Larry P. Schiffer

Partner

Larry P. Schiffer practices in the areas of commercial, insurance and reinsurance litigation, arbitration and mediation. He also serves as a mediator for the mandatory commercial mediation program of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and for the New York Supreme Court Commercial Division's Alternative Dispute Resolution Program.

Selected Activities

  • Former partner, Werner & Kennedy
  • Law assistant to the justices of the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department
  • Member, New York State Bar Association; Chair, Committee on Association Insurance Programs, 1999-2008; Member, Commercial and Federal Litigation and Tort, Insurance and Compensation Law Sections
  • Member, American Bar Association; Section of Litigation; Section of Trial Tort & Insurance Practice; Chair, Excess, Surplus Lines & Reinsurance Committee, 1994-1995, Vice-Chair, Webmaster, Listserv Manager, 1997-present; Chair, Technology Committee, 1997-1999, 2006-2008; Chair, Electronic Media Coordinating Group, 1999-2000; Member, Communications Coordinating Group, 1997-2000; Distance Learning Co-Coordinator, 2000-2001; Co-Coordinator of Regional Meetings, 1995-1997; Member, CLE Board, 1995-1997, 1998-2001; Member, Communications Website Editorial Board, 2005-2008; Member, Task Force on Revenue Enhancement, 2006-2008; Member, Annual Meeting Arrangements Committee, 2007-2008; Member, Task Force on Disaster Relief Insurance Coverage, 2008-2009; Member, Task Force on Disaster Preparedness and Response, 2011-2012 
  • Past Vice Chair, Reinsurance Excess and Surplus Lines Section, Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel
  • Chair, Technology Committee, ARIAS-U.S.
  • Expert Commentator, Reinsurance Issues, International Risk Management Institute, IRMI.com
  • Insurance Law 360, Editorial Advisory Board (2009-2010)
  • President, National Alumni Association, Albany Law School of Union University, 2005-2007
  • Member, Board of Trustees, Albany Law School of Union University, 2007 to 2011
  • Past Co-Chair and Member, Executive Committee, MDA's Wings Over Wall Street

