Catherine T. Begley

Leading insurers across the U.S. call on Catherine Begley to ensure their legal rights in complex, high-stakes matters regarding product recalls. She advocates tenaciously for clients on insurance coverage, crisis management, food and product contamination and recall, and casualty litigation matters. Catherine’s success has been recognized by the Philadelphia Business Journal, which has named her as one of the area’s “40 Under 40” Business Leaders for 2022.

Catherine has counseled insurers and businesses regarding product contamination insurance coverage, commercial general liability insurance coverage, and extra-contractual/bad faith disputes. She has represented them in both federal and state courts across the U.S. on every aspect of litigation, as well as associated arbitration, mediation, and alternative dispute resolution proceedings. She also provides clients with pre-suit evaluations of their obligations based on contract language and applicable law.

One significant example of Catherine’s litigation capabilities is a 2021 case that resulted in a successful $26 million defense of a large national insurer that had denied coverage to a U.S.-based food grower for a loss arising from a contaminated insured product that had been recalled internally.

Catherine Begley earned her J.D. from Temple University’s Beasley School of Law after receiving her B.A. from Penn State University, Schreyer Honors College.

Primary Practice Areas

• Arson & Fraud
• Climate, Energy & Environmental
• Complex Litigation
• Crisis Management
• Extra-Contractual / Bad Faith
• First Party Coverage
• Mass & Toxic Torts
• Third Party Coverage

Areas of Focus

• Additional Insured and Risk Transfer Coverage
• CGL Insurance Coverage
• Commercial Auto & Motor Carrier Coverage
• General Liability and Casualty
• Premises Liability Coverage
• Products Liability
• Property Coverage
• Umbrella & Excess Coverage

Arbre Farms Corporation v. Great American E&S Insurance Company, et al. (Michigan). Obtained favorable ruling in Michigan Federal Court on motion to dismiss that there was no coverage under a product contamination insurance policy for a $26 million recall arising from an Insured Product contaminated with Listeria Monocytogenes prior to the policy inception date. Complaint dismissed with prejudice.

• Philadelphia Bar Association, Wellness Committee
• Brehon Law Society
• Pennsylvania Association of Defense Counsel
• Philadelphia Bar Association’s Insurance Law Subcommittee

HONORS

Albert H. Friedman Prize for outstanding performance on the production of a research paper, Temple University Beasley School of Law

Best Paper, Advanced Financial Regulation at Temple University Beasley School of Law

Dean’s List, Temple University Beasley School of Law

Paterno Fellow, Penn State University

CHARITABLE & CIVIC INVOLVEMENT AND PERSONAL INTERESTS

Member of the Junior Board of Gesu School, an independent Catholic School, Pre-K to 8th grade, in the Jesuit and IHM traditions located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Alumni Mentor Volunteer to undergraduate students interested in pursuing a legal career through the Penn State Liberal Arts Alumni Mentor Program

Member of the Mount Saint Joseph Academy Alumni Association

Professional Mentor, Temple University Beasley School of Law Women’s Law Caucus