Overview
As one of the leading insurance coverage lawyers in the nation, Toni Ianniello has over 30 years' experience serving as lead counsel for major insurers in dozens of courts across the United States and arbitrations both here and in London. She is a versatile coverage lawyer, handling a broad range of complex, high stakes coverage disputes, including asbestos, environmental, pharmaceutical and medical device, professional liability, products liability, first party property, construction defects and bad faith claims, as well as all manner of policies such as CGL, E&O, professional liability, D&O, workers compensation, excess and Bermuda Form policies. She often represents European insurers in courts in the United States as well as insurers in Bermuda Form Arbitrations. Winner of the Business Insurance "Women to Watch" Award, Toni has been described in trade publications as a "first-rate lawyer" who produces "outstanding results in the most difficult cases," "the person you want sitting next to you in a tough situation" and "an amazing litigator." Her talents have been recognized in numerous industry guides, including Chambers, Washingtonian Magazine’s Top Lawyers, Legal 500, Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers. Of particular note, Toni is recognized not only for aggressive trial advocacy, but for understanding her client’s objectives and crafting creative solutions for some of the most intractable disputes in an efficient and effective way.
A former member of the Board of Governors of the DC Bar and former General Counsel of the DC Bar, Toni also represents law firms and attorneys in defense of legal malpractice, professional negligence and ethics complaints and in business disputes involving law firm departures. Her cases have involved RICO, securities fraud, conflicts of interest, breach of fiduciary duty and breach of partnership agreements. She has spoken extensively on professional liability and insurance subjects and was appointed to the ABA Standing Committee on Lawyers' Professional Liability.
Toni has served on the Executive and Management Committees of Steptoe.
- District of Columbia
- Supreme Court of the United States
- US District Court, District of Columbia
- US District Court, District of Maryland
- US Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, District of Columbia
- Hon. James L. Latchum, US District Court, District of Delaware, 1980-1982
- J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 1980, cum laude; Editor, Georgetown University Law Review
- B.A., Cornell University, 1975
Representative Matters
- Serve as lead counsel in a Bermuda Form arbitration seeking over $125 Million in coverage for medical device claims.
- Served as lead counsel in a Bermuda Form arbitration seeking over $1 Billion in insurance coverage for pharmaceutical liability claims which was settled on favorable terms.
- Successfully resolved pharmaceutical and medical device claims by policyholders seeking $1.5 Billion, $500 Million and $100 Million in coverage under Bermuda Form policies.
- Maremont Corp. v. Ace Prop & Cas. Ins. Co. (D.Del). Secured partial summary judgment finding no coverage for millions of dollars in asbestos liability based upon products hazard exclusion and drop down provisions of Swiss Policy.
- Suwannee American Cement v. Zurich Ins. Co. (S.D. N.Y.). Obtained summary judgment for insurer based upon advertising injury definition, and criminal acts exclusion.
- Thomson v. American Guarantee & Liability Ins. Co. (Indiana Superior Court). Obtained dismissal of European insurer based upon lack of personal jurisdiction.
- Served as lead insurance carrier representative in multiple class actions disputes and MDL involving thousands of property damage claims arising out of alleged faulty plumbing fixtures.
- Westfield v. Zurich American Ins. Co. (D. Md.). Summary judgment granted to insurance company in construction defect case based upon impaired property exclusion.
News & Publications
Press Releases
Steptoe Receives 28 Practice Rankings, 34 Individual Awards in Legal 500 US 2023
June 14, 2023
Press Releases
Steptoe Receives 25 Practice, 72 Individual Mentions in Chambers USA 2023
June 1, 2023
Press Releases
Steptoe Receives 27 Practice Rankings, 26 Individual Awards in Legal 500 US 2022
June 16, 2022
Press Releases
Steptoe Receives 27 Practice, 72 Individual Mentions in Chambers USA 2022
June 3, 2022
Press Releases
Steptoe Receives 27 Practice Rankings, 31 Individual Awards in Legal 500 US 2021
September 13, 2021
Noteworthy
- Legal 500 US, Dispute Resolution: General Commercial Disputes (2019-2020)
- Legal 500 US, Dispute Resolution: International Litigation (2018-2020)
- Legal 500 US, Leading Lawyer, Insurance: Advice to Insurers (2021-2023)
- Legal 500 US, Insurance: Advice to Insurers (2011-2020)
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Euromoney's Expert Guide to the World's Leading Insurance and Reinsurance Lawyers (2021)
- Euromoney's Expert Guide to Women in Business Law (2012-2017)
- Euromoney's Expert Guide to Women in Insurance & Reinsurance (2006-2017)
- Business Insurance's Women to Watch award (2011)
- Legal 500 US, Litigation: Insurance (2010)
- Chambers USA, Insurance: Insurer; Insurance: Dispute Resolution, Nationwide (2009-2024)
- Washingtonian magazine, "Top Lawyer," Insurance (2011)
- Super Lawyers, Washington, DC, Insurance (2009-2021)
- Super Lawyers, Washington, DC, "Top 50 Women" (2012)
- Best Lawyers in America, Legal Malpractice Law and Insurance Law (2003-2022)
- BTI Client Service All Star Team (2008)
Professional Affiliations
- Standing Committee on Lawyers' Professional Liability, American Bar Association
- Litigation Section, American Bar Association
- Tort and Insurance Practice Section, American Bar Association
- Fellow, American Bar Association