Scott Godes focuses on representing corporate policyholders regarding insurance coverage issues. He is an experienced litigator who has extensive experience in trying complex insurance coverage disputes, including class actions, in state, federal, bankruptcy, and appellate courts, as well as in commercial arbitrations.
District of Columbia Bar
Since 1999
Since 1998
Since 2000
Since 2015
2013 - Current
Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Scott N. Godes is a veteran trial lawyer with experience in insurance coverage matters and technology issues. He is a partner in Barnes & Thornburg LLP’s Washington, D.C., office and is a member of the firm’s Litigation Department, Co-Chair of the Data Security and Privacy Practice Group, member of the Insurance Recovery and Counseling Group, the Internet & Technology Law Group and the Federal Procurement Practice Group.
2006 - 2013
Dickstein Shapiro LLP
Mr. Godes has represented a variety of clients seeking to obtain insurance coverage from their insurance companies. He received a decisive victory as lead counsel in a landmark four-month asbestos-related insurance coverage class action trial. The decision was featured on the front page of the New York Law Journal and Business Insurance. In that case, the policyholder's insurance companies asserted that they had paid out their aggregate limits for all of the policyholder's asbestos-related claims, and therefore, owed no additional coverage. Mr. Godes obtained a verdict that ruled decisively against the insurers, finding that there was additional premises/operations ("non-products") coverage for every asbestos claim under the policies, without regard to the policies' aggregate limits. That case was the first asbestos non-products coverage case resolved favorably against the insurers after a full trial on the merits. The case also favorably resolved a number of other critical issues, including notice, number of occurrences, and the statute of limitations. Mr. Godes also has represented policyholders in declaratory judgment insurance coverage actions, insurance-related bankruptcies and adversary actions, insurer rehabilitation actions, and commercial arbitrations. He has litigated and advised clients regarding insurance coverage for directors and officers and securities claims; business interruption losses; first party property damage; crime and theft; computer data, hardware, and software claims; mass tort liabilities; product liability claims; class actions; asbestos claims; environmental property damage; flood claims; and class actions. He also has been instrumental in settling more than $800 million in insurance coverage claims on behalf of corporate policyholders.
2001 - 2006
Gilbert Heintz & Randolph LLP
2000 - 2001
FindLaw, Inc.
1997 - 2000
DLA Piper
1995 - 1998
J.D. | Law
Honors: Graduated with Honors Honors, Legal Writing Honors, Introduction to Advocacy Moot Court Board member Managing Editor, Public Contract Law Journal
1990 - 1994
B.A. | Political Science, Spanish
Honors: Graduated Cum Laude
American Bar Association, Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee
