Robert M. Burkholder

Mr. Burkholder is one of the presenters for Workshop T7, “Establishing Protocols for Contractors' Pollution Liability Claims,” on Tuesday afternoon. Mr. Burkholder is responsible for all aspects of the claims operation and provides a sophisticated level of hands-on and proactive claims services necessary for Great American’s specialized and sophisticated client base. Mr. Burkholder brings years of experience analyzing coverage under various policy forms, determining the insured’s potential liabilities, formulating and implementing strategies through use of experienced attorneys and environmental consultants, and working with underwriting staff, brokers, and insureds to accomplish this task, distilling all of the foregoing with a team-oriented approach.

Before joining Great American, Mr. Burkholder was Executive Claims Counsel at XL Environmental (formerly ECS Environmental Claims Administrators), where he worked for more than 17 years managing all aspects of environmental claims. He handled hundreds of complex claims directly nationwide and in Canada, including serious toxic tort/product cases, project-specific pollution and professional claims, site-specific pollution claims, transportation pollution claims, and service policy pollution and professional claims. Mr. Burkholder managed and mentored numerous claims counsel during his years at XL/ECS.

Prior to his entry into the insurance industry, Mr. Burkholder worked as an associate with a general practice law firm in West Chester, Pennsylvania, Gawthrop, Greenwood & Halsted.

Mr. Burkholder graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree in political science from Washington and Lee University and received his juris doctorate from the Washington College of Law, American University. He is admitted to practice before the Pennsylvania courts; the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania; and the United States Supreme Court.