Ronald Lepinskas

Partner

  • Ronald Lepinskas
  • Phone: +1 312 499 0136

    Import to Address Book

  • Duane Morris LLP
    190 South LaSalle Street, Suite 3700
    Chicago, IL 60603-3433
    USA

Ronald M. Lepinskas is a highly experienced litigator in contract and fraud disputes, class-action defense, professional-malpractice liability, securities law, re/insurance coverage, RICO, accounting disputes, mass torts, intellectual property, antitrust, Section 1983, and environmental pollution. He has tried contract and fraud cases in federal and state courts from Arizona to New York. He has also arbitrated disputes under AAA, RAA, and FINRA rules, conducted internal investigations, and dealt with regulators.

He has crafted bold strategies to resolve high-end disputes, including creating a $200M interpleader arising out of the 2008 Chatsworth train collision, as well as successfully managing fraud and contract claims (with a related DOJ investigation) against Berkshire Hathaway entities through a federal MDL and mediated outcomes. Clients have included General Re, XL, Clark Oil, First American Bank, Groupon, Jelly Belly Candy Company, and Duff & Phelps.

Areas of Practice

  • Contract, Fraud and Business Torts

  • Class Action Defense

  • Re/insurance Coverage

  • Professional Malpractice

Representative Matters

  • Represented GEICO in a class certification against the company where policyholders sued GEICO alleging the insurer was charging too much at a time when fewer people were driving and filing claims as a result of state-mandated closures. With a class of over 3 million GEICO customers, a California federal judge granted GEICO's motion for summary judgment to conclude the case in ruling that GEICO did not engage in unfair business practices under California's Unfair Competition Law (UCL), the sole remaining claim in the case.

  • Represented GEICO in a class certification in litigation arising from claims of deception and consumer fraud that the company unfairly profited from charging "excessive" car insurance premiums due to decreased driving during the COVID-19 pandemic. The plaintiffs proposed a 300,000-person class of Illinois residents who purchased or renewed personal vehicle insurance from GEICO that was ultimately denied by an Illinois federal judge.

Admissions

  • Illinois

Education

  • University of Chicago Law School, J.D., with honors, 1993
    ◦ Law Review
  • Dartmouth College, B.A., summa cum laude, 1989

Experience

  • Duane Morris LLP
    - Partner, 2018-present

  • Vocke Law Group
    - Founding Partner, 2016-2017

  • General Re Corporation
    - Global Casualty Claims Head, 2014-2016

  • DLA Piper
    - Partner, 2008-2014

  • Lord, Bissell & Brook
    - Associate/Partner, 1993-2008

Professional Activities

  • Illinois Bar Association

  • American College of Coverage and Extracontractual Counsel
    - Past Member

Honors and Awards

  • Listed in Best Lawyers in America, 2021-2024

Selected Publications

  • Published articles in the Illinois Bar Journal, op-eds in the Chicago Tribune, and an article in the University of Chicago Law Review

Selected Speaking Engagements

  • "Reptile Advocacy," RAA Conference, New York, Sept. 2018

  • "Disruption Through the Value Chain," PCI Executive Roundtable, Dana Point, Feb. 2018

  • "Litigation Highlights on Class Actions & Jurisdictional Challenges," RAA Board, Stamford, June 2018.
  • Many at General Re, including teaching US civil litigation system to European colleagues