Partner

Stephen Harris is a member of the firm’s Life Insurance & Annuities Practice Group.  His practice is focused on representation of insurers in structured settlement and coverage litigation.  He has tried cases in federal, state and bankruptcy courts, the Pennsylvania Board of Claims and numerous arbitration panels.  Stephen has also acted as counsel for insurers in appellate matters, including representation of trade associations as amicus curiae.  He advises insurers on payment obligations and liability issues arising out of the administration of annuities and litigates these matters on their behalf throughout the country.  Stephen has spoken to numerous trade associations, structured settlement brokers and judges on structured settlement issues.

Insurance Litigation.  Stephen is a leader in representing insurance companies in structured settlement litigation.  He currently represents more insurers in structured settlement litigation throughout the nation than any other attorney.  Stephen also represents insurers in cases arising out of the sale of life insurance policies in the secondary market.  He has litigated numerous ERISA, long-term disability and environmental coverage cases and acted as counsel to insurers and brokers on significant coverage claims across the country.

Commercial Litigation.  Stephen has represented corporate clients, including insurers, banks and railroads, in commercial litigation disputes, including construction claims, tortious interference, breach of contract, UCC and technology issues.  His many successes include obtaining a $1.4 million settlement for a corporate client following a three-week jury trial in federal court.

General Litigation.  Stephen has extensive experience in the representation of individuals and charitable organizations in various Orphans’ Court disputes, including will contests.  He has also litigated and tried medical malpractice and products liability cases.  Most recently, Stephen litigated a case involving ownership of personal property of the late actor and Senator George Murphy, which included correspondence with presidents and movie stars.

In General.   Stephen graduated from Occidental College in 1974 with a bachelor's degree in English and received his J.D. from the University of Southern California Law School in 1978, where he served as president of the Graduate Student Assembly.  He has served as a member of the board of directors of United Cerebral Palsy Association of Greater Philadelphia, Legal Aid of Chester County, Inc., the Philadelphia Committee on City Policy and a member of the board of governors of the American Swedish Historical Museum, and is an alumnus of Leadership, Inc.  He has served as a member of Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee, the Chester County Election Review Task Force and Solicitor for the Chester County Democratic Party.  Stephen is currently a member of numerous civic and professional organizations, including the Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution, the Society of Colonial Wars, the Swedish American Chamber of Commerce and the National Structured Settlements Trade Association.

His recent reported decisions, cases and trials include the following:

• Settlement Funding of New York, LLC v. Structured Settlement Trust, 2009 WL 3713136 (N.Y. Sup.), 2009 NY Misc Lexis 3075, 2009 N.Y. Slip Op. 32553 (U)
• Allstate Life Insurance Company v. Rapid Settlements, Ltd. and Percy Griffin and Betty Thomas Griffin, 2007 WL 2745806, 2008 WL 2633699 (S.D. Ms.), affirmed 328 Fed. Appx. 289, 2009 WL 1175534 (C.A.5(Ms.))
• Allstate Settlement Corporation and Allstate Life Insurance Company v. Rapid Settlements, Ltd. and Andino Ward, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 34136, 2007 WL 1377667 (E.D.Pa.), affirmed 559 F.3d 164, 2009 WL 514080, 2009 US App LEXIS 4127 (C.A.3 (Pa.))
• Pacific Life Insurance Company and Confederation Life Insurance and Annuity Company v. Rapid Settlements, Ltd. and Joyce Allen, 2007 WL 2530098 (W.D.N.Y.), affirmed 2009 WL 320184, 2009 U.S. App. LEXIS 2534 (C.A.2 (N.Y.))
• Settlement Capital Corporation v. Zulay Pagan, et al., 2009 WL 111563, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3048 (N.D. Tex. Jan. 16, 2009), 2009 WL 856466 (N.D. Tex. March 30, 2009), 2009 WL 2222634 (N.D. Tx. July 24, 2009) 
• Marriott v. American International Life Assurance Company of New York, Sup. Ct., New York County, New York, 111071/2007 (July 16, 2008)
• In re Jack, 390 B.R. 307, 2008 WL 2698194, 2008 Bankr. LEXIS 3085 (Bkrtcy. S.D. Tex., July 10, 2008)
• Allstate Life Insurance Company v. Rapid Settlements, Ltd. and Percy Griffin and Betty Thomas Griffin, Cause No. 884,136 (Harris County, Texas, March 28, 2008) 
• Allstate Settlement Corporation and Allstate Life Insurance Company v. Andino Ward, Cause No. 884,872 (Harris County, Texas, March 28, 2008) 
• R&Q Reinsurance Co. v. Rapid Settlements, Ltd. and Gwendolyn Sands Brown, 2007 WL 2330899, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 34966, 2007 WL 1428746 (S.D. Fla.)  
• Singer Asset Finance Co., L.L.C. v. Connecticut General Life Insurance Co., 975 So. 2d 375, No. 2060157, 2007 WL 1575567 (Ala. Civ. App., June 1, 2007)
• Richard v. R&Q Reinsurance Co., et al., 2007 WL 1119212, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 27987; 2007 WL 1406481, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 34751 (N.D. Tex.)
• Metropolitan Mortgage & Securities Co., Inc. v. Cochran, 2007 WL 1218001 (Wash.App. Div. 3)
• CNA Structured Settlements, Inc. and Continental Assurance Company v. Rapid Settlements, Ltd. and Willie T. Lawrence, 2007 WL  811983 (N.Y.Sup.)
• Murphy v. Gatta, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5328 (E.D. Pa.)
• Life Insurance Company of North America v. Monroe, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13411 (D. Md.)
• Donald Richardson to First Providen, LLC, 2005 Me.Super. LEXIS 201, 2005 WL 3804993 (Me. Super.)
• Delaware Valley Railway Company, Inc. v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Transportation, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Board of Claims, Docket No. 2847 (March 13, 2002)
• CGU Life Insurance Company of America v. Metropolitan Mortgage & Securities Co., Inc., et al., 131 F. Supp. 2d, 670 (E.D. Pa. 2001), 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1138, 43 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (Callaghan) 1241

In the News 

Court Scolds Firm Paying Advances on Settlements, The Washington Post, March 9, 2009

3rd Circuit Hands Settlement Purchaser Another Defeat, The Legal Intelligencer,  March 9, 2009

Structured Settlements: The State of the Market, Structured Settlement Report, February 6, 2008