Scott N Godes
Barnes & Thornburg • Washington, DC
InsuranceClass ActionsGeneral PracticePersonal Injury
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Contact
Email
scott.godes@btlaw.com
Phone
(202) 830-3117
Address
1717 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC, 20006, US
Professional
About
Scott N. Godes is a seasoned trial attorney based in Washington, DC, specializing in intricate insurance coverage disputes. With a proven track record, he is dedicated to assisting corporate policyholders in reclaiming denied insurance claims. Mr. Godes boasts a remarkable achievement as lead counsel in a groundbreaking four-month class action trial concerning asbestos-related insurance coverage, which established that coverage was available for approximately 20,000 pending asbestos claims. His efforts have led to the recovery of over $800 million in insurance proceeds for his clients. Mr. Godes’ expertise encompasses a wide spectrum of insurance coverage matters, including directors and officers (D&O) insurance, technology liability policies, and long-tail liability claims such as asbestos and PCBs under standard form Commercial General Liability (CGL) policies. His landmark case in New York set a precedent in the realm of asbestos non-products coverage, where the court ruled in favor of policyholders against their insurers, effectively determining that coverage was available beyond the insurers’ asserted aggregate limits. This pivotal ruling also addressed vital issues like notice, the number of occurrences, and the statute of limitations. Beyond his significant victories in class actions, Mr. Godes has represented clients in declaratory judgment actions, insurance-related bankruptcies, and commercial arbitrations. His comprehensive knowledge extends to insurance coverage involving computer data, hardware, software claims, mass tort liabilities, environmental property damage, and flood claims. In addition to his insurance practice, he has successfully handled complex commercial disputes and government contract issues, advocating for clients in both state and federal courts as well as administrative proceedings. With an unwavering commitment to his clients and a deep understanding of the insurance landscape, Scott N. Godes continues to be a formidable advocate in the pursuit of fair and just resolutions in the complex world of insurance coverage law.
About Insurance Law
Insurance attorneys handle disputes between policyholders and insurance companies. They fight for fair claim settlements and represent clients in bad faith cases. Common matters include denied claims, bad faith insurance, coverage disputes, policy interpretation.
Credentials
Education
1998 George Washington University National Law Center JD 1994 Middlebury College BA
Languages
English
Recognition & Involvement
Awards
2010 Who's Who Among Executives and Professionals, Who's Who Among Executives and Professionals 2010 Top 50 Insurance Blogs for 2009, LexisNexis 2008 Cambridge Who's Who, Cambridge Who's Who 2008 Madison Who's Who, Madison Who's Who, MWW Publishing 2008 Co-Chair, Computer Technology Subcomm., American Bar Association
Publications
2011 DoSAttacks.com Insurance Coverage for Denial-of-Service Attacks 2011 Corporate Board Member Magazine “Is Your Company Prepared for Cyber Risk?” 2011 Lexis Insurance Law Center Insurance Coverage for Denial-of-Service Attacks 2011 Dickstein Shapiro Alert “Recent Epsilon Data Breach Highlights Necessity for Understanding and Pursuing Insurance Coverage for Data Breaches” 2011 Core Compass Insurance Coverage for Denial-of-Service Attacks
Associations
2000 - Present Pennsylvania Bar Association Member 1999 - Present District of Columbia Bar Member 1998 - Present American Bar Association Member 1998 - Present Massachusetts Bar Association Member American Bar Association, Litigation Section, Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee, Computer Technology Subcommittee Co-chair
Speaking
2012 ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee CLE Seminar Insurance Coverage for Data Breaches, Denial-of-Service Attacks, and Cybersecurity Events, and the Tidal Wave of Class Action Lawsuits Following Data Breach Disclosures 2011 RIMS 55th Western Regional Conference Data Breaches, Denial of Service Attacks, and Viruses, Oh My! Will You Be Covered if Your Company Suffers a Cyber Event? 2011 NetDiligence® Cyber Risk & Privacy Liability Forum GL vs. Network Security: Insurance coverage for cybersecurity and privacy risks 2011 HB Litigation Additional Insured Issues & Indemnification Agreements Teleconference HB Litigation Additional Insured Issues & Indemnification Agreements Teleconference 2011 CyberCrime Symposium Cyber Insurance - Will You Be Covered if Your Company Suffers a Cyber Event?
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Updated: Aug 03, 2026