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Brian focuses his practice on commercial matters including insurance coverage disputes on behalf of policyholders, restrictive covenant and trade secret matters, commercial contract disputes, and complex litigation.

Credentials

  • University of Pittsburgh School of Law, 1992, J.D., magna cum laude, Staff Member (1990-91) and Associate Editor (1991-92), University of Pittsburgh Law Review; Elected to the Order of the Coif; Received the Pittsburgh Tax Club 1992 Memorial Prize
  • University of Michigan, 1989, B.A., Economics

  • Pennsylvania

  • State Supreme Court - Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court - Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court - Western District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. Court of Appeals - Third Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals - Sixth Circuit

  • Allegheny County Bar Association
  • American Inns of Court, Pittsburgh Chapter (1996-1998)
  • Board of Directors, Epilepsy Association of Western and Central Pennsylvania

  • Honorable Robert E. DeMascio, U.S. District Court - Eastern District of Michigan

Awards & Recognition

  • Selected through peer review for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© for Insurance Law, 2023-2024

In the News

  • 24 January 2018 "Insurance Group of the Year: Reed Smith" Law360 (quoted as trial counsel for Mine Safety Appliances Company in jury and non-jury trials of MSA’s breach of contract and bad faith claims against North River Insurance Company, in article recognizing Reed Smith’s Insurance Recovery Group and featuring a discussion regarding the MSA litigation) 
  • 24 April 2016 "Cyber ruling opens door to CGL claims Records 'published' without being viewed" Business Insurance (quoted regarding impact of decision by the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit supporting insurance coverage for a cyber liability claim)
  • 30 June 2015 “Tech Moves Too Fast to Enforce Smartphone Noncompete” Pennsylvania Law Weekly  (quoted regarding enforceability of non-compete agreements in iDropped v. Summo)
  • 5 June 2015 "When Buying Cybersecurity Insurance: Caveat Emptor" FinOps Report (quoted on cyber liability insurance coverage)
  • 20 January 2015 “Increasing Cybersecurity Risks Driving Insurance Policy Growth” Tech Times (quoted regarding need for specific cyberliability insurance coverage as part of overall program to manage cyber risks)
  • 5 January 2015 “Target’s data breach liabilities mount as credit card issuers’ suit proceeds” Business Insurance(quoted regarding insurance impact of court ruling relating to Target data breach)
  • 13 October 2014 “Banks Win vs. Insurers in Cyberattack Claims Payouts” The Wall Street Journal – Risk and Compliance Journal: The Morning Risk Report (quoted regarding impact of decision by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania in favor of coverage for a cyberliability claim)
  • 10 October 2014 “Babcock Case May Give Policyholders More Settlement Control” Law360 (quoted regarding analysis of case pending before Supreme Court of Pennsylvania concerning settlement rights of an insured in underlying litigation when the insurance company is defending the insured in that litigation subject to a reservation of rights)