Jeffrey L. Kingsley
Partner
Jeffrey L. Kingsley is the co-chair of the firm’s Global Insurance Services practice and oversees a team of 65 attorneys, handling matters from cybersecurity to extra-contractual bad faith litigation. Jeff handles a wide range of complex insurance and reinsurance coverage, environmental claims, commercial and regulatory issues, and extra-contractual liability arbitration and litigation. He has extensive experience handling and consulting clients on complex allocation issues, regulatory issues, arbitrations, transactional issues, and disputes involving the eco bad faith exposure across the country.
Jeff currently serves as national counsel for several companies and is often asked by insurers to handle sensitive matters ranging from regulatory compliance issues in the merger and acquisition space to Child Victim Act claims across the country. From handling COVID-19 litigation to Child Victims Act claims, Jeff is frequently asked to provide insight on the recent developments, news, and other critical information impacting the insurance industry.
Industries
Experience Highlights
Jeff routinely provides comprehensive legal representation for Fortune 500 companies, insurers, reinsurers, and other businesses to help them manage risk at every stage of business and protect their interests when disputes may arise. He works with clients during the developmental phase of business relationships to analyze agreements, develop potential strategies to reduce liability exposure, and identify issues that may impede growth such as threats to a company’s reputation or intellectual property rights.
Drawing on his extensive background in environmental law, Jeff represents individuals and companies in matters regarding claims of property contamination and other environmental issues. He has handled cases involving the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, and other federal and state regulations. His experience includes representing a wine producer in a salt contamination claim and assisting the Department of Justice’s Environmental Enforcement Division in drafting its position relative to compliance-related issues regarding coal facilities.
Honors & Awards
Upstate New York Super Lawyers (Insurance Coverage), 2017–22; Rising Stars, 2013–14
Business First’s 40 Under 40, 2013
Business First’s Who’s Who in Law (Insurance), 2010–2012
Pathfinder Award for Community Service, bestowed by Business First, the Buffalo Alliance for Education, and the Niagara Frontier Industry Education Council for service as a mentor, coach, and leader for the Bennett High School Law Magnet Program
Admissions
- New York
- U.S. District Courts for the Western, Southern, Eastern and Northern Districts of New York
- U.S. Bankruptcy Courts for the Western, Eastern, and Northern Districts of New York
Education
- State University of New York at Buffalo Law School, J.D., cum laude, 2002
- Hamilton College, B.A., 1996
Professional Affiliations
- Insurance Coverage Law Center
- Editorial Advisory Board Member, 2022
- Defense Research Institute
- Reinsurance Law Committee
- Insurance Law Committee
- Claims and Litigation Management (CLM)
- ARIAS-US
- American Bar Association
- Insurance Law Committee
- New York State Bar Association
- Insurance Law Committee
- Bar Association of Erie County
- Defense Association of New York (DANY)
Community Involvement
- Village of Williamsville: Trustee
- University at Buffalo Law School: Alumni Board Member
- Bennett High School
- Mock Trial Team: Attorney Coach
- Former Tutor/Mentor
- United Way Campaign Drive: Coordinator
- Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure: Volunteer/Coordinator
Publications & Events
- Quoted in “Policyholder Attorneys Decry Treatise’s Impact on Pandemic Suits,” Law 360, September 17, 2021
- Quoted in “State Efforts to Mandate Cover Fall Short,” Business Insurance, March 5, 2021
