Ward has been practicing for more than 20 years, after enjoying a successful career in the insurance and reinsurance industry.
With nearly 14 years of insurance industry experience before beginning the practice of law, Ward has a unique set of credentials that he utilizes on behalf of both primary and excess carriers in matters involving disputed insurance coverage and bad faith. He has successfully represented clients in myriad coverage matters, receiving summary judgments, negotiated rescissions, negotiated settlements and defense verdicts.
Ward has extensive experience with construction defect litigation on behalf of several carriers and has issued numerous coverage opinions addressing complex issues under commercial general liability and professional liability policies. He has successfully advised clients regarding complicated coverage matters addressing claims-made policies, the application of indemnity provisions in construction contracts and the interpretation of additional insured endorsements. He has prepared opinions addressing intricate issues of cyber law including webscraping, false designation of origin and computer related offenses. Ward has also served as monitoring counsel and coordinating counsel in complex nursing home litigation.
Due to his industry experience, Ward has an extensive background in products liability, construction defects, workers’ compensation, asbestos and other long-term exposure claims. As a Reinsurance Claims Specialist for eight years, he analyzed and adjusted reinsurance claims and was also part of a task force established to analyze and interpret reinsurance treaties. Subsequent to that he spent five years drafting and negotiating all types of reinsurance contracts covering life, annuity, variable annuity, accident, health and major medical insurance for a major life insurance company. Ward also has extensive industry experience interpreting statutory requirements for reinsurance contracts, including letters of credit and funds held, annual financial reporting and holding company acts.
Experience
- Charter Oak Ins. Co. v. Maglio Fresh Foods, 45 F. Supp. 3d 461 (E.D. PA 2014)
- Charter Oak Ins. Co. v. Maglio Fresh Foods, 979 F. Supp. 2d 581 (E.D. PA 2013)
- Treadways LLC v. Travelers Indem. Co., 467 Fed. Appx. 143 (3d. Cir. 2012)
- Cigna Ins. Co. v. Executive Risk Indem. Inc., 111 A.3d 204 (Pa. Super. 2014)
Practices
Admissions
- Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
- Supreme Court of New Jersey
- United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
- United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
- United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
Education
- Widener University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2002
- Widener University, MBA, 1994
- Widener University, B.S., cum laude, 1988
Honors & Recognition
- Alpha Chi National Honor Society
- Member of Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society (undergraduate)
- Phi National Honor Society, Harrington Inn (Widener Law)
Presentations
- Hot Topics in Insurance Litigation: Consent to Settle and Rescission (2016)
- Best Practices for Defending Professional Liability Claims in Florida, New Jersey, New York and Ohio (2012)
- Construction Defect Litigation – A Four State Survey (Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania (2012)
- An Overview of the Insurability of Punitive and Exemplary Damages in the 50 United States (2011)
- Duties and Responsibilities of Primary and Excess Carriers During the Life of the Claim (2010)
- Overview of Comparative Negligence and Joint and Several Liability in the United States (2004)
