U.S law firm Schiff Hardin LLP has announced the addition of Thomas M. Zurek as a counsel in its Insurance and Reinsurance and Litigation and Dispute Resolutions Practice Groups in Chicago.
Most recently, Zurek served as Senior Chief Legal Counsel, Executive Vice President and Secretary of OneAmerica Financial Group.
In this role, he oversaw all litigation and transactional matters, and served as president of a reinsurance management subsidiary of OneAmerica.
He also currently serves as President and CEO of Sargasso Mutual Insurance Company, an offshore D&O company that represents the largest mutual financial services companies in the U.S.
Prior to this, Zurek was General Counsel at American General Life Companies (now AIG). He is also a certified arbitrator for the insurance and reinsurance industry trade association, ARIAS.
His experience includes managing more than 1,300 litigation matters and crafting 13 nationwide class action settlements dealing with market conduct issues, race-based pricing and industrial life issues.
Additionally, he litigated to dismissal three California Section 17200 private attorney general consumer actions and has advocated on behalf of the industry with regard to regulatory rules after the passage of Dodd Frank.
“With Tom’s extensive ties to the insurance industry, we are deepening an already strong relationship with an important industry sector for the firm,” said Everett J. Cygal, Practice Group Leader of Schiff Hardin’s Insurance and Reinsurance Practice Group.
“Clients will benefit from Tom’s counsel and experience as the demand for life insurance-based arbitrations is on the rise,” he added.
Zurek also commented: “Schiff Hardin has a national reputation as a commercial litigation powerhouse – particularly in financial services – and I am extremely pleased to be building on this platform in the areas of insurance and reinsurance, and insurance-related arbitration.”
