Representing the Insurance Industry with their Regulatory Needs: 

• Advising the Worldwide Broker Network on EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Compliance.

• Representing Fidelity National Financial on regulatory issues involving the acquisition of Stewart Title.

• Assisting a professional liability insurer with various regulatory issues involving various acquisitions.

• Representing a national surplus line insurer with CDI LASLI listing in California.

• Advising an international insurer with plans to redomesticate its U.S. subsidiaries.

• Representing an insurance agency concerning California wildfire issues and legislation.

• Consideration of money-saving insurance solutions for California investor-owned utilities in connection with California wildfire issues.

• Creating a software program for determining the best premium tax options for insurers.

 

Representing Insurers with their Rate Needs:
Regularly counsel insurers on rate case needs and strategy. Representative clients (present and past) include:

• Allstate Insurance Company rate cases (Alabama, California, Florida and South Carolina)

• Fidelity National Title Group rate cases (California, Florida, Indiana, New Mexico and Texas)

• California Auto Assign Risk Plan

• Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau

• Represented over 60 insurers in California's Proposition 103 hearings

 

Representing Companies with Health Insurance Issues:

• Advising the Association of California Life and Health Insurance Companies and California Association of Health Plans in connection with possible rate regulations of the California health insurance industry

• Counseling hospitals, doctors and managed care providers regarding the creation of health Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans under the Affordable Care Act

• Providing managed care advice to Prescription Drug Plan sponsors in California

• Representing The Doctors Company in connection with Insurance Regulatory issues

 

Representing Insurers with Mergers, Acquisitions and Formations:

• SeaBright Holdings, a publicly traded worker’s compensation insurer, in its buyout by Bermuda-based Enstar group

• B.A.T. Industries Plc hostile acquisition of Farmers Group, Inc.

• The Allstate Corporation acquisition of Esurance

• Business combination of Sompo Japan Insurance Limited and NIPPONKOA Insurance Company, Limited under NKSJ Holdings

• Liberty Mutual acquisition of Golden Eagle Insurance

• Fidelity National Financial, Inc. acquisition of Chicago Title Company

• CompWest Insurance Company formation

• Pacific Select Property Insurance Company formation

• GeoVera Insurance Company formation and subsequent acquisition by Flexpoint Ford, LLC

• Advised The Doctors Company on possible insurance acquisitions

• Advised China Oceanwide Holdings on possible insurance acquisitions

• Advised FBR on various insurance acquisitions and capital investments

• Working with Compass Point Research & Trading LLC on various insurance acquisitions

 

Representing Insurers with their Restructuring Issues:
Counsel insurers, holding companies and creditors on restructuring issues. Representative Clients have included:

• Fidelity National Financial, Inc. concerning LandAmerica Financial Group, Inc. bankruptcy and acquisition of Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company and Lawyers Title Insurance Corporation

• Assisted Fidelity National Financial, Inc. with redomestications of three of its title insurance subsidiaries: Fidelity National Title Insurance Company, from California to Florida, and Chicago Title Insurance Company and Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company, from Nebraska to Florida

• Withdrawal of TDC National Assurance Company from California

• CUNA Mutual demutualization

• Lloyd's Plan of Reconstruction and Renewal

 

Representing Insurers with their Insolvency Issues:
Counsel insurers, holding companies and creditors on insolvency issues. Representative Clients have included:

• Executive Life Insurance Company

• First Capital Life Insurance Company

• Insurance subsidiaries of Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.

• Pacific Standard Life Insurance Company

• Golden Eagle Insurance Company

• National American Life Insurance Company

• Superior National Insurance Companies

• California Compensation Insurance Company

 

Education

• University of California, Davis School of Law, JD

• University of California, Berkeley, BA, with honors

 

Admissions

• New York

• California

 

News & Publications

• "Cybersecurity: NY Adopts Final Regulations for Banks, Insurance Businesses and Other Financial Services Institutions," Mayer Brown Legal Update, 21 March 2017

• "Global Insurance Industry 2016 Year in Review," Mayer Brown Newsletter, 17 February 2017

• "Brokers Struggle Mitigating Cyber Risk: Lawyer," Insurance Business America, 10 January 2017

• "New York Delays and Dials Back Cyber-Security Rules," Compliance Week (subscription required), 3 January 2017

• "Cyber Policies Offer Too Little: Lawyer," Insurance Business, 15 December 2016

• "New York Jumps Ahead In Data Security Regs," InsuranceNewsNet, 20 October 2016

• "Mayer Brown Insurance Expert Discusses the Importance of Cybersecurity," Insurance Journal, 20 October 2016

• "NAIC Data Law Runs into Jumble of Opposition," InsuranceNewsNet, 19 October 2016

• "Cybersecurity Regulation in the United States: Governing Frameworks and Emerging Trends," Mayer Brown Book, 6 October 2016

• "New York Releases Proposed Cybersecurity Regulations Affecting Banks, Insurers and Other Financial Services Firms," Mayer Brown Legal Update, 22 September 2016

• "NAIC Task Force Issues Revised Draft of Insurance Data Security Model Law," Mayer Brown Legal Update, 24 August 2016