Publications

  • Author, "Understanding Reinsurance Terminology – Bordereau," Expert Commentary section of the Internet Web site of the International Risk Management Institute (www.IRMI.com) (September 2011).
  • Author, "Multiparty Reinsurance Contracts - All for One and One for All," Expert Commentary section of the Internet Web site of the International Risk Management Institute (www.IRMI.com) (May 2011).
  • Author, "How Court Decisions Can Help Improve Arbitration Clauses in Reinsurance Contracts," The Brief (Spring 2011).
  • Author, "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall," ARIAS U.S. Quarterly, Vol. 17, No. 4, Fourth Quarter 2010.
  • Author, "The Index Clause: One Way to Stem the Effect of Inflation on Long-Tail Claims Under Excess-of-Loss Reinsurance Contracts," Expert Commentary section of the Internet Web site of the International Risk Management Institute (www.IRMI.com) (December 2010).
  • Author, "Reinsurance," Chapter 15, Insurance Law Practice, Second Edition, Volume One, New York State Bar Association (2010).
  • "My Reinsurer Is In Runoff. What Do I Do Now?" Expert Commentary section of the Internet Web site of the International Risk Management Institute (www.IRMI.com) (June 2010).
  • Author, "Recent Developments on Follow-the-Fortunes in the United States," Newsletter of the Excess, Surplus Lines and Reinsurance Committee of the American Bar Association’s Section on Tort, Trial and Insurance Practice (Fall 2009).
  • Co-Author, "A Brief Review of Reinsurance Trends in 2008," Andrews Litigation Reporter - Insurance Coverage, Vol. 19, Issue 25 (March 27, 2009) and Issue 26 (April 3, 2009).
  • Author, "Clash Cover Reinsurance and Economic Catastrophe Losses," International Risk Management Institute's IRMI.com web site (March 23, 2009).
  • Author, "Turnabout Is Fair Play - Reinsurers Now Have Credit Risk Worries," International Risk Management Institute's IRMI.com web site (December 2008).
  • Author, "Consolidation Issues in Reinsurance Contacts," International Risk Management Institute's IRMI.com web site (June 2008).
  • Author, "Arbitration in Run-off - The Receivership Anomaly - Part 1," AIRROC Matters, (Spring 2008).
  • Co-Author, "Exploring Latest Developments in the US and What They Hold for the UK and European Markets," Daily & Lately, (April 25, 2008).
  • Co-Author, "A Brief Review of Reinsurance Trends in 2007," Andrews Litigation Reporter - Insurance Coverage, Volume 18, Issue 25 (March 28, 2008).
  • "Reinsurancese-Time for a Change?," International Risk Management Institute's IRMI.com web site (March 2008).
  • "Keeping the Information Flowing:  Loss Notice and Reporting Clauses in Reinsurance Contracts,"  Expert Commentary section of the Internet Web site of the International Risk Management Institute (www.IRMI.com) (February 2008).
  • Co-Author, "A Brief Review of Reinsurance Trends in 2006," Andrews Litigation Reporter - Insurance Coverage , Vol. 17, Issue 23 (March 16, 2007).
  • "Contract Finality - What a Concept!" Reinsurance News, Reinsurance Section of the Society of Actuaries, Issue No. 57 (May 2006).
  • Co-Author, "A Brief Review of Reinsurance Trends in 2005," Andrews Litigation Reporter - Insurance Coverage , Vol. 16, Issue 24 (March 24, 2006).
  • "Leveling the Playing Field:  An Analysis of Neutrality Issues in Reinsurance Arbitration," ARIAS-U.S. Quarterly , Vol. 13, No. 1 (First Quarter 2006).
  • "Chapter 15 - Reinsurance," Insurance Law Practice, Second Edition.  John M. Nonna et al. eds., New York State Bar Association (2006).
  • Co-Author, "Physics and the Insurance and Reinsurance Industry," (extract). The International Who's Who of Insurance & Reinsurance Lawyers (2005).
  • Co-Author, "The Judicial Trend Toward a Less Expansive Interpretation of the Follow-the-Fortunes Doctrine." Excess , Surplus Lines & Reinsurance Committee Newsletter (Winter 2004).
  • Co-Author, "A Brief Review of Reinsurance Trends in 2003," Andrews Insurance Coverage Litigation Report (March 26, 2004).
  • "Insurance Runoff Is Big Business, Interview in All-Star Briefing," Practising Law Institute (January 2004).
  • Co-Author, "Legal Review 2002, US Grapples with WTC," Reinsurance (December 2002/January 2003).
  • Co-Author, "Recent Developments in E-Commerce," Tort & Insurance Law Journal (Winter 2002).
  • Co-Author, "Caveat Reinsurer: Reinsuring Punitive Damages Under ECO Clauses," Tort & Insurance Law Journal (Fall 2001); republished in Journal of Reinsurance (Summer 2002).
  • "District Court Rejects Jurisdiction of Reinsurance Disputes Under Air Stabilization Act," Insurance Coverage Law Bulletin (April 2002).
  • Co-Author, "Legal Review, US Courts Set Precedents," Reinsurance (December 2001/January 2002).
  • "Reinsurance Trials," Journal of Insurance Coverage (Winter 2001).
  • "New Risks for the New Economy-What Does It Mean for Reinsurers?," Mealey's Litigation Reports: Reinsurance (February 8, 2001).
  • Co-Author, "Recent Developments in Excess Insurance, Surplus Lines Insurance and Reinsurance Law," Tort & Insurance Law Journal (2001).
  • Co-Author, "Reinsurance," Chapter 24 of Insurance Law Practice (2001).
  • "Reinsurance Arbitration and the Year 2000 Problem," Mealey's Litigation Reports: Reinsurance (May 25, 2000).
  • Co-Author, "Allocation of Environmental Claims Settlements to Reinsurers," Journal of Insurance Coverage (Spring 2000).
  • "Class War By Plaintiff's Lawyers, Year In Review," Lloyd's List Insurance Day (January 4, 2000).
  • "International Monitoring, Database Detectives," American Bar Association Journal (January 2000).
  • Commentary, "Should Arbitrators Be Allowed to Be Witnesses?," Andrews International Reinsurance Dispute Reporter (September 21, 1998).
  • Co-Author, "If You Can't Pay the Fine, Don't Do. . . .," Bests Review , Property and Casualty Edition (December 1997).
  • Commentary, "Compressing the Future: The Movement Toward Reinsurer Responsibility for Contingent Claims," Andrews International Reinsurance Dispute Reporter (January 6, 1997)
  • "An Overview of Reinsurance Arbitration," ARIAS-U.S. Quarterly (1995).
  • "A Practical Guide to Reinsurance Audits," Mealey's Litigation Reports: Reinsurance (October 11, 1994).
  • "Reinsurance Arbitration . . . Improving the Process," Reinsurance Trends (February 1994).
  • Co-Author, "Recent Developments in Excess, Surplus Lines and Reinsurance," Tort & Insurance Law Journal (1995).
  • Note, "The Availability of Benefit of the Bargain Damages in a Fraud Action Under Section 2-721 of the Uniform Commercial Code," Albany Law Review (1979).

Awards and Recognition

  • Who's Who Legal (2011)
  • Legal 500 US, Recognized for Litigation: Insurance: Reinsurance (2009, 2010, 2011)
  • Chambers USA, Insurance: Dispute Resolution (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
  • The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011) 
  • International Who's Who of Insurance & Reinsurance Lawyers (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
  • Euromoney Guide to the World's Leading Insurance and Reinsurance Lawyers (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
  • Donald D. DeAngelis Excellence in Alumni Service Award, Albany Law School (2007)
  • Humanitarian Award, MDA's Wings Over Wall Street (2007)
  • Edmund S. Muskie Pro Bono Award, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section of the American Bar Association (2006)

Education

  • Albany Law School, 1979, J.D., cum laude; Member, Albany Law Review; Member, Justinian Society
  • City University of New York, Brooklyn College, 1976, B.A., magna cum laude

Bar Admissions

  • New York

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York