Stephen Jorden

Insurers and financial institutions value Steve’s capabilities in complex litigation, including major market conduct class actions, commercial contract litigation and consumer fraud cases. He has frequently served as coordinating defense counsel for multijurisdictional matters involving overlapping class actions, state opt-out litigation and regulatory actions.

Steve argues appeals in multiple jurisdictions and matters before the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation and defends clients in individual state and multistate regulatory investigations and proceedings. He also represents clients pursuing or defending claims brought under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.

In addition to representing life insurers in disputes with regulators, Steve counsels clients on litigation and regulatory risks associated with sales and marketing practices, contracts and nonguaranteed benefit determinations such as changes to cost-of-insurance rates.

Representative Experience

• Led defense team in successfully opposing certification of a proposed nationwide class of annuity contract holders pursuing breach of contract claims
• Represented annuity issuer in obtaining dismissal on a preliminary motion in multi-plaintiff, multi-defendant lawsuit alleging fraud in the sale of annuities
• Represented life insurer in defending individual and class action lawsuits alleging contract and tort claims arising out of changes to cost of insurance rates
• From 2007 to 2014, represented annuity issuer in defending multiple overlapping state and federal class actions involving allegations about sales of annuity products
• Represented annuity issuer in obtaining dismissal of putative class action alleging fraud in the sale of annuities under the federal RICO statute
• Represented life insurer in obtaining dismissal of RICO claims alleging misrepresentation in the sale of life insurance policies to fund benefit plans
• Represented the Society of Lloyd’s in defending putative class action claims and opposing multidistrict consolidation of cases filed by Lloyd’s seeking enforcement of foreign judgments
• Represented life insurers in multiple proceedings brought by or against state insurance regulators

Representative Matters

• Thompson v. Allianz Life Ins. Co. of N. Am., No. 17-96 (PAM/TNL), 2019 WL 337587 (D. Minn. Jan. 28, 2019)
• Dolan v. PHL Variable Ins. Co., et al. No. 13:5-CV-09187, 2018 WL 1696650 (M.D. Pa. Apr. 6, 2018)
• Fleisher v. Phoenix Life Insurance Co., No. CV-11-8405 (S.D.N.Y.)
• U.S. Bank National Association v. PHL Variable Insurance Co., No. CV-11-9517 (C.D. Cal.)
• In re Allianz Life Ins. Co. Deferred Annuity Marketing and Sales Practice Litigation, 517 F. Supp. 1364 (J.P.M.L. Oct. 10, 2007) (successfully opposing consolidation request)
• Mooney v. Allianz Life Ins. Co. of N. Am., 2010 WL 419962 (D. Minn. 2010)
• Negrete v. Allianz Life Ins. Co., 523 F.3d 1091 (9th Cir. 2008)
• In re Am. Investors Life Ins. Co. Annuity Mktg. & Sales Practices Litigation, 2008 WL 2246989 (E.D. Pa. 2008)
• Paul v. AVIVA Life & Annuity Co., No. 3:09-1490, 2009 WL 3815949 (N.D. Tex. Nov. 12, 2009)
• Lloyd’s v. Siemon-Netto, 457 F.3d 94 (D.C. Cir. 2006) (affirming summary judgment for Lloyd’s and dismissal of putative class action counterclaims)
• In re the Soc’y of Lloyd’s Judgment Enforcement Litigation, 321 F. Supp. 2d 1381 (J.P.M.L. June 15, 2004) (successfully opposing consolidation request)