Megan Shea

Megan Shea

Partner
About

Megan concentrates her commercial litigation practice on counselling and dispute resolution for leading insurance companies worldwide in connection with financial institutions liability, directors and officers liability, professional liability and M&A insurance (including representations and warranty insurance). Megan also regularly litigates non-insurance M&A, fiduciary duty, fraud and securities law claims for public and private companies and their management.

Bar admissionsNew York
CourtsUnited States District Court for the Southern District of New YorkUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of New York

EXPERIENCE

Selected Recent Experience
  • Lead counsel in shareholder derivative litigation for current and former executives of VeriSign, Inc. in Delaware US District Court arising out of alleged misrepresentations in proxy statements regarding tax benefits of compensation plans. Won motion to dismiss
  • Lead counsel for the market-leading financial institution insurers in litigation over coverage for more than US$300 million in insurance claims by a bulge-bracket investment bank arising from the bank's settlement of litigation with the SEC and NYSE over alleged illegal mutual fund late trading and deceptive market timing practices. New York's Appellate Division, First Department, ruled that no insurance coverage was available as a matter of law, the New York Court of Appeals reversed that decision and reinstated the case for further proceedings in the trial court
  • Represented plaintiff in corporate raiding case. Obtained three TROs in two states and preliminary injunction after two-day trial in 2011, which were in place for two years. After a two-day mediation, the competitor agreed to pay one of the largest unfair competition settlements in recent years in the US
  • Represented an interstate transportation agency in a US$2.75 billion breach of contract claim by Silverstein Properties over redevelopment of the World Trade Center. Successfully tried to arbitration panel in 2010
  • Won complete defense verdict following seven week jury trial in New Jersey state court on behalf of a reinsurance intermediary against reinsurance pool member alleging breach of fiduciary duty and conspiracy
  • Won complete plaintiff's verdict following one week bench trial in New York state court on behalf of preferred shareholders of corporation against directors and officers of the corporation alleging breach of fiduciary duty
  • Representation of brokerage firm defending claims of misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty and securities violations
  • Representation of D&O insurer defending late notice claims
  • Representation of D&O insurer defending breach of contract and bad faith claims
  • Representation of launch services provider defending breach of contract claim
Education
  • J.D., Fordham University 2000
  • B.A., Boston College 1995

Awards

The Legal 500 United States

  • Recommended, Advice to Insurers (2018-2019, 2024)

Media Mentions

  • "NY Panel Rejects Insurers’ Defenses in $140M JP Morgan Suit" Law360 (March 18, 2022)
  • "Virtu, Axis Near Settlement In $11M Hacking Coverage Fight," Law360 (January 20, 2022)
  • "The Biggest Insurance Decisions of 2018," Law360 (December 14, 2018)
  • "Court Decisions Appellate Division, First Department," New York Law Journal (September 20, 2018)
  • "Kokesh Defeats JPMorgan's $286M Coverage Award: NY Court," Law360 (September 20, 2018)
  • "Insurers Again Appeal $200M JPMorgan Market-Timing Suit," Law 360 (October 8, 2014)
  • "Insurers Take Hit In JPMorgan Market-Timing Coverage Suit," Law 360 (March 3, 2014)
  • "Judge Balks At Doc Request In JPMorgan Market-Timing Suit," Law 360 (January 23, 2014)

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