HELEN K. MICHAEL

HELEN K. Michael is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Blank Rome. She has nearly 30 years of experience representing policyholders in high-stakes insurance recovery disputes in all key coverage areas.

Michael’s work representing corporate policyholders has taken place in a variety of settings, including mediation, arbitration, trial, and appeal. Working closely with her clients to determine objectives, formulate effective strategies, and position disputes for the best outcomes, whether through negotiation, or at trial or on appeal, she has a proven track record of success.

Among trial successes, Michael has secured jury verdicts awarding compensatory and exemplary damages to her policyholder clients in excess of $400 million. Among successes on appeal, she has obtained a ruling on a question of first impression reconfirming the breadth of insurers’ duty to defend class action cases. In total, she has assisted her clients in recovering more than $1 billion in insurance proceeds.

Michael also provides risk management advice to clients to help avoid or minimize coverage disputes and help ensure that they obtain insurance appropriate for the principal risks presented by their businesses. She has substantial experience in class action defense and the formulation of effective strategies for defeating mass tort and other consumer claims, including theories governing the piercing of the corporate veil and the imposition of successor liability.

Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers has recognized Michael every year since 2011. She’s been named by Best Lawyers in America sine 2013, and Chambers USA since 2016. She is also part of the 2020 Legal 500 United States.

Michael earned a BA, with honors, from Hampshire College, a JD, with honors, from University of North Carolina School of Law, and an LLM with highest honors from George Washington University Law School.

Michael, who is married, traces her Irish ancestry several generations back to counties Galway, Sligo, Roscommon, Meath and Galway.