Michael S. Olsan Partner

Michael Olsan has been representing insurance and reinsurance companies in complex matters for over 20 years.  He has significant reinsurance arbitration experience with matters involving follow-the-fortunes, accumulation of claims, recovery of declaratory judgment expenses, offset, insolvencies, billing of asbestos claims under clash treaties, breach of warranties, misrepresentation in the procurement of reinsurance, priest molestation claims and recovery for extra-contractual obligations and payments in excess of policy limits on behalf of ceding companies and reinsurers. 

Michael has taken many of his cases to final arbitration award with a substantial success rate.  In addition to cases in the property and casualty area, Michael has arbitrated reinsurance disputes involving surety bonds and first party marine business.  He also counsels clients with respect to contract wording issues, including treaties covering business in Japan and South America.

In addition to his reinsurance practice, Michael represents major property and casualty companies in coverage disputes in environmental, asbestos and mass tort liability cases, many of which involve tens of millions of dollars in coverage potentially recoverable from his clients.  He was lead counsel in a major asbestos bankruptcy case that resulted in denial of plan confirmation in favor of the insurance carriers.  Additionally, he has substantial experience successfully mediating complex coverage disputes.  He also counsels his clients on coverage issues arising out of a variety of insurance policies in an effort to avoid expensive and contentious litigation.

During law school, Michael was the Technical Editor of the Syracuse Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif.   Michael is a frequent speaker at reinsurance seminars and is also a fellow of the Academy of Advocacy of Temple University. 

Representative Matters

• Represented property casualty company in recovering reinsurance for asbestos claims under clash reinsurance treaties
• Obtained declaratory judgment on behalf of several ceding companies requiring reinsurers to reimburse payment of asbestos claims
• Recovered reinsurance on behalf of an issuer of surety bonds to Enron

Recognition & Involvement

Since 2007, Michael has been selected in a survey of his peers as a Pennsylvania "Super Lawyer" by Law & Politics Magazine.