Stephen M. Lazare
Partner
Insurance Coverage/Litigation
Direct: (212) 784-2401
Education
Juris Doctor, 1985, Albany Law School of Union University, Albany, New York
Editor-in-Chief, Albany Law Review
Recipient, Benjamin N. Cardozo Award
Bachelor of Arts, 1982, St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York
Bar Admissions
State of New York; United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit; United States District Court, Southern, Eastern, Western and Northern Districts of New York
Professional Activities
Chairperson: Insurance Coverage Committee, New York State Bar Association (2008 to 2010)
Vice Chairperson: Insurance Coverage Committee, New York State Bar Association (2006 to 2008)
Faculty Member: 2006 New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) Coverage for the Construction Defect Claim; 2005 New York State Bar Association (“NYSBA”) Insurance Coverage/Bad Faith Update (Statewide Chair); 2004 NYSBA Coverage Update; 2004 NYSBA Program on Commercial Lines Insurance Coverage With Advanced Issues (New York City Chair); 2003 NYSBA Program on Insurance Coverage Issues – With a Focus on Personal Lines (Long Island Chair); 2001 Lorman Education Services Program on Insurance Bad Faith Claims in New York; 2001 NYSBA Program on Discovery: The Key to Success in Trial-A Basic Nuts and Bolts Approach; Practicing Law Institute, 1989 Program on Bad Faith Litigation.
Member: American Bar Association; The New York State Bar Association (Torts, Insurance & Compensation Section); The Association of the Bar of the City of New York; The Insurance Federation of New York; The Defense Research Institute; Professional Liability Underwriters Society; Editorial Advisory Board, Strafford Publications, Insurance Law & Litigation; Legal Affairs Committee, Childhope International.
President-Elect and Vice Chairman: The Down Syndrome Research & Treatment Foundation
Publications/Course Materials
Dispelling the Pecker v. Travelers Myth, New York Law Journal (March 14, 2007)
The “Business Risk” and Other Property-Damage Related Exclusions in Commercial General Liability Policies, Commercial Lines: Coverage for the Construction Defect Claim (NYSBA 2006)
Insurer "Bad-Faith" Liability in New York -- the First-Party Context (NYSBA 2005);
The Professional Services Exclusion, Commercial Lines Insurance Coverage with Advanced Issues (NYSBA 2004);
The “J” Property Damage Exclusions in Commercial General Liability Policies, Commercial Lines Insurance Coverage with Advanced Issues (NYSBA 2004);
Insurer “Bad Faith” Liability in New York, Insurance Coverage Issues – With a Focus on Personal Lines (NYSBA 2003);
The New York Law of Insurance Bad Faith: Reflections on the Third Party Side, Insurance Bad Faith Claims In New York (LES 2001, udpated 2005);
Bad Faith Litigation: Motion Practice, Insurance Bad Faith Claims In New York (LES 2001, updated 2005);
Selected Discovery-Related Ethics Issues, Discovery: The Key to Success in Trial (NYSBA 2000);
Punitive Damages, Uncertainty, and Regulating First Party Insurer Conduct, Practicing Law Institute, Bad Faith Litigation and Insurer vs. Insurer Disputes (PLI 1988 & 1989 update);
Processing First-Party Claims Under Special/High Risk Policies, Practicing Law Institute, Bad Faith Litigation and Insurer vs. Insurer Disputes (PLI 1987);
Accountants' Liability to Third-Parties, 48 Albany Law Review 876 (1984)
Recently Published Decisions
UnitedHealth Group v. Hiscox Dedicated Corporate Member, Ltd., 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10983 (D. Minn. Feb. 9, 2010)
Brentwood Pain & Rehab. Servs., P.C. v. Allstate Ins. Co., 508 F. Supp. 2d 278 (S.D.N.Y. 2007)
Amin Realty, L.L.C. v. Travelers Property Cas. Co., 2006 WL 1720401 (E.D.N.Y. June 20, 2006);
National Union Fire Insurance., Individually, and as subrogee of Bell Atlantic Corporation and Verizon Communication Inc., formerly d/b/a Bell Atlantic Corporation, v. Travelers Property Casualty Co., 2006 W.L. 1489243 (S.D.N.Y. May 26, 2006);
ePlus Group, Inc. v. Banc of America Leasing & Capital, GMAC Commercial Finance LLC, and The Travelers Insurance Company, 2006 WL 318863 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 10, 2006);
C-Kitchen Associates, Inc. v. Travelers Ins. Co., 11 A.D.3d 961, 782 N.Y.S.2d 486 (4th Dep't 2004);
Baker Residential Ltd. Partnership v. Travelers Ins. Co., 10 A.D.3d 586, 782 N.Y.S.2d 249 (1st Dep't 2004);
Vigilant Ins. Co. v. Credit Suisse First Boston Corp., 10 A.D.3d 528, 782 N.Y.S.2d 19 (1st Dep't 2004);
Piper Rudnick LLP v. Shearman & Sterling, 302 A.D.2d 320, 754 N.Y.S.2d 875 (1st Dep’t 2003);
Moore v. Travelers Ins. Co., 289 A.D.2d 818, 734 N.Y.S.2d 717 (3d Dep’t 2001);
Doros & Brescia, P.C. v. Farmington Cas. Co., 289 A.D.2d 56, 734 N.Y.S.2d 143 (1st Dep’t 2001);
Aschenbrenner v. Conseil Regional de Haute-Normandie, 851 F.Supp. 580 (S.D.N.Y. 1994
