Charles J. Vinicombe

Of Counsel

Charles has over 30 years of experience representing clients in litigation matters and counseling clients. He focuses his practice on insurance matters and commercial litigation.

Charles has prosecuted and defended claims arising out of stranger originated life insurance (STOLI) transactions and defended insurance companies in complex claims and coverage actions. He has counseled insurance clients on underwriting, claims, and marketing practices. He has also represented clients in complex commercial litigation.

Charles earned his undergraduate degree, summa cum laude, from Seton Hall University. Charles earned his law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law where he was a member and articles editor of law review.

Experience

Publications

Secondary Market Investor Files Interest Rate Class Action [Alert]

January 04, 2021

Michael Miller and Charles Vinicombe discuss a new life insurance secondary market investor strategy — suing life insurers on a class action basis for not paying enough interest.

New Jersey Enacts Anti-STOLI Legislation

October 28, 2020

Charles J. Vinicombe and Michael J. Miller discuss New Jersey's anti-STOLI legislation codifying the New Jersey Supreme Court ruling in Sun Life Assurance Company v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

Class Certification Denied in Portion of COI Case Based on Argument that the Policies are STOLI [Alert]

September 10, 2020

The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York recently issued a decision denying class certification to a sub-class in a cost of insurance class action based upon the insurer’s defense that certain of the claims were barred because “a substantial number of the policies at issue were obtained through stranger-originated life insurance schemes.”

New Jersey Assembly Overwhelmingly Approves Anti-STOLI Legislation [Alert]

March 02, 2020

Charles J. Vinicombe and Michael J. Miller discuss New Jersey Assembly Bill A.B. 1263, which supplements New Jersey’s Viatical Settlements Act, N.J.S.A., and codifies the ruling in Bergman that STOLI is illegal and void in New Jersey.

NJ Ruling Does Not Bode Well For 'Stranger' Life Policies [Law360]

September 06, 2019

Charles Vinicombe contributed an article to Law360 discussing his thoughts on the Supreme Court decision in Sun Life Insurance Co. of Canada v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

New Jersey Supreme Court Rules Stranger-Originated Life Insurance Is Illegal and Void

August 15, 2019

The New Jersey Supreme Court recently condemned stranger-originated life insurance (“STOLI”) transactions as void ab initio human life wagers in a case that the life insurance and life settlement industries watched closely.

Education

  • Wake Forest University School of Law, J.D., 1987
  • Seton Hall University, B.A., summa cum laude, 1984
  • New Jersey
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
  • Superior Court of New Jersey
  • Supreme Court of New Jersey
  • U.S. District Court -- New Jersey

American Bar Association, Litigation Section

New Jersey Bar Association

Arbor Glen Continuing Care Retirement Community (Past Board Director)