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Richard J. Bortnick, Member

Phone: (610) 832-8357

Toll Free: (800) 379-0695

Fax: (215) 701-2351

rbortnick@cozen.com

Office:
West Conshohocken

Mailing Address:

Suite 400, P.O. Box 800
200 Four Falls Corporate Center
West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania 19428
United States

Richard J. Bortnick is a member resident in the firm's West Conshohocken office who practices with the Global Insurance Group. He litigates directors' and officers' liability, cyber and technology risks, professional liability, insurance coverage, products liability, and commercial litigation cases. He currently serves as a member of the executive corporate committee of The Franklin Institute science museum and sits on the board of directors of the non-profit organization Need In Deed and the steering committee of the PLUS Mid-Atlantic Chapter.

Richard lectures at seminars around the world on topics such as:
  • "Madoff Class, Derivative & Insurance Litigation," Co-Chair, HB Litigation Conferences, New York, NY, December 2, 2009
  • "Products Liability Law: Why Your Company May Be Sued And What Can You Do About It," Hangzhou, China, November 17, 2009
  • "Executive Compensation, Corporate Governance, Global Warming: The Heat Is On!," 2009 PLUS International Conference, Chicago, IL, November 11-13,2009
  • "Ponzi Schemes and the Credit Crisis: D&O, FI and Professional Liability Coverage Issues," 2009 London Market USA Study Tour, Katie School of Insurance and Financial Services, Chicago, Ill., July 14, 2009
  • "The Multi-Billion Dollar Pyramid Show: Ponzi Schemes and Insurance Coverage Issues," Emerging Issues Conference, New York, N.Y., April 30, 2009
  • "Reassessing Claims Management Policies and Procedures: Creating an Effective Framework for Your Global Business," C5's Annual D&O Liability Insurance Conference, London, England, March 24-25, 2009
  • "Emerging Issues in Professional Liability: The Subprime Mortgage Crisis," CPCU Society, Philadelphia, Pa., September 7, 2008
  • "The Subprime Crisis from an Insurance Perspective," PLUS Conference, Philadelphia, Pa., May 22, 2008
  • "The U.S. Subprime Loan Crisis: Who is in the Firing Line? Could It Happen Over Here? Should European Insurers and Reinsurers Begin to Worry?," C5's 11th Annual D&O Liability Insurance Conference, London, England, March 5, 2008
  • "Without Class? Opt-out Plaintiffs Go it Alone," 2007 PLUS International Conference, Washington, D.C., November 7, 2007
  • "The Subprime Meltdown: Is it Covered?," Mealey’s Subprime Mortgage Insurance Conference, Chicago, Ill., October 29, 2007
  • “What You Need to Know About Litigation Management Guidelines” – Mealey’s Litigation Management Guidelines Conference, New York City, May 2007.
  • “How Recent Developments in the U.S. Will Impact You,” 10th Annual D&O Liability Insurance Forum, London, England, March 2007.
  • “The Globalization of D&O - A Brave New World Awakens,” 2006 PLUS International Conference, Chicago, Ill., November 9, 2006
  • “US Developments for European Insurers: Key Issue Update” - European Forum on D&O Liability Insurance, Munich, Germany, 2006.
  • “D&O Exposures: Present and Future” - Annual Conference of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, Tampa, Florida, 2006.
  • “The Not-for-Profit Life: Life is Not So Simple for Not-for-Profits Today” - PLUS Mid-Atlantic Chapter Educational Seminar, Philadelphia, 2006.
  • “21st Century Securities Fraud Litigation: Not Your Typical Insurer-Funded Settlements” - 2nd Annual Execusummit Directors & Officers Insurance Conference, New York City, 2006.
  • “Insurance Markets in an Uncertain World” - European Insurance Forum, Dublin, Ireland, 2006.
  • “What’s Happening Across The Pond? The Latest Trends and Likely Effect in Europe” - 9th Annual D&O Liability Insurance Forum, London, England, 2006.
  • “Good News: The World is Shrinking...Bad News: Now Everyone Can Get Sued! Transnational Issues Affecting D&O: A New Horizon” - PLUS International Conference, Boston, 2005.
  • "Employment Practices Claims Against Directors and Officers: Considerations in Determining the Best Insurance Options" - Directors' and Officers' Liability Conference, New York City, 2000.
  • "Taking it to the Courts: A Direct and Cross-Examination of a Quality Assurance Director" - Product Tampering and Accidental Contamination Conference, San Francisco, CA, 2000.
  • "Year 2000 - Tick...Tick...Tick" - Directors' and Officers' Liability Conference, New York City, 1999.
  • "Employment Practices Liability in the United States" - CIGNA Insurance Company of Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1999.

