Henry T French, JD

Farmington, Connecticut

General Specialty

Insurance Bad Faith
Insurance Bermuda Form
Insurance Bermuda Market
Reinsurance

Specialty Focus

Adverse Development Cover
Bad Faith
Bermuda Form
Casualty
Claims Handling
Compliance
Directors and Officers
Errors and Omissions
Legacy
Liability
Loss Portfolio Transfer
Property
Reinsurance
Runoff

Previously served as senior executive in a global insurance/reinsurance Fortune 500 company with reporting lines to the General Counsel and the Audit Committee; providing guidance to professionals in Legal, Compliance, Underwriting, Claims, Risk Management, and Data; managed in-house lawyers, compliance professionals, claims lawyers, and data privacy officers;

  • Corporate insurance team co-leader for purchase of corporate Directors and Officers, Errors and Omission, and Cyber liability insurance, including strategy, negotiation, terms, and conditions, claims management, and Board reporting

General Counsel for Global Litigation of global insurance and reinsurance group of companies

  • Reported to Audit Committee on major litigation, large losses, group exposures
  • Oversaw all major non-claims litigation against group companies
  • To ensure consistency across group companies, provided overall guidance and strategy on large loss events
  • As senior lawyer supporting Claims Department, served on the Insurance Claims Executive Board; created protocols to manage insurance bad faith litigation; reviewed and approved claims manuals; reviewed training courses for claims team on Fair Claims Settlement Practices and Claims Fraud; guided claims managers in litigating bad faith and high-value cases
  • Managed international legal and regulatory compliance team
  • Facilitated U.S. regulatory approvals for the acquisition of a global insurance group of companies, helped integrate the business and implement the sale and purchase contract
  • Managed litigation arising from the acquisition
  • Supported negotiation and documentation of several financial transactions involving loss portfolio transfers and adverse development reinsurance coverages, including gaining state insurance department regulatory approval
  • Supported underwriters (excess liability, professional liability, and property), including review of exposures and drafting endorsements

Chief Legal and Claims Officer for business unit of global insurance company; Member of Executive Team, assisted with strategy, reinsurance structure, training, and interaction with broader Insurance Group

  • Supported underwriters on policy issues, drafted endorsements, policy wording
  • Supported outward reinsurance team on structuring reinsurance protection
  • Directly handled excess liability and property claims and had a direct reporting relationship to Global Group Chief Claims Officer
  • Managed litigation involving the business unit
  • Supervised claims staff in London, Zurich, New York, and Oslo

Global Insurance Broker – Coverage and Claims Advisor

  • Explained and sold to large corporate customers Bermuda market Insurance products (Excess Liability, D&O, E&O, EPL, Property) and advocated claims on behalf of policyholder customers
  • On behalf of policyholder customers, negotiated the final XL 004 Excess Liability form (now known as “the Bermuda Form”)
  • Assisted policyholder customers with specific endorsements and notice issues

Private Law Firm Practice

  • Represented primary and excess insurers in U.S. insurance coverage lawsuits
  • Served as insurance company national coordinating counsel for environmental coverage lawsuits throughout the U.S.
  • Litigation lawyer represented hospitals, physicians, and product manufacturers
  • Handled product liability, professional liability, and medical malpractice claims on behalf of excess insurers, including review, evaluation, and reserving of cases; hands-on management of higher valued claims; participation in mediations; development of case strategy; understanding pertinent local laws and regulations impacting coverage and liability; and attendance at trials
  • Represented professional lines insurers evaluating accountants’ liability claims and lawsuits

 

Education:

  • Juris Doctorate , University of Wisconsin Law School
  • Bachelor of Arts , University of Illinois

 

Certifications/Memberships: 

  • Bar Memberships: Illinois, Wisconsin (Inactive)
  • Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US), IAPP
  • ESG: Navigating the Board’s Role, Berkeley School of Law, Graduate, September 2021
  • Connecticut Insurance Dept Advisory Council on Technology, 2019-2021, invited by the CT Insurance Commissioner to assist the Department on improving its use of technology
  • Global Insurance Chief Compliance Officers CCO Forum 2016-2018
  • ARIAS US (Insurance and Reinsurance Arbitration Society) Certified Arbitrator
  • PLUS (Professional Liability Underwriting Society) Member
  • APCIA (American Property Casualty Insurance Association) Data and Trade Sanctions Working Groups 2007-2019
  • Insurance Operational Risk Forum, Member, 2009-2018
  • Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) Bermuda Branch, Member, 1996-2007
  • US Chamber of Commerce, Center for Capital Market Competitiveness, Member 2006-2008
  • Graduate: Directors’ Consortium, Wharton School of Business, 2003
  • “Lion Award,” Recipient Zurich Insurance Global Claims Conference 1998
  • Arbitrator: Cook County IL Mandatory Arbitration Program, 1990-1994

 

hfrench@clarkhill.com

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