2023 Break Out Awards NORTHEAST SOUTH MIDWEST WEST
DOMINIC RUPPRECHT Partner
Reed Smith LLP
Pittsburgh
Watching TV’s “Matlock” as a child with his grandmother sparked Dominic Rupprecht’s interest in law. After graduating from Penn State Law, he clerked for a federal judge for two years before landing a job at Jones Day focusing on insurance. Since 2017, he has been with Reed Smith specializing in insurance coverage litigation and counseling.
What’s your advice on navigating the current insurance market?
My primary advice would be starting early, getting a very good broker and getting good advice from coverage counsel to make sure the coverage that you’re getting is the coverage that you want.
How are technological advances affecting your job?
It’s making things both much easier and much more complicated all at the same time. I can do everything from any place in the world. As long as I have an internet connection, I can take a deposition from just about any place. I can do a policy review, advise a client, settle a case, mediate a case from anywhere I want, which is great.
What’s a problem that needs fixing in your sector?
Email. People are firing off emails left and right, and so often a phone call de-escalates problems.
What do you wish more people knew about insurance?
It’s fun and interesting and challenging. At the end of the day, all I try to do is help fix problems, and that’s certainly not what every corporate litigator would be saying about what their job is.
What’s something about you that would surprise people?
In March, I was in all five performances of the Pittsburgh Opera’s production of “The Marriage of Figaro.”
What did you want to be when you grew up?
I actually wanted to be a lawyer. More specifically, I wanted to be Ben Matlock.
