Litigation partners Sandra Jones, Jessica L. Gallagher and Timothy J. O’Driscoll join Dentons US

New York—Dentons US today announced that Sandra Jones, Jessica L. Gallagher and Timothy J. O’Driscoll have joined the Firm as Litigation partners. Having practiced together for many years at their previous firm with a strong, nationwide reach, they bring additional extensive experience to Dentons’ industry-leading insurance litigation and counseling practice as well as our class action defense bench. The team will be based in the Short Hills, NJ, office.

These partners bring extensive experience representing insurers, financial services companies and other industry participants in complex litigation and regulatory matters. They advise clients on a wide range of insurance-related challenges, including class action defense, coverage disputes, bad faith claims, regulatory compliance, structured settlements, long-term care insurance and life and disability insurance matters.

“Sandra, Jessica and Tim are highly regarded insurance litigators whose deep industry knowledge and client-focused approach will be tremendous assets to our clients,” said Sandra Hauser, Head of Dentons’ US Commercial Litigation practice. “Their arrival solidifies Dentons’ place as a true leader in this industry and a compelling destination for top practitioners, given the strong alignment of this practice with our commercial litigation and insurance team.”

The addition of Jones, Gallagher and O’Driscoll continues a period of strategic growth for Dentons US. Since 2022, the Firm has added more than 100 lateral partners, principals and counsel across key practice areas. Earlier this year, Dentons expanded into Charleston, SC, establishing a new office with the addition of eight partners spanning Employment and Labor, Corporate and Real Estate, including Walker Coleman, Cecilia Ehresman, Ernie Cochran, Jamie Bruce, Cooper Hawley, Matt Norton, Amy Ironmonger and Bo Manuel. Dentons has also continued to strengthen its Commercial Litigation and worldwide insurance bench with the addition of partners Aidan McCormack, Erik Buzzard, Mark Deckman, J. Trumon Phillips, Robert Santoro and Brian Seibert. The arrival of Jones, Gallagher and O’Driscoll further strengthens the Firm’s insurance litigation and counseling capabilities and reflects Dentons US’ continued investment in strategic lateral growth.

Jones advises industry clients on legal, regulatory and coverage-related issues and represents insurers in litigation and class actions nationwide. Her practice spans several nuanced areas related to insurance, including structured settlements and annuities, long-term care insurance, life and disability insurance, and pet insurance matters. She has developed significant litigation experience across all 50 states. She also serves as co-chair of the National Structured Settlements Trade Association Legal Committee, is former track chair of the legal track of the Intercompany Long Term Care Insurance (ILTCI) conference, and is on the Executive Committee of the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA).

Gallagher advises insurers, reinsurers and other insurance industry stakeholders on complex coverage, regulatory and litigation matters nationwide. Her practice spans life insurance and annuities, long-term care insurance, structured settlements, and property and casualty products, and she regularly represents clients in high-exposure coverage and bad faith disputes in state and federal courts across the country. She also maintains a niche anti-fraud practice, assisting insurers and other industry members with developing and implementing antifraud programs, addressing regulatory and compliance issues, managing investigations and disputes, and litigation stemming from fraud-related matters.

A seasoned insurance litigator, O’Driscoll advises and defends insurers in high-exposure coverage and extra-contractual disputes, as well as class actions. His experience spans matters involving life, long-term care, annuity, and property and casualty products, and he has secured successful outcomes through negotiated resolutions as well as jury trials, arbitration and appellate proceedings. He also provides strategic guidance on regulatory and compliance issues and is a sought-after speaker on industry developments.