Jason Kuzniar is an experienced federal and state court litigator, who focuses his practice on defending professionals and representing a large and expanding base of life, health and disability insurers. He also has a dynamic commercial litigation practice that covers a broad range of lawsuits involving business disputes, intellectual property, consumer protection and fiduciary liability, among other areas.
Jason develops strong working and personal relationships with his clients through an understanding of their expectations at the outset of a case and by remaining conscientious in pursuing their needs throughout the litigation process. He carefully follows their unique litigation guidelines with regard to staffing, budgeting and related criteria, while working to resolve litigation matters efficiently and cost-effectively. Jason has considerable experience partnering with clients on tailoring and managing nationwide alternative-fee programs.
Jurisdictions
Jason has advised and represented insurers and directly defended insureds and corporate clients throughout Illinois and in Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin. He also has represented clients in arbitration proceedings before the American Arbitration Association, and represented creditors and defended adversary cases in bankruptcy court in Illinois and Wisconsin.
Areas of Focus
Professional Liability
For more than a decade, Jason has advised and represented lawyers, accountants and other professionals, and has represented insurers on professional liability coverage matters. He has successfully defended these professionals in trial and appellate courts on a wide variety of claims, including malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty, malicious prosecution, abuse of process, defamation, aiding and abetting, conspiracy, and violations of state and federal consumer protection statutes.
Life, Health, Disability & ERISA
Jason represents insurers in ERISA and non-ERISA life, health and disability benefits claims, and in state law bad faith claims. He has substantial experience representing these insurers in all phases of litigation in trial and appellate courts throughout the country.
Jason is a member of the Life, Health, Disability & ERISA Committee of the Defense Research Institute; contributes to its Life, Health and Disability News; and is co-author of the chapter on “Disability Insurance” in the New York State Bar Association Insurance Law Practice treatise (2d ed. July 2006).
Intellectual Property
Jason’s IP litigation experience includes, among other areas, defense and prosecution of trademark counterfeiting, infringement, and dilution; copyright infringement; and licensing issues. He also has assisted in the service and execution of a civil turnover order in which more than 44,000 pieces of counterfeit goods were seized; and he has represented rights holders on post-judgment collection proceedings.
Consumer Protection Defense
For more than 15 years, Jason has defended claims under state and federal consumer protection statutes, including individual and class action claims under the Fair Debt Collection Practice Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. In addition to obtaining numerous favorable settlements on behalf of his clients, Jason also has had success litigating such claims in court.
Commercial and Insurance Litigation
Jason has served as coverage and litigation counsel to insurers in the United States and London on a variety of insurance coverage and bad faith claims, including professional liability coverage; fidelity bond and bank employee dishonesty; fiduciary liability; directors and officers liability; general liability and casualty; automobile and transportation liability; and property loss and bodily injury. He also has handled matters involving insurance premium collection; defamation; and the federal Communications Decency Act.