Attorney Articles
A Pandemic in the Making
March 5, 2020 - CLM Digital Edition
Mat Ross is a member of Wilson Elser’s Executive Committee and a co-chair of the firm’s National Trial Team. He is one of Wilson Elser’s senior New York trial partners who has extensive experience in state and federal courts and increasingly is brought in to serve as trial counsel on potentially high-exposure cases previously handled by other firms for insureds, insurers and excess insurers. Mat has tried approximately 125 cases and taken approximately 45 verdicts. He focuses on the defense of construction accident claims under New York Labor Law and other high-exposure premises liability and premises security claims. Mat has a growing coverage practice representing insurers in connection with a variety of specialty risk insurance policies. In addition, he has experience defending professional liability, toxic tort, employment and police/municipal liability matters.
In his areas of practice, Mat frequently lectures to domestic and London insurers, brokers and their insureds on topics such as “Overview of Construction/Labor Law Claims and Defenses,” “Defending Economic Loss Claims,” “Underwriting Disability Policies for Professional Athletes,” “Event Cancellation/Contingency” and “Overview of Product Contamination Recalls.” As a value-added service, Mat also presents frequently to construction site superintendents, safety personnel and others working in the field on strengthening risk management.
Prior to joining Wilson Elser, Mat served as an officer in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps at Fort Eustis, Virginia, where he was chief of the military justice branch as a criminal prosecutor and handled cases in the labor/employment law branch.
Areas of Focus
Construction Litigation
In the construction area, Mat has represented companies and municipal agencies in all phases of litigation, from inception through trial and appeal. He has tried construction cases in Kings (Brooklyn), Queens, Bronx, New York (Manhattan), Nassau, Suffolk and Albany counties on issues of both liability and damages. Mat has handled cases under insurance wrap-up programs for various construction projects, as well as more traditional scenarios in which contractors are responsible for carrying their own insurance.
Insurance Coverage
Mat serves as coverage counsel to specialty risk insurers in connection with claims under policies for event cancellation, contingency, non-appearance, high-limit disability for professional athletes and wealthy individuals, product recall and accidental product contamination, kidnap and ransom, and professional liability such as for design professionals and construction managers. In this regard, he has written coverage opinions and provided direct representation or monitoring services in any ensuing litigation.
- Western New England University School of Law (J.D., 1990)
- Syracuse University (B.A., 1986)
- New York
- U.S. Military Courts
- North American Contingency Association, Board of Directors, 2022–2024
- New York State Bar Association
- Xavier Bar Association