Kathleen J. DevlinPartner AssistantMelissa Strong 973.242.1364 Ext. 1926 mstrong@wglaw.com Kathleen is an experienced litigator who provides advice to insurers and litigates coverage issues relating to various types of insurance policies, including comprehensive general liability, directors and officers (D&O), errors and omissions (E&O), employment practices liability (EPL), professional liability, commercial property and casualty, and public entity and public officials. Kathleen manages coverage cases and represents the interests of insurers in a variety of areas, including environmental contamination, asbestos exposure, toxic tort, construction defect, commercial matters, public entity, public officials, and professional liability. In her experience, Kathleen has successfully addressed coverage issues and disputes through coverage opinions, arbitration, mediation, and declaratory judgment actions.
In addition to insurance coverage, Kathleen has considerable experience defending legal malpractice actions and handling appellate cases. Further, she has litigated complex civil matters, including toxic tort and mass tort litigation, such as the Mahwah Toxic Dump Mass Tort Litigation, asbestos, arsenic, lead, and benzene exposure cases. Additionally, she handles First Amendment and library law matters.
After law school, Kathleen served as a judicial law clerk with the Honorable Robert T. Quackenboss and the Honorable Joseph C. Messina for the 1993-1994 Court Term in the Superior Court of New Jersey.
Kathleen J. DevlinPartner Kathleen is an experienced litigator who provides advice to insurers and litigates coverage issues relating to various types of insurance policies, including comprehensive general liability, directors and officers (D&O), errors and omissions (E&O), employment practices liability (EPL), professional liability, commercial property and casualty, and public entity and public officials. Kathleen manages coverage cases and represents the interests of insurers in a variety of areas, including environmental contamination, asbestos exposure, toxic tort, construction defect, commercial matters, public entity, public officials, and professional liability. In her experience, Kathleen has successfully addressed coverage issues and disputes through coverage opinions, arbitration, mediation, and declaratory judgment actions.
In addition to insurance coverage, Kathleen has considerable experience defending legal malpractice actions and handling appellate cases. Further, she has litigated complex civil matters, including toxic tort and mass tort litigation, such as the Mahwah Toxic Dump Mass Tort Litigation, asbestos, arsenic, lead, and benzene exposure cases. Additionally, she handles First Amendment and library law matters.
After law school, Kathleen served as a judicial law clerk with the Honorable Robert T. Quackenboss and the Honorable Joseph C. Messina for the 1993-1994 Court Term in the Superior Court of New Jersey.
ExperienceObtained summary judgment in two pharmacy malpractice cases.
Obtained summary judgment on behalf of an insurer based on the intentional act and crime exclusions.
Obtained summary judgment on behalf of insurer based on Assault and Battery Exclusion.
Speaking Engagements- 06.22.22Panelist, "Social Media Liability Insurance," New Jersey State Bar Association
- 06.14.22Panelist, "Attorney-Client Privilege in Insurance," Stafford
- 12.01.21Moderator, “A Primer on Covid-19 Claims and Coverage Issues," New Jersey State Bar Association
Selected Cases
Headen v. Jersey City Bd. of Educ., 420 N.J. Super. 105 (App. Div.), aff’d, 212 N.J. 437 (2012)
Sears v. Harford, 340 N.J. Super. 223 (App. Div. 2001)
Liebling v. Garden State, 337 N.J. Super. 447 (App. Div.), certif. denied, 169 N.J. 606 (2001)
Hillsborough Twp. Bd. of Educ. V. Faridy Thorne, 321 N.J. Super. 275 (App. Div. 1999)
Boyson, Inc. v. Archer & Greiner, 308 N.J. Super. 287 (App. Div. 1998)
Bloom v. Seton Hall, 307 N.J. Super. 487, certif. denied, 153 N.J. 405 (1998)
Pettinato v. Cigna Property & Cas., 303 N.J. Super. 576 (Law Div. 1997)
Whitaker v. DeVilla, 287 N.J. Super. 370 (App. Div. 1996)
Professional & Community InvolvementNew Jersey State Bar Association, Chair of the Malpractice Insurance Committee (2022-2023)
New Jersey State Bar Association, Immediate Past Chair, Insurance Law Section (2021-2022), Chair (2020-2021), Vice Chair (2019-2020), Secretary (2018-2019), Legislative Chair (2017-2018), CLE Chair (2016-2017)
New Jersey State Bar Association, Vice Chair of Malpractice Insurance Special Committee (2017-2022)
Insurance Benefits Committee of the New Jersey State Bar Association (2016-2022)
District XA Ethics Committee (2013-2017)
Women in the Professional Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association, Trustee
Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM)
AssistantMelissa Strong 973.242.1364 Ext. 1926 mstrong@wglaw.com |
|