News & Events
Recent news & events
Chambers USA 2025 Recognizes Skarzynski Marick & Black and Individual Lawyers in Insurance Dispute Resolution
June 5, 2025The 2025 edition of Chambers USA: Leading Lawyers for Business has ranked Skarzynski Marick & Black LLP for “Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Insurer.” This year, the firm maintained its Band 1 ranking in Illinois and earned a Band 3 ranking in New York. Individually ranked lawyers include Illinois-based partners Michael M. Marick, James H. Kallianis, Karen M. Dixon and Joel Vander Vliet and New York-based partners, James A. Skarzynski and Tammy Yuen. Chambers highlights the firm as being “exceptional for its sound legal advice, awareness of the most recent developments in the law and understanding of the current marketplace,” and “the team combines technical expertise with sound judgement and strategic thinking.”
Seven Lawyers Named 2025 New York Metro Women's Edition Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
March 20, 2025We are excited to announce that Super Lawyers has named seven of our lawyers to its 2025 New York Metro Women’s Edition Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. Three lawyers were recognized as 2025 New York Metro Women’s Edition Super Lawyers and four lawyers were recognized as 2025 New York Metro Women’s Edition Rising Stars. Ranked individuals include Evan Shapiro, Cheryl Vollweiler, Tammy Yuen, Sarah Allison, Ashley Anderson, Marie Figueiredo and Sarah Voutyras.
Karen M. Dixon to speak at ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee CLE Seminar
February 27, 2025Karen M. Dixon will be speaking on a panel titled, “From BIPA to GIPA: How BIPA Coverage Decisions May Influence Availability of CGL Coverage for Emerging GIPA Class Action Suits,” at the ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee CLE Seminar in Tucson, Arizona. The session is scheduled for March 6, 2025.
Skarzynski Marick Adds Bankruptcy Team in Los Angeles
February 12, 2025Skarzynski Marick & Black is pleased to welcome an experienced bankruptcy team to its Los Angeles office. Led by Russell Roten and Jeff Kahane, the group also includes Timothy Evanston and Nathan Reinhardt who join the firm as Counsel. The bankruptcy group focuses its nationwide practice on representing the insurance industry, complementing Skarzynski Marick’s highly regarded insurance coverage litigation practice. They join from Duane Morris.
Skarzynski Marick & Black Elevates Rebecca Dunn to Partner
February 7, 2025We are pleased to announce the promotion of Rebecca Dunn to Partner. As a key member of the firm's insurance coverage litigation practice, Rebecca provides trusted guidance to insurers in complex contractual disputes.
James Kallianis to speak at PFAS Litigation and Regulatory Developments Conference
February 3, 2025James Kallianis will be speaking at Perrin Conferences PFAS Litigation and Regulatory Developments Conference on February 6, 2025.
Skarzynski Marick Lawyers Recognized as Illinois Super Lawyers and Illinois Rising Stars 2025
January 21, 2025Skarzynski Marick & Black LLP is excited to announce that Super Lawyers has named six of our attorneys to its 2025 Illinois Super Lawyers and Illinois Rising Stars lists. Five attorneys were recognized as 2025 Illinois Super Lawyers and one attorney was recognized as a 2025 Illinois Rising Star.
Skarzynski Marick & Black LLP Recognized by Best Law Firms® 2025
November 7, 2024Skarzynski Marick & Black LLP is honored to be named a Tier 1 firm in Metropolitan Chicago for Insurance Law and Insurance Litigation, as well as a Tier 2 firm nationally for Insurance Law by Best Law Firms®.
ABA Litigation Section Women in Insurance Conference
October 8, 2024Karen M. Dixon will be speaking on a panel titled, “How to re-CLAIM Efficiency When Arbitrating Insurance Disputes,” as part of the ABA Litigation Section Women in Insurance conference.
Skarzynski Marick & Black Achieves Mansfield Certification Plus Status
October 2, 2024Skarzynski Marick & Black proudly announces its achievement of Mansfield Certification Plus, marking the culmination of a rigorous year-long collaboration with Diversity Lab to track, measure and enhance diversity in leadership. To earn the Plus designation, the firm voluntarily provided data to Diversity Lab, demonstrating the progress and outcomes of its efforts to broaden the talent pool and improve the transparency of its advancement process.
2024 PLUS Cyber University | Fall Session
September 17, 2024John Black will be presenting at PLUS Cyber University on September 17, 2024.
Skarzynski Marick Prevails in Seventh Circuit Rescission Case
August 22, 2024Skarzynski Marick & Black LLP attorneys Mike Marick and Joel Vander Vliet secured an appellate victory for Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company affirming the lower court’s ruling on summary judgment entitling Grinnell to rescission.
Skarzynski Marick Lawyers Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® 2025
August 15, 2024Skarzynski Marick & Black LLP is proud to announce that Michael Marick, John Black, Karen M. Dixon, James Kallianis, Michael Rosen, and Timothy Wright have been selected for inclusion in the 2025 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for Insurance Law.
Skarzynski Marick Lawyers Recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America 2025
August 15, 2024Skarzynski Marick & Black LLP is pleased to announce that Sarah Allison, Ashley Anderson, Marie Figueiredo, Douglas Giombarrese, Tae Young Lee, John Lynn, Logan McIntyre, Paul Perry, Neel Rana, May Tan, Michael Thompson, and Sarah Voutyras are recognized in the 2025 Edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America for Insurance Law.
Tammy Yuen and Cheryl Vollweiler, Elected as a Fellows of the American College of Coverage Counsel
May 28, 2024We are pleased to announce that Tammy Yuen and Cheryl Vollweiler have been elected as a Fellows of the American College of Coverage Counsel.
Skarzynski Marick Secures Victory With Eighth Circuit Holding No Duty To Defend Or Indemnify Insured Arising From Warehouse Collapse
March 4, 2024Skarzynski Marick attorneys Michael Marick and Andrew Candela represented AXIS Surplus Insurance Company in the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, which affirmed the summary judgment that AXIS has no duty to defend or indemnify its insured for multiple deaths arising from a tornado that struck an Amazon warehouse. The real estate developer of the warehouse, TriStar Companies LLC, sought its significant defense costs and indemnity under a policy issued by AXIS.
2024 PLUS Cyber University | Spring Session
January 30, 2024John Black, Esq., CIPP/US will be presenting a virtual session titled, “Non-Cyber Line of Coverage, Evolution of Cyber Coverage, and Interplay Among Lines of Insurance,” as part of the PLUS Cyber University Series.
Skarzynski Marick adds insurance coverage litigation partner, Amber Locklear
January 19, 2024Skarzynski Marick & Black LLP is pleased to announce the addition of partner Amber Locklear, bolstering the growth of the insurance coverage litigation capabilities in New York.
Environmental Litigation Trends: What Is Heating Up Besides the Climate?
December 26, 2023This article, written by Cheryl Vollweiler for The Brief, the ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice publication, highlights timely environmental litigation trends.