Barnes & Thornburg Secures Eight-Partner Insurance Recovery Team From Lowenstein

Why It Matters

The hire dramatically expands Barnes & Thornburg’s insurance litigation capacity, positioning it as a national leader capable of handling complex coverage disputes for large corporate clients.

Key Takeaways

• 12 lawyers, including eight partners, moved from Lowenstein to Barnes & Thornburg.
• Expansion adds New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, and Atlanta offices.
• Co‑chair Lynda Bennett joins existing co‑chairs in Los Angeles and Chicago.
• Firm’s insurance team now totals 50 lawyers across the United States.
• Recent hires aim to create a coast‑to‑coast coverage powerhouse.

Pulse Analysis

Law firms are increasingly consolidating specialized talent to meet rising demand for sophisticated insurance litigation. The insurance sector faces heightened scrutiny over coverage disputes, cyber risk, and bad‑faith claims, prompting corporate policyholders to seek firms with deep, nationwide expertise. By absorbing Lowenstein’s seasoned team, Barnes & Thornburg instantly gains a breadth of experience across D&O, RWI, cyber, and product liability lines, allowing it to serve clients in multiple jurisdictions without the lag of building practice from scratch.

Barnes & Thornburg’s growth strategy has accelerated over the past year, highlighted by the February acquisition of a 39‑lawyer public‑finance and infrastructure group from Ballard Spahr. These hires have opened new offices in Baltimore, Denver and Phoenix, extending the firm’s geographic footprint. The latest insurance recovery addition creates a seamless national platform, linking co‑chairs in Los Angeles, Chicago, and now the East Coast. Clients benefit from a unified team that can coordinate multi‑state litigation, leverage cross‑practice insights, and tap into the firm’s broader resources for risk management and advisory services.

Industry observers view the move as a signal that mid‑size firms can challenge traditional coastal powerhouses by building coast‑to‑coast capabilities through targeted talent acquisition. As insurers and policyholders navigate an increasingly complex claims environment, firms that combine deep coverage knowledge with a national presence are likely to capture a larger share of high‑value engagements. Barnes & Thornburg’s expanded insurance recovery group positions it to capitalize on this trend, offering a compelling alternative for corporations seeking consistent, high‑quality representation across the United States.