News: Press Release

Offit Kurman’s Meghan Finnerty to Speak on Insurance Coverage for Emerging Risks at 2020 National Association of Dealer Counsel Fall Conference

For Immediate Release

Philadelphia | October 14, 2020

Offit Kurman principal Meghan Finnerty has been selected as a featured speaker at the 2020 Fall Conference for the National Association of Dealer Counsel (NADC) on Tuesday, October 27th, from 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

The NADC is a nationwide professional organization of over 600 attorneys who represent automobile and other vehicle dealers.  NADC provides a forum for members to exchange information on how to best represent dealer interests with respect to manufacturer franchise issues, regulatory compliance, insurance laws, tax laws, buy/sell agreements, employment laws, and many other issues facing dealers and their counsel.

Ms. Finnerty’s presentation, entitled “Pandemics, Riots, and Cyberattacks: What Every Dealer Counsel Should Know About Insurance Coverage for Emerging Risks” will address the status of coverage claims and litigation over COVID-19 business interruption, liability, and property claims; insurance issues relating to losses from riots and vandalism; and recent litigation over coverage for cyber-attacks. In addition, she will provide practical advice for the general practitioner on how to best protect and maximize insurance coverage for losses. CLE credit may be available pending approval and will be applied towards the state(s) entered during the registration process.

At Offit Kurman, Meghan Finnerty is a commercial litigator with a varied practice, with an emphasis on assisting corporate and nonprofit policyholders as they navigate disputes with their insurance companies. She regularly advises dealership clients on risk and insurance issues for each phase of the life cycle of the business. By way of example, she recently negotiated full defense and indemnity insurance coverage for an auto dealership that was named as a defendant in a large consumer fraud class action in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with approximately 2000 class members. As a result, Ms. Finnerty was able to resolve the class action with minimal disruptive impact to the dealership.  In addition, she has also represented dealerships in disputes with neighboring dealerships related to intellectual property, and in disputes relating to warranty audits and compliance appeals.

In addition to her work for dealership clients, Ms. Finnerty is an experienced appellate advocate, and has secured victories for her clients before each of Pennsylvania’s appellate courts.  In the past year, she obtained a landmark ruling from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on an insurance company’s duty to defend in Erie Ins. Exch. v. Moore, No. 20 WAP 2018, 2020 Pa. LEXIS 2239 (Apr. 22, 2020), as well as a favorable ruling for policyholders in the published Pennsylvania Superior Court decision, Pennsylvania Manufacturers Indemnity Company v. Pottstown Industrial Complex LP, 215 A.3d 1010 (2019).

Attendance at the NADC Fall Conference is limited to NADC members.  NADC membership is open to all attorneys who represent the interests of vehicle dealerships. To register for Ms. Finnerty’s session, you can sign up here.

To get in touch with Meghan Finnerty, please visit her Offit Kurman attorney page here.

 

ABOUT OFFIT KURMAN

Offit Kurman, a full-service AmLaw 200 law firm with offices throughout the East Coast and in Southern California, serves dynamic businesses, individuals and families. Founded in 1987, the firm’s 280+ attorneys counsel clients across more than 30 areas of practice. Offit Kurman helps maximize and protect business value and personal wealth by providing innovative and entrepreneurial counsel that focuses on clients’ business objectives, interests and goals. The firm is distinguished by the quality, breadth and global reach of its legal services and a unique operational structure that encourages a culture of collaboration.