Gary L. Gassman

Co-Vice Chair, Global Insurance Department

Recent News:

The Business Insurance Interview with Gary Gassman of Cozen O'Connor 

Gary Gassman, co-vice chair of the Global Insurance Department, discusses emerging D&O threats and how the hard market is affecting insurance claims disputes.

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Gary focuses his practice on insurance coverage counseling and litigation. He is co-vice chair of the Global Insurance Department, and is co-chair of the Professional Liability Coverage Practice. For more than 29 years, his practice has been concentrated on management liability including directors and officers and entity liability, employment practices liability, fiduciary liability, various types of professional liability, cyber liability, and commercial general liability coverage. He also has significant reinsurance experience.

Gary speaks at insurance coverage seminars throughout the county and is active in several lead organizations. He has taught legal writing as an adjunct professor of law and regularly publishes in the areas of corporate governance, securities laws, and international and domestic D&O, E&O, and EPL exposures and trends. Gary has been named chair of the American Bar Association, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) for the 2022-23 bar year. Before being elected, Gary served as the chair elect of TIPS and as a vice-chair. He has also served previously as the organization's diversity officer and co-chair of the TIPS Insurance Institute Task Force. Gary is the leader of the Cozen O'Connor LGBTQ Attorney Resource Group.

Gary earned a Bachelor of Arts from Indiana University in 1990 and a law degree from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law in 1993.

Experience

News

Three Cozen O’Connor Attorneys recognized as Crain's Chicago Business 2022 “Notable Gen X Leaders in Law”

December 12, 2022

Three Cozen O’Connor attorneys have been recognized as 2022 Notable Gen X Leaders in Law by Crain’s Chicago Business for their success and accomplishments in their leadership roles within the firm and across the legal community.

From Outsider to Insider: Why Do I Share My Journey of Personal Acceptance? Because It Leads to Positive Change

September 12, 2022

Gary L. Gassman wrote the article "Why Do I Share My Journey of Personal Acceptance? Because It Leads to Positive Change" for the September issue of the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance's magazine.

More Than 200 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch

August 22, 2022

210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Gary Gassman and Josephine Bahn Installed in ABA Chair Roles

August 05, 2022

Gary Gassman and Josephine Bahn, have been installed in ABA Chair Roles.

The Business Insurance Interview with Gary Gassman of Cozen O'Connor

August 03, 2022

Gary Gassman, co-vice chair of the Global Insurance Department, discusses emerging D&O threats and how the hard market is affecting insurance claims disputes.

Cozen O’Connor Announces Changes to Firm Management 2022

March 23, 2022

Cozen O’Connor is pleased to announce the following changes in firm leadership positions for the 2022 year.

Leading Lawyers Network Recognizes 23 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers as Top Illinois Practitioners

March 02, 2022

The Leading Lawyers Network has named 22 Cozen O’Connor lawyers to its annual list of Illinois’ top practitioners and named one other as an Emerging Lawyer in its 2022 survey results.

Three Cozen O’Connor Attorneys recognized as Crain's Chicago Business 2021 “Notable Gen X Leaders in Law”

November 29, 2021

Three Cozen O’Connor attorneys have been recognized as 2021 Chicago Notable Gen X Leaders in Law by Crain’s Chicago Business for their success and accomplishments in their leadership roles within the firm and across the legal community.

More Than 205 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch By The Best Lawyers In America

August 19, 2021

Best Lawyers selected 210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 23 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Leading Lawyers Network Recognizes 26 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers as Top Illinois Practitioners

January 26, 2021

The Leading Lawyers Network has named 24 Cozen O’Connor lawyers to its annual list of Illinois’ top practitioners and named two others as Emerging Lawyers in its 2021 survey results.

Cozen O’Connor Attorney Gary Gassman Elected Chair-Elect of ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section

August 20, 2020

Chicago attorney Gary Gassman, co-chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Professional Liability Coverage Practice, has been elected chair-elect of the American Bar Association Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS), one of the ABA’s largest sections.

More Than 200 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch By The Best Lawyers In America

August 20, 2020

Best Lawyers selected 201 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 23 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America© (Copyright 2020 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC).

