Ronald Lepinskas

Partner

  • Ronald Lepinskas
  • Phone: +1 312 499 0136

    Import to Address Book

  • Duane Morris LLP
    190 South LaSalle Street, Suite 3700
    Chicago, IL 60603-3433
    USA

Ronald M. Lepinskas is a seasoned counselor and litigator in insurance coverage & regulation, bad faith, reinsurance, contract and fraud disputes, class-action defense, and malpractice liability.  He has litigated RICO, securities law, accounting disputes, mass torts, IP, antitrust, Section 1983, defamation, and environmental pollution. He has tried cases in federal and state courts from Arizona to New York, as well as administrative proceedings. He has arbitrated disputes under AAA, ARIAS, and FINRA, conducted internal investigations, and dealt with regulators and prosecutors. He has successfully argued MDL’s and TRO’s, as well as state and federal appeals. Clients have included General Re, XL, GEICO, Berkshire Hathaway, Sirius, Lexington, Clark Oil, First American Bank, Groupon, Jelly Belly Candy Company, Veolia, Merrill Lynch, insurance guaranty funds, and Duff & Phelps.

He has presented to the PCI Executive Roundtable, the Casualty Actuarial Society, the American Academy of Actuaries, the RAA Conference and RAA Board, and the NCIGF.

Representative Matters

  • Represented GEICO in a class certification actions in California, Illinois, New York, and other states arising from claims of deception and consumer fraud that the company unfairly profited from charging "excessive" car insurance premiums due to decreased driving during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Defended regulatory actions against insurers, including over claims-handling matters related to pending class actions, for example, in California and Delaware.

  • Resolved claims arising out of the 2008 Chatsworth, California train collision, concluding in a $200 million interpleader.

  • Defended fraud and contract claims brought by Receivers in Virginia, Arizona, Illinois, and Tennessee, some with related federal and state criminal investigations.

  • Arbitrated ARIAS reinsurance disputes to conclusion on various LOBs.

  • Managed N.A. casualty claims books (auto, comp, specialty, g/l) for General Re.

Admissions

  • Illinois

Education

  • University of Chicago Law School, J.D., with honors
    ◦ Patino Fellow, Law Review
  • Dartmouth College, B.A., summa cum laude

Experience

  • Duane Morris LLP – Partner, 2018-present
  • Vocke Law Group – Founding Partner, 2016-2017
  • General Re Corporation – Casualty Claims Head, 2014-2016
  • DLA Piper – Partner, 2008-2014
  • Lord, Bissell & Brook  –  Associate 1993-1999; Partner 1999-2007
  • Fifth-grade teacher, Holy Angels School, Chicago (before law school)

Honors and Awards

  • Listed in Best Lawyers in America, 2021-2024

Selected Publications

  • Published articles in the Illinois Bar Journal, Dartmouth Alumni Magazine, and University of Chicago Law Review, and op-eds in the Chicago Tribune