Ben V. Seessel
Partner

Connecticut

Email: bvs@jordenusa.com
Phone: 860.392.5053
Fax: 860.392.5058

Ben Seessel is a partner at Jorden Burt LLP and a member of the firm's National Trial, Class Action, Appellate, and SEC/FINRA Practice Teams. He focuses his practice on complex civil litigation and the defense of financial institutions and other sophisticated businesses. Mr. Seessel regularly litigates class action cases, punitive damages cases, and other high exposure matters. He frequently publishes articles on reinsurance and arbitration matters on the Firm's reinsurance blog, ReinsuranceFocus, and is an editor of the ABA Section of Litigation's Class Actions & Derivative Suits Committee Newsletter, the "CADS Report."

Representative Matters

• Bellikoff v. United of Omaha Life Ins. Co., No. 02-01914, (Fla. Circuit Ct. 2004) (defended putative nationwide class action regarding life insurance premium gap issues).
• Benefit Consultants, Inc. v. Fortis Cos., No. 28611, (Tenn. Chancery Ct. May 26, 2005) (assisted financial services client in obtaining a $70 million dollar jury verdict).
• Hayes v. American Bankers Ins. Group, No. 01-22010, (Fla. Circuit Ct. Dec. 17, 2004) (obtained dismissal (with subsequent award of attorney's fees) on claim for breach of "golden parachute" agreement) aff'd, No. 050113, (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. Dec. 28, 2005).
• Jackson v. American Bankers Ins. Group, No. 04-3083, (E.D. La. June 18, 2006) (obtained dismissal of putative class action involving credit insurance policies).
• Law Offices of David Stern v. SCOR Reinsurance Co., No. 04-60170, (S.D. Fla. 2005) (defended reinsurer in direct action brought by policyholder following insurer's insolvency).
• Leonard v. ReliaStar Life Ins. Co., No. 3:05-cv-01015, (M.D. Ala. 2006) (successful defense of national class action alleging fraud and breach of contract claims involving universal life insurance policies).
• Lloyd/Huskey v. The O.N. Equity Sales Co., NASD Arbitration No. 02-07872, (NASD Southeast Region 2002) (defended broker-dealer against suitability, misrepresentation, and federal and state securities laws claims).
• Novack Living Trust, et al. v. Citicorp Invest. Servs., No. 03-06595, (NASD Southeast Region 2004) (defended broker-dealer against misrepresentation and suitability claims brought by purchaser of mutual funds).
• Oden v. First Floridian Auto & Home Ins. Co., No. 02CA3244, (Fla. Circuit Ct. May 18, 2004) (obtained dismissal of putative class action alleging claims arising out of "tiered" commission rates of automobile insurer).
• Wellman v. Great-West Life Ins. Co., NASD Arbitration No. 03-05363, (NASD Southeast Region Feb. 20, 2005) (obtained dismissal of claims arising out of alleged misrepresentations in the sale of annuity product).
• Represented industry groups as amicus curiae in appeal before the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in an action against life insurer challenging the use of retained asset accounts.
• Represented service provider in ERISA class action litigation involving alleged "revenue sharing" fees received from mutual fund investment advisers and/or distributors in connection with 401(k) retirement plan business.
• Represented insurance industry client in litigation involving alleged fraud in the sale of broad-based corporate-owned life insurance.
• Representing private placement variable life insurance provider in individual and class action matters relating to alleged losses attributable to Madoff "feeder fund" investments

Speeches and Publications

• Frequent Contributor, Expect Focus
• Frequent Contributor: ReinsuranceFocus.com
• Co-Author, "The Moench Presumption in ERISA Stock-Drop Litigation," ABA Class Actions & Derivative Suits ("CADS") Report, Spring 2011, at 3-6.
• Co-Author, The Ninth Circuit Revises Its Affirmance in Dukes v. Wal-Mart, 29 Class Action Reports, vol. 1, 5-8 (2008).
• Co-Author, Contact with Putative Class Members Prior to Certification-Caution Advised, 29 Class Action Reports, vol. 1, 9-10 (2008).
• Co-Author, Class Action Settlement Strategies from the Defendant's Perspective, Class Actions, CLE Int'l (2007).
• Author: "The Bermuda Reinsurance 'Loophole' A Case Study of Tax Shelters and Tax Havens in the Globalizing Economy," 32 U. Miami Inter-Am L. Rev. 541 (2001).