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Michael Chester

Michael B. Chester

Partner

  • New York
  • 212.820.7752
  • 212.820.7740
Biography

Michael Chester is a distinguished advocate, specializing in counseling insurers on intricate insurance coverage issues arising out of their most high-profile and complex financial lines matters. His expertise stems from his exposure to a diverse range of complex cases, including bank failures, special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) transactions, securities class actions, private equity litigation, shareholder derivative disputes, investment advisory disputes, civil investigations and white-collar criminal prosecutions. Michael has also developed a particular expertise advising insurers on the nuanced intersection between insurance and bankruptcy laws, helping to guide his clients through these complex and sophisticated disciplines. 

Michael has represented insurers’ interests in coverage disputes arising out of bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings in the United States, Bermuda, Brazil, the Cayman Islands, France, and Norway. When called upon by his clients, Michael also litigates especially complex insurance coverage disputes arising out of financial lines claims.

Michael’s career has been marked by his consistent presence working with his clients through nearly every landmark event in the financial world in the past two decades, including the Enron bankruptcy, the collapse of the subprime mortgage-backed securities market, the credit crisis, the surge in merger objection lawsuits; and most recently, the latest round of bank failures and cryptocurrency failures.

With more than twenty years of experience, Michael has been recognized by his industry peers as a Super Lawyer in the New York Metro region for the last ten consecutive years. Michael is a frequent author and sought-after presenter, regularly addressing topics of paramount concern to his clients. His insights and expertise have made him a respected industry authority, frequently quoted by industry publications such as Business Insurance.

 
Honors

  • New York Super Lawyers, 2013 - 2023
  • New York Super Lawyers, Rising Stars, 2011 - 2012



Professional Associations

  • Professional Liability Underwriters Society (PLUS), Member
  • American Bar Association, Tort, Trial and Insurance Practice Section, Professionals' Officers' and Directors' Liability Committee, 2016-2017, Vice-Chair
Education
J.D., Emory University School of Law, 2001
Order of the Advocates
Moot Court Society
B.A., The Johns Hopkins University, 1998
Bar admissions
  • New York
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York