D&O University On-Demand

Leor Kaplan is an attorney with extensive experience providing technical guidance and leadership across multiple product lines. As the Management Liability and Fiduciary Product Officer with Zurich, Leor is responsible for the development and implementation of profitable growth strategies for Financial Lines products. Prior to joining Zurich, Leor was responsible for leading claims teams at a global insurer.   

Current Responsibilities 
Ruth Kochenderfer is Marsh’s D&O Product Leader and a broker for Marsh's FINPRO (Financial and Professional lines) practice in Washington, DC. As a broker, she advises clients on the evaluation and design of risk transfer solutions that address financial and professional exposures, including directors and officers liability, errors and omissions, cyber security and privacy liability, employment practices liability, fidelity (crime), employed lawyers liability, and fiduciary liability. Ruth’s clients include publicly traded, as well as private, US and multinational clients in various industries.  

Experience 
Prior to joining Marsh in 2014, Ruth practiced law for more than 17 years as an insurance coverage litigator.  Immediately prior to joining Marsh, Ruth was a partner in the insurance coverage litigation group at Steptoe & Johnson in DC.  She advised insurance companies on a wide array of issues arising under professional liability, errors and omissions, and commercial general liability policies.  She has extensive experience in evaluating and resolving claims.  She has represented insurers in complex insurance coverage litigation throughout the US.  

Ms. Kochenderfer frequently speaks on a wide array of insurance subjects.  She has served as a chair of the American Bar Association’s Women of Insurance Network Conference, as a vice co-chair of the American Bar Association's Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee, and served a clerkship with the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.  

LinkedIn: Ruth Kochenderfer

Overview
Tom Judge serves many roles for the insurance carriers he represents a best-in-class courtroom advocate, seasoned risk assessor, and shrewd negotiator. He advises on various lines, but the cases on his desk are typically professional liability matters involving complex insurance coverage and bad faith actions, each with millions of dollars of potential exposure.

These often complex disputes include claims demanding millions of dollars against corporate officers and directors, financial institutions, investment advisors, hedge funds, healthcare companies, information technology providers, accountants, insurance brokers, real estate agents, and other attorneys. The professional liability allegations against them are highly sensitive, requiring Tom's careful analysis and planning to achieve the best possible outcomes.

The leader of Dykema's professional liability practice, and the co­ director of Dykema's insurance industry group, Tom has represented insurers for nearly 30 years. Clients quoted in Chambers USA 2022 note, "Thomas is extremely detail-oriented and leaves no stone unturned. He has a strong ability to break down complex issues and is one of my go-to attorneys when expecting tough negotiations."

He approaches every case with determined, strong-willed advocacy, whether he is leading the insurance company's defense or formulating a strategy with other law firms.
His analyses are comprehensive and results-oriented, from detailed coverage opinions to meticulously crafted pleadings, briefs, and mediation statements.

In the courtroom or working behind the scenes, Tom is precise and direct yet polite; he states the client's position articulately, asks poignant questions, and argues his points persuasively. Because of Tom's accomplishments and reputation for professionalism, Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business and other rankings list him among the top litigators in his field.

Kathryn Walker started with St. Paul Companies in 1999 in the Professional Errors & Omissions claim unit. She is currently Vice President of Bond & Specialty Insurance Claim at Travelers, and she is responsible for E&O, D&O, EPL, Transactional Liability and Fiduciary Liability claims for public companies and financial institutions.

Kathryn attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and the University of Minnesota Law School. She was a litigation partner at the law firm of Popham Haik Schnobrich & Kaufman, and also worked at the firm of Zelle & Larson, both located in Minneapolis, MN. In private practice, Kathryn focused on business litigation and defended securities fraud class actions and other business-related disputes. She has tried numerous cases, including jury and court trials.

Ms. Dworniczek began her career as a litigation and coverage attorney before transitioning to an in-house Senior Claim Counsel role in 2002. Inspired by her colleagues in actuarial and underwriting, she subsequently led large, national underwriting teams and developed a strategic focus on building and revitalizing insurance portfolios.  Ms. Dworniczek is also General Counsel for Chicago French Bulldog Rescue, a cause close to her heart.  A frequent panelist and lecturer, she is also committed to teaching and mentoring the next generation of insurance professionals.

Jan Tourangeau is an accomplished insurance professional with over 15 years of experience in management liability underwriting, and risk management. In her current role as Vice President at Westfield Specialty, Jan plays a key role in supporting the development and execution of underwriting strategies aimed at driving profitability and growth.

