Sheila J. Carpenter
Of Counsel

Washington, D.C.

Email: sjc@jordenusa.com
Phone: 202.965.8165
Fax: 202.965.8104

Sheila J. Carpenter has more than three decades of experience in complex commercial litigation. She has tried disputes involving insurance and reinsurance, agency, corporate governance, contracts, torts, consumer protection, employment termination, employment discrimination, partnerships, tax, and estates. She has served as outside general counsel for large non-profit organizations, advising both the Board of Directors and staff on such varied issues as group insurance, EEO/EDO insurance coverage, employment disputes, contracts, governance/fiduciary duty, exempt status/taxation, and regulatory issues.

Ms. Carpenter serves as an arbitrator on AAA's Large, Complex Case and Commercial Panels. Ms. Carpenter has been appointed as an arbitrator more than 100 times by the American Arbitration Association and the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Cases with completed hearings include partnership disputes (medical, dental, law firms, restauranteurs and real estate), accounting malpractice, contract disputes, fraud, corporate acquisitions, corporate governance, negligence, insurance coverage, non-profit organizations and management company disputes.

Ms. Carpenter is a member of the Firm's Life Insurance, Health Insurance, Reinsurance and Consumer Finance and Banking industry groups. Public service has always been important to Ms. Carpenter. As Pro Bono Partner, she manages the program, supervises many of the cases and handles a substantial caseload since the inception of the Pro Bono Program in 2004.

She is married to William J. McCarthy, a professor in the Department of Greek and Latin at Catholic University in Washington, DC. She is a lacrosse mom, plays with her two parrots and spends time with her extended family.

Representative Matters

• Abell v. Cissel, No. 09-0900 (Md. Ct. Spec. App. June 24, 2010). (Judgment affirmed in favor of pro bono clients who were victims of mortgage "foreclosure rescue" fraud.)
• Pruco Securities Corp. v. Montgomery, 264 F. Supp. 2d 862 (D. N.D. 2003) (successfully opposed demand for preliminary injunction in case involving an agent's restrictive covenant)
• Joe v. Minnesota Life Ins. Co., 337 F. Supp. 2d 821 (S.D.Miss. 2004) (summary judgment granted in agency vicarious liability case)
• Aid Assoc. for Lutherans v. United States Postal Serv., 321 F.3d 1166 (D.C. Cir. 2003) (USPS regulations held invalid as to charitable organizations)
• In re Minnesota Mutual Life Ins. Co. Sales Practices Litigation, McCord v. Minnesota Mutual Life Ins. Co., 346 F.3d 830 (8th Cir. 2003) (affirming summary judgment for Minnesota Mutual); Parkhill v. Minnesota Mutual Life Ins. Co., 188 F.R.D. 332, 1999 WL 614013 (D. Minn. 1999) (class certification denied in market conduct case) & 2000 WL 33582649 (2000) (summary judgment), aff'd, 286 F.3d 1051 (8th Cir. 2002)
• Pyramid Securities, Ltd. v. IB Resolution, Inc., 924 F.2d 1114 (D.C. Cir.), cert. denied, 112 S. Ct. 85 (1991) (affirming summary judgment in RICO case focusing on "continuity" requirement)
• Omaha Indem. Co. v. Royal Am. Managers, 755 F. Supp. 1451 (W.D. Mo. 1991) (agency case among many litigation and arbitration cases stemming from a major reinsurance fraud)

Speeches and Publications

• Moderator: "What is Our Exposure? Offering Practical Advice to Life, Health and Disability Insurers About Punitive Damages." DRI Life, Health and Disability Webinar, November 9, 2011.
• Author, In-House Defense Quarterly, Fall 2010, "Controlling Arbitration Costs: An Arbitrator's Guide for In-House Counsel."
• Author, Harris Martin Reinsurance Report, December 2009, "5th Circuit Rules En Banc That Arbitration Treaty Trumps State Insurance Laws."
• Program Chair, 2006 Defense Research Institute Life, Health, Disability & ERISA Claims Seminar, Washington, DC
• Speaker: "Class Action Arbitrations and Health and Disability Insurance Class Actions," August 2004 ABA Annual Meeting
• Co-Author: For the Defense, "Attacking Life Insurance Products: Market Conduct Class Action Litigation," February 2003
• Speaker: "Current Issues Affecting Life, Health & Disability Class Actions," 2003 Defense Research Institute Life, Health & Disability Committee's Seminar, Chicago, IL
• Co-Author: The Brief, Summer 2000, "Discovery of Electronic Documents," reprinted in GP Solo, Summer 2001, The Best Articles Published by the ABA
• Co-Author: For the Defense, Aug. 2000, "Protecting Trade Secrets: Exploitation by Former Employees"
• Speaker: "Protecting Your Company Against Discovery of Electronic Communications," May 1999. Annual Meeting of the Association of Life Insurance Counsel