Lawyer Overview
Daniel S. Jahnsen is a partner in the Firm’s Litigation Department and Group Head of the Professional Liability Defense Group. He is a Graduate of the Seton Hall University School of Law and is certified as a Mediator by the Harvard Law School Program on Mediation.
Mr. Jahnsen has distinguished himself among his peers for having tried more than 250 jury trials to verdict in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. He takes pride in the fact that he is also unique among defense attorneys in that he considers himself “ambidextrous”, meaning that, in addition to defending against exposures, he has also affirmatively prosecuted seven figure cases in matters involving catastrophic injury, contract disputes, wrongful death, property subrogation losses, partnership dissolution and shareholder derivative actions. Having tried cases on both sides enhances credibility in courthouse negotiations. He has arbitrated reinsurance disputes as well as high profile accident, health and disability claims involving professional athletes. He has participated in numerous Appellate and Supreme Court decisions on issues ranging from evidence, insurance, constitutional law, and trial practice.
Mr. Jahnsen’s reputation as a successful trial attorney gives him the unique ability to effectuate settlement and/or negotiate innovative agreements in matters that would otherwise involve significant potential for excess exposure to the client. He represents clients in a full range of civil and commercial litigation matters, including matters involving professional malpractice, general liability, trucking, public entity, hospitality and entertainment, employment, coverage, and constitutional law issues. In addition to being a successful trial attorney, he is frequently utilized by courts in the mediation of commercial, personal injury, negligence, and professional negligence matters and has served on the Superior Court of New Jersey Blue Ribbon Settlement panel.
Of late, Mr. Jahnsen’s practice has become increasingly focused on providing oversight and monitoring for exposures nationwide. He has increasingly been called upon to try, or second chair, exposures in multiple jurisdictions in instances where his clients seek to deploy his experience and insight as tools to drive cases to a more favorable resolution. He attributes this growth in his practice as a by-product of an industry wide attrition of attorneys who have actually spent the time on their feet necessary to cultivate the skill set of a trial attorney.
Mr. Jahnsen has presented lectures to the New Jersey Institute of Continuing Legal Education and CLM’s National conferences on issues of trial practice, evidence, and effective cross-examination of forensic witnesses. He has further been called upon to lecture claims professionals across the county and at Lloyd’s on negotiation techniques & strategies, Contractual Risk Transfer, and Trial Strategy.
Before joining Dorf Nelson & Zauderer LLP, Mr. Jahnsen was a founding partner at Bolan Jahnsen Dacey Esqs. between 1996 and 2023.
Past Memberships
New Jersey Surplus Lines Association Board member
New Jersey State Bar Association
American Bar Association