide range of complex issues including trigger of coverage and allocation of loss.

Mr. Kavanagh also has represented clients in large reinsurance disputes before international arbitral panels regarding a variety of issues including automatic and facultative placements, the follow the fortunes doctrine, the duty of utmost good faith, alternative risk transfer and rescission. He has substantial experience working with expert witnesses regarding damages, due diligence and treaty issues.

Commercial Litigation and White-Collar Criminal Defense
Mr. Kavanagh handles a wide variety of litigation matters.  He has litigated numerous cases involving contract disputes, fraud, unfair trade practices, RICO, and trade secret matters pending in federal and state courts and before arbitral panels around the country.  Mr. Kavanagh has also been active in representing individuals in white-collar criminal defense matters involving securities fraud and antitrust conspiracies.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Kavanagh served for three years as an attorney with the US Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps.  In this position, he defended claims against the US government under the Federal Tort Claims Act. As a criminal defense attorney, he represented naval personnel before courts-martial in the Norfolk, Virginia, area.

Mr. Kavanagh previously worked as a Secretary of Defense Honors Legal Intern in the Department of Defense Office of General Counsel—International Affairs and Intelligence.  He has also worked as a special assistant to the Assistant US Trade Representative for Japan and China, and as a Honors Intern with the Federal Bureau of Investigation—National Security Division.

News, Seminars & Events

• Steptoe Names Partners, Counsel in 2007
• Stephanie Dunn Co-Chairs, Harry Lee and John Kavanagh Speak at, Mealey's Reinsurance Conference, March 15, 2007

Publications & Speaking Engagements

• Patriot Debates: Experts Debate the USA PATRIOT Act (Stewart A. Baker and John Kavanagh, eds.)
  2005
• Attempting to Run Before Learning to Walk: Problems of the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy; 20 Boston College International & Comparative Law Review 353
  1997