News & Events
Skarzynski Black Welcomes Four New Partners Led by Michael M. Marick to Its Chicago Office and Announces Name Change
The firm is excited to announce the addition of four partners to our Chicago office, Michael M. Marick, James H. Kallianis, Jr., Karen M. Dixon and Timothy H. Wright. Mike, Jim and Karen have practiced together for more than 20 years and with Tim since he began practicing a decade ago. In recognition of Mike’s reputation and expertise, the firm is also pleased to announce that it is changing its name to Skarzynski Marick & Black LLP. Mike will also join the firm’s Executive Committee.
This group brings a wealth of experience in complex insurance matters, spanning professional and general liability insurance, property and casualty, product contamination, cyber and a range of other insurance lines. Their insurance counseling and coverage litigation practice will complement the firm’s existing national practice and enhance its range of expertise. The group’s arrival expands the firm’s deep commitment to providing world-class representation to our clients across the spectrum of insurance-related services.
Mike Marick is a nationally-recognized insurance industry leader with over thirty-six years of broad insurance and litigation experience representing insurers in all stages of complex coverage and bad faith disputes. Chambers USA ranks him in the highest tier of attorneys, and reports that he has “an encyclopedic knowledge of insurance” and is “extremely effective both in the courtroom and at the negotiating table.” The Best Lawyers in America© named Mike the 2015 Chicago Insurance Law “Lawyer of the Year.” Mike is a Founding Fellow of the American College of Coverage Counsel and certified by ARIAS U.S. as a reinsurance arbitrator. He taught insurance law for many years at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law and his prolific published works have been cited as persuasive authority in courts across the country.
Jim Kallianis is a highly-regarded trial and appellate attorney with extensive experience in state and federal courts litigating insurance coverage and complex commercial litigation. His first-chair jury trial and arbitration experience includes disputes with nine-figure exposures. Jim has been ranked by Chambers USA since 2010, which has described him as a “brilliant trial lawyer” and as someone “who fights hard but conducts himself professionally.” He is the immediate past Chair of DRI’s Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Committee and a Fellow of the American College of Coverage Counsel.
Karen Dixon counsels insurers on a wide range of complex coverage matters and represents them in coverage litigation involving multiple liability insurance lines, including commercial general liability, excess, professional liability and workers compensation and employers liability. Karen is a Fellow of the American College of Coverage Counsel.
Timothy Wright also advises insurers in complex coverage matters, and represents them in litigation. During law school, Tim won the Fay Clayton Award for Outstanding Oralist in the Ilana Diamond Rovner Appellate Advocacy Competition and the Best Petitioner’s Brief in the American Constitution Society Constance Baker Motley Moot Court Competition.
“We are delighted about this exciting expansion to our firm,” said Jim Skarzynski, the firm’s Chairman. “Mike and his team have a deep understanding of insurance law and a well-earned reputation for delivering results for their clients. Their insurance and litigation practice fits perfectly with our firm’s practice and will complement and enhance our existing directors and officers, professional liability, aviation, cyber and property and casualty insurance practices. "
“By joining our practice with Skarzynski Black, we have created a powerful combination of premier insurance practices – joining the firm’s longstanding strength and stature particularly in D&O and other financial lines with our group’s nationwide coverage litigation and counseling depth across a wide range of lines,” explained Marick. “The firm's platform, client base and high-character people make this a great fit for us, and I strongly believe for others.” Skarzynski agreed, saying “The firm will be actively looking to continue its expansion into complimentary insurance-related and general litigation practices.”
“We are very excited to have this group of talented and well-respected attorneys join our Chicago office,” added John Black, Managing Partner of the Chicago Office. “We welcome all of our new partners and look forward to working together as our firm continues to build on its tradition of legal excellence and top-notch client service.”
Our contact information and web address (www.skarzynski.com) will remain the same. Under the new name, the firm will continue to offer world-class representation across the spectrum of insurance-related services and litigation. With the addition of the Marick group, we will have over 40 attorneys co-centered in New York and Chicago with an office in Jersey City, New Jersey. Providing creative, practical and productive solutions to its clients for over 15 years, Skarzynski Marick attorneys regularly appear in courts around the country and work closely with attorneys from other countries on international matters.