- “Viewpoint: Anticipated Coronavirus Claims Scenarios Across Major Coverage Lines” (Co-Author), Claims Journal, April 7, 2020
- “Future of Covered Agreement Open to Question” (Co-Author), Insurance Day, October 16, 2017
- Quoted in “U.S. Hurricane Losses Weigh Heavily on Markets of Last Resort,” Insurance Day, September 29, 2017
- Quoted in “States’ Regulatory Role Preserved in U.S.-EU Insurance Pact,” Law360, September 25, 2017
- Editor, Part III, “The Claims Process,” Reinsurance Professional’s Deskbook, 2017-2018 ed., Thomson Reuters and DRI, 2017
- “Lloyd’s in the United States” (Co-Author) Ch. 80, New Appleman on Insurance Law Library Edition, 2016
- Quoted in “McClendon’s Death Creates Complex Financial Picture,” CNBC.com, March 4, 2016
- Quoted in “U.S., E.U. Insurance Talks Could Undermine States’ Authority,” Law360, February 24, 2016
- Featured in “Mutual Insurers Fight to Gain, Retain, and Communicate,” A.M. BestTV, October 2015
- Editor, “Part III: The Claims Process,” Reinsurance Professional’s Deskbook: A Practical Guide, Thomson Reuters and DRI, January 2015
- “Insurance Coverage Issues,” Perrin Conferences Sexual Abuse Litigation and Coverage Conference, New York, NY, October 28, 2021
- “Coverage and Litigation Issues Surrounding Sexual Harassment, Assault and Abuse Claims Conference,” Perrin Conferences, New York, NY, January 29, 2020
- “An Update on the Practical and Legal Insurance Coverage Issues Involving the Pollution Exclusion,” CLE Course, December 11, 2019
- “Brexit and the Implications of the Global Insurance Market,” BRMA’s Committee Rendevous, Princeton, NJ, April 9, 2019
- “D&O and EPLI Coverage Considerations in the #MeToo Movement,” ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation Midyear CLE Conference, Tucson, AZ, February 27, 2019
- “U.S. Risks Challenging the London Market: The Opioid Epidemic, #MeToo, and Our Expectations for 2019” (Co-Presenter) London Seminar, London, UK, October 29, 2018
- “Construction Site Accidents: Law and Insurance,” Brown & Brown Lunch and Learn, June 19, 2018
- “After Irma: Discussion, Analysis, and Trends in Insurance-Linked Securities and Other Alternative Risk Transfer Vehicles for 2018 and Beyond,” BRMA Discussion, Princeton, NJ, April 9, 2018
- “Developments in Natural Catastrophe Coverage: Climate Change Developments, Flood Insurance Implementation, Earthquake Insurance, and a Look at the Effect on Property and Liability Risk Insurance Companies are Undertaking,” 12th National Forum on Insurance Regulation, New York, NY, July 26, 2016
- “Reinsurance Contracts,” BRMA, April 19, 2015
- “New York’s Adult Survivors Act: What You Need to Know”, (Co-Presenter) GS Webinar Series, June 22, 2022
- “Bad Faith: Year in Review,” (Co-Presenter), GS Webinar Series, January 11, 2022
- “Year in Review 2020: Bad Faith,” (Co-Presenter), GS Webinar Series, January 19, 2021
- “Evolving COVID-19 Property and Liability Claims as America Returns to Work,” (Co-Presenter), GS Webinar Series, May 12, 2020
- “Potential Coverage Implications Surrounding COVID-19 Claims,” (Co-Presenter), GS Webinar Series, April 2, 2020
- “Coronavirus Risk Forecast: Coverage and Claims Analysis for Toxic Tort, Employment, Workers’ Comp, Cyber, and Insurance Policy Concerns,” (Co-Presenter), Perrin Conferences, March 27, 2020
- “Bad Faith: 2019 Year in Review,” (Co-Presenter), GS Webinar Series, January 21, 2020
- “Emerging Issues: The New York Child Victims Act and the Impact of the ‘Window of Justice’ on Insurers,” (Co-Presenter), GS Webinar Series, December 10, 2019
- “Extra-Contractual Claims,” GS Webinar Series, January 23, 2018
- “Complex Coverage: Managing Multiple Claims Under One Policy,” GIS Webinar Series, September 19, 2017
- Contributor, “Child’s Victims Act: New York,” Timely Notice, January 28, 2020
- Contributor, “Multiple Claimants and Insufficient Limits,” Timely Notice, July 3, 2018
Recent Insights
September 27, 2022
May 25, 2022