Bernard P. Bell

Overview

Bernie Bell represents insureds in disputes with their insurers and is a nationally recognized leader in his field. He develops and aggressively pursues strategies to maximize insurance recovery across a full range of disputed claims, from property damage and business interruption losses to claims arising from directors and officers (D&O) liabilities, as well as employment, environmental, fiduciary (ERISA), intellectual property, management, product, professional, representations and warranties (R&W), tax position, and toxic tort liabilities.

His recent representations include engagements to recover costs incurred because of claims arising from the manufacture, distribution and dispensing of prescription opioid medications. Other recent engagements include claims for property damage and business interruption losses caused by catastrophic events at refineries, petrochemical plants, oil and gas pipelines, golf courses, and hospitality venues. He regularly pursues recovery under D&O liability policies for the costs of defending and resolving merger objection and other corporate breach-of-duty litigation, as well as government subpoenas and investigations. Other recent representations include claims under pollution legal liability coverage for environmental clean-up costs. Bernie regularly appears in courts, arbitration tribunals, and mediations throughout the United States and in London arbitration under the Bermuda Form

Bernie is a Fellow of the American College of Contractual and Extracontractual Counsel and is a former co-chair (policyholder side) of the College’s First-Party Insurance Committee. He wrote or co-wrote chapters in the Appleman insurance law treatise on Commercial Property Insurance and Time Element (Business Interruption) Insurance and is a frequent writer and speaker on insurance coverage issues.

Mr. Bell is a graduate of Colgate University cum laude and a graduate of Fordham University, where he was an Editor of the Fordham Law Review.