Alston & Bird has enhanced its Litigation & Trial Practice Group and Insurance Litigation & Regulation Team with the addition of Mona Bhalla as a partner in the firm’s New York office. With extensive experience in insurance, financial services regulation, and management of strategic transactions, Mona helps clients consummate deals and achieve their overall business objectives.
“We’re excited to welcome Mona, who brings a broad and multidisciplinary perspective informed by 30 years of service in government, the insurance and financial services industries, and private practice,” said Andrew J. Tuck, co-leader of Alston & Bird’s Insurance Team. “Her arrival strengthens and expands the insights and capabilities we provide to our sophisticated and diverse clients.”
Mona joins Alston & Bird after four years at the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), where she was deputy superintendent for the Life Bureau and managed 130 professionals who regulate the New York life insurance industry. In that role, she established standards for financial solvency, market conduct, and corporate oversight, as well as ensured compliance through regulations and monitoring. Her range of experience spans regulatory compliance, governance, securities law, and transactions.
“Known for playing an active role in New York State regulation, Mona’s contributions at NYDFS set an incredibly high standard and influenced bureaus in other states,” said Brett Jaffe, co-chair of Litigation at Alston & Bird. “We are delighted to collaborate with her and help our clients navigate some of their most important regulatory, litigation, transactional, and governance matters, in addition to a range of other corporate matters.”
“I’m proud to join Alston & Bird, a leading law firm with a respected platform, robust resources, and support across global offices that will enable me to provide the most effective insurance regulatory and transactional counsel to some of the most active players in the market,” said Mona. “I look forward to joining forces with colleagues who share my commitment to excellent service so that I may serve as a strategic adviser, regulatory advocate, and thought leader for global, national, and regional re/insurance companies; trade associations; and private investment firms.”
Mona’s arrival follows last year’s addition of seasoned trial lawyers and commercial litigators Michael C. Hefter, Seth M. Cohen, and Ryan Philp to the firm’s New York office.
Alston & Bird’s Insurance Litigation & Regulation Team provides a comprehensive range of insurance-related legal services. The team defends large-scale policyholder class actions and antitrust matters; handles high-profile coverage and bad-faith disputes, regulatory counseling, and product development; and represents insurers in market conduct examinations, attorney general investigations, and enforcement actions.