Overview

Bob Hermes has 40 years of trial experience in all aspects of reinsurance arbitration/litigation, commercial litigation and appeals in state and federal courts. His experience includes jury and bench trials and arbitrations in reinsurance disputes, breach of contract and fraud actions, business torts, defense of officers and directors, shareholder derivative suits, real estate transactions, trade secret and restrictive covenants, insurance coverage disputes, antitrust and class actions.

Bob’s reinsurance experience includes disputes involving the scope and applicability of arbitration clauses, placement disclosures, claim handling, adherence to underwriting guidelines, retrospectively rated business, obligations to follow settlements, allocation of settlements, obligations under surplus share reinsurance contracts, excess of loss contracts, application of ultimate net loss and net retained line clauses, clash covers, and accounting for premiums and losses. Bob has also provided reinsurance and other mass tort advice to insurance company clients who are involved in large asbestos bankruptcies.

Education

  • DePaul University College of Law  (J.D., 1979)
    • DePaul Law Review, Editor-in-Chief
  • Indiana University  (B.A., 1976)

Bar Admissions

  • Illinois
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Trial Bar)
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin

Professional Associations

  • Chicago Bar Association
  • ARIAS-U.S., Forms and Procedures Committee
  • Association of Insurance & Reinsurance Run-Off Companies (AIRROC)

Honors & Awards

  • Chambers USA, Insurance: Dispute Resolution: Reinsurance, Illinois
  • The Legal 500 United States, Insurance (Recommended Attorney)
  • The Best Lawyers in America®
  • Illinois Super Lawyers
  • Leading Lawyers, Civil Appellate Law, Commercial Litigation and Insurance, Insurance Coverage & Reinsurance Law

Community

  • Western Golf Association (Evans Scholars Foundation), Director