Mr. Blume joined the CGL Reporter board in 2012,
where he summarizes cases involving environmental, excess and umbrella, and
directors and officers (D&O) liability insurance coverage cases.
Mr. Blume is a partner in the Chicago office of Kennedys CMK, where he
represents insurers and reinsurers in every aspect of their business,
including claim counseling, litigation and arbitration, premium disputes,
policy drafting, regulatory issues, and formation of captive insurers and
risk retention groups. He has extensive experience with a wide variety of
issues under personal and commercial lines, primary, umbrella, excess,
surplus lines, and reinsurance. He has litigated many long tail claims
arising out of environmental contamination and exposure to asbestos and other
toxic substances. His reinsurance practice includes representing excess of
loss reinsurers written over self-insurers and self-insured pools and
representing and counseling clients with respect to disputes over asbestos
and environmental claims. Mr. Blume also regularly represents and counsels
clients with respect to bad faith, fraud, spoliation of evidence, and other
extra-contractual matters. He also counsels clients on protecting privileged
communications with in-house counsel and personnel.
His is a member of the American Bar Association. Mr. Blume is a frequent
article contributor on attorney client privilege, global warming, and
pollution issues, and he speaks regularly on insurance and reinsurance issues
and attorney-client privilege.
Mr. Blume received his bachelor of arts degree from Knox College and his
juris doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.