Orrie Levy

Orrie’s national insurance recovery practice focuses on high-stakes insurance disputes for corporate policyholders relating to directors and officers coverage, professional liability policies, recall insurance, property insurance, and disputes arising from indemnification agreements. He has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of his clients, and his wins have set important precedent in the insurance industry.

In one significant matter, Orrie’s briefing and oral argument persuaded Delaware Superior Court Judge Mary Johnston to do something she had never done in 20 years on the bench: set aside a jury verdict. Her decision invalidated a verdict for AIG and against Orrie’s client, Conduent State Healthcare, over a $236 million Medicaid settlement. The Delaware Supreme Court affirmed the groundbreaking decision in February 2025. AIG had defied evidentiary rulings at trial, and the decision Orrie secured will preserve the integrity of the trial system.

In August 2026, Orrie prevailed on summary judgment in the Delaware Superior Court on behalf of Turner Corporation. Insurers had paid $50 million in connection with Turner’s settlement of underlying litigation but later sought to recoup that amount based on a unilateral reservation of rights. Orrie played an instrumental role in the briefing and argued the case before the court. The Superior Court, applying New York law, found that the insurers were not entitled to recoupment.

In January 2025, Orrie secured a major win on the issue of “bump-up” exclusions in D&O policies. Harman International Industries settled a lawsuit for $28 million after its merger with Samsung Electronics, and in the coverage litigation that followed Orrie won a major ruling from the Delaware Superior Court that the exclusion did not apply. The Delaware Supreme Court affirmed that ruling in January 2026, with Orrie ultimately securing more than $30 million in D&O coverage for Harman.

In another directors and officers liability insurance dispute, Orrie secured for Paramount Global (formerly Viacom Inc.) a ruling from the Delaware Superior Court that Viacom’s insurers cannot avoid covering a $122.5 million settlement resolving a shareholder lawsuit over Viacom’s merger with CBS.

In a high-profile matter involving opioid-related liability, Orrie represents Walmart in seeking billions of dollars in insurance coverage. He defeated efforts by dozens of insurers to dismiss the action and secured a ruling establishing Walmart’s right to coverage for defense costs in thousands of opioid-related lawsuits.

Orrie also secured summary judgment in the Delaware Superior Court on behalf of Frontier Communications, a Verizon subsidiary, helping obtain a favorable resolution of the underlying litigation and tens of millions of dollars in insurance coverage for Frontier.

Orrie plays an active role in mentoring and overseeing associates and staff at Cohen Ziffer and serves as the firm’s pro bono coordinator. He has been recognized as a 2025 Emerging Leader by Profiles in Leadership Journal, a 2024 Rising Star for Insurance by Law360, and a 2024 Break Out Awards honoree by Business Insurance. Before entering private practice, he clerked for the Hon. Lisa Margaret Smith of the Southern District of New York.