James E. Rocap III

• jrocap@steptoe.com
• vCard
• Washington Office

James E. Rocap III is a partner in the Washington office of Steptoe, where he is a member of the Litigation Department. Mr. Rocap’s practice focuses primarily on complex civil litigation, with a particular emphasis on large insurance coverage disputes. Throughout 30 years of legal practice, he has developed rich experience in a range of complex civil and white-collar criminal defense matters. He is a #1 Ranked Attorney in Chambers USA 2008, America's Leading Business Lawyers; DC Insurance: Insurer Firms.

Mr. Rocap has experience handling a wide range of insurance cases, including latent health coverage claims for exposure to asbestos, tobacco, silica, lead paint, high-decibel noise, dioxin, DES, and environmental contamination. In addition, he has worked with construction defect claims and claims involving allegedly defective products, such as mass property damage claims involving concrete railroad ties, plumbing fixtures, and asbestos in buildings. Mr. Rocap also has significant experience as lead counsel handling hurricane claims in the Gulf Coast made under commercial property policies and in insurance coverage-related arbitrations.

Mr. Rocap has represented companies and individuals in complex business tort litigation, including claims regarding antitrust violations, fraud, tortious interference with contract, and breach of contract. Mr. Rocap’s white-collar criminal defense experience includes advising companies and individuals in grand jury and independent counsel investigations as well as in trials.  Investigations have included allegations involving conflict of interest, bribery, mail and wire fraud, money laundering, and perjury. 

Mr. Rocap contributes to several pro bono activities. He is the chair of the Firm's Pro Bono committee, acted as lead attorney in two separate representations of death-row inmates, one for more than 24 years, and on a regular basis he provides legal services to the homeless through the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, on whose Board he serves. He also served on the committee for the Senior Lawyer Public Interest Project of the DC Bar Pro Bono Program and is a Board member of the DC Access to Justice Foundation.

Mr. Rocap is one of the attorney authors of the Manual for Complex Insurance Coverage Litigation. He is the current Chair of the Sections Council of the DC Bar. 

Noteworthy

• Received a #1 Ranking in Chambers USA 2010-2012: America’s Leading Business Lawyers; Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Insurer (Nationwide) and Insurance: Insurer (District of Columbia)
• Recommended by Legal 500 US 2012, Insurance: Advice to Insurers
• Listed in Washington, DC Super Lawyers 2008-2013
• Listed in Best Lawyers in America 2008-2013, Insurance Law
• Named a Top Lawyer in Insurance by Washingtonian magazine 2011
• Listed in Best of the Best USA 2009 - America's Leading 25 Attorneys in Insurance and Reinsurance
• Received a #1 Ranking in Chambers USA 2008, America's Leading Business Lawyers; Insurance: Insurer Firms and received a #1 Ranking in Insurance: Insurer Firms for the District of Columbia
• Who's Who Legal 2011-2012, Insurance & Reinsurance
• Euromoney's Expert Guide to the World's Leading Insurance and Reinsurance Lawyers 2006, 2008, 2009, 2013
• Euromoney's Expert Guide to the Best of the Best USA 2007, 2009, 2011

Select News & Events

• Washington, DC Super Lawyers Recognizes 42 Steptoe Attorneys
• Steptoe Receives 77 Individual Mentions in Best Lawyers 2013
• Steptoe Receives 17 Practice, 47 Individual Mentions in Legal 500 US 2012
• Steptoe Receives 18 Practice, 57 Individual Mentions in Chambers USA 2012
• Washington, DC Super Lawyers Recognizes 23 Steptoe Partners
• Washingtonian Names Nine Steptoe Partners ‘Best Lawyers’
• Jim Rocap Speaks at the College of Commercial Arbitrators' 9th Annual Meeting, October 31, 2009
• James Rocap Discusses Relationship Between Primary, Excess Coverage at PLI Seminar in New York City, April 28, 2008
• James Rocap, III Presents at Mealey’s Scope of Coverage Conference, October 15, 2007
• Jim Rocap Speaks at VADA Meeting on Coverage, May 10, 2007
• Jim Rocap Speaks at PLI Insurance Coverage: Claim Trends & Litigation, April 30, 2007
• Adopting an All Sums or Pro Rata Approach Mock Oral Argument on Summary Judgment Motion, November 7, 2006, Mealey's All Sums: Reallocation & Settlement Credits Conference