Stephanie V. Corrao is a counsel in the firm's Insurance and Reinsurance Group, where she represents insurers and reinsurers on a range of matters, from providing pre-dispute advice and legal analysis of specific contract provisions and coverage issues to working to resolve complex disputes before courts and arbitrators. Stephanie’s experience centers on difficult coverage issues such as allocation of liability, trigger of coverage, and issues pertaining to excess insurance such as horizontal versus vertical exhaustion. Stephanie also focuses on coverage questions pertaining to cyber risks, such as claims involving business e-mail compromise (BEC), or “spoofing” claims. In addition, she represents clients in a variety of other matters ranging from class action securities litigation to environmental, toxic tort, product liability, and sexual misconduct claims, addressing such issues as an insurer’s defense obligations, conditions of coverage, corporate successorship, and policy exclusions, to name a few. In her counseling practice, Stephanie also assists clients in revising various policy wordings, from policy conditions to exclusionary provisions.
In addition, Stephanie supports the firm’s amicus work for insurer trade association clients, and regularly analyzes and advises clients about key coverage decisions throughout the country.
In litigation matters, Stephanie works closely with experts and clients in the development of Litigation Risk Analyses to further opportunities for negotiation and settlement where appropriate. In addition, she represents clients in connection with insurance insolvencies, including such issues as the right of reinsurers to associate in claims against an insolvent cedent.
Prior Work Experience
Before shifting to her insurance practice in 2002, Stephanie worked in-house with Sun Microsystems Federal, Inc. for several years, where she managed all litigation involving Sun Federal. In that position, she also counseled in-house business clients regarding U.S. federal and state procurement requirements, and negotiated and drafted high-risk contract provisions.
Pro Bono Special Education Work
Stephanie is committed to pro bono work and has a particular interest in helping low income families in special education matters, where she negotiates with school districts to determine and provide children with the educational services they need.
In 2012, Stephanie was the recipient of the Harry L. Carrico Pro Bono Award presented by Legal Services of Northern Virginia.
Affiliations
Admitted to practice: Connecticut, District of Columbia, Virginia
Insights
Speeches & Presentations
-
"Choice of Law in Insurance Coverage Disputes: Strategies and Perspectives From Policyholder and Insurer Counsel," Stafford Webinar
(June 26, 2019).
Presenter: Stephanie V. Corrao.
-
"Gone Phishin’: How Insurance Covers Resulting Losses (or Doesn’t)," 2019 Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee CLE Seminar
(February 28, 2019).
Panelist: Stephanie V. Corrao.
Publications
Client Alerts & Newsletters
-
"Delaware High Court: No Coverage for Intentional Assault; "Accident" Is Judged from Insured’s Standpoint, Not Victim’s,"
Insurance/Reinsurance Alert
(February 5, 2020).
Contacts: Laura Foggan, Stephanie V. Corrao
-
"Nevada Supreme Court Rejects "Automatic Indemnity" for Breach of Duty to Defend,"
Insurance/Reinsurance Alert
(December 19, 2018).
Contacts: Laura Foggan, Stephanie V. Corrao
-
"Court in Yahoo Email Scanning Litigation Finds Duty To Defend Under California Law,"
Insurance/Reinsurance Alert
(October 31, 2018).
Contacts: Laura Foggan, Stephanie V. Corrao
Firm News & Announcements