McKool Smith Secures Legal Defense Costs for Ex-FIFA Official

NEW YORK (May 2, 2016) -- On April 27, 2016, McKool Smith secured a preliminary injunction ordering insurers Lloyd’s of London and Axis Specialty Europe SE to immediately reimburse and advance legal costs for Eduardo Li, a former official of the Federation Internationale de Football Association (“FIFA”), the international body that governs organized soccer, who has been charged in connection with a high-profile criminal action.

The ruling (available here), issued by Judge Raymond Dearie of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, who is also overseeing Mr. Li’s criminal case, affirms the rights of policyholders to secure immediate insurance company payments to fund their criminal defense. Judge Dearie also denied the insurers’ motion to dismiss based on jurisdictional grounds and a Swiss forum selection clause in the insurance policy finding that such clauses were unenforceable against an official who did not specifically agree to forego the protections of a U.S. court.

Mr. Li is represented by McKool Smith principals Robin L. Cohen and Burt M. Garson.

The case is Eduardo Li v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s, London et al., case number 1:15-cv-06099, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.