Clifford Chance announced today that insurance and financial services partner Dennis Manfredi has joined the firm as co-head of the firm's US Insurance practice.
Manfredi brings to Clifford Chance more than 23 years of deep experience helping insurance and reinsurance companies with transactional and regulatory matters, including mergers and acquisitions, domestic and cross border reinsurance transactions, reinsurance collateral arrangements, and pension risk transfer transactions. He has also worked on innovative structured finance matters such as private equity-backed life and annuity sidecars and other third-party capital-financed reinsurance vehicles, insurtech, and regulatory reserve and embedded value transactions.
His appointment follows the recent hire of insurance regulatory counsel Eugene Benger and adds further depth in the US to Clifford Chance's industry-leading global insurance offering, which is one of only two law firms ranked in Band 1 with Chambers for Global Insurance.
Global Head of Insurance Ashley Prebble says, "We are delighted to welcome Dennis to the firm and his hire demonstrates our commitment to strengthening our market leading global offering to both insurance sector clients as well as financial investor clients increasingly active in this space. Dennis owns a much-deserved reputation as a leader in his field and his arrival will deliver immediate, significant value to our US and global clients and bolster our global platform."
Joe Cosentino, Co-head of US Insurance, says, "The insurance industry is experiencing unprecedented change. Technology-driven disruption, regulatory shifts, intense competition, changing consumer expectations and prospects in the emerging markets mean that our clients seek wide-ranging guidance that can only be delivered by a global firm. Dennis brings a level of knowledge that complements the foundation of our practice at this unique period of time."
Manfredi is the firm's 12th senior lateral hire in 2022, reflecting an ambitious growth trajectory. In addition to the arrival of Benger, the firm also recently appointed partner Kevin Colan in the US Tax practice. These arrivals were preceded by Devika Kornbacher as Co-Head of the Global Tech Team, and partner Vadim Avdeychik in US Funds & Investment Management. Earlier in the year, the firm hired financial regulatory counsel Young Kim, life sciences and healthcare antitrust partner Leigh Oliver, renewable energy, project finance and tax partner Alexander Leff, funds and investment management counsel Richard Kruger and partners William Sturman and Kelly Labritz, and counsel Leah Feldman in structured finance.
Manfredi, who joins from Sidley Austin's insurance and financial services group, says, "Clifford Chance is differentiated in the legal industry with its spectacular global offerings and platform. I'm delighted to blend my knowledge and skills with the network to support both US and global insurance, reinsurance and other financial institution clients."