Gary Thompson

Partner

Education

  • Rutgers School of Law, 1990, J.D., Senior Articles Editor, Rutgers Law Review; Mock Trial winner
  • Georgetown University, 1987, B.A., cum laude, Philosophy, Political Theory,  champion, mid-Atlantic college debate tournament

Professional Admissions / Qualifications

  • District of Columbia
  • New York

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals - District of Columbia Circuit
  • U.S. District Court - District of Columbia
  • U.S. District Court - District of Maryland
  • U.S. District Court - District of New Jersey

Gary is an insurance recovery attorney. He represents and advises policyholders (never insurers) in a broad range of insurance-related contexts, including insurance claim preparation, negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and litigation in all courts. He has been the lead lawyer on dozens of major claims, collecting over one billion dollars in court verdicts, arbitration awards, or negotiated settlements. Gary recently won a $28 million jury verdict and a $60 million court verdict. He is one of the top, most experienced policyholder-side lawyers in the country. His expertise is particularly well-developed with respect to first-party property and business interruption insurance, directors & officers insurance, political risk insurance, fidelity bonds, and liability insurance.

Gary also has a steadfast commitment to pro bono and community service, and has won several awards for his achievements. He dedicates hundreds of hours perennially to pro bono work such as helping victims of disasters, obtaining health coverage for life-saving cancer treatments, civil rights cases, and victims of domestic violence. Gary serves on several non-profit Boards and is a publicly-elected neighborhood commissioner in D.C.

Employment History

  • 2006 - Reed Smith
  • 2001 - Gilbert Heintz & Randolph LLP
    • Founding Partner
  • 1995 - Howrey Simon Arnold & White, LLP
    • Partner/Associate
  • 1990 - Kaye Scholer LLP
    • Associate, New York and Washington D.C. Offices

Honors & Awards

  • 2005-2012 — Named in Chambers USA as one of America's leading policyholder side attorneys
  • 2005-2008 — D.C. Bar Pro Bono Committee
  • 2007 — D.C. Bar award for Best Bar Project (small business initiative)
  • 2006 — D.C. Appleseed Pro Bono Partner Award
  • 2006, 2002, 2001 — Three time recipient of Outstanding Achievement Award for Fair Housing, Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights
  • 2004 — Recognized by Business Insurance as one of the “40 under 40” outstanding professionals in the insurance industry
  • 2003 — Award for assistance provided to Army and Navy Legal Assistance to Pentagon victims of 9/11

Professional Affiliations

  • Higher Achievement Program - General Counsel
  • Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights & Urban Affairs – Board
  • Alliance to Preserve the Civil War Defenses of Washington - Treasurer
  • Chevy Chase D.C. Advisory Neighborhood Commission - Chair

Interests

  • Gary lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife, Elizabeth, and three children, Alex, Maddie, and Ella. Gary is an avid marathon runner.

Notable Quotes & Interviews

  • Options Probe Highlights D&O Insurance Issues, (Interview), Securities Law 360, (June 29, 2006).
  • Payment Delays, Code Upgrades Impact Hotels Rebuilding After Hurricanes, (Interview), Hotel Business (February 7, 2006)
  • Hurricane Recovery Begins For Gulf Hotels: Insurance Fallout About To Take Shape, (Interview), Hotel Journal (December 2005
  • Insurance Tips for Handling Disasters, (Interview), Affordable Housing Finance (November 2005)
  • Business Interruption Insurance – A Lifeline for Hotels, (Interview), Hotel & Motel Management (October 3, 2005)
  • Natural Disasters Give Rise to Insurance Question, (Interview), Bayou Business Review (October 3, 2005)
  • Tangled Claims Process Awaits Many Businesses, (Interview), Houston Chronicle (September 26, 2005)
  • Investors, Analysts Scurry to Determine Insurance Implications of Katrina, (Interview), Commercial Real Estate Direct (September 15, 2005)
  • Real Estate Bonds Will Likely Take Hit In Wake of Katrina, (Interview), Wall Street Journal, Page C1 (September 14, 2005)
  • Helping a Mom Left Behind – Lawyers Fight to Keep 9/11 Death Benefit From Absent Father”, (Interview), Legal Times (November 10, 2003)