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Heidi Lawson

Partner
Regulatory
Industry Leader
Insurtech

Heidi leads Fenwick’s insurtech practice and is recognized for her international perspective and deep expertise across the insurance and financial services sectors. She began her career in insurance operations, gaining hands‑on experience that now anchors her broad and sophisticated legal practice.

As a transactional and regulatory lawyer, Heidi focuses on the rapidly evolving intersection of insurance and technology, including Web3 and AI. Clients regularly seek her out for guidance on regulatory compliance, emerging risks, and the development of innovative insurance products and distribution models. She and her team advise on a wide range of insurance transactions, including the formation of insurers, MGAs, and captives; mergers and acquisitions; IPOs; and the creation of new products such as parametric, crypto, and AI‑driven offerings. She also serves in advisory and board roles for several insurtech and fintech companies, reflecting her leadership in the space.

  • Representing Nirvana Insurance in regulatory aspects of $80M Series C funding and $100M Series D funding.
  • Representing Eventual in regulatory aspects of $7.5M Seed Funding.
  • Representing GreenieRe in regulatory matters and $200M investment by CGC.
  • Representing Arbitrum in the development of an insurance solution for DAO tokenholders.
  • Representing Gusto in general insurance matters, regulatory matters, creating and implementing innovative business models.
  • Representing Care.com in general insurance matters, captive formation and regulatory matters.
  • Representing KKR as local regulatory counsel in connection its acquisition of Global Atlantic and approval of the Form A.
  • Representing Munich Re Ventures in connection with its investment in NEXT, including the filing and approval of the Form A.
  • Representing Procure in connection with the development of its insurance operations, MGA agreements and product distribution.
  • Representing Energetic Insurance in product formation and regulatory matters.
  • Representing LeaseLock in general corporate and regulatory matters.
  • Representing Sensible in general corporate matters, captive formation and regulatory matters.
  • Conducting diligence, business plan assessments and insurance regulatory compliance in connection with portfolio company investments and acquisitions.
  • Developing comprehensive risk management policies, including the formation and use of alternative risk structures, for the LA 2028 Summer Olympic Games.
  • Representing clients in connection with regulatory matters, including investigations, in front of various insurance departments, including the New York State Department of Financial Services.
  • Developing numerous customized insurance solutions to address risks that cannot be fully covered through traditional insurance markets for IP, M&A transactions, shared economy, venture capital, private equity, family offices, product recall and cybersecurity risk.

*Includes work completed prior to joining Fenwick

  • Advising the creditor committee and/or litigation trust on the identification and assessment of insurance assets for Mallinckrodt, 24 Hour Fitness and Fusion.
  • Advising the board of directors for debtors Enjoy and Packable on critical insurance issues in connection with bankruptcy.
  • Advising a major school in connection with the recovery of more than $100 million in insurance proceeds related to sexual misconduct and general liability insurance.
  • Advising an international hedge fund in connection with the recovery of more than $100 million in insurance proceeds for FCPA violations and related securities litigation.
  • Advising a major international insurer in a District of Massachusetts federal district court trial involving the duties a primary carrier owes to the excess carrier.
  • Advising a manufacturing company involved in California state court litigation in connection with the declaration of coverage related to the duty to defend.
  • Advising an insurance carrier in high-profile litigation matters in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York, including several Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act actions and a New York State Department of Financial Services investigation.

* Includes work completed prior to joining Fenwick

  • “NAIC starts work on AI evaluation method for regulators,” Digital Insurance Magazine Interview, December 2025
  • “The Use of Level Funding for Employer Health Insurance,” Leader’s Edge Interview, April 2025
  • “How Did She Get There?” Panel Discussion at Women’s Leadership Event, Washington D.C., March 2025
  • "Fireside Chat: DAOs and Risk," ETHDC, May 2024
  • "Evaluating AI Risk: What Every Company Needs to Know," FINEX Flash Webinar, May 2024
  • “DAOs and Risk,” Fireside Chat, ETHDC, April 2024
  • "Insurance Practical Tips and Trends: What Every In-House Counsel Should Know," Fenwick CLE Marathon, January 2024
  • Guest Lecturer: Stetson University College of Law, Insurance Law Class, November 2023
  • Guest Lecturer: Boston University, Insurance Regulation Class, October 2023
  • Guest Lecturer: University of Florida, Insurance and Innovation Class, August 2023
  • “Managing Risk with a High Degree of Uncertainty,” OnRamp Insurance Conference, May 2021
  • “Tracking the Evolution of AI Insurance Regulation,” Law 360, December 2025 (Co-author)
  • “Travel Disruptions Expose Gaps in Insurance Coverage,” Law 360, August 2025 (Co-author)
  • “California’s SB 354 Could Usher in New Privacy Laws for Tech Companies Serving the Insurance Industry,” Fenwick & West client insights, June 2025 (Co-author)
  • “Parametric Insurance Offers Hope Amid Systemic Challenges,” Law 360, April 2025, (Co-author)
  • “Crypto Boon Boosts Hopes for Improving Insurance Options,” Law 360, April 2025 (Co-author)
  • “AI in the Insurance Industry: Balancing Innovation and Governance in 2025,” Fenwick & West client insights, February 2025 (Co-author)
  • “The Responsibility of Governments and Corporations in Ending Child Trafficking,” July 2024 (Co-author
  • "Evaluating AI Risks: What Companies Need to Know," Evaluating AI Risks: What Companies Need to Know, May 2024 (co-author)
  • "NAIC Forms Third-Party Data and Models Task Force and Proposes 2024 Charges and Work Plan," Fenwick & West client insights, April 2024 (co-author)
  • "The Shifting Regulatory Landscape for Level-Funded Plans: An Alternative for Group Health Insurance," Fenwick & West client insights, February 2024 (co-author)
  • "Best Practices for Utilizing AI/ML Tools as NAIC Adopts the Model Bulletin on Use of AI," Fenwick & West client insights, December 2023 (co-author)
  • "NAIC Considers Use of and Reliance on Third-Party AI Systems," Fenwick & West client insights, August 2023 (co-author)
  • “Viewpoint: Effective Risk Management and Insurance Procurement,” Insurance Journal, November 2022 (co-author)
  • “Looking to Embed Insurance on Your Website? Know These Licensing Rules First,” Legaltech News, June 2022 (co-author)
  • “I’m glad I’m a failure,” Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, September 2020 (author)
  • “Legal Focus: Covid-19 pressure builds on US insurance industry,” Insurance Day, June 2020 (author)
  • “From Chaos to Continuity,” Continuity, Insurance & Risk, May 2020 (co-author)
  • “March Madness Without the Madness: Drumbeat Grows to Ban Fans,” Bloomberg, March 2020 (quoted)