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Stephen A. Weisbrod 

Steve Weisbrod helps clients win recoveries for their losses. An experienced trial lawyer who has tried cases in seven states and the District of Columbia, Steve litigates in courtrooms across the country to obtain payments from insurance companies, product makers, service providers, fund managers, and other defendants in cases involving fraud, negligence, breach of contract, and other wrongdoing. Steve’s clients include major public companies, private equity firms, hedge funds, banks, food and consumer product companies, property owners, post-bankruptcy trusts, government entities, and many individuals.

In insurance cases, Steve represents policyholders exclusively. He never represents insurers.
Steve handles claims for many types of damage and loss. For example:

• Steve has represented major private equity firms, portfolio companies, banks, fund managers, and affiliated individuals seeking insurance coverage for claims alleging fraud, breaches of duty, negligence, and antitrust violations, and has helped those clients recover hundreds of millions of dollars from insurers.
  
  
• Steve has represented numerous clients in negotiations and lawsuits against domestic and foreign suppliers of defective products. In one product recall matter involving a salmonella-contaminated ingredient used by over a hundred food producers and restaurant chains, Steve represented one of the world’s largest food companies and negotiated a global settlement, without ever filing a lawsuit.
  
  
• Steve has helped clients resolve insurance and indemnification issues arising out of building collapses and other disasters.
  
  
• Steve obtained an arbitration award rescinding a multimillion-dollar asset sale.
  
  
• Steve currently represents corporate and individual plaintiffs (including multiple sexual harassment victims) in RICO cases arising out of a judgment evasion scheme perpetrated by a conglomerate of Chinese companies and their American affiliates.
  
  
• Steve settled a class action for $27 million after a life insurer improperly imposed new premiums and charges to shock elderly policyholders into giving up their insurance policies.

Steve has tried more than 30 cases. His clients at trial have included a defendant accused of shooting a rival gang member and attempting to kill a police officer (the defendant was acquitted), a trustee seeking to rescind a secondary market life insurance transaction (the transaction was rescinded), and a tire company seeking payments from Certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s of London, which had accused Steve’s client of submitting a fraudulent coverage claim (minutes before Steve was scheduled to cross-examine the insurer’s claims handler, the insurer agreed to pay over 90% of the claim and formally retracted all fraud accusations against Steve’s client).

Steve’s pro bono work has included:

• Representing a bipartisan coalition of Members of Congress and congressional candidates—led by Representative Ted Lieu (Democrat from California), Senator Jeff Merkley (Democrat from Oregon), and Representative Walter Jones (Republican from North Carolina)—in litigation against the Federal Election Commission seeking to constrain “super PAC” election spending.
• Representing an Assistant United States Attorney seeking health insurance for her same-sex spouse under the Department of Justice health benefits program.
• Various criminal matters.

Steve clerked for Judge James B. Moran of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and Justice Alan B. Handler of the New Jersey Supreme Court.

Washington, D.C: ​(202) 499-7909
​Seattle, WA: (206) 990-0380
sweisbrod@wmclaw.com 
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Education

• J.D., Harvard Law School (1991)
  
  
• B.A., University of Michigan (1987)
  
  

Professional Activities

• Faculty, Georgetown University Law Center National Institute of Trial Advocacy
  
  
• Arbitrator, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (formerly NASD)
  
  

Bar Memberships

• California
  
  
• District of Columbia
  
  
• Florida
  
  
• Illinois
  
  
• New York
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• Washington
  
  

Selected Publications/ Presentations
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• Update on U.S. Securities Litigation and Coverage Considerations New York City Bar Association, October 15, 2021
  
  
• Supply Chain Interruptions and Diminished Product Quality Perrin Conference Webinar, June 17, 2020
  
  
• D&O and E&O Insurance Update Florida Bar Federal Securities Institute, Coral Gables Florida, February 13, 2020
  
  
• The Effect of Natural Disasters on Supply Chains Perrin Natural Disaster Conference, Miami, Florida, April 3, 2019
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• Best Frenemies Forever: Rocky Relationships between Grocery Stores and Grocery Manufacturers GMA Legal Conference, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, March 5, 2019
  
  
• Protecting the Firm and Its People: Addressing Insurance and Indemnification Challenges for Hedge Funds ALM and Corporate Counsel Hedge Fund General Counsel and Compliance Officer Summit, New York, New York, September 26th, 2018
  
  
• How to Mitigate Loss when Disaster Strikes Your Supply Chain GMA Legal Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, February 28, 2018
  
  
• Ethical Considerations Facing In-House and Outside Counsel During a Product Recall Crisis FMI Legal Conference, Washington, D.C., June 26, 2018
  
  
• Mass Claims and Certification of ‘Particular Issues’ under Rule 23(c)(4) National Consumer Law Center Consumer Rights Litigation Conference, Washington, D.C., November 17, 2017
  
  
• Turning the Legal Department into a Profit Center ALM Super Conference, New York, New York June 21, 2017
  
  
• Regulation of the National Flood Insurance Program
  New York City Bar Association, April 21, 2017
  
  
• Current Issues in D&O Liability and Insurance: Special Considerations in D&O Claims Handling New York City Bar Association, May 11, 2016
  
  
• Class Actions and Mass Actions Involving Health, Disability and Long-Term Care Insurance New York City Bar Association, January 9, 2015
  
  
• Challenging Illegal Insurance Industry Practices Aimed at Older Adults National Consumer Law Center Consumer Rights Litigation Conference, Tampa, Florida, November 8, 2014
  
  
• Food Companies as Plaintiffs: Litigating and Resolving Claims against Suppliers, Contractors and Insurers GMA Litigation Conference, Dana Point, California, February 25-27, 2014
  
  
• Ethical Issues Confronting Insurers, Policyholders and Counsel in Complex Financial and Securities Litigation New York City Bar Association, January 24, 2014
  
  
• Early Case Evaluation for Corporate PlaintiffsACI National Forum on Controlling Litigation Costs, October 23, 2013
  
  
• Joint Defenses, Common Interests, and Adverse Interests among Insurers, Policyholders, and Claimants New York City Bar Association, February 16, 2012