Harry P. Cohen

Senior Counsel

Overview

Harry P. Cohen is a senior counsel at Crowell & Moring and is a member of the Insurance/Reinsurance Group in the New York office. For the past 35 years, his practice has been devoted entirely to reinsurance and insurance coverage dispute resolution and counseling.

He has been lead counsel for insurance and reinsurance companies, brokers, agents, and others in arbitrations, litigations, negotiations, mediations and other alternative dispute resolution. His matters have covered virtually every procedural and substantive issue that relates to the reinsurance and insurance relationship and the servicing of that relationship, as well as all issues arising under the Federal Arbitration Act.

Mr. Cohen has handled dozens of reinsurance cases, complex coverage disputes, insurance bankruptcy matters, disputes between insurance companies and their agents and direct insurance defense cases.  Coverages include property & casualty, finite, workers compensation including carve-out and buy-down covers, life including pre-need and final expense life insurance, long-term care, business interruption and accident & health, and underlying claims include a variety of losses including COVID-19, sexual abuse, loss of revenue/business income, 9/11 losses, asbestos (products and non-products), environmental damage, and toxic torts.

His work has also included finite reinsurance, novations and commutations, fronting arrangements, spirals and arbitrage,  captive insurance and reinsurance arrangements, set-off, extracontractual obligations, follow-the-fortunes and follow-the-settlements, IBNR recoverability, late notice, London Market business and brokers, punitive damages, recovery of declaratory judgment expenses, direct and reinsurance pooling arrangements, security requirements, and service of process upon, and enforcement of judgments against, alien companies.

In addition to the reinsurance work, Mr. Cohen has handled direct insurance defense cases, complex coverage disputes, insurance bankruptcy matters, and disputes between insurance companies and their agents in the property & casualty, life, and accident & health areas.

Mr. Cohen's experience—ranging from simple business analyses and counseling to managing complex litigation—includes a thorough and extremely broad-based understanding of the wide scope of business, legal, custom & practice, procedural and strategic issues facing reinsurance business professionals. This depth of knowledge and diversity of perspectives allows him to approach, address and resolve issues, problems and disputes in a sound, prudent, efficient, and level-headed manner.

Due to his stature and high-profile work on behalf of the firm’s clients, Mr. Cohen has been recognized by not only Chambers USA (since 2006) but also Euromoney's Guide to the World's Leading Insurance and Reinsurance Lawyers (since 1998), New York Super Lawyers - Manhattan Edition (since 2006), and International Who's Who of Insurance and Reinsurance Lawyers (since 2005).

Career & Education

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    • State University of New York at Stony Brook, B.A., Economics, 1978
    • Boston University School of Law, J.D., 1981
    • State University of New York at Stony Brook, B.A., Economics, 1978
    • Boston University School of Law, J.D., 1981
    • Massachusetts
    • New York
    • Supreme Court of the United States
    • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
    • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
    • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York
    • U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
    • Massachusetts
    • New York
    • Supreme Court of the United States
    • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
    • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
    • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York
    • U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

Harry's Insights

Firm News | 9 min read | 06.01.23

Crowell Achieves Top National Rankings in Chambers USA 2023

Washington – June 1, 2023: Crowell & Moring earned 82 rankings for 68 lawyers across 48 categories, as well as 37 national and statewide practice area rankings, in the Chambers USA 2023 guide. The rankings are driven by independent interviews of clients and lawyers at peer firms....

Recognition

  • Chambers USA: Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Insurer – New York; Reinsurance – Nationwide, 20222023
  • Legal Aid Society: Protecting the Rights of Low Income Workers, 2016

Harry's Insights

Firm News | 9 min read | 06.01.23

Crowell Achieves Top National Rankings in Chambers USA 2023

Washington – June 1, 2023: Crowell & Moring earned 82 rankings for 68 lawyers across 48 categories, as well as 37 national and statewide practice area rankings, in the Chambers USA 2023 guide. The rankings are driven by independent interviews of clients and lawyers at peer firms....

Harry's Insights

Firm News | 9 min read | 06.01.23

Crowell Achieves Top National Rankings in Chambers USA 2023

Washington – June 1, 2023: Crowell & Moring earned 82 rankings for 68 lawyers across 48 categories, as well as 37 national and statewide practice area rankings, in the Chambers USA 2023 guide. The rankings are driven by independent interviews of clients and lawyers at peer firms....