People / Greg Van Houten

Greg Van Houten

Associate Washington, D.C. New York

T +1 202.654.4562
T +1 212.659.7300

F +1 202.654.4256
F +1 212.918.8989

greg.vanhouten@haynesboone.com

Biography

Greg Van Houten is a high-stakes commercial litigator who focuses on representing corporate plaintiffs in insurance-related matters. He only represents policyholders—not insurance companies. In addition to his litigation work, he advises clients during insurance renewals on optimal insurance policy wording and during M&A transactions that involve complex insurance issues. As a former high school physics teacher who graduated with highest distinction in economics, Greg has the unique ability to distill complicated issues to their essence, persuasively and efficiently. Using that same skillset, he founded www.PolicyholderPlaybook.com -- a bi-weekly blog highlighting the best techniques used by the best insurance policyholder advocates.

Greg’s market-leading work has been recognized regionally and nationally. In 2024, he was a recipient of the ABA’s “Top 40 Young Lawyers” Award. He has been named a “Rising Star” in insurance coverage by Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, from 2019-2024, and “One to Watch” by Best Lawyers, Woodward/White, Inc., for 2022 - 2025.

Greg’s work is not limited to insurance matters. He has a diverse litigation background, as he has litigated cases involving malpractice and professional negligence, commercial contracts, and employment. He also has secured a number of victories for pro bono clients, including a class action settlement involving employment discrimination-related issues that led to nationwide change. Greg’s pro bono work is an important part of his practice which can be seen through his participation in the firm’s Pro Bono committee.

Greg earned his law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center, where he won the Greenhalgh Trial Advocacy Tournament and received the International Academy of Trial Lawyers 2015 Student Advocacy Award.

Before pursuing his law degree, Greg was a member of Teach for America. With Teach for America, he taught high school physics and coached varsity baseball at a charter school in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was awarded “Best New Teacher” in 2011 and delivered the commencement address to the 2013 graduating class.

Expand All

Selected Client Representations

Select Victories for Corporate Plaintiffs in Insurance Recovery Litigation

Recovered full policy limit and attorneys’ fees for publicly traded oil and gas company, after depositions and successful motions practice in Oklahoma state court.
Recovered full primary and excess-level policy limits and attorneys’ fees for multinational medical laboratory after depositions and summary judgment victory in Texas federal court.
Settled bet-the-company litigation, with 100% insurance funding, after prevailing at summary judgment on the insurer’s duty to defend in Washington federal court.
Penned successful appellate brief in Certain Underwriters v. BioEnergy, 115 N.Y.S.3d 240 (1st Dep’t 2019), where New York appellate court held insured could recover excess of policy limits because of insurer’s breach of contract.

Select Advice and Counsel Representations, Insurance Renewals

Achieved several meaningful policy wording changes in D&O and E&O/Media/Cyber policy towers for publicly traded media tech company, during 2024 renewal cycle.

Select Advice and Counsel Representations, Insurance-Related M&A Transactions

Represented publicly traded industrial manufacturing company in its successful divestiture of its legacy asbestos liabilities, which hinged on a $143.5 million insurance recovery.

Professional Affiliations and Engagements

Statesmen College Preparatory Academy for Boys (Washington, DC), Board Member/Secretary
American Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, Member
American Bar Association, Tort Trial and Insurance Practice, Member

Awards and Recognitions

Selected as 2024 American Bar Association On the Rise - Top 40 Young Lawyer
Included in the "Ones to Watch" category of Best Lawyers in America, Woodward/White, Inc., 2022-2025
Named a "Rising Star" in Insurance Coverage and Business Litigation by Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2019-2024
Recipient of Outstanding 2023 Achievement Award from Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs (WLC)

Publications and Speaking Engagements

"Policyholder Advocate’s Insurance Coverage Playbook", panelist, Strafford, September 24, 2024
"A Year In: Navigating SEC Cyber Rules and Increased Liability for Senior Executives and the Board," panelist, Thomson Reuters West LegalEdcenter, May 22, 2024.
Founder of the Policyholder Playbook.
Quoted in article covering North Carolina Supreme Court case on the duty to defend, Law360, February 20, 2024.
Podcast guest to discuss recent cyber insurance developments on “Hacker and the Fed,” NAXO, December 12, 2023.
“SEC’s cyber disclosure rules: key considerations for the board, C-suite and risk managers,” co-author, Cybersecurity Dive, November 27, 2023.
Podcast guest to discuss SEC cybersecurity disclosure rules and insurance complications, Insurance Journal, September 13, 2023.
“Not all wind turbine insurance coverage is the same,” author, Renewable Energy World, May 26, 2022.
“Be Like Mike and Look to Fundamentals to Recover COVID-19 Losses,” co-author, Claims Journal, May 29, 2020.
“New York COVID-19 Insurance Claims Must be Paid Promptly,” co-author, Law360, April 10, 2020.
“Insurance Cases Illuminate Business Interruption Disputes,” co-author, Law360, October 9, 2019.
"When Drafting a Pleading Against Your Insurer in New York, Consider Consequential Damages," co-author, New York Law Journal, June 25, 2019.
"Refuting Insurer Denials Linked to Employee Misconduct," author, Law360, April 24, 2018.
"Testing Congress' Foreign Commerce and Treaty Powers," author, American Criminal Law Review, 2016.

Qualifications

Education

J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 2015, cum laude, International Academy of Trial Lawyers Student Advocacy Award (2015), Winner of the Greenhalgh Trial Advocacy Competition (2013)

B.A., University of Rochester, 2010, cum laude, Highest Distinction in Economics and Political Science

Admissions

District of Columbia

New York

Court Admissions

District of Columbia Superior Court

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia