Reka Bala

About Reka Bala

With more than 15 years of work experience in the legal and insurance fields, I am Senior Counsel at a national law firm with more than 400 attorneys. I handle primarily insurance coverage matters but also do some defense and appellate work. Prior to Hinshaw, I was Senior Claim Director at Chubb, specializing in life sciences where I managed complex and high-risk liability claims relating to product defects, medical devices, errors and omissions, clinical trials, and lawsuits filed against insured-pharmaceutical companies. Prior to law school, I was a newspaper reporter all around NY/NJ.In my current role, I do the following:• Prepare comprehensive coverage opinions, assessing risks under various policies (directors & officers liability; commercial general liability, employment, umbrella/excess, auto, errors and omissions, and professional liability).• Defend insurers in NY and NJ lawsuits involving complex coverage issues, such as bad faith, estoppel, and additional-insured tenders; achieved favorable results including prevailing on a motion to dismiss for PIP carrier in subrogation case.• Handle insurance defense cases involving motor vehicle accidents and personal injuries/property damage arising out of construction defect matters, and litigated an appeal before the New York Appellate Division, Second Department.

Experience

1. Senior Counsel

   Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP

   Aug 2023 — Present · Edison, NJ, US

Education

• Washington University in St. Louis

  B.A., International Studies; Spanish

  1995 — 1999

• Northwestern University

  Master's, Journalism

  2002 — 2003

• City University of New York School of Law

  J.D., Law

  2007 — 2010

Skills

• Mediation
• Criminal Law
• Employment Discrimination
• Personal Injury
• Trial Practice
• Appeals
• Legal Writing
• Litigation
• Civil Litigation
• Municipal Law
• Courts
• Commercial Litigation
• Legal Research