Stephen Berry Email and Phone Number

Chief Legal Officer of the largest property/casualty insurance company based in Georgia. Responsibilities include control of litigation against the company, coordination of legislative efforts, Product Development, Claims audits, regulatory compliance, and all other legal functions of the company.Occasionally retained as an expert witness in litigation involving insurance bad faith.Author of the only comprehensive book on Georgia insurance law (Westlaw, currently 8th edition).Formerly a large law firm partner with a practice focused on insurance coverage and insurance bad-faith litigation and related counseling (with particular emphasis on construction defect, intellectual property, and catastrophic property damage claims) throughout the country, especially in the Southeastern states.Previous matters include:(1) Lead counsel for victorious insurer in First Acceptance Ins. Co. v. Hughes (Ga. 2019) (Georgia's seminal case on pre-suit bad-faith set-up demands).(2) Lead counsel for victorious insurer in Liberty Mutual Ins. Co. v. Wheelwright Trucking (Al. 2002) (Alabama's seminal case on post-denial bad-faith set-up claims).(3) Coordinated a major insurer’s strategy for coverage questions and settlement issues arising out of Chinese Drywall, in courts throughout Florida, Louisiana, and other states. (4) Defended an insurer in bad faith litigation and 50 separate contested appraisals in Hurricane Katrina claim filed by 50-building college campus in Mississippi. (5) Coached nationwide insurers to avoid bad faith claims arising out of the duty to settle, and helping them defeat such claims after they arise.Other books include Property Damage Appraisals (CLM, 2013) and Insurance Coverage for Intellectual Property Claims (Lexis, 2015). Other publications include numerous articles on coverage for third-party construction defect and first-party property damage claims. Presentations include numerous seminars on such topics to private and public audiences.Specialty: Insurance LitigationInsurance and Financial Institutions