Kennedys boosts financial lines practice with double partner hire

We are pleased to announce that financial lines specialists Maurice Pesso and Greg Steinberg have joined as partners in the US.

The duo join from White and Williams LLP where they were partner and counsel respectively. Maurice Pesso will be based in our New Jersey office and Greg Steinberg in New York.

The additions significantly strengthen our global financial lines practice, with both Maurice and Greg bringing considerable experience representing domestic and international insurers under major professional liability lines. Their work includes advising insurers on coverage and liability/damages issues in securities class actions, shareholders derivative actions, private equity disputes, regulatory investigations/proceedings, transactional litigation, and bankruptcy and insolvency matters.

Maurice has worked with insurers in resolving hundreds of these matters through mediation, domestic and international arbitration, and in coverage litigation before State and Federal Courts across the US. Insurers have looked to Maurice to represent them in some of their most high-profile and pressing matters of the last two decades.

Greg’s practice includes counseling, litigation, and alternative dispute resolution involving public and private company directors’ and officers’, financial institutions, cyber risk, technology errors and omissions, and other professional liability coverages.

Maurice and Greg have worked together for over six years, and have developed a significant client following. They played a major role in building the financial lines practice at their former firm. Their arrival will continue the growth of our financial lines practice group which covers fidelity/crime, professional indemnity, directors’ and officers’ insurance and mortgage banking.

Meg Catalano, Managing Partner at Kennedys CMK, says: “Maurice and Greg have developed an excellent reputation in financial lines coverage work and have a significant following among domestic and international insurers that complements our own client base.

“As well as enhancing our offering in the US, the team will significantly strengthen our global practice, which is vital for international financial lines matters.”

Maurice Pesso says: “Greg and I decided to make the move to Kennedys CMK given the major benefits of the firm’s global footprint and national reach for our clients. The firm has an excellent reputation in the insurance community and we look forward to working with the team to grow the financial lines business across the US, London and Bermuda.”