Bruce R. Grace, Partner

Bruce Grace’s litigation and arbitration practice concentrates on complex insurance and reinsurance disputes in the London insurance market and in the United States.  

Mr. Grace has acted as lead counsel in arbitrations where the central issue was whether a cedant could accumulate asbestos claims using contract language that contained phrases such as “same causative agency” or similar language. In connection with these arbitrations, Mr. Grace has conducted a comprehensive review of the history of such clauses and the materials that evidence the rationale for including such language in reinsurance treaties.

Mr. Grace has been directly involved with insurance and reinsurance matters for over 20 years, the majority of which have involved the London Market. He has experience with alternate dispute resolution methods.  He has successfully resolved a number of multi-million dollar claims through private settlements and mediation.  The mediations have included several international and complex multi-party settlements.       

Mr. Grace’s practice also involves litigating cases arising out of complex international financial frauds, as well as security fraud involving subprime mortgages and structured financial products.

Mr. Grace represented a French pharmaceutical company in a variety of IP disputes, including bringing an action for theft of trade secrets concerning a drug delivery technology.  He has provided strategic counseling on the Hatch Waxman Act, provided advice regarding licensing agreements for a variety of drug products, and pursued a major antitrust claim against a pharmaceutical company, which resulted in a successful settlement.

Publications, Presentations and Events

• "The Reinsurance Documentation Requirements - A Constructive Approach to the Current Asbestos Claims Crisis"

Representative Matters

• Represents insurers in coverage litigation in West Virginia brought by a large coal mining company.
• Numerous representations of reinsurers and cedents in the defense of asbestos, pollution, environmental liability, health hazard claims, advertising liability, sexual abuse, and antitrust coverage cases addressing issues such as notice, claims association, claims handling practices, allocation, accumulation of loss and exclusionary provisions.
• Represented London Market Reinsurers on numerous matters that span across multiple subject areas.  He has provided counseling on reinsurance issues arising out of the massive Andina Coffee fraud, claims made under workers compensation carve out policies, claims under Directors and Officers policies, including Enron claims, and sexual harassment claims.  He has also provided advice with respect to reinsurance issues arising out of various types of product liability claims, including blood product, medical devices, lead paint, breast implant, and asbestos claims.
• Represented London Market Reinsurers in litigation involving one of the largest insolvency proceedings in the U.S.  That litigation presented a number of issues under a variety of quota share and common account treaties.
• Numerous representations of both London and domestic insurance companies on a number of difficult and unique matters arising out of mass torts.  For example, he negotiated an agreement allocating latex glove defense costs among a variety of both claims-made and occurrence policies.  He successfully pursued contribution rights in the U.S. against a U.K. carrier under a non-U.S. insurance contract. 
• Advised a reinsurer in respect of several significant claims arising out of loss settlements for clergy sexual abuse claims.
• Represented professional liability insurers in a coverage dispute where he obtained a ruling in the District of Columbia Court of Appeals that fee forfeiture awards do not fall within the scope of professional liability policies. 

Professional Affiliations

• ARIAS

Past Professional Experience

• Law Clerk to the Honorable Laurence H. Silberman, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit