Joseph Saka

Joe Saka is a dedicated advocate for commercial policyholders, leveraging his extensive expertise to resolve high-stakes disputes with insurance companies. In his national practice, Joe represents a diverse client base, including corporations, non-profit organizations and governmental entities, securing significant settlements and judgments. His experience covers a broad range of insurance disputes, encompassing commercial general liability, professional liability, directors’ and officers’ liability, fidelity, cyber and property insurance.

Recognized by both Chambers and Super Lawyers, Joe combines a deep understanding of diverse insurance issues with practical solutions and a creative approach. His ability to navigate complex insurance disputes while maintaining a sharp focus on his clients’ interests has earned him the respect of his peers, clients and opponents.

Further reflecting his commitment to the fair treatment of insured businesses, Joe actively contributes to thought leadership within his field and frequently engages in legal discourse on insurance issues. During law school, Joe served as a judicial extern to The Honorable Ricardo Urbina of the U.S. District Court, District of Columbia.

Experience

• Serving as litigation counsel for food companies in their pursuit of Directors and Officers (D&O) coverage for multiple lawsuits alleging violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
• Representing a Fortune 500 manufacturing company seeking defense and indemnity coverage under Commercial General Liability (CGL) policies for thousands of lawsuits alleging injury from exposure to welding fumes and asbestos.
• Engaged as litigation counsel for an independent government agency in seeking coverage under a financial institution bond/crime policy for substantial losses incurred by a major bank, stemming from loans it made in reliance on falsified documents.
• Assisting a preeminent real estate firm in pursuing D&O coverage for antitrust claims and countering the insurer's assertion that a professional services exclusion bars coverage.
• Acting as litigation counsel for a Fortune 500 company in pursuing reimbursement as an additional insured for a multimillion-dollar settlement following a ship fire.
• Providing tailored, strategic advice to a leading media company to maximize its insurance coverage under D&O, employment practices liability and cyber insurance policies.
• Serving as litigation counsel to a leading organic food company in an ongoing pursuit of insurance coverage for losses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Directed a complex legal strategy as litigation counsel for four major publishing companies in a multi-insurer dispute, working to secure insurance coverage for a $30+ million copyright and trademark infringement judgment.
• Achieved favorable rulings from ten courts, including the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, while advocating for an independent government agency in more than a dozen lawsuits against various major D&O insurers to establish coverage for professional liability claims following the 2008 financial crisis.
• Successfully obtained a significant judgment ruling in favor of several Blue Cross Blue Shield entities, ultimately leading to a settlement on the eve of trial for a lawsuit seeking coverage for class actions alleging civil Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) violations.
• Advised a Fortune 500 company on strategic alterations to their D&O liability insurance policies to facilitate coverage for Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) claims.

Publications

Speaking Engagements

News

Community & Professional

Hillel at George Washington University, Board of Directors

Higher Achievement, President’s Council

Honors & Recognitions

Individual recognition for Insurance: Policyholder in the District of Columbia, Chambers USA, 2024

Individual recognition as “Up and Coming” – Insurance: Policyholder, Chambers USA, 2019-2023

Selected to the Super Lawyers list, 2023

Selected to the Rising Star list, 2017-2022