Prior to Westfield, Jan served as Senior Vice President at Platinum Management Liability, where she was instrumental in launching a new MGA facility, shaping underwriting strategies, and building a robust operational framework.

Earlier, as Vice President at Axis Insurance, Jan was deeply involved in underwriting and business development across a variety of commercial insurance lines, consistently contributing to business growth and profitability.

Justin Kudler is Vice President and Senior Claims Counsel in the Claims Advocacy Group at ARC Excess & Surplus, LLC.  Before joining ARC, Justin worked at AXA XL in Hartford, where he handled D&O, E&O, EPL, and other professional liability claims. 

He served as a Co-Chair of the PLUS D&O Symposium from 2020 to 2022 and is a Hartford PLUS Chapter Steering Committee Member, serving as Chair in 2020.  Justin has published articles on D&O insurance issues, the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and other securities and class action issues.  He also has spoken at industry conferences on topics including claim handling, claim trends, insurance for financial institutions, insurance for agents and brokers, and sub-prime litigation.  In private law practice, Justin represented defendants and plaintiffs in securities and consumer class actions, as well as individuals in SEC investigations. 

Justin is a graduate of Harvard University, receiving his undergraduate degree cum laude in Government, and the University of Virginia School of Law, serving as Executive Editor of the Virginia Journal of Law and Technology. 

Ron is a managing director with the Legal and Claims practice group of Aon Financial Services (FSG). In this role, Ron works closely with brokers, clients and insurers on issues involving corporate directors and officers' liability, employment practices, fiduciary, errors and omissions, cyber, fidelity, and other executive and professional liability insurance products. Prior to joining Aon, Ron was vice president and global claims manager leading the unit at Hartford Financial Products responsible for handling all financial products and professional liability claims for The Hartford. Prior to joining The Hartford, Ron was vice president, and specialty claims manager at the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies leading the department handling financial and professional lines claims within the New York, New England and mid-Atlantic region. Ron began his career in private practice in New York City where he represented various insurers in connection with director and officer and other professional liability claims.

Ron is an active member of the Professional Liability Underwriting Society where he had been a chair of the content committee for the PLUS International Conference, a committee member and an instructor for the PLUS University program. Ron is also a member of the executive council, a faculty member and Dean of the School of Professional Lines for the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance where he is active in developing educational programs for insurance professionals, including risk managers and other members of the insurance industry.

Marissa Streckfus, Vice President and Claims Manager for RT ProExec, began her career as a claims specialist at Chubb. Marissa joined RT ProExec in 2017.  For close to 10 years prior, Marissa adjusted claims for Directors & Officers, Employment Practices, Fiduciary, Cyber and other Professional Errors and Omissions Liability policies. While employed with Chubb, Marissa attended the University of Connecticut School of Law and graduated in 2015. Marissa is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association. 

Sarah Abrams is the Head of Claims at Baleen Specialty, a division of Bowhead Specialty.  Baleen Specialty underwrites wholesale and surplus lines insurance policies; leveraging proprietary digital underwriting and claims platforms.  Prior to joining Baleen, Sarah was Head of Professional Liability Claims at Bowhead Specialty and was responsible for developing the guidelines and architecture of the department responsible for all D&O, E&O and Cyber claims. 
 
Sarah began her career as a litigator, working for a variety of insurers, reinsurers and TPAs as defense and coverage counsel immediately following her graduation from Chicago Kent College of law.  Within in five years of law firm private practice she was recruited to join Markel as a Professional Liability Claims examiner.  At the end of her decade tenure with Markel, Sarah was a Director of Management Liability, overseeing people managers of public, private company and financial institution teams.  

Sarah earned her liberal arts degree, major in Psychology from Duke University in North Carolina. She has been a keynote speaker and spoken on numerous industry panels.  Sarah has been published in a variety industry periodicals and publications including Law360, CLM Magazine, the PLUS Blog and the D&O Diary.

Peter is a Senior Vice President and Senior Claims Advocate on Marsh’s FINPRO team. He is based in Chicago, Illinois. Prior to joining Marsh, Peter spent several years working on the carrier side managing Directors & Officers and Financial Institution claims. He began his career as an attorney in private practice in Chicago litigating a wide variety of matters, including those involving business and shareholder disputes, insurance coverage, professional liability, and general liability.

Peter graduated from Vanderbilt Law School in Nashville, Tennessee. He earned a Bachelor’s in Business from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Peter regularly writes and presents on matters such as insurance coverage, securities regulation, and professional liability.