Biography
John Kane is a trial lawyer whose practice is primarily focused in the areas of fire and explosion, complex commercial litigation, large loss property subrogation, and product liability. He is a member of the firm’s Insurance + Reinsurance Group and Litigation Section.
Fire and Explosion
John is chair of the firm's Fire and Explosion Team. With 25 years of experience, and more than 1,000 fire and explosion cases from around the United States under his belt, John has developed a reputation as one of the country’s foremost fire litigators. He has been involved in some of the largest fire scenes around the country due to his critical understanding of fire origin and cause investigations. John has developed close working relationships with some of the nation’s top fire forensic experts and government authorities. He literally helped “write the book” that sets the standards for fire and explosion investigations and analysis – NFPA 921 Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations, and he currently serves on the National Fire Protection Association’s 921 Technical Committee. He is also a member of the National Association of Fire Investigators and International Association of Arson Investigators.
Complex Commercial Litigation
John has successfully litigated multimillion-dollar cases for large, publicly held corporations in federal and state courts throughout the country. He has experience representing clients in a wide-range of high-stakes litigation, including class actions, contract claims, business torts, unfair trade practices, trade secrets, and other business disputes. He partners with businesses, helping them to protect their interests in disputes arising from a large spectrum of commercial relationships. John often handles claims of fraud and requests for exemplary damages and fees. He consults with clients at the outset of every new case in an effort to understand their unique business objectives, and works to formulate and implement innovative, practical, and cost-effective strategies for achieving clients' goals.
Large Loss Property Subrogation
John is chair of the firm's Subrogation Group. On behalf of many of the world’s largest insurers and reinsurers, he pursues responsible parties to recover money for his clients. He assists his insurance clients from the outset of a claim, including investigating the circumstances and cause of each incident in order to maximize recovery effectively and efficiently. John has successfully litigated and resolved large loss property subrogation claims throughout the country, such as helping a carrier pursue a $60 million claim against a utility company responsible for a high voltage electrical fire.
Product Liability
John's product liability practice primarily involves fire and explosion cases. He has served as the National Coordinating Counsel for various manufacturers, including a smoke alarm manufacturer, for whom he successfully defended numerous wrongful death cases throughout the United States. John defends manufacturers, distributors, and retailers in wrongful death, personal injury, property damage, and product liability suits. He also has successfully defended manufacturers in consumer product class action cases.
John has tried numerous matters to verdict. In addition to his trial experience, he has extensive experience in alternative dispute resolution and serves as both a mediator and arbitrator in a variety of disputes.
He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America© in the area of Insurance Law since 2006 and selected to the Connecticut Super Lawyers list for 2010, and from 2013 to 2019.