Stephen P. Pate

Co-Chair, Property Insurance Group

Recent News:

Two Texas Attorneys Named 2024 Super Lawyers

Stephen P. Pate and A. Martin Wickliff, Jr. were recognized as 2024 Texas Super Lawyers.

Stephen Pate focuses his litigation practice on property insurance matters, Directors and Officers insurance matters, business interruption issues, CGL insurance matters, builders risk matters, commercial general liability insurance disputes, fraud, and various other extracontractual litigation matters. Over a 30 year career in coverage work, he has tried more than 45 first-party extracontractual cases to verdict. Prior to joining the firm, Stephen had been partner in the Houston office of an international law firm since 1994.

A Fellow of the American College of Coverage Counsel, in May 2017 Stephen was elected to a three-year term on the Board of Regents and was re-elected to a second three-year term in 2020. ACCC was established in 2012 and is composed of preeminent lawyers representing both insurers and policyholders involved in coverage and extracontractual matters. Since 2006 he has also been recognized by Chambers and Partners USA in Insurance-Texas. The Texas Supreme Court Historical Society presented Stephen with the 2021 President's Award, which honors the members who has made outstanding service contributions to the Society. Stephen is also a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the American Law Institute, the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, and Law360's Editorial Advisory Boards: Insurance.

Stephen received his bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from Vanderbilt University. Stephen earned his law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School. While in law school, he was research editor for the Vanderbilt Journal and he is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

News

Two Texas Attorneys Named 2024 Super Lawyers

September 17, 2024

Stephen P. Pate and A. Martin Wickliff, Jr. were recognized as 2024 Texas Super Lawyers.

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys in its Best Lawyers in America 2025 Edition

August 15, 2024

Best Lawyers selected 242 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.

Nearly 100 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 27 Practices Earn Top Recognition in Chambers USA 2024 Guide

June 10, 2024

Chambers USA rankings are based on an “assessment of a firm’s work and opinions from external market sources, with an emphasis on client feedback.” In order to be ranked in the guide, lawyers and firms must demonstrate “sustained excellence.”

Stephen Pate Named President-Elect of the American College of Coverage Counsel

May 01, 2024

CHICAGO, May 1, 2024 — Stephen P. Pate, member of the Global Insurance Department and co-chair of the property insurance practice, has been named president-elect of the American College of Coverage Counsel (ACCC) at the Annual Business Meeting at the 2024 Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois.

Two Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named 2023 Texas Super Lawyers

September 19, 2023

HOUSTON, September 18, 2023 – Two Cozen O’Connor attorneys were named 2023 Texas Super Lawyers. Joseph A. Ziemianski and Stephen P. Pate were recognized for Insurance Coverage.

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys to its Best Lawyers in America 2024 Edition

August 17, 2023

Best Lawyers selected 232 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Business Today Names 32 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys to Its Top 10 Lists

July 28, 2023

These lists recognize lawyers “mastering,” “leading,” “revolutionizing,” and “dominating” their fields in their respective states and nationwide.

Eighty-eight Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 23 Practices Earn Top Recognition in Chambers USA 2023 Guide

June 05, 2023

Of the 88 lawyers ranked, 17 lawyers have been recognized nationally, and eighteen were recognized in Band 1. Eight of the firm's practice areas have been recognized nationally, and nine were ranked Band 1.

Cozen O’Connor’s Stephen Pate Named Secretary-Treasurer of the American College of Coverage Counsel

May 11, 2023

CHICAGO, May 11, 2023 — Stephen P. Pate, member of the Global Insurance Department, has been named secretary-treasurer of the prestigious American College of Coverage Counsel (ACCC) at the 2023 Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois.

More Than 200 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch

August 22, 2022

210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Chambers Ranks 86 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 22 Practice Areas in Chambers USA 2022 Guide

June 02, 2022

Chambers USA, the leading annual guide to the top lawyers and law firms in the United States, has ranked 86 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their respective fields in the guide’s 2022 edition.

In A Hail Mary, Virus Coverage Suits Flood State Courts

March 24, 2022

Alycen Moss and Stephen Pate were quoted in a Law360 article discussing the new wave of COVID-19 coverage lawsuits that have hit state and federal courts.

More Than 205 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch By The Best Lawyers In America

August 19, 2021

Best Lawyers selected 210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 23 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

82 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 19 Practices Earn Top Recognition in Chambers USA 2021 Guide

May 26, 2021

Chambers USA, the leading annual guide to the top lawyers and law firms in the United States, has ranked 82 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their respective fields in the guide’s 2021 edition; of those, 15 lawyers have been recognized nationally.

Stephen Pate Named Advocate in the American Board of Trial Advocates

October 22, 2020

Stephen Pate, member of the firm’s Global Insurance Department, has been named an advocate in the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), a national association of experienced trial lawyers and judges dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the civil jury trial right provided by the Seventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Four Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Recognized as 2020 Texas Super Lawyers

September 24, 2020

Cozen O’Connor attorneys David L. Barron, Stephen P. Pate, A. Martin Wickliff, Jr., and Joseph A. Ziemianski were named 2020 Texas Super Lawyers.

200 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch By The Best Lawyers In America

August 20, 2020

Best Lawyers selected 200 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 23 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America© (Copyright 2020 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC).

63 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 16 Practices Earn Top Recognition in Chambers USA 2020 Guide

May 14, 2020

Chambers USA, the leading annual guide to the top lawyers and law firms in the United States, has ranked 63 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their respective fields in the guide’s 2020 edition.

Publications

Should I Stay or Should I Go? Recent Developments and Special Situations Impacting Removal in Insurance Cases

May 10, 2023

Stephen P. Pate co-authored the article, “Should I Stay or Should I Go? Recent Developments and Special Situations Impacting Removal in Insurance Cases” for the Defense Research Institute’s (DRI) May issue of For The Defense.

Ten from '21 — The Top Ten Property Insurance Decisions from 2021

April 21, 2022

Alycen Moss and Stephen Pate wrote the article, "Ten from '21 — The top ten property insurance decisions from 2021," published by Westlaw Today.

Hurricane Laura: What Can Insurers Expect with Claims in Texas and Louisiana? [Alert]

September 02, 2020

Joseph A. Ziemianski, Melissa Brill, Alycen A. Moss, Stephen P. Pate, and Paul C. Ferland discuss what insurers can expect based on prior hurricanes.

Texas Supreme Court Follows Through on Barbara Technologies and Ortiz With Three Important New Decisions [Alert]

April 22, 2020

Karl A. Schulz and Stephen P. Pate discuss three recent cases decided by the Texas Suprme Court that revived policyholder suits that were in limbo when Barbara Technologies and Ortiz were decided.

Law in a Time of Pandemic: How Texas Courts and Lawyers Responded to the Pandemic of 1918-1920 [Texas Bar Blog]

April 20, 2020

Stephen Pate contributed an article to Texas Bar Blog titled, "Law in a Time of Pandemic: How Texas Courts and Lawyers Responded to the Pandemic of 1918-1920." In this article, Stephen discusses the coronavirus pandemic and how courts responded in a similar way during the 'Spanish Flu' pandemic in 1918-1920.

Property Insurance Coverage Issues Associated with COVID-19 [Alert]

March 16, 2020

Joe Ziemianski, Melissa Brill, Alycen Moss, Stephen Pate, and Paul Ferland discuss how courts have analyzed and applied first-party property policies for these types of non-physical losses, potential coverage under a civil authority provision, and pollution/contamination exclusions.

Events & Seminars

Past Events

Top Property Cases of 2023

March 20, 2024 - Webinar

Top Property Cases of 2022

March 22, 2023 - Webinar

Top Property Cases of 2021

March 16, 2022 - Webinar

Top Property Cases of 2020

March 10, 2021 - Webinar

Top Property Cases of 2019

March 10, 2020 - Webinar

Industry Sectors

Education

  • Vanderbilt University Law School, J.D., 1983
  • Vanderbilt University, B.A., magna cum laude, 1980

Awards & Honors

Chambers and Partners USA: Texas: Insurance 2006-2024

Best Lawyers in America 2018-2025

2017-2019 Irish Legal 100

Expert Guides: Insurance & Reinsurance

Texas Super Lawyers 2019-2020, 2023-2024

Texas Supreme Court Historical Society: President's Award, 2021

Business Today, Top 10 Most Influential Insurance Lawyers in Texas: A Comprehensive Review, 2023

  • Texas
  • New York
  • U.S. District Court -- Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court -- Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court -- Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court -- Western District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court -- Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court -- Northern District of Texas
  • Board of Regents, American College of Coverage Counsel
  • American Bar Foundation
  • Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel
  • Law360's Editorial Advisory Boards: Insurance
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Texas State Bar Pattern Jury Charges - Business, Consumer, Insurance & Employment Committee - Member