Buchanan, Butler III

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Updated 6/21/2011

Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin

1845 Walnut Street

Philadelphia, PA 19103-4797

Phone: work(215) 575-2661

Fax: fax(215) 575-0856

Contact Us

http://www.marshalldennehey.com

Summary
Qualifications
Office Information

Summary

Current Employment Position(s)

Shareholder; Hiring Partner; Chair, Diversity Committee

Year Joined Organization: 1999

Lawyer Overview

Butler has devoted a significant amount of his law practice to the defense of insurance agents and brokers, securities dealers, and attorneys. His practice also encompasses insurance coverage, generic insurance defense, and commercial litigation.

Butler is the hiring partner at Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin, and is responsible for the recruitment and hiring process of the attorneys who join our firm. He also Chairs the Diversity Committee and in this position is charged, along with his colleagues, with ensuring that our firm maintains a deep commitment to equal-opportunity employment and advancement.

In 1976 Butler graduated, cum laude, from Millersville University with a B.A. degree. He then attended the Duquesne University School of Law in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, graduating in 1979. Upon graduation, he joined the Bucks County District Attorney's Office in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, initially as an Assistant District Attorney, and within two years was promoted to the position of Deputy District Attorney. Butler tried numerous felony cases to verdict during his tenure there.

In 1983, Butler joined the legal staff of Betz Laboratories, Inc., a specialty chemical concern whose corporate offices were located in Trevose, Pennsylvania. While there, Butler advised company executives on a variety of legal issues and was involved in defending the company from lawsuits brought by state and federal authorities for alleged environmental contamination. In addition to those duties, Butler was responsible for the procurement and administration of the company's insurance on an international basis. This role entailed negotiating worldwide insurance coverages with and through the insurance brokerage firms and, in many instances, negotiating directly with underwriters.

After leaving Betz, Butler joined another insurance defense firm in the Philadelphia area, concentrating his practice in insurance coverage, including environmental claims, insurance coverage litigation, insurance agents and brokers errors & omissions defense, liquor liability defense, and general commercial litigation.

When not practicing law, Butler serves as a member of the Board of Directors of The Philadelphia Children's Alliance as well as a member of Board of Directors of Sisters of Saint Joseph Welcome Center.

Significant Representative Matters:

Successfully resolved numerous declaratory judgment actions seeking insurance coverage from numerous insurers wherein plaintiff corporations demanded payment of $100 million(+) to resolve claims seeking environmental coverage, coverage for hearing loss, coverage for asbestos claims, and various other types of claims.

Successfully defended case via jury trial wherein plaintiff physician sought several million dollars in coverage for long term disability coverage. Client was the insurance agent that sold the policies in question.

Areas of Practice

Insurance Agents & Brokers Errors & Omission Defense
Insurance Coverage, including Environmental Matters
Declaratory Judgment Actions
General Insurance Defense
Commercial Litigation

West Practice Categories

Business & Commercial Law, Insurance Law, Litigation & Appeals, Products Liability Law, Professional Malpractice Law

Qualifications

Bar Admissions

Pennsylvania, 1979

Professional Associations and Memberships

American Bar Association
Defense Research Institute, Board of Directors (2001-2004)
Pennsylvania Bar Association
Pennsylvania Defense Institute
Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel, Past President
Philadelphia Bar Association, Member of Board of Governors
PLUS - Professional Liability Underwriting Society

Honors and Awards

Pennsylvania Super Lawyer (2009-2011)

Classes and Seminars

DRI Annual Meeting - Technology and Law
DRI Annual Meeting - The Use of E-Mail and Electronic Documents Storage
DRI Electronic Discovery Seminar - Chicago, Illinois
DRI Insurance Roundtable - Recent Developments Concerning Class Action Litigation - Chicago, Illinois
DRI Insurance Coverage and Practice Seminar - New York, New York
Seminars presented for PICPA - Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, National Insurance Industry Association

Past Employment Positions

Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Deputy District Attorney, 1979 - 1983
Betz Laboratories, Inc., Assistant General Counsel, 1983 - 1986

Education

Duquesne University School of Law, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1979
J.D.
Millersville University, 1976
B.A.
Honors: cum laude

Office Information

Address

1845 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-4797

Phones

(215) 575-2661

Faxes

(215) 575-0856

Emails

Websites

http://www.marshalldennehey.com

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