Daniel E. Bryer

Partner

  • Overview

    Biography

    Daniel Bryer litigates complex insurance coverage disputes and provides insurance coverage advice to insurers. He works closely with clients to develop effective, efficient litigation strategies and adopts a flexible approach to problem solving to best meet his clients’ needs. He serves as Vice-Practice Group Leader of the firm’s Insurance + Reinsurance Group.

    Insurance Coverage Litigation

    Dan plays an integral role in a wide range of coverage litigation matters in state and federal court, including briefing and arguing dispositive motions, taking and defending depositions of fact and opinion witnesses, and presenting oral argument and examining witnesses at trial and other evidentiary proceedings. His litigation experience includes coverage disputes involving property and casualty, construction, environmental, general liability, and Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) matters. His litigation practice is focused in state and federal courts in New Jersey and New York but has also included cases in jurisdictions across the country. Dan has served as a team leader on large litigations involving professional liability, construction defect, product recall, and fidelity claims. He also has demonstrated success resolving cases through alternative dispute resolution, including mediation and arbitration.

    Insurance Coverage Advice

    Dan routinely counsels insurance coverage clients faced with complex, long tail or excess liability issues. He focuses on providing coverage advice in the context of complex commercial claims with potential exposure across multiple policy years and on multiple layers of coverage. Dan provides clients advice regarding general commercial liability, excess liability, multimedia, environmental, and professional liability insurance policies.

    Health Insurance Litigation

    Dan litigates health care; ERISA; and managed care life, health, and disability benefit cases on behalf of insurers. He has successfully defended life, health, and disability claims brought in state and federal court against insurers, plan administrators, employers, and managed care organizations, including in cases governed by ERISA. His health insurance litigation practice is heavily focused on cases in New Jersey federal and state courts.

    Pro Bono

    Dan spearheads Robinson+Cole’s participation in the New York City Family Court Volunteer Attorney program, where attorneys provide counseling sessions to family court petitioners and litigants regarding child support, paternity, custody, visitation, and orders of protection.  
     

  • Experience
    • Experience

      Experience

      • Obtained order dismissing seven figure claims purportedly based in breach of contract and quasi-contract theories. 

      • Defended leading health insurer in a case involving claims for state law breach of contract, consumer fraud, and negligent misrepresentation where plaintiff alleged that insurer fraudulently induced purchase of policy and improperly denied claims for benefits related to behavioral health treatment.

      • Provided insurer coverage advice as national counsel to global insurer regarding claims for coverage involving hundreds of underlying lawsuits, including multidistrict litigation, over 10-plus years and multiple layers of insurance coverage on a coverage tower. 

      • Obtained finding of no coverage in product recall and rescission arbitration, sitting second seat at arbitration.*

      • Defeated an Order to Show Cause seeking injunctive relief and an award of benefits pursuant to ERISA, ultimately resulting in dismissal of all claims. *

      * Atty. Bryer was counsel in these representative matters before joining Robinson+Cole.

    • Professional Associations

      Professional Associations

      Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel

      New York City Bar Association
      Insurance Law Committee (2017 - 2020)

      Insurance Federation of New York
      Former Member, Emerging Leaders Group
  • NEWS + PRESS
    • Presentations

      Presentations

      "Coverage for an American Epidemic: Insurance Coverage Issues Stemming from Opioid Litigation," during the Connecticut Bar Association's Connecticut Legal Conference. (9/14/2020)
      • » more info

      "The Opioid Epidemic: Trending Insurance Coverage Issues," at the 2019 Claims and Litigation Management (CLM) Annual Conference (3/15/2019)
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      "Ethics, Privilege, and Confidentiality in Insurance Claims and Coverage Disputes," CLE presentation (February 2017)

      "When Is a Claim Not a Claim, Unraveling the Riddle of Covered and Uncovered Claims," CLE presentation (June 2016)

    • News

      R+C in the News

      • July 12, 2021

        Dan Bryer Admitted to Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel

        • » more info
      • March 19, 2019

        Dan Bryer Presents on the Opioid Crisis at the 2019 CLM Conference

        • » more info

      R+C News Releases