"John is one of the best insurer-side lawyers I've ever gone against and he is highly respected."
CHAMBERS USA® | INSURANCE COVERAGE"One of the best defense insurance representatives in Georgia. He does a phenomenal job."
CHAMBERS USA® | INSURANCE COVERAGE"A top tier lawyer who is extremely knowledgeable, efficient and professional."
BEST LAWYERS® | INSURANCE LAW"One of the best attorneys in the country."
BEST LAWYERS® | INSURANCE COVERAGE"John Bonnie is superb for insurance coverage litigation."
BEST LAWYERS® | INSURANCE COVERAGE, LITIGATION
Overview
For nearly 35 years John Bonnie has adeptly guided insurance companies in their good faith handling of complex insurance claims and disputes, and aggressively defended carriers in multi-party, high dollar value coverage litigation and arbitration matters, nationally and internationally.
His practice is highly focused: counseling and providing legal representation to insurance providers and other organizations retaining or transferring risk, and this singular legal concentration translates to an unmatched reputation and level of experience in the insurance coverage space. A hallmark of John’s work as a lawyer is civility and professionalism, while simultaneously demonstrating the highest level of zealous advocacy on behalf of his clients.
John is an active leader in the insurance coverage space nationally, serving as co-chair of the Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee of the American Bar Association’s Section of Litigation, and as a Fellow and member of the Board of Regents of the American College of Coverage Counsel.
He is a co-author of the treatise Georgia Insurance Litigation (now in its fifth edition), and is a frequent speaker, writer and thought leader on a wide range of insurance coverage issues.
John and the Weinberg Wheeler Insurance Practice Group have been ranked in Band 1 for Insurance by Chambers USA since 2021.
Education & Admissions
Education
University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D., 1991
- Order of Wig and Robe
University of Arizona, B.A., with honors, 1985
Admissions
Georgia
South Carolina
U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Georgia
Representative Experience
- Coordinating coverage counsel for U.S. carrier in connection with state Multi District Litigation alleging liability for adverse weather event.
- Coordinating coverage counsel for Bermuda insurer in connection with federal Multi District Litigation alleging liability for defective product.
- Coordinating coverage counsel for Bermuda insurer in connection with federal Multi District Litigation alleging liability for defective medical device.
- Coordinating coverage counsel for U.S. carriers in connection with federal Multi District Litigation alleging liability for PFAS/PFOS.
- Coordinating coverage counsel for U.S. carrier in connection with sex abuse and molestation liability claims.
Recent Decisions
- HDI Global Specialty SE v. PF Holdings LLC, 2023 WL 6143351 (11th Cir. Sep. 20, 203) (affirming summary judgment for liability insurance carrier for alleged bad faith liability for $54 million arbitration award)
- Mt. Hawley Ins. Co. V. East Perimeter Pointe Apartments, 861 Fed. Appx. 270 (11th Cir. 2021) (affirming summary judgment for liability insurance carrier for untimely notice and resolving disputed choice of law issue)
- Collins v. GKD Management LP, 2023 WL 8351543 (N.D. Ga. Oct. 3, 2023) (addressing applicability of policy exclusions and choice of law issue)
- PCS Nitrogen, Inc. v. Continental Casualty Co., 436 S.C. 254, 871 S.e.2d 590 (2022) (addressing post-loss assignment of policy rights)
- Lynch v. Mount Vernon Fire Ins. Co., 2023 WL 6520372 (D.S.C. Oct. 5, 2023) (granting summary judgment to liability insurance carrier respecting coverage for $20 million judgment based upon cancellation and resolving disputed issue regarding statutory notice of cancellation to regulator)
- Bakhsh v. Mount Vernon Fire Ins. Co., 2023 WL 4088840 (D.S.C. Jun. 20, 2023) (granting summary judgment to liability insurance carrier respecting coverage for $30 million judgment based upon policy exclusions)
- Petty v. United States Liability Ins. Co., 2022 WL 823516 (D.S.C. Jan. 11, 2022) (granting motion to dismiss to liability insurance carrier respecting coverage for $1 million settlement based upon policy exclusions)
Practices & Industries
Awards & Recognition
Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Insurance, Band 1, 2021-2024
Thomas F. Segalla Award, American College of Coverage Counsel 2021
The Best Lawyers in America® "Lawyer of the Year"- Insurance Law, 2021, 2025
The Best Lawyers in America®, Insurance Law, 2013-2025
The Best Lawyers in America®, Litigation Insurance, 2019-2025
The Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation, 2024 - 2025
Super Lawyers®, Georgia Super Lawyers List, Insurance Coverage, 2007-2024
Terex Corporation, Outstanding Counsel Award for achievements in representation, 2009
News & Publications
- 2017-2024LexisNexis"New Appleman Georgia Insurance Law."
- Daily Report
- Litigation News'"Suicide by Cop' Precludes Death Benefits."
- Litigation News"Like to Wager? Don't Use a Stranger's Life Insurance Policy."
- Best's Review"Insurers: Third-Party Litigation Is Fueling Rise in Shock Verdicts."
Events & Speaking Engagements
- Chicago, IL"The PFAS and the Furious: Insurance Coverage for 'Forever Chemical' Suits and Other Property and Casualty Claims."
- Atlanta, GA"Insurance Coverage Litigation: Carrier and Policy Holder Persepective."
- Chicago, IL
- Webinar“Virtual ADR.”
- Webinar"Latest Developments in Extracontractual Law: Top Courts in Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Florida Address Bad Faith Issues."
- Tucson, AZ"The Law of Indemnification and its Interplay with Liability Insurance."
- Miami, FL"Insurer Bad Faith: Best Practices and Litigation Trends."
- Chicago, IL"For Whom The Statutes Toll: Developments in Liabilities and Potential Insurance for Sexual Abuse Claims."
- Chicago, IL"The Art of Negotiation and Mediation: Are there Ethics in Poker?"
- Tucson, AZ"Laugh Until You Cry: Obscure, Peculiar and Overlooked State Laws that can Crater a Case Before it Gets off the Ground."
- Ann Arbor, MI"Crisis Management and Incident Response: Using Insurance as a Loss Mitigation and Business Resiliency Tool."
- Webinar"Owning Up to Lawyer Missteps and the Perilous Consequences of Trying to Bury Professional Error."
- Webinar"Construction Defect Bad Faith Insurance Claims: Navigating Duty to Defend and Indemnify Denial and Bad Faith Set-Ups."
- New Orleans, LA"'My Bad': Creating a Culture of Owning Up to Lawyer Missteps and Resisting the Temptation to Bury Professional Error."
- Webinar
- Webinar"'Here's My Number, So Call Me, Maybe': Coverage for Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) claims."
- Tucson, AZ"Guesswork, Luck, And A Little Duct Tape: Predicting Outcomes and Presenting Winning Arguments In The Ever-Changing Realm Of Conflict of Law."
- Tucson, AZ
- Atlanta, GA
- Tucson, AZ
- Tucson, AZ
Professional & Community Activities
American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee, 2005 - present
- Committee Co-Chair, 2022 - 2024
- Website Editor-in-Chief, 2018 - 2022
- Annual Meeting Chair, 2017 - 2018
- Subcommittee Co-Chair - Emerging Issues; Construction Law; Membership, 2005-2022
American College of Coverage Counsel, Fellow, 2017 - present
- Executive Committee, 2024 - present
- Board of Regents, 2022 - present
- Annual Meeting Chair, 2021
- Annual Meeting Vice-Chair, 2020
- Co-Chair Professionalism and Ethics Committee, 2016 - 2022
Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, 2008 - 2024
Defense Research Institute, Member
Atlanta Bar Association – Lincoln on Professionalism Project Committee, 2009