In addition, Richard is frequently asked to appear on television news programs to discuss major legal and political topics.

He also has published and been quoted in numerous articles, including:

  • "D&O Rescission Actions Difficult, But Not Impossible," Law 360, December 8, 2009
  • "Did D&O Cover Fuel The Credit Crisis? 'Yes,' Says An Attorney," National Underwriter, November 2009
  • "Unpaid Premium Taxes In Europe Put Policyholders At Risk," Business Insurance, February 23, 2009
  • "Securities Litigation in 2008: Implications for the D&O Market in 2009 and Beyond," Advisen, February 23, 2009
  • "When the Walls Come Tumblin' Down: Impediments to Coverage for Subprime Mortgage Litigation," ABA Litigation Section Update, Summer 2008
  • "High Court Fraud Ruling Raises Disclosure Issues," Business Insurance, January 28, 2008
  • "Will the Liability Market Turn?," Risk & Insurance, January 2008
  • "Rising Tide," Best’s Review, January 2008
  • "Individual Suits Likely Over Subprime Losses," Business Insurance, November 17, 2007
  • "Extent of D&O Insurer Subprime Fallout Remains a Question Mark," National Underwriter Property & Casualty, November 2, 2007
  • "Market Took Off After Directors, Officers Found Personally Liable," Business Insurance, October 8, 2007
  • "Immigrant Who Miscarried Can Stay," The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 7, 2007
  • "Asylum for Immigrant Who Miscarried During Effort to Deport Her," The New York Times, September 7, 2007
  • "D&O Heats Up," Best’s Review, August 2007
  • Co-Author, "Global Warming Pressures Put the Heat on Directors and Officers," NUCO Property and Casualty, June 2007 (with Kevin M. LaCroix)
  • Co-Author, "Supreme Court Gives Wake-Up Call to Buyers on Global Warming Risks," National Underwriter Property and Casualty (with Kevin M. LaCroix), June 2007
  • "Opt-out Settlements Catch Fancy of Writers of Directors and Officers," Best Week, May 2007
  • “International D&O: Your Global D&O Coverage May Not Be As Global As You Think,” Rough Notes, May 2007
  • “Private Buyout Deals Produce New D&O Risks,” Business Insurance, May 2007
  • “Globalization of Directors’ and Officers’ Coverage,” Insurance Journal, April 2007
  • Co-Author, “Class Action Opt-Outs: The New Frontier?” PLUS Journal (with Kevin M. LaCroix), April 2007
  • Co-Author, “European Class Actions: A Growing Movement?” National Underwriter (with Kevin Mattessich), November 6, 2006
  • “Hedge Funds Still Wary of Insurance,” National Underwriter Property and Casualty, November 6, 2006
  • Co-Author, "Get It In Writing," Global Reinsurance, June 2006
  • Author, “Coming Soon to a Courthouse Near You: A Chic D&O Lawsuit and An Eight-Figure (Or Greater) Settlement,” Inside the Minds: Professional Liability Law: Leading Lawyers on Strategies for Minimizing Risk and Increasing Success in Professional Liability Suits (ISBN: 1596221739), Aspatore Books, November 2005.
  • Co-Author, “Foreign Shareholder Securities Fraud Litigation: Welcome To Our Federal Courts,” PLUS Journal, November 2005.
  • "Director and Officer Liability: Coverage and Compliance," Philadelphia Business Journal, October 2005.
  • Commentator, "Draft Law Proposes to Make it Easier to File Class-Action Lawsuits in the Netherlands," Reactions, March 2005.
  • Co-Author, "When Are Settlement and Damage Payments Not 'Loss' Under a D&O Policy," Mealey's Emerging Insurance Disputes, March 1, 2005.
  • Author, "Supplementary Payments Under U.S. General Liability Cover: Pay or Else...," Insurance Day, February 14, 2005.
  • Co-Author, "Product Tampering and Accidental Contamination Insurance: A Practical Guide," Andrews Insurance Coverage Litigation Report, Vol 10, Sept. 2000.
  • Co-Author, "Employment Practices: A Liability and Insurance Coverage Primer," Mealey's Emerging Insurance Disputes, August 30, 2000.
  • Author, "Interrelatedness Provisions in Directors' and Officers' Insurance Policies: An Enlightened View in Pennsylvania," Risk Vue Online, 1999.
  • Co-author, "Foreign Courts Will Follow US On D&O," International Commercial Litigation, Vol. 30, May 1, 1998.

Richard received his bachelor of science degree, summa cum laude, from Boston University in 1981. In 1985, he received his law degree, cum laude, from the Villanova University School of Law. He is licensed to practice in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey and is admitted in the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the District of New Jersey, and the Western District of Michigan, as well as the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Third and Eleventh Circuits. Richard is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell.