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Thomas Cellilli

Thomas H. Cellilli III

Partner

  • New York
  • 212.820.7736
  • 212.820.7740
Biography
Tom Cellilli has nearly 30 years of experience as a trial lawyer and coverage attorney.  Tom currently focuses on complex property, product liability and commercial litigation. He represents major first-party property insurers in litigation, coverage actions and arbitrations, throughout the United States. Tom guides clients through complex coverage issues such as time element coverage, including business interruption, contingent business interruption, delay in completion, advance loss of profits, extra expense, civil authority, ingress/egress, mold, demolition and increased costs of construction, code upgrades, concurrent causation, ensuing loss, faulty workmanship and design, alleged insurer bad faith, as well as fraud and arson.

Tom also handles consumer and industrial product liability litigation, pursuing subrogation for insurers or defending manufacturers, brokers, distributors and property owners in cases of catastrophic loss of property or life. His knowledge of fire science and the intricacies of NFPA 1033 and NFPA 921 give him unique perspectives on expert witness qualifications and their scientific method. Tom has particular experience in fire and explosion cases involving sophisticated industrial equipment involving dust, ammonia and electrostatics (NFPA 61, 77 and 654).
  
Tom has lectured at conferences worldwide such as the Claims & Litigation Management Alliance (CLM), Property Loss Research Bureau (PLRB), the LMA Academy at Lloyd’s, International Association of Special Investigation Units and Insurance Fraud Management Conference through the Insurance Services Office (ISO) and the International Association of Arson Investigators New York Chapter.



Honors

  • New York Super Lawyers, 2016 - 2024




Professional Associations

  • Defense Research Institute,1994-Present
  • Loss Executive Association, 2015-Present
  • Property Loss Research Bureau (PLRB), 2014-Present
  • Claims & Litigation Management Alliance, 2018-Present
  • International Association of Arson Investigators, 2016-Present
Education
  • J.D., Creighton University School of Law, 1994
  • B.A., Seton Hall University, 1991
Bar admissions
  • New York
  • Nebraska
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit