Team
ACCEL Law Group was founded by Chuck Welsh and Mike Griffin, both former partners in major international law firms with more than 40 years combined experience in serving as trusted advisors to insurance entities in navigating the complicated US insurance regulatory system.
Chuck Welsh
Principal
In 2002 Chuck became the chair of the leading international insurance regulatory and transaction practice of the law firm formerly known as Edwards & Angell. In these roles, Chuck has served as a trusted advisor to numerous insurance and reinsurance companies, producers, agents and brokers, third party administrators and claims adjusters on complex insurance regulatory and transactional matters.
He regularly represents clients before state insurance regulators. Chuck also serves as outside general counsel and insurance regulatory counsel to both insurance company and insurance agency clients.
Chuck represents clients from all segments of the insurance industry including insurers – property and casualty and life and health, reinsurers, producers, brokers and third party administrators. Chuck also represents other public and private business organizations with respect to mergers and acquisitions, restructuring and general corporate matters.
Agent/Broker Mergers and Acquisitions
Chuck has represented dozens of insurance agents and brokers in M&A transactions, with a focus on representing clients in the sale of their businesses. His extensive insurance industry experience helps clients smoothly navigate complex transactions, addressing regulatory and related issues unique to the insurance industry.
Regulatory and Compliance Advisory
Chuck advises agents, brokers, TPAs, reinsurers, insuretech startups and other insurance entities on regulatory issues critical to their businesses. In addition to strategic regulatory advice, Chuck assists clients with formation and licensing, contract drafting and negotiation, and representation before state regulatory authorities.
Notable Experience
- Representing insurers and reinsurers in mergers and acquisitions, renewal rights transactions, regulatory matters, rehabilitation and liquidation matters, formation and licensing.
- Representation of clients involved in administrative hearings before state insurance departments.
- Representation of clients in corporate governance matters, including meetings of shareholders and directors.
- Representing clients in the sale and acquisition of insurance producers and in connection with regulatory matters ranging from licensing and compliance matters to insurance department investigations.
Speaking Engagements and Publications
- 10th Annual Insurance Brokerage Summit 2016, Panel Speaker: Trials and Tribulations of a Transaction.
- Featured in Leader’s Edge Magazine 2016 Broker M&A Executive Report.
- Anti-Rebating & Compensation Disclosure: Best Practices for Multi-Jurisdictional Regulatory Compliance. Presentation at the SILA New York and New Jersey 2010 Chapter Meeting.
- Outlook for Optional Federal Charter,” Presentation at the Special New England Council Event: Outlook for Financial Services Reform, Boston, Massachusetts, June 22, 2009.
- “Insurance Brokerage: Analysis and Opportunities,” Presentation on the legal and regulatory environment, SNL Conference, New York City, February 26-27, 2007.
Mike Griffin
Principal
Mike Griffin has spent the past 20+ years helping insurance clients — including insurtechs, startups and investors — navigate challenging regulatory and transactional issues to achieve their business objectives.
A former partner in the internationally recognized Insurance Regulatory and Transactional Practice of the law firm of Edwards & Angell, Mike provides strategic regulatory and transactional advice to domestic and international clients from all segments of the insurance and reinsurance industry, including insurance companies, producers, agents, brokers, and third party administrators.
With his extensive industry experience, client-friendly hands-on approach and a trusted reputation for positive results, Mike has become a go-to resource for insurance regulatory and transactional matters.
Mike practices in the area of insurance and reinsurance law and general corporate law. He provides strategic corporate and regulatory advice to domestic and international clients from all segments of the insurance and reinsurance industry, including producers, brokers and third party administrators. Mike has represented clients in the formation, acquisition, sale and licensing of insurers, reinsurers, producers, captive insurance companies and risk retention groups.
Mike is a member of the Federation of Regulatory Counsel, a national association of attorneys specializing in insurance regulatory law.
Agent/Broker Mergers and Acquisitions
Mike has represented dozens of insurance agents and brokers in M&A transactions, with a focus on representing clients in the sale of their businesses. Mike’s extensive insurance industry experience helps clients smoothly navigate complex transactions, addressing regulatory and related issues unique to the insurance industry.
Regulatory and Compliance Advisory
Mike advises agents, brokers, TPAs, reinsurers, insuretech startups and other insurance entities on regulatory issues critical to their businesses. In addition to strategic regulatory advice, Mike assists clients with formation and licensing, contract drafting and negotiation, and representation before state regulatory authorities.
Notable Experience
- Representing insurance companies, producers, agents and brokers in purchase and sale transactions.
- Providing business advisory and regulatory counseling for insurtechs, startups and investors.
- The formation, and licensing of insurers, producers, agents and brokers and third party administrators.
- Contract drafting and negotiation of agency, program administrator and managing co-producer, and sub-producer agreements.
- The design and implementation of fronting transactions.
- Assisting insurers, producers, agents and brokers, third party administrators and associations and other groups in the structure and regulatory considerations in the marketing and sale of group and affinity insurance programs.
- Multi-jurisdiction regulatory audits.
- Representing clients before state regulatory authorities.
Professional and Community Involvement
- Member of the Federation of Regulatory Counsel (FORC), a national association of attorneys specializing in insurance regulatory law.
- Professional Insurance Marketing Association (PIMA), Board of Directors and Chair of Legislative and Regulatory Committee.
- Connecticut Bar Association, member.
- West Hartford Youth Lacrosse League, Board of Directors.
Speaking Engagements and Publications
Publications
- “Overview of the Regulatory and Compliance Obligations of Insurance Producers, Agents and Brokers,” co-author, Federation of Regulatory Counsel Quarterly Journal, Summer 2017.
- Professional Insurance Marketing Association, Affinity 2020 Report, Task Force Member and Contributing Author, 2015.
- The Structure and Purpose of Group Insurance Trusts, co-author, Professional Insurance Marketing Association White Paper, September, 2013.
- The Origin and Structure of Life & Health Affinity Insurance Programs in the U.S., contributing author, Professional Insurance Marketing Association White Paper, September, 2012.
- “Regulatory: A 7-point checklist for drafting and negotiating indemnification provisions,” co-author, InsideCounsel, March 2, 2012.
- “Regulatory: Pros and Cons of Using Arbitration for Dispute Resolution” co-author, InsideCounsel, February 15, 2012.
- “Regulatory: When Internal Audit Reports are Privileged”, co-author, InsideCounsel, December 21, 2011.
- “You Can’t Get – or Give – Something for Nothing,” co-author, Federation of Regulatory Counsel Quarterly Journal, Summer 2009.
- “Overseas Insurers,” co-author, Risk Management Magazine, February 2009.
- “Pressure growing for greater Transparency between U.S. Brokers and Insurers in 2006,” Insurance Day, December 2005.
- “Electronic Signatures Act Paves Way for E-Insurance Transactions,” Insurance and Reinsurance Update, September 2000.
Speaking Engagements
- Professional Insurance Marketing Association Annual Meeting Co-Chair and Presenter January 2015.
- “Effective M&A Strategies for the Buyer and the Seller”, presented at National Underwriter Seminars on Creating and Enhancing Agency Shareholders Value, Spring 2010 and 2011.
- “Producer Compensation: The Regulatory and Legal Environment”, presented to SILA National Education Conference, August 2007.
Dan Kalosieh
Partner
Dan has been effectively counseling companies on various corporate and insurance matters for more than twenty years. He began his career as a Corporate Associate at Day Pitney where he was involved in numerous M&A transactions and securities law regulatory matters, including equity issuances and filings under the SEC’s Investment Advisers Act. In 2006, Dan joined Aetna where he continued to be involved in significant (including billion dollar) M&A transactions and securities filings, and also expanded his role as an insurance counsel, where he advised business management on various insurance legal issues, policies, and strategy. Dan also served as the national broker counsel at Aetna, overseeing all legal aspects of Aetna’s distribution channels. Dan continued his involvement in corporate and insurance matters as Associate General Counsel at Hartford HealthCare, where he managed the legal relationship with all health insurance companies, and led all aspects of various corporate transactions, including asset and equity acquisitions and divestitures, mergers, and joint venture activities, as well as the federal and state regulatory filings and approvals associated with corporate transactions, such as Hart-Scott-Rodino antitrust filings. At Hartford HealthCare, he also provided legal support to various business areas including banking, real estate, intellectual property, employee benefit plans and tax.
At ACCEL, Dan leads insurance agency/brokerage M&A transactions and regulatory and compliance matters with a collaborative approach designed to achieve optimal results. He draws on his extensive corporate and insurance experience to provide practical solutions to his clients’ business challenges. Dan is a graduate of Boston College and earned both his Juris Doctorate and MBA from Rutgers University.
Adam Tarr
Senior Associate
Adam is a Senior Associate with ACCEL Law Group supporting client M&A transactions and regulatory and compliance matters. His previous roles include counsel with the State of Connecticut Insurance Department, serving as the primary attorney for the Financial Regulation Division. While at the Connecticut Insurance Department, he analyzed insurer merger applications and drafted and revised several state orders and insurance regulations. Adam also served as in-house counsel for matters involving insurance regulation, growth strategy, state regulatory filings and privacy at a $2.7 billion fully integrated health care system with more than 18,000 employees. In that role, he represented a new health insurer in its license application process and on-site organizational examination.
Adam earned his J.D. from the Boston University School of Law and is a summa cum laude graduate of The University of Connecticut.
MJ DiVito
Senior Associate
MJ is a Senior Associate with ACCEL Law Group with a focus on insurance agency/brokerage M&A transactions and regulatory and compliance matters. Since joining the firm in 2019, MJ has participated in numerous insurance agency/brokerage transactions ranging in total deal value from $175,000 for book roll transactions to $250,000,000 for complex multi-jurisdiction transactions. He also provides strategic guidance on various regulatory and compliance issues confronting insurance producers, agents, brokers, and third party administrators, including state sales practices and surplus lines compliance requirements, such as diligent searches, policy filings, stamping processes and tax filings.
Prior to joining ACCEL Law Group, MJ practiced in the area of insurance defense litigation where he prepared coverage opinions for insurers, assisted in defending bad faith claims, and advised clients on complying with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) disclosure requirements.
MJ is a graduate of The University of Connecticut and earned his Juris Doctorate, magna cum laude, from Quinnipiac University School of Law.
Yulia Chillington
Associate
Yulia is an Associate with ACCEL Law Group supporting client M&A transactions and regulatory and compliance matters. Yulia has an extensive background in the insurance industry, in both public and private sectors. Prior to joining ACCEL Law Group, she worked at Aetna/CVS Health as counsel with a focus on health insurance product portfolio growth and development, and regulatory analysis and advocacy. Yulia also served as a compliance risk manager in the past, helping the company identify and mitigate legal risks. Yulia’s public sector experience includes her roles at the Connecticut State Department of Social Services (“Connecticut DSS”), Medicaid Division, and the ACA Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange, Access Health CT. At the Connecticut DSS, Yulia served as a liaison to major Managed Care Organizations. At Access Health CT, her responsibilities ranged from carrier contract management and certification to the ACA employer shared responsibility appeals.
Yulia earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Law and is a summa cum laude graduate of Sacred Heart University.
Susan Murphy
Paralegal
Susan is a member of the ACCEL Law Group team and has experience supporting several agency M&A transactions and regulatory and compliance matters.
She received her paralegal certificate from Manchester Community College with a 4.0 GPA. Susan also earned her B.A. in Mathematics (Summa Cum Laude) from Assumption College, and her M.A. in Secondary Education from Kansas State University.