BatesCarey is proud to announce that Abigail Rocap, Justin Seigler and Allyson Spacht have been elected as Partners, and Amanda Bushemi Buckley has been elevated to Special Counsel effective January 1, 2022.

Abby focuses her practice on advising and representing insurance carriers in a variety of complex disputes involving professional liability, commercial general liability and first-party property claims. She represents primary and excess insurers in connection with significant class action lawsuits arising from environmental, product defect and cyber claims, and litigates contested coverage cases regarding major advertising injuries, property damage claims, sexual harassment claims, business interruption claims and coverage issues arising from construction site accidents. Her breadth of experience has earned her recognition from The Best Lawyers in America on their "Ones to Watch" list for Insurance Law in 2021 and inclusion in the Super Lawyers Rising Stars list. Abby graduated cum laude from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

Justin advises clients in connection with claims involving commercial disputes, construction defects, intellectual property, civil rights, environmental pollution, bodily injury and bad faith. Justin also has experience representing insured companies and individuals in direct liability defense matters, including in litigation arising out of personal injury, wrongful death, construction defects, trademark infringement and defamation. He was selected by Super Lawyers as an Illinois Rising Star in Insurance Coverage Litigation from 2016 through 2021 and recognized by The Best Lawyers in America in 2022. Justin earned his J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law.

Allyson is a member of the firm’s Opioid Coverage Task Force, which is dedicated to analyzing lawsuits filed by state and local governments nationwide against pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors and retail pharmacies to assess insurance coverage issues and the risk of exposure to clients and the insurance industry itself. She has presented on the topic of opioid insurance coverage issues to clients and colleagues both in the U.S. and in Europe. Allyson’s litigation experience spans courts from coast to coast and includes the handling of various coverage issues arising from billion-dollar bankruptcy litigation. Her exceptional work has earned her recognition by The Best Lawyers in America on their "Ones to Watch" list for Insurance Law in 2021. Allyson graduated magna cum laude from Notre Dame Law School in 2010.

“Watching Abby, Justin and Allyson flourish in their practices, especially in the face of recent challenges within the global economy and insurance industry at large, has been exciting and rewarding for our clients and the firm,” said Founding Partner Robert J. Bates, Jr.

Amanda centers her practice in commercial general liability, professional liability, commercial auto and bad faith. She has experience as both coverage and monitoring counsel for cyber and privacy claims, tech E&O, on-line media and intellectual property claims both stateside and in the London market. Her practice includes not only advising clients on various coverage issues occurring under primary/duty-to-defend policies and excess and umbrella policies, but also representing insurance companies in coverage litigation nationwide. Amanda assists clients in drafting and editing tailored policy forms and endorsement language to meet product goals and account for emerging case law for an array of general liability and excess liability risks. Amanda earned her J.D. from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 2012.