138 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named to the Best Lawyers in America

August 28, 2019

Best Lawyers selected 138 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 21 of the firm’s national offices for inclusion in the 2020 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Cozen O’Connor Attorney Gary Gassman Elected Vice-Chair of ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section

August 15, 2019

Gary Gassman, Co-Chair of Cozen O'Connor's Professional Liability Coverage Practice, has been elected Vice-Chair of the American Bar Association Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS), one of the ABA's largest sections. He is now on the path to become TIPS Chair in two years: during 2020-21 he will serve as Chair-Elect and will rise to Chair for the 2021-22 bar year.

Three Cozen O’Connor Attorneys recognized as Crain's Chicago Business “Notable Gen X Leaders in Law”

May 31, 2019

Three Cozen O’Connor attorneys have been recognized as 2019 Chicago Notable Gen X Leaders in Law by Crain’s Chicago Business for their success and accomplishments in their leadership roles within the firm and across the legal community.

126 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named to the Best Lawyers in America

August 22, 2018

One hundred twenty-six Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 20 of the firm’s national offices have been selected for inclusion in the 2018 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Publications

Significant D&O Cases From the First Half of 2022

September 22, 2022

Gary L. Gassman and Stephanie A. Nashban wrote the article “Significant D&O Cases From the First Half of 2022” for Westlaw Today.

Business Insurance’s Up Close Column with Gary Gassman

September 16, 2022

Gary L. Gassman was featured in Business Insurance’s Up Close column, commenting on the insurance industry’s outlook and challenges, his advocacy for the LBGTQ+ community, and a look into his personal life, hobbies, etc.

Doing His Part [Chicago Lawyer]

July 16, 2021

Gary Gassman is featured in the July edition of Chicago Lawyer discussing championing diversity and inclusion initiatives in his many roles within Cozen O'Connor and the American Bar Association (ABA).

Member Spotlight: Gary Gassman [The LGBT Bar]

February 16, 2021

Gary Gassman is profiled in a feature article with the LGBT Bar Association, touching on his global insurance practice, his ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section role as well as his position as co-leader of the firm's LGBTQ+ attorney resource group.

Claims and Litigation Management magazine

October 01, 2019

Gary Gassman was recently featured in the Claims and Litigation Management (CLM) magazine as part of the publication's "Voices" series — where attorneys offer their insights into commercial litigation trends and practices.

Policy Limits Demands and Time Limit Demands Duty to Settle [The Brief]

November 09, 2018

Gary Gassman, a member of firm's Global Insurance Department, and Jonathan Walton, an associate in the firm's Global Insurance Department, co-authored. "Policy Limits Demands and Time Limit Demands Duty to Settle."

Events & Seminars

Upcoming Events

TIPS & YLD Section Conference

May 03, 2023

Josephine Bahn, Gary Gassman, and Cara Kapan will attend the America Bar Association’s TIPS & YLD Section Conference in New York, New York.

Toxic Torts & Environmental Law 31st Annual Spring Conference

April 20, 2023

Gary L. Gassman, chair, ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section, will provide the welcome and opening remarks at the Toxic Torts & Environmental Law 31st Annual Spring Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona.

2023 Motor Vehicle Product Liability Litigation Conference

April 19, 2023

Gary L. Gassman, Chair, ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section, will provide the welcome and introduction at the 2023 Motor Vehicle Product Liability Litigation Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Past Events

Education

  • University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, J.D., 1993
  • Indiana University–Bloomington, B.A., 1990

Awards & Honors

ABA, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) Leadership Academy –  2008-2009

Best Lawyers in America 2018-2023

2019, 2021, 2022 Chicago Notable Gen X Leaders in Law

Leading Lawyers Network, Top Illinois Practitioner

  • Illinois
  • Arizona
  • Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court -- Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court -- Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court -- Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • ABA, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) Chair 2022-2023
  • ABA, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) Chair-Elect, 2020-2022
  • ABA, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) Vice-Chair, 2019-2020
  • ABA, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section’s (TIPS) Diversity Officer –  2017-2019
  • ABA, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS): Council Member, 2015-2018; Chair, Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee, 2015-2016; Chair, Corporate Counsel Outreach Task Force, 2013-2015; Chair, Corporate Counsel Committee, 2012-2013; Chair, Task Force on Corporate Governance, 2010-2011; Chair, International Committee, 2009-2011.
  • Member, CGL Reporter Editorial Board, 2007-2015
  • Professional Liability Underwriting Society
  • Defense Research Institute
  • The John Marshall Law School, Adjunct Professor of Law on Legal Writing and Oral Argument Technique, August 1996-December 2001
  • American College of Coverage Counsel