Atty. Michael L. Zigelman
Michael Zigelman is the co-managing partner of KDV’s New York City office. He concentrates his practice on all aspects of insurance coverage - including directors and officers liability, professional liability, ERISA/fiduciary-related claims, commercial general liability (CGL), admiralty and maritime, toxic/mass tort and environmental coverage.
Directors & Officers Liability & More Attorney · Serving New York, NY · 27+ Years Experience
Profile Summary
About Michael L. Zigelman at a Glance
Michael L. Zigelman is a Managing Partner based in New York, New York, practicing at Kaufman Dolowich LLP. They have 27+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 1999. Their practice focuses on personal injury, criminal defense, employment, business, and real estate. Admitted to practice in New York (1999). Educated at Hofstra University School of Law (J.D., 1998) and State University of New York at Binghamton (B.A., 1995). Recognitions include Peer Reviewed. Active member of PLUS) •Claims & Litigation Management Alliance (CLM, Professional Memberships •American Bar Association •Professional Liability Underwriting Society. Serves clients in New York, NY and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About Michael L. Zigelman
- Michael Zigelman is the co-managing partner of KDV’s New York City office
- He concentrates his practice on all aspects of insurance coverage - including directors and officers liability, professional liability, ERISA/fiduciary-related claims, commercial general liability (CGL), admiralty and maritime, toxic/mass tort and environmental coverage
- Mr. Zigelman’s experience includes drafting coverage position letters and coverage opinions, as well as litigating complex insurance coverage matters for insurers and reinsurers throughout the United States, including allegations of bad faith and extra-contractual exposure
- Mr. Zigelman also handles all phases of coverage advice and litigation involving first party property and business interruption issues nationwide, including claims related to 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Super Storm Sandy, COVID-19 and other CAT events
- His past experience also includes serving as national counsel for global insurers so as to assist in creating a consistent approach to handling these claims
- As with all matters, Mr. Zigelman places emphasis on early resolution of claims and litigated matters, including arbitration, mediation and appraisal, and has had great success on behalf of his clients
- He also routinely assists business partners, including claims and underwriting teams, in identifying underwriting and coverage issues, as well as implementation of best practices from a risk management standpoint
- Additionally, Mr. Zigelman routinely drafts insurance policies and endorsements for all lines of coverage and has argued substantive motions in both state and federal courts
- He has presented continuing legal education seminars on topics ranging from the impact and fallout of the Madoff fraud, to coverage issues pertaining to the FDIC and failed banks, to best practices for handling CGL claims in New York
- Mr. Zigelman also serves as chair for Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck’s General Liability Coverage practice group
- Publications •Delaware Rulings Clarify Interpretation of ‘Related Claims’ Provisions in D&O Insurance Policies: Reuters Legal, authors Michael Zigelman, Patrick Kennell, Catherine Lyster •A Changing Boardroom Climate: Insurance Planning w/ ESG in Mind, Reuters, authors Michael Zigelman, Patrick Kennell, & Matthew Lee, Sept. 24, 2021 •Jurisdictions Continue to be Split Over Insurer’s Right to Recoup Defense Costs, Reuters •National Law Firm Kaufman Dolowich Voluck Opens Westchester Location, Westchester & Fairfield County Business Journals •Delaware Court Holds Excess Insurers May Not Rely on Exhaustion Clauses Absent Risk of ‘Actual Prejudice,’ Insurance Coverage Law Center •INSIGHT: Are Insurers Collaterally Damaged by New State ‘Child Victims Acts’?
