Policyholders’ Heaviest Hitters | Attorneys | New York

Orrie A. Levy
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My Approach

I’ve earned a reputation as a highly persuasive trial and appellate lawyer who values integrity, credibility, and commitment to my clients above all else. Whether I’m interacting with clients or opposing counsel, I inspire trust and confidence in people very quickly. My clients don’t like surprises, so they appreciate that I always strive to keep them accurately informed and comfortable with the path we’re taking.

Overview

Orrie Levy brings a notable public sector background in civil and criminal trials and appeals to his national insurance recovery practice. With a focus on directors & officers liability insurance coverage issues, he also handles matters relating to property insurance and business interruption policies, professional liability coverage, and disputes arising from indemnification agreements.

Because of his government background and private practice experience, Orrie has had many opportunities to handle high-stakes matters and persuade judges and juries to rule in favor of his clients. He finds that his excellent briefing and oral argument skills cut to the heart of cases and showcase the most effective inflection points to achieve optimal results.

Orrie places a premium on being highly responsive and communicative. Drawing on his keen awareness that each organization and set of circumstances is unique, he provides service tailored precisely to client preferences and needs. In his role as dedicated advisor, he regularly performs policy audits to confirm that clients are negotiating the best possible terms with their carriers and receiving the coverage necessary for their size, potential liabilities, and concerns. Orrie’s careful monitoring of insurance industry trends helps keep his clients steps ahead and avoid problems down the road.

Prior to joining private practice, Orrie clerked for the Honorable Lisa Margaret Smith of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, where he gained essential experience drafting opinions and orders on dispositive motions, discovery disputes, and habeas corpus petitions. Orrie further honed his ample litigation skills serving as an Assistant District Attorney in the Appeals Bureau of New York’s Bronx County District Attorney’s Office. In this capacity, he briefed and argued more than 40 criminal appeals.

Experience Highlights

  • In a case involving novel issues of insurance coverage for directors, officers, and other additional insureds under various forms of management liability policies, Orrie advocated for top executives of a major financial firm.  Arguing an appeal and moving to reargue, Orrie secured more than $40 million in defense costs for the client.

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  • As a member of a litigation team representing Givaudan Fragrances Corporation, Orrie was instrumental in gaining a victory that affirmed the company’s ability to access more than $500 million in insurance coverage in claims stemming from environmental damage to New Jersey’s Passaic River and Newark Bay.

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Relevant Experience

  • Secured a significant victory for individual directors who had been denied coverage for defense costs in an underlying action. The decision, captioned Spicer et al.v. Nat'l Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh, P.A., No. 1:20-CV-3784-GHW, 2021 WL 2809601, at *1 (S.D.N.Y. July 3, 2021), reaffirmed an insurer’s broad defense obligation under New York law.
  • Represented Superior Silica Sands, LLC in connection with its pursuit of coverage for property damage and business interruption losses stemming from a 2019 berm breach at Superior’s sand mining facility in San Antonio, Texas. After aggressively litigating Superior’s right to coverage in the Northern District of Texas against numerous insurers, Orrie secured a highly favorable settlement for Superior.
  • Obtained a summary judgment ruling entitling Towers Watson & Co. to more than $60 million in insurance coverage for a settlement of an underlying Rule 14(a) claim. The decision, Towers Watson & Co. v. Nat'l Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh, PA, No. 120CV810AJTJFA, 2021 WL 4555188 (E.D. Va. Oct. 5, 2021), found that a “bump-up” exclusion in an insurance policy did not bar coverage for claims arising out of Towers Watson’s merger with Willis.
  • Secured access to more than $500 million in insurance coverage for Givadaun Fragrances Corporation for claims stemming from environmental damage to New Jersey’s Passaic River and Newark Bay.
  • Secured access to more than $40 million in insurance coverage for directors and officers of major financial firm in connection with an underlying lawsuit alleging breaches of fiduciary duty. After obtaining a favorable ruling on summary judgment, Orrie successfully defended the ruling on appeal. The decision, Westchester Fire Ins. Co. v. Schorsch, 186 A.D.3d 132, 147 (1st Dep’t 2020), reaffirmed an insurers’ broad defense obligation under New York law.
  • Obtained favorable settlements for major real estate investment company totaling more than $30 million in insurance coverage in connection with underlying securities class actions, derivative lawsuits, and an SEC investigation.
  • Represented Oracle Corporation in the Southern District of New York in its pursuit of coverage under a technology “E&O” policy for an underlying lawsuit arising from services performed by Oracle for the State or Oregon. After briefing a motion for judgment on the pleadings, Orrie and the Oracle team leveraged that motion into a favorable settlement.

Clerkships

  • Hon. Lisa Margaret Smith, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York

Recognition and Rankings

  • Recognized by Euromoney as a Rising Star for the Insurance & Reinsurance Category, 2022
  • Recognized in Best Lawyers in America as "Ones to Watch" for Commercial, 2020
  • Ranked a "Rising Star" by Super Lawyers (2018-2021)

Articles

  • The New Frontier of Advanced Reproductive Technology: Reevaluating Modern Legal Parenthood, 37 Harv. J. L. & Gender 107 (2014)
  • Due Process and the Post-Padilla Landscape: Balancing the Severity of Deportation As A Collateral Consequence with A Court's Traditionally Narrow Obligation in Accepting A Plea, 11 Cardozo Pub. L. Pol'y & Ethics J. 41 (2012)
  • Understanding the Law of Mandatory Surcharges Imposed Pursuant to New York Penal Law § 60.35, Empire State Prosecutor, New York Prosecutors Training Institute (Fall 2012) (on file with author)

News/Insights