Janeen M. Thomas is a partner in the New York office of Lewis Brisbois and a member of the Insurance Law practice. Janeen has 20 years of experience as a litigator. In her complex diverse insurance and litigation practice, Ms. Thomas deals daily with high exposure events and litigation stemming from such events.

Janeen represents insurance company clients across the U.S. in first- party, liability, professional liability, and D&O insurance coverage matters with regard to claims by property owners, construction contractors, businesses, vendors, homeowners and condominiums/co-ops. She represents insurers in claims and litigation impacting primary and/or excess layers of coverage. These disputes often arise from catastrophic events, construction accidents, water damage/intrusion, floods, fire, mold, hurricanes and wind and hail damage, business interruption and delay claims. Janeen also handles third party insurance coverage litigation arising from bodily injury and property damage occurrences with a focus on contractual liability and additional insured coverage. Janeen’s insurance coverage practice includes comprehensive insurance coverage opinions regarding bad faith, breach of contract, the duty to defend, duty to indemnify, analysis of exclusions and conditions to coverage, waiver of coverage defenses, number of occurrences and priority of coverage following analysis of insurance policies, claim files and relevant agreements.

Janeen also has extensive experience in employment practices liability and miscellaneous professional liability matters, including employment discrimination, wage and hour, sexual harassment, reasonable accommodation, public accommodation and housing discrimination claims.

Janeen is licensed to practice in New York, New Jersey, the United States District Courts for the Southern District of New York, Eastern District of New York and District of New Jersey as well as the United States Supreme Court.

Janeen is a music and arts enthusiast, and a Suzuki trained violinist. She also serves on Ladies Usher Board No. 1 at The Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York.

Publications

Pro Bono & Philanthropy

Professional Presentations

• Representation and Action: Driving Business Success and an Inclusive Industry, Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation, August 2019
• Smart Data – The Newest Tool in the Defense Attorney’s Toolbox, CLE Presentation, December 2018
• Reputational Risks and the Me-Too Movement, Northeast Insurance Conference, May 2018
• The Impact of Cannabis Legislation on the Insurance Industry, January 2017
• Effectiveness of Declaratory Judgment Actions in the Fight Against Fraud, CLM Annual Conference, 2014
• Are You on the Cutting Edge? Defense and Mitigation Strategies for Large Loss Transportation Claims, CLM Annual Conference, 2013

Admissions

• State Bar Admissions
  • New Jersey
  • New York
• United States District Courts
  • United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
• United States Supreme Court

Admissions

NJ

NY

United States District Court for the Southern District of New York

United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York

United States District Court for the District of New Jersey

United States Supreme Court

Associations

• Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York (WBASNY), State Delegate, 2020-2021 Term
  • Member, Diversity Committee
• Westchester Women’s Bar Association (WWBA), Board Member, 2020-2021 Term
  • Co-Chair, Diversity and Inclusion Committee
• Professional Liability Underwriting Society, Member
  • 2019 Leadership and Mentoring Program (LAMP) Alumni
• Claims and Litigation Management Alliance, Member

Awards & Honors

Recipient of the President’s Award, National Bar Association, 2013

 Listed in Best Lawyers in America® 2023 "Ones to Watch" — Insurance Law

Education

The George Washington University Law School

Juris Doctor, 2001

Rutgers University

Bachelor of Arts, 1998