U.K. law firm Kennedys opens Wilmington office  

Longtime White and Williams partner Marc Casarino will open Kennedys new office in Wilmington. | PHOTO COURTESY OF KENNEDYS

WILMINGTON – Global insurance law firm Kennedys has opened a new office in downtown Wilmington led by former White and Williams partner Marc Casarino.

Kennedys new office will be based at Citizens Bank Center off Market Street. | DBT PHOTO BY MIKE ROCHELEAU

The office – the London-based firm’s eighth in the U.S. and the 43rd globally – will be located at the Citizens Bank Center at 919 N. Market St.

Casarino comes to Kennedys after more than 23 years as a commercial litigator at White & Williams’ Wilmington practice. He has extensive experience in insurance coverage litigation, corporate governance, fiduciary obligations, director and officer disputes, stockholder rights, partnership conflicts, internal investigations, securities claims, bankruptcies, breach of contracts, and employer liability.

“I am delighted to join Kennedys at such an exciting time. I already know the caliber of my new colleagues, having worked as Delaware counsel for many of them previously. Being able to access that bank of talent and the global resources of Kennedys will be invaluable,” he said in a statement announcing the move.

Meg Catalano, U.S. managing partner and member of the firm’s Global Strategy Board, said the firm was attracted to Casarino due to “an impressive track record in growing practice in this field, and a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience which will be a real asset to us and our clients.”

Kennedys specializes in servicing a variety of industry sectors, including insurance and reinsurance, aviation, banking and finance, construction and engineering, health care, life sciences, marine, public sector, rail, real estate, retail, shipping and international trade, sport and leisure, transport and logistics and travel and tourism. It has particular expertise in litigation and dispute resolution, especially in defending insurance and liability claims.

The 123-year-old firm, ranked No. 145 on last year’s Global 200 largest international law firms list, has 2,400 staff members worldwide on six continents. Casarino will reportedly be joined by two associates in opening the Wilmington office.

“Our clients are at the heart of everything we do, and I’m pleased to say that the growing needs of our clients, along with the importance of the Delaware courts has driven this latest expansion,” Christopher Carroll, Kennedys’ senior U.S. partner and member of the firm’s Global Strategy Board, added in a statement. “Growth in such an important market and in such challenging times isn’t easy but is a true testament to our colleagues and the service we provide to our clients.”

The firm told Delaware Business Times that its platform would allow Casarino to “further develop business opportunities within and beyond Delaware.”  The Delaware office will continue to grow as needed to accommodate Kennedys’ expanding client relationships, it added.

Kennedys other U.S. offices include Philadelphia, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, Austin, Texas; and Basking Ridge, N.J.