Contacts:
John E. Black, Jr. 312.946.4222 jblack@skarzynski.com
This contains Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
This group brings a wealth of experience in complex insurance matters, spanning professional and general liability insurance, property and casualty, product contamination, cyber and a range of other insurance lines. Their insurance counseling and coverage litigation practice will complement the firm’s existing national practice and enhance its range of expertise. The group’s arrival expands the firm’s deep commitment to providing world-class representation to our clients across the spectrum of insurance-related services.
Mike Marick is a nationally-recognized insurance industry leader with over thirty-six years of broad insurance and litigation experience representing insurers in all stages of complex coverage and bad faith disputes. Chambers USA ranks him in the highest tier of attorneys, and reports that he has “an encyclopedic knowledge of insurance” and is “extremely effective both in the courtroom and at the negotiating table.” The Best Lawyers in America© named Mike the 2015 Chicago Insurance Law “Lawyer of the Year.” Mike is a Founding Fellow of the American College of Coverage Counsel and certified by ARIAS U.S. as a reinsurance arbitrator. He taught insurance law for many years at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law and his prolific published works have been cited as persuasive authority in courts across the country.
Jim Kallianis is a highly-regarded trial and appellate attorney with extensive experience in state and federal courts litigating insurance coverage and complex commercial litigation. His first-chair jury trial and arbitration experience includes disputes with nine-figure exposures. Jim has been ranked by Chambers USA since 2010, which has described him as a “brilliant trial lawyer” and as someone “who fights hard but conducts himself professionally.” He is the immediate past Chair of DRI’s Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Committee and a Fellow of the American College of Coverage Counsel.
Karen Dixon counsels insurers on a wide range of complex coverage matters and represents them in coverage litigation involving multiple liability insurance lines, including commercial general liability, excess, professional liability and workers compensation and employers liability. Karen is a Fellow of the American College of Coverage Counsel.
Timothy Wright also advises insurers in complex coverage matters, and represents them in litigation. During law school, Tim won the Fay Clayton Award for Outstanding Oralist in the Ilana Diamond Rovner Appellate Advocacy Competition and the Best Petitioner’s Brief in the American Constitution Society Constance Baker Motley Moot Court Competition.
“We are delighted about this exciting expansion to our firm,” said Jim Skarzynski, the firm’s Chairman. “Mike and his team have a deep understanding of insurance law and a well-earned reputation for delivering results for their clients. Their insurance and litigation practice fits perfectly with our firm’s practice and will complement and enhance our existing directors and officers, professional liability, aviation, cyber and property and casualty insurance practices. "
“By joining our practice with Skarzynski Black, we have created a powerful combination of premier insurance practices – joining the firm’s longstanding strength and stature particularly in D&O and other financial lines with our group’s nationwide coverage litigation and counseling depth across a wide range of lines,” explained Marick. “The firm's platform, client base and high-character people make this a great fit for us, and I strongly believe for others.” Skarzynski agreed, saying “The firm will be actively looking to continue its expansion into complimentary insurance-related and general litigation practices.”
“We are very excited to have this group of talented and well-respected attorneys join our Chicago office,” added John Black, Managing Partner of the Chicago Office. “We welcome all of our new partners and look forward to working together as our firm continues to build on its tradition of legal excellence and top-notch client service.”
Our contact information and web address (www.skarzynski.com) will remain the same. Under the new name, the firm will continue to offer world-class representation across the spectrum of insurance-related services and litigation. With the addition of the Marick group, we will have over 40 attorneys co-centered in New York and Chicago with an office in Jersey City, New Jersey. Providing creative, practical and productive solutions to its clients for over 15 years, Skarzynski Marick attorneys regularly appear in courts around the country and work closely with attorneys from other countries on international matters.
Contacts:
James A. Skarzynski 212.820.7720 jskarzynski@skarzynski.com
Michael M. Marick 312.946.4235 mmarick@skarzynski.comJohn E. Black, Jr. 312.946.4222 jblack@skarzynski.com
This contains Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.