- Bloomberg Law •Courts use choice-of-law analysis to avoid denying coverage, PropertyCasualty360 •The Biggest Property & Casualty Insurance Decisions Of 2018, Law360, ft
- Michael Zigelman and Daniel Brody •KDV Law Alert: Excess Insurer’s Rights to Equitable Subrogation •New York Court of Appeals Holds that “All Sums” Method Applies to Allocation of Loss Over Multiple Policy Years •Using Classification Limits To Deny Coverage In NY, Law360, by Michael Zigelman & Eric Stern •NY’s First Department Holds for the First Time that Policy Classifications are not Exclusions and Cannot be Waived Under New York Insurance Law •KDV Insurance Law Alert: To Disclaim Coverage, or Not to Disclaim Coverage, That is the Question •KDV Insurance Law Alert: New York’s Appellate Division Reaffirms Insurer Timing Requirements Under Insurance Law 3420 •KDV Alert: New York’s Highest Court Knocks Out Four Late-Disclaimer Rulings With One Decision •KDV Alert: Insurer Disclaimer Upheld Under New York’s New Notice-Prejudice Law •Popcorn Lung Claims Could Be Explosive, Law360 •KDV Alert: Adding Insurance Coverage Flavor to the Recent Consumer-Popcorn Verdict •KDV Alert: California Supreme Court Upholds the “Uber-Policy” for Long-Tail Insurance Claims •Breaking the ‘Mold’: N.Y
- Landlords’ Exposure Liability, Law360 •KDV Alert: New York Court Clarifies Threshold for Mold Infestation •KDV Alert: New York’s First Department Holds That Standards Used In Additional Insured Endorsements Are Not Materially Different News •Jurisdictions Continue to be Split Over Insurer’s Right to Recoup Defense Costs, Reuters •National Law Firm Kaufman Dolowich Voluck Opens Westchester Location, Westchester & Fairfield County Business Journals •Delaware Court Holds Excess Insurers May Not Rely on Exhaustion Clauses Absent Risk of ‘Actual Prejudice,’ Insurance Coverage Law Center •Press Release: Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck Names Mary Jo Barry and Michael Zigelman Co-Managing Partners of New York City Office •NY’s First Department Holds for the First Time that Policy Classifications are not Exclusions and Cannot be Waived Under New York Insurance Law •KDV Insurance Law Alert: New York’s Appellate Division Reaffirms Insurer Timing Requirements Under Insurance Law 3420 •KDV Alert: New York’s Appellate Division Says No Coverage Under Financial Institution Bond For Madoff Losses Speaking Engagements •Michael Zigelman and Sanjay Bansal, Presenters at CLM 2017 Annual Conference: Ripped From The Headlines - How Reinsurance Responds to Page One News •Michael Zigelman, Host at 2016 CLM New York City Chapter Educational & Networking Event •Michael Zigelman, Co-Presenter at 2016 CLM Annual Conference: Reinsurance - What Is It That You Do •FDIC Law Suits Against Failed Banks’ Law Firms and Other Outer Professionals
Practice Areas Explained
Michael L. Zigelman's Areas of Legal Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Michael L. Zigelman handles, with a practical overview of what that area of law involves and how it may apply to your situation in New York.
Personal Injury in New York
Personal injury attorneys help accident victims recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain & suffering. Most work on contingency — no fee unless you win.
Michael L. Zigelman is one of 262,557 personal injury attorneys indexed nationally. Browse personal injury attorneys in New York →
Criminal Defense in New York
A criminal defense attorney protects your rights from arrest through trial. Find experienced lawyers handling DUI, drug, federal, theft, and violent-crime charges.
Michael L. Zigelman is one of 212,605 criminal defense attorneys indexed nationally. Browse criminal defense attorneys in New York →
Employment Law in New York
Employment lawyers represent workers in wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, wage & hour disputes, and severance negotiations.
Michael L. Zigelman is one of 167,770 employment attorneys indexed nationally. Browse employment attorneys in New York →
Business & Corporate Law in New York
Business attorneys advise founders and growing companies on entity formation, contracts, financing, M&A, and dispute resolution.
Michael L. Zigelman is one of 497,491 business attorneys indexed nationally. Browse business attorneys in New York →
Real Estate Law in New York
Real estate attorneys handle home purchases, sales, commercial transactions, title disputes, and landlord-tenant matters.
Michael L. Zigelman is one of 313,729 real estate attorneys indexed nationally. Browse real estate attorneys in New York →
Jurisdictional Context
Why Local Counsel Matters in New York
Practicing law in New York. Legal matters in New York are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in New York are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate New York state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in New York brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this venue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in New York courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
New York Courts and Legal Process
Choosing a New York-based attorney means your counsel already knows the local docketing timelines, preferred filing formats, and how individual judges typically rule on procedural motions — details that only come from practicing in this jurisdiction day after day. That local familiarity can translate to better strategy, faster filings, and fewer costly surprises.
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Professional Profile
Why Clients in New York Choose Michael L. Zigelman
Selecting an attorney is one of the most consequential decisions you can make when a legal matter arises. Below are the core qualities that distinguish Michael L. Zigelman's practice in the field of personal injury, criminal defense, employment, business, and real estate.
Decade-Tested Legal Experience
Michael L. Zigelman brings 27+ years of hands-on legal practice — enough to have navigated the recurring fact patterns, procedural traps, and negotiation dynamics that shape case outcomes.
Broad Practice Area Coverage
Covering personal injury, criminal defense, and employment, Michael L. Zigelman can address the full spectrum of a client's legal needs without requiring referrals to separate specialists for each issue.
Local Presence in New York
A New York-based practice means Michael L. Zigelman attends hearings in the same courthouses, knows the local clerks, and understands the unwritten scheduling norms that affect every case filed here.
Case Types
Common Legal Issues Michael L. Zigelman Handles in New York
Below is a representative sample of the types of matters Michael L. Zigelman has experience with under New York law. If your situation involves one of these case categories, this attorney may be well positioned to help you understand your options.
This list is illustrative, not exhaustive. Contact Michael L. Zigelman directly to discuss the specifics of your situation.
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Michael L. Zigelman's Practice Areas & Specializations
Education & Law School Background
Awards & Professional Honors
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