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Joseph C. Safar

Mr. Safar is a partner in the firm’s Pittsburgh office. He represents policyholders in complex, high-stakes insurance coverage disputes. Mr. Safar has handled a broad range of insurance recovery matters, including additional insured and contractual indemnity, asbestos-related bodily injury and other toxic torts, aviation, chemical exposure, construction defects and building products, directors and officers (D&O) liability, employment practices liability, environmental liability and natural resources damages, first party property losses and business interruption, general products and premises liability, life insurance, offshore energy losses, pharma and healthcare liability, and professional errors and omissions (E&O) liability. Many of Mr. Safar’s coverage engagements have involve underlying class and/or collective actions.

Mr. Safar has litigated insurance coverage disputes in numerous state and federal courts throughout the country and has extensive experience in insurance coverage arbitration, including London-seated arbitration under Bermuda Form policies. Mr. Safar also routinely handles coverage claims for clients against the estates of insolvent insurers.

Mr. Safar has lectured and written on a variety of insurance coverage topics, including many of those listed above. He has developed and presents a number of practical insurance related continuing legal education seminars geared toward in-house legal departments and risk management personnel.

Mr. Safar also maintains an active practice counselling clients on captive insurance issues, including program design, structure, policy wording, reinsurance and exit strategies. He has counselled dozen of clients on captive insurance arrangements in various industries, including banking, construction, engineering and design, financial services, higher education, hospital systems, investment management, manufacturing, municipalities, real estate, retail, and trucking and logistics.

Prior to joining K&L Gates in 1998, Mr. Safar served as a law clerk to the Honorable Sean J. McLaughlin, United States District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

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