• "Attorney Fee Rulings Set to Alter Execution, Costs of Comp Cases," Business Insurance (subscription required), 17 July 2016

• "Fourth Circuit Upholds CGL Cyber Insurance Coverage," Mayer Brown Legal Update, 14 April 2016

• "The Role Of Cyberinsurance In Risk Management," Law360, 7 April 2016

• "NAIC Proposes Cybersecurity Model Law for the Insurance Industry," Mayer Brown Legal Update, 9 March 2016

• "Global Insurance Industry 2015 Year in Review," Mayer Brown Newsletter, 19 February 2016

• "A Guide To Cyber Insurance," Best’s Review, February 2016

• "National Association of Insurance Commissioners Issues Cybersecurity Roadmap," Mayer Brown Legal Update, 30 December 2015

• "Cyber Security: Insurance as an Essential Part of Risk Management," Insurance Journal, 9 December 2015

• "The Recorder names Mayer Brown partner James Woods “Serial Innovator” in insurance law," 8 December 2015

• "2015 Innovator Awards: Mayer Brown's James Woods," The Recorder (subscription required), 4 December 2015

• "New York State DFS Continues Moving Forward with New Cybersecurity Regulations," Mayer Brown Legal Update, 23 November 2015

• "Privacy 'Bill Of Rights' To Boost Demand For Breach Coverage," Law360, 23 October 2015

• "The Recorder Recognizes Legal Innovators," The Recorder, 9 October 2015

• "Liable for a Data Breach? Taking Reasonable Preventive Care Is a Must to Prevail in Court," Managed Healthcare Executive, 8 July 2015

• "Cyber Security: Insurance Industry Challenges and Opportunities," Property Casualty 360, 11 May 2015

• "Insurers Mull Proposed Cyber Rules," Business Insurance (subscription required), 26 April 2015

• "NAIC Adopts Guidance on Acquisition of Control of US Insurers," Mayer Brown Legal Update, 23 April 2015

• "Insurers Given Path To Avoid Data Security Liability," Law360, 21 April 2015

• "NYDFS Letter to Insurance Executives Regarding Cyber Security," Mayer Brown Legal Update, 27 March 2015

• "New York Department of Financial Services Cyber Security Examination," Mayer Brown Legal Update, 11 December 2014

• "Enterprise Risk Reports Due Soon," Mayer Brown Legal Update, 17 March 2014

• "International Insurance Law and Regulation - United States Chapter," Thomson Reuters Westlaw, January 2014

• "FIO Releases Its Long-Awaited Report Mandated by the Dodd-Frank Act," Mayer Brown Legal Update, 13 December 2013

• "International Insurance Law and Regulation - United States Chapter," Thomson Reuters Westlaw, March 2013

• "Legal Strategies for the Insurance Industry: Providing Business Solutions From A Legal Perspective," Aspatore, Inc., 2005

• "Prop. 103 and Peter's Return to Never Never Land," The Underwriter's Report, 5 October 1989

• "California Insurance Law and Practice," Matthew Bender, 1986

• "The Fortune Teller & The Casualty Actuary Discuss Threats to Financial Solvency," The Underwriter's Report, 1 November 1984

• "Wizard of Oz Revisited: Along the Yellow Brick Road in Search of an Insolvency Solution," The Underwriter's Report, 10 May 1984

• "Alice's Adventures Revisited: A Look at the Wonderland of Reinsurance Fraud and Two Potential Victims: Kenilworth and POSA," The Underwriter's Report, 5 May 1983

• "Government Ownership Statutes - An International Stumbling Block for Alien Insurers Seeking to Transact Business in the United States," The ABA FORUM 497, Spring 1983

 

Events

• What Every Insurer Should Know About the New York Cybersecurity Regulation, 2 May 2017

• The NY DFS Cyber Regulation: How to Comply and How to Respond to a Cyber Incident, 5 April 2017

• "What Every Insurer (and Broker) Should Know About Cyber Security," TSLA 2015 Annual Meeting, 8 November 2015 - 9 November 2015

• "What Every Insurer (and Insurance Professional) Should Know About Cyber Security ," Central Texas Chapter of Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters (CPCU) Industry Day, 27 October 2015

• "Global Insurance Trends and Developments," Insurance China 2015 International Summit, 17 September 2015 - 18 September 2015

• What Every Insurer Should Know About Cyber Security, 15 September 2015

• PCI Webinar: What Every Insurer Should Know About Cyber Security, 25 June 2015

• Technological Evolution: The Impact of Social Media, Big Data and Privacy on Business, 9 March 2015 - 10 March 2015

• Co-Hosted PCI Webinar regarding NYDFS Cyber Security Regulations, July 2017

• Assisted in organizing NAPSLO webinar regarding NYDFS Cyber Security Regulations, August 2017

 

Accolades

• The Recorder’s 2015 Innovator Awards - Named a “Serial Innovator” in The Recorder’s annual “Innovator Awards.” (December 10, 2015)

• Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation - Honoree at the Foundation's 16th Annual Western Division Gala.  Mr. Woods became the only law firm partner to join an impressive group of insurance industry leaders recognized for their commitment of charitable services (May 16, 2009)

• California-based Law Firm Representing Insurers Takes ‘Solution-Oriented’ Approach