Accomplished Insurance Recovery Team Joins McGuireWoods’ Atlanta Office

Tony Tatum, Shelby Guilbert and Joseph Englert Expand Firm’s Litigation Capabilities

February 16, 2021

McGuireWoods is expanding its insurance recovery capabilities with the arrival of partners Anthony (Tony) P. Tatum, Shelby S. Guilbert Jr. and Joseph M. Englert, who advise leading public and private companies, including financial institutions, energy-based clients and healthcare providers, in insurance coverage and related complex commercial disputes.

Tatum, Guilbert and Englert have assisted clients in recovering over $2 billion in insurance coverage over the past three years alone. They represent clients in state and federal courts throughout the country and in domestic and international arbitration tribunals, including complex cross-border matters involving the London, Bermuda and Asian insurance markets.

They have extensive experience litigating and advising clients regarding claims arising under all major lines of commercial insurance, including commercial general liability; cyber liability; property damage and business interruption; directors and officers (D&O) liability; errors and omissions (E&O); professional liability; crime/fidelity bond; political risk and trade credit; representation and warranty; and other lines of insurance coverage. They join McGuireWoods’ Atlanta office from King & Spalding, where Tatum was co-leader of the insurance coverage and recovery practice.

“These respected lawyers’ collective experience in high-stakes insurance recovery matters will have immense benefits for our clients, particularly as they deal with legal issues and losses related to the continuing pandemic,” said Dion Hayes, McGuireWoods’ deputy managing partner for litigation.

Tatum litigates insurance and related complex commercial disputes on behalf of financial institutions and global companies, including clients in the healthcare, food and beverage, mining, energy and infrastructure industries. In addition to stateside litigation and arbitration, his insurance recovery practice includes cross-border disputes and international arbitrations administered through the ICDR, LCIA and ICC.

Tatum has advised and litigated for clients on coverage disputes related to multi-hundred-million-dollar business and property losses from catastrophic incidents, long-tail environmental liabilities, losses from foreign government confiscation / expropriation of assets, and bet-the-company D&O and E&O claims. He has obtained some of the largest insurance recoveries for financial institution clients for losses sustained as a result of the 2008 credit crisis. In addition to his disputes practice, he frequently counsels companies and their boards of directors on a range of issues, including those related to D&O insurance and indemnification issues.

Guilbert represents businesses, financial institutions, manufacturers, energy companies and healthcare providers in insurance recovery litigation, contract disputes, and cross-border litigation and international arbitration. He was appointed co-lead counsel in the COVID-19 business interruption insurance multidistrict litigation pending in the Northern District of Illinois, and he has helped numerous Fortune 500 companies recover hundreds of millions of dollars in insurance coverage for catastrophic losses arising from data privacy incidents. He also works with companies and their boards to address risk management issues related to insurance policy renewals, mergers and acquisitions, and IPO transactions.

Englert represents insurance policyholders in complex insurance recovery and indemnification litigation and arbitration matters and counsels them before disputes arise to help them obtain best-in-class terms and conditions for multiple lines of coverage. His clients include financial institutions, healthcare companies, energy and infrastructure companies, technology companies, restaurants, and hospitality and manufacturing companies. He defends insurance brokers against professional negligence claims involving complicated coverage issues. Englert also advises companies on complex risk management and insurance continuity issues arising out of mergers and acquisitions. 

“Tony, Shelby and Joe are proven leaders in their practice area and well known as innovators in helping clients across industries navigate complex litigation matters and manage risk,” said Robert Muckenfuss, chair of the firm’s Complex Commercial Litigation Department. “This is an outstanding group that will make important contributions to our clients’ success.”

McGuireWoods was recognized as a leading law firm in six practice categories in BTI Consulting Group’s 2021 litigation survey, based on feedback from corporate counsel. The firm earned standout ratings for routine commercial litigation and complex commercial litigation in the annual BTI report.

“We are fortunate to have a team of this stature join McGuireWoods,” said Christopher Greene, managing partner of the firm’s Atlanta office. “This strengthens our bench in Atlanta and enhances our client service capabilities nationally and abroad.”