Harry P. Cohen

Retired Partner

Overview

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

He had been lead counsel for insurance and reinsurance companies, brokers, agents, and others in arbitrations, litigations, negotiations, mediations, and other alternative dispute resolution. His matters covered virtually every procedural and substantive issue that related 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 handled dozens of reinsurance cases, complex coverage disputes, insurance bankruptcy matters, disputes between insurance companies and their agents, and direct insurance defense cases. Coverages included 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 included 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 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 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—included 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 allowed 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 was recognized not only by 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

    • 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