A highly accomplished litigator in the complex insurance/reinsurance and commercial litigation fields, Deirdre Johnson focuses her practice on representing insurers, reinsurers and captive insurers with coverage disputes, litigating insurance and reinsurance matters and handling arbitration proceedings in the United States and globally. Co-chair of the firm’s insurance and reinsurance practice, she also handles life reinsurance treaty disputes and defends public corporations in class action lawsuits, securities litigation and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) enforcement actions.
For reinsurance/insurance litigation coverage disputes, Deirdre counsels her clients on professional liability, life and health, variable annuity, general liability, surety, products liability, employment discrimination, first-party property and environmental coverage matters. She also represents clients with disputes arising under Bermuda Form policies and guides clients through U.S., Bermuda and London arbitration proceedings.
Before joining Stradley Ronon, Deirdre was a partner at an Am Law 100 firm in Washington, D.C. and worked for several international law firms.
Featured Representative Matters
Represented multiple companies in property and casualty insurance, life and health insurance company rehabilitation and liquidation proceedings.
Advised cedents in life reinsurance arbitrations for yearly renewable term (YRT) rate disputes.
Led numerous representations for insurers and reinsurers based on COVID-19 issues.
Represented insurance holding company in litigation arising out of multiple portfolio transactions.
Handled challenges to ceded claims arising out of offset issues.
Litigated coverage issues on behalf of insurers under professional liability policies issued to managed care organizations.
Advised insurers and reinsurers in the U.S., London, Bermuda and European markets with respect to liability, surety, property and casualty, and other complex disputes.
Represented an international life insurer in a class action involving allegations of material misstatements in financial statements related to valuation allowances on deferred tax assets and Sarbanes-Oxley certifications.
Counseled a captive manager in drafting insurance policies and reinsurance contracts, corporate governance matters and regulatory issues.
Represented a captive reinsurer in a reinsurance arbitration against its fronting insurer.
Performed internal investigations responding to shareholder demand letters and reserving practices used by health maintenance organizations and property and casualty reinsurers.
Served as a party-appointed arbitrator in a reinsurance dispute over a medical stop-loss treaty.
Memberships
Former Co-Chair, Reinsurance Subcommittee, American Bar Association’s Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee
Member, Association of Professional Insurance Women
Former Chair, AIDA Reinsurance and Insurance Arbitration Society
Recognitions
The Best Lawyers in America (Insurance Litigation) (annually since 2012)
Chambers USA (District of Columbia: Insurance: Insurer) (annually since 2015)
