Christopher W. Woodward

Associate

    Christopher is a member of the Professional Liability Department where his practice is focused on insurance coverage and bad faith litigation. As an experienced litigator, he has developed a deep understanding of insurance policy and coverage issues arising from commercial, personal, and specialty property and casualty policies, professional liability policies, health/life policies and workers’ compensation policies.

    Prior to joining Marshall Dennehey, Christopher worked as a senior claims examiner where he dealt with coverage issues and the management of professional liability lawsuits with a focus on municipalities. This experience has provided Christopher with a unique perspective in understanding the tactics utilized by plaintiffs to leverage settlement issues both before and during litigation, as well as analyzing available coverage, responses to civil remedy notices, pre-suit investigations and coverage evaluations. Christopher also presents seminars to clients about issues in the insurance coverage and bad faith practice area.

    In 2009 Christopher graduated from Penn State University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. He later attended Widener University School of Law where he earned his juris doctor, magna cum laude, in 2013.

    During his time in law school, Christopher was a senior staff member of the Widener Law Journal, which published his survey analyzing a Pennsylvania Supreme Court administrative law decision in its Spring 2013 issue. Christopher also held an internship for the Pennsylvania Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error Fund and clerked for the local staff defense counsel of a national insurance company.

    Classes / Seminars Taught

    Untying Tangled Titles – How Property Insurance Drives Fraud, Pennsylvania Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority (IFPA) Conference, Pocono Manor, PA, April 27, 2023

    Untying Tangled Titles – How To Recognize How Property Title Issues Drive Fraud, Marshall Dennehey Insurance Fraud 360 Seminar, Lafayette Hill, PA, June, 2022 

    PIP in PA: Questions & Answers, Client Webinar, December 2020

    Published Works

    "'Regular Use Exclusions' Stand: Pa. Supreme Court's Latest Ruling Post-'Gallagher'," The Legal Intelligencer Insurance Law Supplement, August 20, 2024

    “Your Residence Is Not Necessarily Where You Live,” Defense Digest, Vol. 28, No. 12, December 2022

    “Just How Hard Does Gallagher Hit the Household Vehicle Exclusion?,” Defense Digest, Vol. 25, No. 2, June 2019

    “The Pennsylvania Supreme Court Clarifies the Standard that Courts Must Use When Considering Claims Made for Insurance Bad Faith Under 42 Pa.C.S. § 8371,” Defense Digest, Vol. 24, No. 2, June 2018

    Case Law Alerts, regular contributor, 2016-present

    "PA Superior Court Decision Means Bad Faith Claims May Live to See Another Day, Rancosky v. Washington National Insurance Co., 2015 Pa. Super. LEXIS 822, 2015 PA Super 264 (Pa. Super. Ct. Dec. 16, 2015)," Legal Updates for Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith, March 3, 2016

    Admissions
    Pennsylvania
    2013
    U.S. District Court Middle District of Pennsylvania
    U.S. District Court Western District of Pennsylvania
    U.S. District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania
    Education
    Widener University School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2013)
    The Pennsylvania State University (B.A., 2009)
    Associations & memberships
    Dauphin County Bar Association
    Pennsylvania Bar Association
    Year joined
    2015