News
- August 20, 2020
Events
- October 24, 2019
Publications
- Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith AlertMarch 11, 2020
Cases & Deals
Craig E. Stewart Senior Counsel
stewartc@whiteandwilliams.com
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Craig Stewart has over 25 years of jury and jury-waived trial experience in insurance coverage and bad faith litigation as well as in a wide variety of products liability and complex commercial matters. He has successfully defended professional and specialty lines liability carriers against claims of bad faith claims handling, denial of coverage and failure to settle brought by policy holders claiming millions of dollars in actual and punitive damages. He has served on the national trial team and as Massachusetts coordinating counsel for product liability claims of an international medical device manufacturer, and has tried to verdict multiple products liability and general negligence cases.
In addition, Craig is an experienced commercial litigator who has represented corporations in a number of different industries including the defense of pharmaceutical manufacturers against claims of patent infringement and theft of trade secrets.
Craig is a Vice Chair of the Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee of the Tort Trial and Insurance Section of the ABA and is an active member of the Defense Research Institute and the Council on Litigation Management. He is also a Trustee and Past President of Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, the primary provider of continuing legal education in the Commonwealth.
Representative Matters
- Defense of national insurer against claims of wrongful denial of coverage and bad faith claims handling; and prosecution of counterclaim for recoupment of amount paid in settlement of underlying claim. Multimillion dollar settlement in favor of insurer and dismissal of complaint
- Defense of medical malpractice insurance against claims of bad faith refusal to settle arising out of multimillion dollar excess verdicts
- As National Coordinating Counsel for national multi-line insurer, provides guidance on preventing, handling and defending extracontractual claims in jurisdictions throughout the United States
- Defense of national insurers in multiple jurisdictions against claims of bad faith denial of coverage, bad faith settlement practices, and bad faith claims handling in connection with a broad spectrum of policies and coverages including D&O, E&O, CGL, professional liability, financial institutions, property, construction defect, UM/UIM and workers compensation
- Defense of national class action against international manufacturer of radiant heating panels alleging breach of warranty, negligent design, supervision and failure to warn. Class certification denied and all individual claims settled on favorable terms
- Defense of putative class action against manufacturer of artificial hips alleging breach of contract, breach of warranty, and negligent misrepresentation. Motion to dismiss granted
- Member, National Trial Team, and Massachusetts counsel for Baxter International and Baxter Healthcare Corporation. Defense of medical device products liability claims
- Defense of national manufacturer of cooking ranges against claims of breach of warranty and negligent design allegedly resulting in stove explosion causing plaintiff to be burned over 70% of his body. Defense verdict after jury trial
- Defense of international engineering firm in action alleging defective specification and design of electrical system for new twenty-seven story hotel, arising out of explosion and fire destroying hotel electrical equipment room and resultant claims for multimillion dollar economic loss. Defense verdict after jury trial
- Defense of international hotel chain against claims of inadequate security by plaintiff seeking punitive damages for brain injury and three month hospitalization arising out of attack. Defense verdict after jury trial
- Defense of international pharmaceutical corporation in cross border litigation against claims of unfair competition and misappropriation of trade secrets seeking over $60 million in damages
- Defense of air to ground missile guidance system component manufacturer against claims of breach of warranty and misrepresentation seeking damages of over $30 million
Recognition & Involvement
Craig has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America in the practice areas of Insurance Law and Product Liability - Defendants since 2016. He was also named a "New England Super Lawyer" by Super Lawyers from 2009-2017.
Craig is an avid hiker and member of the Appalachian Mountain Club.
News
- August 20, 2020
- November 1, 2019
- October 17, 2019
- August 15, 2019
- October 23, 2018
- October 18, 2018
- August 15, 2018
- November 11, 2017
- August 15, 2017
- October 18, 2016
- September 22, 2016
- August 15, 2016
- October 21, 2015
- August 17, 2015
- October 3, 2014
- September 18, 2013
Events
- October 24, 2019
- Avoiding, Managing and Defeating Bad Faith Claims12th Annual Coverage CollegeOctober 4, 2018
- A New Set of Rules: How the Restatement Expands Bad Faith Liability by Calling it Something Else26th TIPS Annual Insurance Coverage Litigation Mid-Year Conference – Tool Box Presentation (Phoenix, AZ)February 23, 2018
- A New Set of Rules: How the Restatement Expands Bad Faith Liability by Calling it Something ElseWhite and Williams Coverage CollegeOctober 26, 2017
- Bad Faith and the Restatement: How the Requirement of Knowledge or Reckless Disregard May Protect Insurers From the Most Hostile JurisdictionsWhite and Williams Coverage CollegeOctober 26, 2017
