James A. Skarzynski

Jim counsels insurance clients on issues relating to a broad range of coverages, including directors and officers liability, financial institutions liability, investment advisor liability, private equity and hedge fund liability, lawyers professional liability, non-profit and private company liability, cyber, privacy, media and technology liability and other professional liability lines of coverage. He has worked on many of the most high profile and complex cases involving professional liability coverage. Chambers USA has described Jim as being “the gold standard” a “leader in the industry” and having “unparalleled industry knowledge and is extremely well-respected by all.”

Jim also counsels clients regarding insurance underwriting and new product development, and has assisted many clients in the drafting of both specimen insurance policies and specialized manuscript policies and endorsements for complex underwriting situations. He also has aided clients in the regulatory filing process of insurance products. As an insurance industry leader, Jim also serves as an expert witness in litigation on professional liability coverage issues.

Jim often speaks at legal conferences, seminars and in-house client training programs on D&O and related professional liability insurance. Jim is very active in and has held many leadership roles with the Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS). From 2001 to 2004, Jim was the co-chair of the Annual PLUS Directors and Officers Liability Symposium. Jim also served as a Trustee of PLUS from 2012-2018. During that time Jim served in various executive capacities, including as President. Jim served as a member of the PLUS Conference Committee (2017-2023), and was the 2021 recipient of the PLUS 1 Award presented annually by PLUS to a person whose efforts have contributed substantially to the advancement and image of the professional liability industry.

Jim is a member of the New York City Bar Association, and served two three-year terms on the Association’s Insurance Committee. During that time Jim served as Chair of the Director and Officer Liability Sub-Committee during which time he co-chaired the annual D&O seminar presented by the Committee.

Jim has served as a mentor to members of The Bridge Transcends, an inclusive not-for-profit networking organization that supports the development of female talent in Financial Lines insurance and reinsurance.  The leadership and support teams include men and women from across the insurance industry.
 

Honors

• Professional Liability Underwriting Society, Board of Trustees, 2012-2018, President 2015
• Elected a Fellow of the American College of Coverage Counsel
• Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Insurance: Dispute Resolution-New York, 2023
• New York Super Lawyers, 2006 - 2023
• AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell®, its highest rating for ethics and legal ability
• 2021 Recipient of the Professional Liability Underwriting Society PLUS 1 Award

Professional Associations

• Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS): Co-Chair of the Annual PLUS D&O Symposium, 2001-2004; Trustee, 2012-2018; Secretary–Treasurer, 2012-2013; President-Elect, 2014; President, 2015; Immediate Past President, 2016; and Member of the Conference Committee, 2017-2023
• American Bar Association, Litigation, Tort Trial and Insurance and Business Law Sections, Member
• Association of the Bar of the City of New York, Former member of the Insurance Committee and Chair of the Subcommittee on Director and Officer and Professional Liability