Stephen C. Baker is a nationally known litigator and a partner and a leader of the firm's Life Insurance & Annuities Practice Group. He represents major insurance company groups in business litigation, regulatory, coverage and claims matters. He serves both property and casualty and life, health and accident insurers. For several life carriers and a BGA, he is national counsel for secondary market issues. In his secondary market work, Steve advises insurers on exposures stemming from viaticals, life settlements, non-recourse premium financing and stranger-originated life insurance (STOLI) transactions. His practice assists clients in resolving complex legal issues in marketing, underwriting and administering high face value life insurance policies.
Steve is an experienced trial lawyer. In his 32-year career, he has spent an aggregate of more than a year on trial. His insurance practice is widely known for client-driven, innovative service. Service initiatives developed by Steve include a fixed-fee second opinion for serious cases, money-back guarantees on certain results and creating a client profit center for a carrier out of a complex of environmental claims.
His insurance industry practice includes insurance, reinsurance, broker and agency issues, and direct commercial litigation.
In addition to his national profile as an insurance litigator, Steve has substantial experience litigating and trying other types of complex commercial litigation. His commercial trial experience includes products liability, securities, unfair competition, occupational injury and other mass tort cases. For instance, Steve tried an occupational injury mass tort case in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County that was the longest trial in Pennsylvania's history. Steve's client was the only party to leave the courtroom without owing money to the plaintiff.
Steve also serves as general outside counsel to a wide range of entities, including a nationally prominent telecommunications company and a school for blind and handicapped children.
In General. Steve is a member of the American Bar Association and the Philadelphia Bar Association. In addition, he is a director at the Royer-Greaves School for the Blind and has served as the trial team coach at The Episcopal Academy.
Representative Matters
· National Representation of Life Insurers - Provides counsel, analyzes claims, and defends litigation nationally for several life insurers.
· Defeated Constitutional Challenge to Statute - Represented group of insurers in defending a New Jersey action raising a constitutional challenge to an insurance-related statute. The case was dismissed.
· Unbroken String of Defense Verdicts - As regional liability defense counsel, responsible for an unbroken three-year string of defense verdicts.
· Making the Law on Forum Non Conveniens - Prepared successful petition for certiorari and brief on merits in landmark U.S. Supreme Court case.
Publication
09/10/2013
Client Alert
Texas Court Departs From Previous Decisions: Investments in Life Settlements are Securities
08/29/2013
EIUL Alert
CDA v. Global One
08/21/2013
Client Alert
Life Settlement Investors Sue Auditor
12/19/2012
Life Insurance & Annuities Client Alert
Pension Factoring Alert
10/09/2012
Life Insurance & Annuities Client Alert
Financial Fraud Alert
10/03/2012
Life Insurance & Annuities Client Alert
Financial Fraud Alert
09/20/2012
Life Insurance & Annuities Client Alert
Financial Fraud Alert
08/14/2012
Life Insurance & Annuities Client Alert
Financial Fraud Alert
08/02/2012
Life Insurance & Annuities Client Alert
Financial Fraud Alert
05/17/2012
Client Alert
Suit Filed Against Auditor of Investment Fund for Deficient Auditing of Madoff-Managed Assets
10/18/2011
Financial Fraud Alert
US Attorney Files Superseding Indictment Against Costa Rican Company, Its President And Its Auditer for Alleged $670 million Fraudulent Scheme
9/2/2011
Financial Fraud Alert
SEC Files Suit Against Alleged Orchestrator of Oil and Gas Investment Ponzi Scheme
5/13/2011
Financial Fraud Alert
U.S. Attorney Indicts Three in Alleged $52.5 Million Ponzi Scheme
4/7/2011
Financial Fraud Alert
SEC Brings Suit Against Alleged Mastermind of Life Settlement
3/7/2011
Financial Fraud Alert
Bank Seeks Insurance Coverage for Losses Allegedly Stemming from Fraudulent Loans to Ponzi Schemer
3/3/2011
Financial Fraud Alert
Receiver of Failed Life Settlement Company Brings Suit Against Agents
2/17/2011
Financial Fraud Alert
Financial Fraud: Risks to Ancillary Service Providers and Other Outsiders
2/11/2011
Financial Fraud Alert
Financial Fraud: Risks to Ancillary Service Providers and Other Outsiders
1/11/2011
Financial Fraud Alert
Financial Fraud: Risks to Ancillary Service Providers and Other Outsiders
9/20/2007
Structured Settlement Update
8/2/2007
Structured Settlement Update
05/22/2007
Structured Settlement Update
5/8/2007
Structured Settlement Update
1/10/2007
Structured Settlement Update
10/3/2006
Structured Settlement Update
3/6/2006
Structured Settlement Update
02/01/2006
The LTC Insurance Link
A Newsletter of Legal Developments That Impact Long-Term Care Insurers
1/6/2006
Insurance Class Action Alert
11/16/2005
Insurance Class Action Alert
10/26/2005
The LTC Insurance Link
Senior Issues Task Force Considers Eliminating or Altering the Fraud Exception to the Incontestability Provision in Long-Term Care Insurance Policies
10/25/2005
The LTC Insurance Link
Delaware Insurance Department Launches Probe of Long-Term Care Insurance Rate Increases
01/31/2005
The LTC Insurance Link
First Long Term Care Insurance Summit Held in Chicago
8/18/2004
The LTC Insurance Link
A Quarterly Newsletter of Legal Developments that Impact Long-Term Care Insurers
10/17/2002
Insurance Class Action Alert
9/18/2002
Structured Settlement Update - September 2002
5/3/2002
Insurance Class Action Alert
Speaking Engagements
09/11/2012
2012 HighCap Sales Forum
A Few Million Here, A Few Million There, and Before Long It's Real Money
05/09/2012
STOLI: "Over the Next Hill"
ACLI Litigation Committee Meeting
01/02/2010
CLE Seminar
The Secondary Market Academy
11/19/2009
CLE Seminar
The Secondary Market Academy
11/09/2009
The Secondary Market Academy
CLE Seminar: Stranger Originated Life Insurance
11/04/2009
CLE Seminar
The Secondary Market Academy
10/19/2009
American Council for Life Insurers 2009 Annual Conference
10/08/2009
CLE Seminar
The Secondary Market Academy
08/12/2009
CLE Seminar
The Secondary Market Academy
7/22/2009
American Council for Life Insurers Compliance and Legal Sections Annual Meeting
12/11/2007
Mealey's Life Insurance in the Secondary Market Conference
02/27/2007
Intercompany Long Term Care Insurance Conference
Class Action Vaccination
