Greenberg Traurig hires insurance specialist from NYDFS
International law firm Greenberg Traurig has appointed Laura Evangelista to its Insurance Regulatory & Transactions and Financial Regulation & Compliance practices.
Greenberg was formerly executive deputy superintendent for insurance for the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS). She focuses her practice on insurance and financial services matters, including regulatory and transactional issues, and will split her time between the firm's New York City and Albany offices.
"The addition of Laura speaks to the firm's commitment to proactively address the needs of our clients in this critical area of importance in state enforcement actions and regulatory investigations," said Harold Iselin, managing shareholder of the firm's Albany office and Stephen Rabinowitz, managing shareholder of the firm's New York City office, in a joint statement. "Laura joins a prominent team nationally and in New York, which includes Michael Berlin, who previously served as deputy attorney general for economic justice and special counsel."
Evangelista has more than 25 years of legal experience in the insurance industry. She joined DFS in 2016 as deputy superintendent for insurance, moving to her most recent role in 2018. At DFS, Evangelista worked on policy initiatives, including formulation of regulations and industry guidance. She supervised all substantive insurance matters, including financial solvency examinations, market conduct examinations, and insurance company acquisitions. The insurance division regulates approximately 1,700 insurers with assets exceeding $4 trillion. Evangelista also served as a liaison to regulated entities, trade associations, and consumer groups on emerging issues and coordinated the department's involvement with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
"Our collaborative culture and vision to work with clients in a variety of legal disciplines, serving as their one-stop shop of trusted advisors, is perfectly aligned with Laura's wide range of experience," said John Mascialino, who heads the firm's New York City Government Law & Policy Practice.
Evangelista added: "Greenberg Traurig's reputation in New York as well as in the world of insurance and financial regulation made this firm the right choice for me as I begin the next chapter of my career."
Thomas Bond, co-chair of the firm's Government Law & Policy and Insurance Regulatory & Transactions practice groups, and a former Commissioner of Insurance for the State of Texas, said: "Laura's experience handling complex insurance regulatory and enforcement matters complements our growing team of insurance attorneys."
Evangelista joins Fred Karlinsky in Florida, who co-chairs Greenberg Traurig's Insurance Regulatory & Transactions Practice and Julie Mix McPeak in Tennessee, who is the former Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance and who also previously served as the executive director of the Kentucky Office of Insurance, among others.
Prior to her government work, Evangelista was a commercial litigator at national and regional law firms for 17 years and served as legal counsel for a boutique international insurance broker and reinsurance intermediary for eight years.
