Michael Conley, Principal

Insurance Recovery And Litigation

Email:	mconley@offitkurman.com
Office Phone:	267.338.1317
Fax:	267.338.1335
Mailing Address:	Ten Penn Center 1801 Market Street Suite 2300 Philadelphia, PA 19103
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Practice Areas

Awards

Practice Focus

Mr. Conley is an insurance litigation and recovery lawyer who serves as the chair of the firm’s Insurance Recovery Practice Group in its Philadelphia office and a principal in the Labor & Employment Law and Business Litigation Departments. His broad legal experience includes insurance litigation, insurance coverage litigation, labor and employment law, and general litigation. He represents policyholders, including closely held, publicly traded, nonprofit, and municipal entities, with claims against their insurance companies. His insurance coverage law experience includes handling coverage actions on behalf of insureds relating to bad faith claims, defense obligations, law and ordinance exclusions, breach of health insurance contract, crime coverage, employment liability coverage, and coverage for data loss and environmental liability.

Mr. Conley's commercial litigation experience includes representing clients in cases involving breach of contract, abuse of process, trademark infringement, unfair trade practices, and collections. For companies facing labor and employment law claims, Mr. Conley has handled issues involving collective bargaining throughout the U.S. with various unions, over 100 cases of labor arbitration, appearances before the NLRB, and successful defense of union certification elections.

Mr. Conley regularly counsels companies on a variety of business matters and his experience includes contract drafting and negotiations on behalf of U.S.-based clients for work in the U.S., Europe, Middle East, South America, and India; business acquisitions; ICC arbitrations in Europe; environmental law issues; business formation; and MSHA and OSHA matters.

Education

• J.D., Villanova University Law School
• B.A., George Washington University

Bar and Court Admissions

• Pennsylvania
• New Jersey
• New York
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals

Points of Distinction

• Mr. Conley was named as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer in the Insurance Coverage category in both 2012 and 2013 .
• He has also been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America publication, a ranking completed by peer review, in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 as reported by U.S. News & World Report.
• He was named to the Greater Philadelphia's Legal Elite list in 2010 and 2011, which is a readers' poll conducted by Philadelphia SmartCEO magazine.
• He is a former in-house Counsel for Belmont Holdings Corp.

Activities

Mr. Conley is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.

Publications/Speeches

As an insurance litigation and insurance recovery attorney, Mr. Conley is a frequent author on a broad array of topics relating to insurance recovery and commercial law and has spoken before regional and national business and trade organizations.

Publications

• Michael Conley was quoted in "Insurance Companies are Slow to Cover Risks of Drilling", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette(July 24, 2012)
• Michael Conley Quoted in Law360 article "Ohio OKs Fracking Bill Requiring More Insurance, Disclosures", Law360.com (May 25, 2012)
• Michael Conley and William Pillsbury Recognized as 2012 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers
• "Managing Risk in the Marcellus Shale Region: Best Practices for Corporate Counsel"Legal Intelligencer (December 18, 2011)
• "Abuse and Molestation Claims: Insurance Issues for Policyholders"Legal Intelligencer  (December 5, 2011)
• "Fracking in the Marcellus Shale: Contractual Risk Transfer and Insurance Issues for Property Owners and Municipalities" Offit Kurman Quarterly Insurance Recovery Advisor (Summer, 2011)
• "Insurance Coverage for Violence in the Workplace: Don't Let Your Insurance Company Inflict Additional Damage" Hospitality Lawyer.com Risk Management Newsletter (May, 2009)
• "Coverage for Climate Change: Footing the Bill for Carbon Footprints," Environmental Claims Journal, Volume 20, Issue 4 (October, 2008) (with Meghan Finnerty)
• "Getting Claims Paid - How To Evaluate And Settle An Insurance Claim," Corporate Counsel (June, 2008)
• "Who Knew? Insurance Coverage Implications of Intercompany Communications," Corporate Counsel (June, 2007) (with Ellen D. Bailey)
• "Adding Salt To The Wound - Your Crime Coverage Might Not Meet Your Expectations," Corporate Counsel (July, 2006) (with Jocelyn Gabrynowicz)
• "A Lawsuit in the Making - The EPLI Insurance Application," Insurance Journal-West Region (June 19, 2006) (with Jackie Taylor)
• "Employment Practices Liability Insurance - The Application - Trouble in The Making," Corporate Counsel (March 2006) (with Jackie Taylor)
• "More Insurance Coverage For Asbestos Defendants? - It's Time To Take A Closer Look At Those Old Insurance Policies," Corporate Counsel (November, 2002) (with John N. Ellison and Nicholas Insua)

