Susan Stryker: Bressler, Amery & Ross, P.C.

Overview

As a Principal in the firm’s Insurance practice group, Susan Stryker has handled contested issues in insurance related matters for most of her career, including insurance and reinsurance transactions, mergers, acquisitions and other holding company transactions, contractual, employment and other business disputes, enforcement proceedings, filings, rate hearings and appeals of administrative actions.

Her practice focuses on regulation and compliance for insurers, brokers and trade associations. She frequently has been called upon to appear in court on behalf of clients in significant and precedential cases, and has represented successfully various parties and amici curiae in countless challenges to statutes and regulations impacting the insurance industry.

Susan has a pragmatic approach to the practice of law and achieving her client’s overall commercial objectives. Her insights and ability to get to the core of an issue quickly is one of the many reasons her clients retain her to represent them to address and effectively resolve the legal challenges facing them.

Susan is a member of the Federation of Regulatory Counsel and a participant in the National Association of Insurance Commissioners activities. She has addressed conferences on current insurance issues and has published numerous articles on issues impacting the regulated insurance community.

A graduate of Rutgers College, Susan received her law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law, where she served as an Adjunct Professor in Legal Research and Writing for several years. She has also served as an Instructor on Insurance Fraud and Administrative Law for New Jersey's Institute for Continuing Legal Education, and as a member of the Editorial Board of New Jersey Lawyer Magazine.

Awards & Accolades

Included in the list of the Best Lawyers in America^®, 2010-2025
Received the Best Lawyers in America^®, “Lawyer of the Year” award in Insurance Law, 2013
Recognized in the list of A.M. Best’s Directories of Insurance Professionals, 2014
Recognized in the New York Magazine’s “NY Area’s Best Lawyers” List, 2010
Selected to the list of the New Jersey Super Lawyers, 2005

No aspect of this or any advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. A description of the award methodologies can be found here.

Experience

A selection of Susan’s recent representative matters include:
- Successfully prepared and handled the filing and hearing before the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, obtaining regulatory approvals of the acquisition of one of the State’s larger medical malpractice insurers
- Successfully intervened in and opposed the separate applications filed in four pending appeals with the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division, to stay the implementation of new and revised regulations governing New Jersey personal injury protection benefits on behalf of state and national insurance trade associations
- Litigated incontestability provisions of life insurance policies, asserting defenses and affirmative claims arising out of fraud and resulting in favorable resolutions for clients
- Counsel to numerous clients on employment contracts, as well as confidentiality agreements and restrictive covenants
- Represent numerous insurance companies before the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance in the wind-down or run-off of various programs or businesses, obtaining regulatory approvals of block non-renewal and withdrawal plans, as well as dissolutions, including the dissolution of one of the oldest mutual insurance companies in the State
- Represent numerous insurers and brokers before the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance defending against alleged violations of insurance statutes and regulations
Susan’s published decisions include:
- Haines v. Taft, 237 N.J. 271 (2019)
- New Jersey Mfrs. Ins. Co v. Specialty Surgical Ctr.,458 J. Super. 63 (App. Div. 2019)
- Plastic Surgery Ctr., P.A. v. Malouf Chevrolet Cadillac, 475 N.J. Super. 565 (App. Div.), certif. granted, 238 N.J. 31 (2019)
- Haines v. Taft, 450 N.J. Super. 295 (App. Div. 2017), rev’d, 237 N.J. 271 (2019)
- J. Healthcare Coalition v. N.J. Dep't of Banking and Ins., 440 N.J. Super. 129 (App. Div. 2015)
- Sanders v. Langemeier, 199 N.J. 366 (2009)
- Livsey v. Mercury, 197 N.J. 522 (2009)
- Davidson v. Slater, 189 N.J. 166 (2007)
- Franklin Mutual Ins. Co. v. Jersey Central Power & Light Co., 188 N.J. 43 (2006)
- DiProspero v. Penn, 183 N.J. 477 (2005)
- Caviglia v. Royal Tours of America, 178 N.J. 460 (2004)
- H. Meyers v. CNA Ins. Co., 88 Fed. Appx. 495 (3d Cir. 2004)
- Vassiliu v. Daimler Chrysler Corp., 178 N.J. 286 (2004)
- Caviglia v. Royal Tours of America, 355 N.J. Super. 1 (App. Div. 2002), rev’d, 178 N.J. 460 (2004)
- In re Commissioner’s Failure to Adopt 861 CPT Codes, 358 N.J. Super. 135 (App. Div. 2003)
- Board of Trustees v. Foodtown, Inc., 296 F.3d 164 (3d Cir. 2002)
- Gaydos v. National Consumer Ins. Co., 168 N.J. 255 (2001)
- In re Markel Ins. Co., 319 N.J. 255 (2001)
- Smith v. Schmidt, 155 N.J. 44 (1998)
- Carter-Wallace, Inc. v. Admiral Ins. Co., 154 N.J. 312 (1998)
- In the Matter of the 1997 Assessments, 311 N.J. Super. 600 (App. Div.), certif. denied, 133 N.J. 407 (1998)
- Integrated Solutions v. Service Support Specialties, 124 F.3d 487 (3d Cir. 1997)
- Integrated Solutions v. Service Support Specialties, 193 B.R. 722 (D.N.J. 1996), aff’d, 125 F.3d 487 (3d 1997)
- Matter of Commissioner of Ins., 132 N.J. 209 (1993)
- Matter of Producer Assignment Program, 261 N.J. Super. 292 (App. Div.), certif. denied, 133 N.J. 438 (1993)
- Matter of Farmers Mut. Fire Assur., 256 N.J. Super. 607 (App. Div. 1993)
- Matter of Com’r of Insurance, 256 N.J. Super. 158 (App. Div. 1992), aff’d, 132 N.J. 209 (1993)
- Matter of Private Pass. Auto Rate Rev., 256 N.J. Super. 46 (App. Div. 1992)
- Matter of American Reliance Ins., 251 N.J. Super. 541 (App. Div. 1991), certif. denied, 127 N.J. 556 (1992)
- Matter of Aetna Cas. and Sur. Co., 248 N.J. Super. 367 (App. Div.), certif. denied, 126 N.J. 385 (1991), cert. denied, 112 S.Ct. 1244 (1992)
- In the Matter of Aetna Cas. and Surety Co. Request for a Private Passenger Auto. Ins. Rate Increase, 92 N.J.A.R. 2d 51 (INS. 1991)
- Allstate Ins. Co. v. Fortunato, 248 N.J. Super. 153 (App. Div. 1991)
- Matter of Terminated Aetna Agents, 248 N.J. Super. 255 (App. Div. 1990), certif. denied, 126 N.J. 319 (1991)
- Madison Indus.v. Eastman Kodak, 243 N.J. Super.578 (App.Div. 1990)
- of Chosen Freeholders v. Szaferman, 117 N.J. 94 (1989)
- Venuti v. Const. Bd. of Appeals, 231 N. J. Super. 546 (App.Div. 1989)
- Jersey Sav. & Loan Ass’n v. Fid. and Dep. Co., 125 F.R.D. 96 (D.N.J. 1988)