Suman is an industry-recognized first-chair litigator with more than two decades of experience advocating for major insurers and reinsurers in high value arbitrations, and in state and federal court litigation across the country. Collaborative and client-focused, Suman develops dispute resolution strategies tailored to his clients’ business objectives. He leverages his deep industry experience and knowledge to serve as both a determined litigator and a trusted advisor, helping his clients navigate and resolve the full range of risks they face.
Suman’s disputes practice confronts a broad range of issues affecting his clients in both the life and property and casualty industries. In the life re/insurance area, Suman serves as lead trial counsel to several of the largest national life insurance companies in their disputes with reinsurers. In the property and casualty field, Suman serves as lead national counsel for a third-party claims administrator and affiliated reinsurer in the defense of tort and contract actions relating to long-tail asbestos and environmental claims.
For several years, Chambers USA has listed Suman as a leading attorney in its insurer-side disputes rankings, identifying him as a leader in the industry who is “rapidly building a substantial profile” and someone who “has developed a near-actuary level of understanding of the complex actuarial issues involved” in life reinsurance disputes. Clients have noted that “his true strength is strategy, allowing him to anticipate arguments and to play the game several steps ahead of his adversaries.” His surging reputation has also been recognized in Legal 500, Benchmark Litigation, Who's Who, and Expert Guides.
Suman also devotes his time to serving his community through both pro bono efforts and board service. He currently sits on the Board of the Stonewall Community Foundation. He previously served on the Board of the MCC Theater, one of New York’s leading off-Broadway theater companies, and as Co-Chair of the Board of the National LGBTQ Task Force, the country’s oldest LGBTQ national advocacy organization.
Suman is an industry-recognized first-chair litigator with more than two decades of experience advocating for major insurers and reinsurers in high value arbitrations, and in state and federal court litigation across the country. Collaborative and client-focused, Suman develops dispute resolution strategies tailored to his clients’ business objectives. He leverages his deep industry experience and knowledge to serve as both a determined litigator and a trusted advisor, helping his clients navigate and resolve the full range of risks they face.
Experience
- Advised life retrocessionaire on implications of reinsurer rehabilitation proceedings in the Court of Chancery, Delaware.
- Represented reinsurer in cession of COVID-related claims to workers’ compensation treaty.
- Served as first chair trial counsel to multiple leading life insurance company in several reinsurance arbitrations related to YRT reinsurance agreements.
- Represented life retrocessionaire on disputes with reinsurer over claim administration and jumbo limit breaches.
- Advised life reinsurer on dispute regarding scope of coverage for block of annuities.
- Counseled acquirer of closed block of in-force policies on litigation risk related to life reinsurance agreements.
- Secured summary judgment for retrocessionnaire in dispute related to the allocation of claims across underlying policy years.
- Secured dismissal of RICO and other tort claims asserted by a policyholder against a reinsurer and third-party claims administrator.
- Secured dismissal with prejudice of contract and tort claims against a third-party claims administrator.
News & Press
Benchmark Litigation has recognized seventeen Mintz Members in its 2024 guide to the leading litigation firms and lawyers in the US. The firm was also acknowledged for its work in Massachusetts, being named “Highly Recommended” in the Commonwealth and received top-tier rankings across three practice categories, including General Commercial, Insurance, and White Collar.
Mintz announced today that 42 of its practices and 83 of its attorneys earned recognition in the 2024 edition of Chambers USA, a guide to the country’s leading law firms. Of those included in the guide, 18 attorneys and seven practice areas were awarded Chambers’ highest ranking, Band 1. The firm obtained new listings in three practice areas and 10 of its lawyers were recognized for the first time.
The Future of Federal Arbitration Act Practice After ‘Badgerow’
January 5, 2024
Member Suman Chakraborty authored an article published in the New York Law Journal discussing the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision in Badgerow v. Walters (2022) on the jurisdiction of federal courts in cases related to the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA).
