Thomas H. Cellilli III
Partner
- New York
Tom Cellilli has nearly 30 years of experience as a trial lawyer and coverage attorney. Tom currently focuses on complex property, product liability and commercial litigation. He represents major first-party property insurers in litigation, coverage actions and arbitrations, throughout the United States. Tom guides clients through complex coverage issues such as time element coverage, including business interruption, contingent business interruption, delay in completion, advance loss of profits, extra expense, civil authority, ingress/egress, mold, demolition and increased costs of construction, code upgrades, concurrent causation, ensuing loss, faulty workmanship and design, alleged insurer bad faith, as well as fraud and arson.
Tom also handles consumer and industrial product liability litigation, pursuing subrogation for insurers or defending manufacturers, brokers, distributors and property owners in cases of catastrophic loss of property or life. His knowledge of fire science and the intricacies of NFPA 1033 and NFPA 921 give him unique perspectives on expert witness qualifications and their scientific method. Tom has particular experience in fire and explosion cases involving sophisticated industrial equipment involving dust, ammonia and electrostatics (NFPA 61, 77 and 654).
Tom has lectured at conferences worldwide such as the Claims & Litigation Management Alliance (CLM). Property Loss Research Bureau (PLRB), the LMA Academy at Lloyd’s, International Association of Special Investigation Units and Insurance Fraud Management Conference through the Insurance Services Office (ISO) and the International Association of Arson Investigators New York Chapter.
Honors
- New York Super Lawyers, 2016 - 2023
Professional Associations
- Defense Research Institute,1994-Present
- Loss Executive Association, 2015-Present
- Property Loss Research Bureau (PLRB), 2014-Present
- Claims & Litigation Management Alliance, 2018-Present
- International Association of Arson Investigators, 2016-Present
publications & presentations
- Investigating Residential Fires: Burning Down the House, PLRB Claims Conference Webinar Series, August 2021, Presenter.
- Responding to Fraudulent or Hostile Claims Under a First Party Property Policy, LMA Academy, Old Library, Lloyd’s, May 2019, Presenter.
- Navigating the Large Loss Fire Claim, PLRB Annual Conference, Indianapolis, IN, March/April 2019, Presenter.
- Responding to a Fraudulent or Hostile Claim Under a First Party Property Policy, CLM Annual Conference, Orlando, FL, March 2019, Presenter.
- Presenting the Fire Science Case to a Jury: How to Win Friends and Influence People, International Association of Arson Investigators Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV, April 2017, Presenter.
- The Sword and the Shield, NFPA 1033 and 921, NJSIA Annual Seminar on Insurance Fraud, Atlantic City, NJ, October 2017, Presenter.
- New York Anti Car Theft & Fraud Association: Is Your Fire Expert Really An Expert? Keys to Vetting Your Fire Expert, June 2016, Presenter.
- International Association of Arson Investigators New York State Spring Training Seminar: Advanced Statement Taking Techniques in Arson Investigations, March 2016, Presenter.