- “The New Normal or a Bump in the Road?” – How Policyholders and Insurers Will be Affected by the ALI’s Restatement of the Law of Liability Insurance25th TIPS Annual Insurance Coverage Litigation Mid-Year Conference – (Phoenix, AZ)February 23, 2017
- The Bad and the Ugly: Worst Bad Faith Decisions of 2015-2016White and Williams Coverage CollegeSeptember 22, 2016
- Double Agents, Order-Takers, and Special Advisors – The Producer’s Intriguing Role in Coverage Disputes24th TIPS Annual Insurance Coverage Litigation Mid-Year Conference (Phoenix, AZ)February 19, 2016
- How to Protect or Lose the Attorney Client Privilege When an Insurer Defends Under a Reservation of RightsABA/TIPS Member Monday WebinarDecember 7, 2015
- The Covenant Judgment ProblemCLM (Claims & Litigation Management Alliance), 2015 Annual Conference – (Palm Desert, CA)March 26, 2015
- "How to Protect or Lose the Attorney Client Privilege When an Insurer Defends Under a Reservation of Rights," ModeratorABA-TIPS ICLC Mid-Winter Meeting (Phoenix, AZ)February 20, 2015
- The Bad And The Ugly: Ten Worst Recent Decisions On Insurer Bad Faith LiabilityWhite and Williams Coverage CollegeOctober 2, 2014
- 2014 ABA Annual Meeting - Tort Trials & Insurance Practice Section (Boston, MA)August 8, 2014
- "Effective Use of Experts, Consultants and Visuals in Winning a Coverage Case," ModeratorABA-TIPS ICLC Mid-Winter Meeting (Phoenix, AZ)February 20, 2014
- "Intervention: What? Why? When? Will it Succeed?," SpeakerAmerican Conference Institute - Bad Faith Litigation (Miami, FL)November 21, 2013
- "Demand Letters: Reading Between the Lines," ModeratorAmerican Conference Institutes 24th National Advanced Forum on Bad Faith Litigation (Philadelphia, PA)April 29, 2013
- "Expert Witnesses in Bad Faith Litigation" and "Tool Box Luncheon," Panelist and Co-ChairABA-TIPS ICLC Mid-Winter Meeting (Phoenix, AZ)February 25, 2013
- "Now You See It, Now You Don't: The Disappearing Attorney-Client and Work Product Privileges in Coverage and Bad Faith Litigation," ModeratorABA-TIPS ICLC Mid-Winter Meeting (Phoenix, AZ)February 24, 2013
- "The Bad Faith Trial: Winning Approaches to Implement Into Your Trial Strategies," SpeakerAmerican Conference Institutes 20th National Advanced Forum on Bad Faith Litigation (Orlando, FL)February 18, 2013
- "The Unexpected Verdict in Excess of Policy Limits: What Happens Now," Moderator and PanelistABA-TIPS ICLC Mid-Winter Meeting (Phoenix, AZ)February 14, 2013
- "Bolden/Rhodes - Panel Discussion on Bad Faith," PanelistCRICO Law Day at CRICO - Controlled Risk Insurance Company - (Cambridge, MA)November 16, 2012
- "The Unexpected Excess Judgment and Assignment of Bad Faith Claims: What Now? The Insurer's 'Right' to Intervene and other Problems," Moderator and PresenterCLM (Claims & Litigation Management Alliance), Insurance Bad Faith & Coverage Conference (Boston, MA)September 14, 2012
- "Contract Workshop: Best Practice Indemnification Provisions," Speaker2009 BIO International Convention (Atlanta, GA)May 2009
- "Settling Complex Claims While Avoiding Bad Faith Liability To Everyone," Panel Presentation, ChairABATIPS ICLC Mid-Winter Meeting (Los Angeles, CA)February 26, 2009
- "Billing Guidelines and Auditors – Are they Ethical? Are They Legal?," Presentation, Panelist and Program ChairAmerican Bar Association Annual Meeting, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (New York, NY)August 8, 2008
- "Navigating Ethical Issues in Bad Faith Cases," SpeakerAmerican Conference Institutes 16th National Advanced Forum on Bad Faith Litigation (Miami, FL)November 7, 2007
- "Anatomy of a Bad Faith Trial," SpeakerMealey's Bad Faith Litigation Conference (Philadelphia, PA)September 25, 2007
Publications
- Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith AlertMarch 11, 2020
- Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith AlertFebruary 3, 2020
- The Changing Shape of Bad Faith under the Restatement: What Are the Consequences When an Insurer Breaches Its Duty to Settle or Defend?ABA Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section - TortSourceSpring 2018
- Double Agents, Order-Takers, and Special Advisors – The Producer’s Intriguing Role in Coverage DisputesTIPS Annual Insurance Coverage Litigation Mid-Year Conference ReportWinter 2016
- The Covenant Judgment ProblemCLM Annual Meeting ReportSpring 2015
- Next On SCOTUS: A Significant Case For Drug Manufacturers, Co-authorLaw 360January 17, 2013
- Case Study: Texas Mutual Insurance v. Ruttiger, Co-authorLaw360.comOctober 26, 2011
- Chapter 14, "Deductibles and Self-Insured Retentions" and Chapter 16, "Provisions Concerning Coverage Disputes," Co-authorABA Reference Handbook on the CGL Policy, ABA-TIPS ICLC BookMarch 2010
- Bad Faith Judgments, Co-author, informa insurance, in association with Edwards Wildman PalmerThe Review: The US Re/Insurance Recession Survival Guide2009
- Ten Tips for Trying an Excess Verdict Bad Faith CaseAmerican Bar Association, Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee NewsletterSummer 2008
- For the Defense: Trying an Excess Verdict Bad Faith Case, Co-authorEdwards Wildman Palmer Insurance and Reinsurance UpdateDecember 2007
Cases & Deals
Practice areas
Bar and Court Admissions
Massachusetts
U.S District Court for the District of Massachusetts
U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
Education
Harvard Law School, JD
Harvard College, BA, cum laude
Memberships
American Bar Association
Tort and Insurance Practice Section; Member and Vice Chair Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee
National Trial Academy and Continuing Legal Education Board
Section of Litigation, Intellectual Property Committee
Retired President, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc.
Boston Bar Association, Administration of Justice Section
Defense Research Institute
Council on Litigation Management