Michael O’Donnell

Member

Recent Publication:

Apollo Reaffirms Common Subrogation Principle- Defendant Cannot Name the Insured as Third-Party Defendant [Subrogation & Recovery Law Blog]

It should seem fundamental to attorneys and subrogation professionals that when a subrogation lawsuit is brought, the insured cannot be named as a defendant in the action. However, there are instances where the uninitiated defendant seeks to name the carrier’s insured as a third-party defendant to...

Michael O’Donnell concentrates his practice on subrogation and recovery for insurance carriers and commercial clients. He handles complex state and federal matters throughout the eastern United States. His practice focuses on a wide variety of property damage claims, including fires, floods, product defects, and construction issues, handling all aspects of litigation.

Mike received his J.D., cum laude, from Villanova University School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, with departmental honors, in political science from the University of Mary Washington. While at Villanova, Mike was an associate editor of the Villanova Law Review where he was named “Outstanding Associate Editor” for 2014. During his last semester, he was an intern to the Honorable J. Michael Baylson of the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

News

Cozen O'Connor Promotes 28 Attorneys to Member

March 25, 2022

Cozen O'Connor promoted 28 attorneys to member in March.

Publications

Apollo Reaffirms Common Subrogation Principle- Defendant Cannot Name the Insured as Third-Party Defendant [Subrogation & Recovery Law Blog]

March 22, 2023

It should seem fundamental to attorneys and subrogation professionals that when a subrogation lawsuit is brought, the insured cannot be named as a defendant in the action. However, there are instances where the uninitiated defendant seeks to name the carrier’s insured as a third-party defendant to...

New York’s Insurance Disclosure Requirements: Automatic Disclosure Within 90 days [Subrogation & Recovery Law Blog]

March 17, 2022

Litigants in New York now face new requirements for the production of liability insurance information at the onset of a civil action. The “Comprehensive Insurance Disclosure Act” (the “Act”) was signed into law by New York Governor Kathy Hochul on December 31, 2021. This legislation alters C.P.L.R....

Massachusetts Appellate Court Precludes Evidence of Insurance in Property Subrogation Action [Subrogation & Recovery Law Blog]

June 01, 2021

Evidence of a defendant’s liability insurance is typically precluded from trial to prevent a jury’s decision being prejudiced by the source of potential funds. However, whether this same principle should apply to evidence of first party property insurance when a carrier pursues a subrogation claim...

Proof of Purchase: Need Adequate Support that an Alleged Seller Indeed Sold the Defective Product [Subrogation & Recovery Law Blog]

February 19, 2018

A recent opinion from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama highlights how the failure to identify the seller of a defective product can lead to dismissal. In Jackson v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., No. 2:17-cv-00634-AKK (N.D. Ala.) the court was faced with a plaintiff who was...

Privileged Communications Inadvertently Given to Opposing Counsel by a Party's Expert [Subrogation & Recovery Law Blog]

August 09, 2017

In a recent opinion from the United States District Court for Kansas, the Court held that privileged communications given by an expert to opposing party’s counsel will remain protected under the work product privilege. The defendant’s expert in Lloyds of London Syndicate 2003 v. Fireman’s Fund...

Education

  • Villanova University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2014
  • University of Mary Washington, B.A., cum laude, 2011
  • New Jersey
  • Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court -- New Jersey
  • U.S. District Court -- Eastern District of Pennsylvania