People
Steven F. Napolitano
Partner
- New York
Biography
Steve Napolitano has over three decades experience defending clients in complex insurance coverage and commercial litigations in federal and state courts, including aviation and environmental insurance coverage disputes, products liability, toxic tort litigation and other high stakes cases. He has served as national coordinating and trial counsel in class action and other notable aggregate and coordinated litigations. His clients have included a wide range of primary and excess insurers, U.S. and international corporations, and banks and other financial entities. Steve regularly briefs and argues dispositive motions and appeals in courts New York and around the country.
Steve served as a law clerk to the Hon. David H. Souter of the New Hampshire Supreme Court from 1988-1989.
EXPERIENCE
HONORS
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Steve served as a law clerk to the Hon. David H. Souter of the New Hampshire Supreme Court from 1988-1989.
EXPERIENCE
- Aviation. Defended clients in a variety of aviation-related insurance and products liability disputes, and is currently serving as counsel for clients involved in aircraft coverage disputes stemming from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine hostilities.
- Coverage Litigation. Represented insurers in litigation seeking hundreds of millions of damages regarding losses incurred in connection with coal combustion residuals, PCB contamination, and other forms of pollution.
- Asbestos. Defended a number of manufacturers in asbestos litigation around the country, including in certain forums generally regarded as unfriendly for defendants.
- Pharmaceuticals & Drugs. Represented a number of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies in large scale wrongful death and personal injury litigations.
- Computers. Successfully defended manufacturers of personal computers and computer keyboards in mass tort litigation around the U.S.
- Home Consumer Products. Represented a manufacturer of home heating units in personal injury and property cases in New York Supreme Court, including two cases that were tried to defense verdicts.
- Food & Beverages. Involved in the defense of the largest U.S. beer company in class actions involving allegations of deceptive advertising to minors. Separately represented a manufacturer of malt beverage in litigation stemming from a product recall.
- Sexual Abuse Claims. Part of a national litigation team that defended a leading youth service organization for boys with respect to claims of sexual abuse. Many of those claims were settled at mediation.
- Catastrophic Accidents. Defense of consolidated litigation concerning a fatal explosion at a titanium manufacturing plant that killed three workers; and defense of an apartment building owner in California involving multiple deaths.
HONORS
- New York Super Lawyers, 2012, 2016, 2018 - 2024
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
- International Association of Defense Counsel
- Defense Research Institute
- New York City Bar, Products Liability Section
Publications & Presentations
- The Class Action Chronicle, Skadden, Various issues, 2015-2016.
- Consumer Product Complaints and Section 15(b) Compliance: Legal and Regulatory Considerations and Implications, ICPHSO, Orlando, Florida, February 2015.
- Practical Considerations for Dealing with Subsequent Remedial Measures, New York Law Journal, May 2014.
- You've Been Warned: Pleading and Proving Failure to Warn Claims, New York Law Journal. January 2014.
- Maximizing Your Success With Successor Liability, New York Law Journal. November 2012.
Publications
Regulatory Changes May Boost Cosmetics Liability Claims
09/26/2017Steve Napolitano published an article in Law360 discussing potential legislation that could significantly change how cosmetic products are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.