Lynda A. Bennett

Ms. Bennett has devoted her practice to complex commercial litigation with an emphasis on perfecting policyholder rights in insurance coverage disputes.  Ms. Bennett's insurance practice includes representing policyholders in declaratory judgment actions, mediating insurance coverage claims, and providing consultation services for specialized insurance policies.  She has successfully recovered substantial sums for her clients from numerous major insurers in environmental, asbestos, construction, toxic tort, product liability, and director/officer liability matters.   Ms. Bennett also has defended chemical, construction, and pharmaceutical companies in connection with complex litigation matters. 

Ms. Bennett is admitted to practice before all of the Federal and State Courts of New Jersey.  She is also admitted to practice in New York State Court as well as the Southern and Eastern District Federal Courts in New York.  Ms. Bennett has been consistently listed in a number of legal directories of distinguished attorneys including being listed in Martindale Hubbell where she enjoys the "AV" rating for excellence/preeminence in her field.  In 2004, Ms. Bennett was recognized in the New Jersey Law Journal's "40 Under 40" as one of the forty young attorneys in New Jersey "worth watching, not only for what they have achieved so far in their careers but more so for the potential they show to be among the leaders of the New Jersey Bar in the no-so-distant future." Since 2006, Ms. Bennett has been listed in The Best Lawyers of America and repeatedly has been included in New Jersey Monthly magazine on the New Jersey Super Lawyers list, including as one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in the State [for methodology, see www.bestlawyers.com and www.superlawyers.com].  In April 2010, Ms. Bennett was named one of the Top 100 Lawyers in the State by New Jersey Monthly magazine [for methodology, see www.superlawyers.com]. 

Ms. Bennett has a demonstrated leadership in the New Jersey Bar.  In 2008, the New Jersey Commission on Professionalism in the Law awarded Ms. Bennett a Professional Lawyer of the Year Award based on her conduct, competence and demeanor of setting an example for others in the profession.  She is the immediate past Chair of the Insurance Law Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association.  Ms. Bennett also serves as a Board Member of the New Jersey Women Lawyers Association, where she is the President of this 500 member specialty bar association.  Finally, Ms. Bennett is routinely asked to serve as a moderator and speaker for Continuing Legal Education programs and insurance-related seminars.

Ms. Bennett earned her J.D. from Valparaiso University School of Law, where she served as an Executive Editor of the Valparaiso Law Review.

Speaking Engagements:

• Lynda Bennett spoke at the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Annual Meeting on May 20, 2010 in Atlantic City. Her program was called " Ethical Considerations and Other Issues in the Settlement Process." Ms. Bennett spoke on the consequences of an insurer’s failure to settle a claim, including the potential for bad faith liability.
• Lynda Bennett spoke at the Annual RIMS Conference in Boston on April 27, 2010. Her program was called "The Importance of Contract Certainty in Uncertain Times."
• Lynda Bennett spoke at the NJICLE Insurance Law Update 2010 on the topic "Duty to Defend in New Jersey."
• Lynda Bennett spoke to the American Bankers Association at the 2010 Insurance Risk Management Annual Form & Meetings in Naples, Florida on February 7, 2010. Her program was called "The Importance of Contract Certainty."
• Women In Law article posted with permission of New Jersey Business magazine.