Overview
Michele L. Jacobson concentrates on complex insurance and reinsurance matters, using her deep knowledge of the industry to counsel a diverse array of companies in litigating and preventing disputes. She has represented clients in high-stakes reinsurance and insurance disputes, both in court and in arbitration proceedings nationwide, relating to diverse areas, such as life, asbestos and environmental, business interruption, surety and financial guaranty, workers compensation, broker negligence and MGA disputes. Michele also counsels clients in insurance regulatory matters including market conduct investigations by regulators, and represents them in contentious regulatory proceedings.
Ceding companies and reinsurers call upon Michele’s contract wording experience to advise on tightening contracts and processes to minimize litigation risks. Given her vast array of experience, she has been called upon to act as settlement counsel in matters already in dispute. Michele’s strategic approach to litigation and dispute resolution has helped clients save and recover hundreds of millions of dollars.
Michele has received recognition for her work from Chambers USA, The Legal 500 United States, Who's Who Legal: Insurance & Reinsurance and Super Lawyers. Business Insurance named Michele a "Woman to Watch" in 2019. A source reports to Chambers, "Michele is a terrific team leader. She is knowledgeable, committed and very responsive to all customer needs." Another reports, "She is a subject matter expert, commercially minded and practical." A source also reports to The Legal 500, "She's extremely enthusiastic and puts her whole energy behind her client’s needs."
Michele is a frequent speaker on reinsurance and arbitration matters. Clients routinely call upon Michele to educate them in matters impacting the insurance and reinsurance industry.
Michele is active in the community, serving on, among other things, the GlamourGals Foundation Executive Council, and is active in pro bono matters.
- New York
- New Jersey
- Supreme Court of the United States
- US District Court, Southern District of New York
- US District Court, Eastern District of New York
- US District Court, Western District of New York
- US District Court, District of New Jersey
- US District Court, District of Colorado
- US Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- US Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
- J.D., New York University School of Law, 1987, Editor, New York University Law Review, Recipient, Judge Abraham Lieberman Award (Criminal Law)
- B.A., Brandeis University, 1984, summa cum laude (valedictorian), Department of Politics; Louis D. Brandeis Award Recipient
Representative Matters
- Represented a ceding company in connection with a charge by reinsurers that the placement information with respect to a treaty had been false and misleading.
- Represented ceding company in disputes with several reinsurers over YRT reinsurance premiums.
- Represented a life insurance company in a dispute with underwriters at Lloyd’s of London over late notice, coverage and misrepresentations.
- Represented a ceding company in disputes with reinsurers over coverage for COVID-19 losses.
- Represented an insurer in liquidation proceedings commenced by the New York Department of Financial Services.
- Represented an insurer in a declaratory judgment action against a policyholder over coverage under an excess policy.
- Represented a reinsurer in an arbitration with its cedent in connection with an excess workers’ compensation treaty.
- Represented a ceding company in an arbitration with its reinsurer relating to coverage for Hurricane Katrina claims.
- Represented a ceding company in an arbitration with its reinsurer relating to Enron claims.
- Represented ceding companies in arbitrations with reinsurers relating to asbestos and environmental claims.
- Represented ceding companies in arbitrations with reinsurers over World Trade Center property and aviation claims.
- Represented a financial guaranty cedent in connection with disputes with its reinsurers arising out of the financial crisis.
- Represented ceding companies in discussions with reinsurers over California wildfires and Japanese earthquake losses.
- Represented an insurer in disputes with its program manager concerning the remittance of premium and offset amounts due a captive reinsurer.
- Represented an insurer in a dispute with a policyholder over fraudulent issuance of insurance policies.
News & Publications
Media Mentions
Media Coverage of Steptoe's Expansion of Financial Services, and Insurance and Reinsurance Teams
July 28, 2023
Noteworthy
- Chambers USA, Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Insurer, New York (2012-2024); Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Reinsurance (2024)
- The Legal 500 US, Advice to Insurers (2020-2023)
- Super Lawyers, New York, Insurance Coverage
- New York Law Journal, Trailblazer (2020)
- Crain's New York Business, 2020 Notable Women in Law
- Business Insurance, "Women to Watch" (2019)
- Who's Who Legal, Insurance & Reinsurance
- The New York Times Magazine, top women lawyers in New York State
Publications
- "Preparing For Reinsurance Fallout From COVID-19 Pandemic," Mealey's Litigation Report, Mealey’s Catastrophic Loss, May 6, 2020
- "The Implications of Henry Schein v. Arch & White Sales, Inc. for the Reinsurance Industry," ARIAS-U.S. Quarterly, Third Quarter 2019
- "Is My Arbitration Final or Is It Groundhog Day?" Dispute Resolution Journal, 2016, Vol. 71 No. 4
- "Taking a Page from Litigation: Curbing Discovery Costs in Arbitration," ARIAS-U.S. Quarterly, Fourth Quarter 2014
- "Solvent Run-offs Finally ‘Off and Running’ in the United States," Pratt's Journal of Bankruptcy Law, September 2011, Vol. 7, No. 6
- "The Access to Records and Claims Cooperation Clauses: Their Impact on Discovery in Arbitration Proceedings," ARIAS-U.S. Quarterly, Third Quarter 2006
- "Obtaining Discovery from Reinsurance Intermediaries and Other Non-Parties – Updated Case Law and Commentary," Mealey’s Litigation Report: Reinsurance, November 17, 2005
Professional Affiliations
- Executive Council Member, GlamourGals Foundation, Inc.
- New York State Bar Association
- New Jersey State Bar Association
- Federal Bar Council
- Association of Insurance & Reinsurance Run-Off Companies (AIRROC)
- Law Committee, AIDA-US Reinsurance and Insurance Arbitration Society (ARIAS)
- Association of Professional Insurance Women (APIW)