David H. Topol

Wiley mourns the loss of our friend and partner David Topol, who passed away on September 21, 2023 after a short and aggressive battle with cancer. Throughout his 20 years at the firm, David was a dedicated advocate to his clients, a respected and admired leader in the professional liability insurance industry, and a trusted mentor to many young attorneys.

David represented professional liability insurers in coverage matters before state and federal courts across the country. Chambers USA regularly ranked David in its top-tier of Washington, DC insurance attorneys, calling him a “great strategist and negotiator,” noting he is a “very practical lawyer, who focuses on getting a good result” (2016) and is “very easy to work with, very responsive and experienced, and knowledgeable of the topic and people” (2017).

David served on the boards of many charitable and educational organizations. In 2021, David and his wife Stacey received the Sara and Samuel J. Lessans Community Leadership Award from Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington.

Representative Matters

• Served as coverage and monitoring counsel in connection with a variety of professional liability policies, including directors and officers liability, banking, cyber, mutual fund, investment adviser, and fidelity bond policies.
• Represented insurers' interests in connection with resolution of complex securities claims through litigation and alternative dispute resolution procedures.
• Counseled insurers on coverage issues and handling of first-party and third-party claims under cyber policies.
• Represented insurers on representations and warranties policies.

Professional Experience

• Trial Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice, Environmental Enforcement Section (1997-2001)
  • Successfully litigated cases under CERCLA, the Clear Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and other environmental laws

Affiliations

• Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS)

Recognitions

• Included in The Best Lawyers in America directory for Insurance Law (2023-2024)
• Listed by Chambers USA as one of "America's Leading Lawyers for Business" in Insurance: Insurer (2007-2023)
• Named one of DC's "Super Lawyers" for Insurance Coverage by Super Lawyers magazine (2011-2020)
• Recognized by The Legal 500 US in Insurance Law (2018-2023)
• U.S. Department of Justice Attorney General's Award (1999)