Benchmark Litigation has recognized 14 Mintz Members in its newly released 2024 guide to the leading litigation firms and lawyers in the US. The firm was also acknowledged for its work in Massachusetts and received high rankings across three practice areas, including General Commercial, Insurance, and White Collar.
BOSTON – Mintz has earned top rankings in the 2023 edition of Legal 500 United States guide. The firm is recognized in 14 practice categories, and 59 individual attorneys are also recognized in the guide, some in more than one category.
BOSTON –Mintz announced today that 39 of its practices and 81 of its attorneys earned recognition in the 2023 edition of Chambers USA, a guide to the country’s leading law firms.
Benchmark Litigation Recognizes 13 Mintz Attorneys As 2023 Litigation Stars
September 29, 2022
Benchmark Litigation has recognized 13 Mintz Members as “Litigation Stars” in its newly released 2023 guide to the leading litigation firms and lawyers in the U.S.
Mintz Creates Equity Advisory Council To Drive The Firm’s Commitment To Equity In Workplace
May 16, 2022
Mintz continues its ongoing commitment to ensuring the firm is an equitable workplace, establishing a new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee that reports directly to the firm's main decision making body, the Policy Committee. The new Equity Advisory Council (EAC) will be responsible for driving equity for the firm’s attorneys, especially women, attorneys of color and LGBTQ+ attorneys.
Mintz Member Suman Chakraborty tells his journey of becoming a recognized first-chair litigator as an LGBTQ+ attorney of color in an article published by the New York Law Journal.
Mintz Welcomes 21 Lateral Members in 2020
December 29, 2020
Prominent Insurance/Reinsurance Group Joins Mintz
July 15, 2020
Events & Speaking
Keeping Your Best: Strategies for Building and Retaining Diverse Talent in an Intersectional World
ACC New York
Virtual
Suman is an industry-recognized first-chair litigator with more than two decades of experience advocating for major insurers and reinsurers in high value arbitrations, and in state and federal court litigation across the country. Collaborative and client-focused, Suman develops dispute resolution strategies tailored to his clients’ business objectives. He leverages his deep industry experience and knowledge to serve as both a determined litigator and a trusted advisor, helping his clients navigate and resolve the full range of risks they face.
Recognition & Awards
Chambers USA: Dispute Resolution: Insurer in New York (2017 – 2024)
The Legal 500: Recommended Lawyer (2016, 2018 – 2021)
Benchmark Litigation (2019-2025)
Expert Guide: Insurance and Litigation (2015 – 2020)
Who’s Who of Insurance and Reinsurance (2019-2023)
Business Today: Top 10 Influential New York Insurance Dispute Resolution Lawyers (2023)
Suman is an industry-recognized first-chair litigator with more than two decades of experience advocating for major insurers and reinsurers in high value arbitrations, and in state and federal court litigation across the country. Collaborative and client-focused, Suman develops dispute resolution strategies tailored to his clients’ business objectives. He leverages his deep industry experience and knowledge to serve as both a determined litigator and a trusted advisor, helping his clients navigate and resolve the full range of risks they face.
Involvement
- Member, Society of Actuaries (Reinsurance Section)
- Member, Association of Life Insurance Counsel
- Member, ARIAS-US
- Member, Asian American Bar Association of New York
- Board Member, Stonewall Community Foundation
Recent Insights
Benchmark Litigation has recognized seventeen Mintz Members in its 2024 guide to the leading litigation firms and lawyers in the US. The firm was also acknowledged for its work in Massachusetts, being named “Highly Recommended” in the Commonwealth and received top-tier rankings across three practice categories, including General Commercial, Insurance, and White Collar.
Mintz announced today that 42 of its practices and 83 of its attorneys earned recognition in the 2024 edition of Chambers USA, a guide to the country’s leading law firms. Of those included in the guide, 18 attorneys and seven practice areas were awarded Chambers’ highest ranking, Band 1. The firm obtained new listings in three practice areas and 10 of its lawyers were recognized for the first time.