Speaking Engagements

• Panelist, WORKSHOP ON NATURAL RESOURCE AGREEMENTS AND DEVELOPMENTS, Indiana University, Maurer School of Law, March 8, 2013.
• Michael Conley to Present at National Constitution Center Seminar: 'Additional Insured Policies: Key Provisions, Clauses and Language', 3/21/12
• Michael Conley to Present at Perrin Conferences' 'Emerging Insurance Coverage & Allocation Issues in 2012' Program
• Michael Conley is Presenting at 'Construction Defect Litigation: Claims and Coverage'
• Michael Conley To Present at 'Insurance Coverage Issues Related To Sexual Molestation Claims'
• Michael Conley is Presenting at the 2012 Asbestos Litigation Conference, Presented by Perrin Conferences.  Top 10 Things Defendants & Plaintiffs Should Know About Insurance Claims - How coverage issues impact underlying litigation" Perrin Conferences'  2012 Asbestos Litigation Conference (September 11, 2012)
• "Big picture – What are the Next Big Risks that will Affect the Insurance and Reinsurance Industries" Perrin Conferences' Emerging Insurance Coverage & Allocation Issues in 2012, New York, NY (February 23, 2012)
• "Insurance Coverage Update: Practical Approaches to Current Coverage Challenges" Perrin Conferences’ 2011 Asbestos Litigation Conference: A National Overview & Outlook, San Francisco, CA, (September 19-21, 2011)
• "Bad Faith Litigation Claims" Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Program Chair, (May 12, 2011)
• "Hydrofracking in the Marcellus Shale: The Liability and Insurance Coverage Implications"  Perrin Conferences' Webinar Series, (April 20, 2011)
• "Excess Insurance Disputes Among Policyholders and Primary and Excess Insurers: Allocating Multiple Layers of Coverage in the Wake of Qualcomm" Strafford Publications, (December 17, 2009)
• “Modern Insurance Solutions for Long-Tail Problems,” Perrin Asbestos Litigation Conference, San Francisco, CA, (September 14-16, 2009)
• "Plenary Session: Human Resources/Employment," AAPA Port Administration and Legal Issues Seminar, Baltimore, MD (April 16, 2009)
• "M&A Due Diligence - Assessing Potential Risk and Minimizing Exposure in Corporate Dealmaking," The Insurance Industry's Top 10 Risks & Opportunities' Conference, a BVR Legal/Mealey's Conference, Philadelphia, PA (December 9, 2008)
• "Bad Faith Discovery Disputes," Mealey's Bad Faith Litigation Conference, a BVR Legal/Mealey's Conference, New York, NY (November 7, 2008)
• “Subprime Crisis,” Strategies and Tactics to Avoid D&O Liability and Maximize Coverage (June 4, 2008)
• "Considerations When Confronting Asbestos Bankruptcies," American Conference Institute, Las Vegas, NV (May 15, 2008)
• "Ten Tips for a Corporate Law or Risk Management Department," Arizona RIMS, Phoenix, AZ (April 9, 2008)
• "An Update on Ethical Issues," Delaware Valley Association of Corporate Counsel, Philadelphia, PA (April 17, 2008)
• "Employment Practices Liability Insurance," Delaware Valley Association of Corporate Counsel, King of Prussia, PA (March 13, 2008)
• "Analysis of Employment Practices Liability Insurance As It Effects In-House Counsel," United League of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA (January 17, 2008)
• "The State of The Law and Successful Strategies Relating to Bad Faith Insurance Claims," Strafford Publications' Discovery in Bad Faith Insurance Claims Teleconference, Philadelphia, PA (October 10, 2007)
• "The Bankruptcy Backlash: Insurance Company Rights and Obligations Under the Latest Bankruptcy Decisions," Mealey’s Asbestos Bankruptcy Conference, Las Vegas, NV (June 21, 2007)
• "Discovery in Bad Faith Insurance Claims: State of the Law, Successful Strategies," Insurance Law and Litigation Reporter, and the Legal Publishing Group of Strafford Publications, Philadelphia, PA (May 10, 2007)
• "Punitive Damages and Bad Faith Successful Strategies for Today's Cases," National Constitution Center's Punitive Damages and Bad Faith Audio Conference, Philadelphia, PA (April 12, 2007)
• "Privilege Issues," Mealey's Mass Tort Insurance Coverage Conference, The Rittenhouse Hotel, Philadelphia, PA (March 19, 2007)
• "Emerging Issues In Asbestos Coverage Litigation," Mealey's Asbestos Conference: The New Face of Asbestos Litigation, Washington D.C. (February 9, 2007)
• "How Insurance Can Solve Employee Problems," The Legal Intelligencer and Anderson Kill, Philadelphia, PA (June 27, 2006)
• "Winning the Punitive Damages Battle," Legal Publishing Group of Strafford Publications, Inc., Philadelphia, PA (June 6, 2006)
• "Bad Faith and Punitive Damages," 13th Advanced National Forum, St. Regis, San Francisco (April 27 & 28, 2006)
• "An Insurance Company's Duty of Good Faith and Fair Dealing, Punitive Damages and the Legacies of Campbell," National Constitution Center, Philadelphia, PA (March 21, 2006)
• "Discovery in Bad Faith Claims," Legal Publishing Group of Strafford Publications, Inc., Philadelphia, PA (December 20, 2005)
• "Discovery in Bad Faith Claims," Legal Publishing Group of Strafford Publications, Inc., Philadelphia, PA (September 20, 2005)
• "New SEC 8-k Disclosure Requirements And Accelerated Filing Deadlines," Lorman Education Services, Continuing Education Seminar, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (June 30, 2004)
• "Impact of London Market’s Documentation Requirements," American Conference Institute, San Francisco, California (March 2003)
• "Insurance Recoveries for Present Liabilities Including Future Payments," American Conference Institute, San Francisco, California (March 2003)

Previous Work

Prior to joining Offit Kurman Attorneys At Law, Mr. Conley was co-managing shareholder of Anderson Kill's Philadelphia office and a senior shareholder in its Insurance Recovery and Corporate and Commercial Litigation Departments. He was also head of the Philadelphia Business Group and chair of Philadelphia's Commercial Litigation Group.