- August 21, 2026
Jonathan T. Viner
Partner
Biography
BIOGRAPHY
Jonathan’s practice focuses on counseling and risk management. Jonathan has nearly 25 years of experience serving a domestic and international client base that has come to rely on him for his veteran perspective and sharp insight into novel and complex insurance coverage issues.
His diverse experience includes evaluating and managing complex, multi-million dollar coverage disputes for insurers involving a wide range of subject areas, including:
- Personal and Advertising Injury
- Property Damage
- Products Liability
- Professional/Management Liability
- Construction Defect
- Environmental/Toxic Tort
- First Party Property
Jonathan has authored thousands of coverage opinions throughout his career, bringing a wealth of knowledge to insurers involved in the highest-exposure and most challenging coverage disputes, providing clear and definitive advice to his clients. In addition to his comprehensive insurance analysis and ability to guide his clients through resolution of non-litigated coverage issues, Jonathan has significant experience litigating coverage and bad faith disputes, representing insurers in cases pending across the country.
Memberships
- Defense Research Institute
- American Bar Association
- Illinois Appellate Lawyers Association
Awards & Rankings
- Best Lawyers®, The Best Lawyers in America®, 2026-2027
- Illinois Super Lawyers, 2010-2026
Before Nicolaides
Prior to helping found the firm, Jonathan was a partner at a Chicago law firm specializing in insurance coverage for over 10 years. Jonathan's prior experience also includes providing insurance coverage counseling and litigation work at an international "biglaw" firm and as a direct employee of a major Chicago-based insurance company.
Outside Nicolaides
Jonathan is passionate about cooking and music, making time to play trumpet in jazz, rock, and classical ensembles. When not at work, you can probably find him in the kitchen or practicing his horn.
- Obtained summary judgment for insurer on basis that CGL policies provided no coverage for series of class-action antitrust and price-fixing lawsuits against insured, persuading court to reject argument that lawsuits involved "personal injury and advertising injury."
- In a case of first impression, affirmed summary judgment for insurer that prior publication exclusion barred coverage for trademark infringement suit because insured first used infringing portion of subject trademarks prior to policy inception.
- Obtained dismissal of federal declaratory relief action involving novel coverage and standing arguments by third-party claimant.
- Obtained summary judgment for insurer under CGL and Auto policies relative to stipulated multimillion-dollar judgment against named insured's former employee arising out of road-rage incident.
- Successfully resolved claim seeking coverage for litigation involving insured's allegedly defective drinking-water filtration system, which allegedly resulted in regulatory action against claimant municipality requiring it to purchase and build entirely new filtration system at a cost of $15 million.
- Assisted client in successfully resisting insured's challenge of coverage denial involving significant environmental damage caused by train derailment, based upon application of pollution exclusion, even though insured's responsibility was limited to manufacture of an allegedly defective railcar axle.
- March 12, 2026
- January 21, 2026
- August 21, 2025
- January 24, 2023
- July 22, 2022
- January 28, 2022
- May 25, 2021
- January 29, 2021
- January 4, 2021
- October 4, 2019
- February 14, 2019
- May 16, 2018
- April 11, 2016
- April 7, 2016
- January 12, 2016
- September 3, 2015
- March 11, 2015
ADDITIONAL SPEAKING & WRITING
- Personal and Advertising Injury Coverage for Cyber Hacking/Data Breach Suits, Defense Research Institute Personal and Advertising Injury Compendium (2013)
- Bad Faith Overview/Update and Best Claims Handling Practices (2007-2013)
- Strafford Publications webinar: Insured's Right to Independent Counsel (Resolving Policyholder and Insurer Disputes Over Selection of Counsel) (2012, 2013)
- Strafford Publications webinar: Pollution Exclusion in CGL Policies - Navigating the Scope of the Exclusion in Light of Differing Court Interpretations (2012)
- Insurance Coverage Workshop: Position Letter Drafting (2010-2012)
- Commercial Auto Liability Coverage Training (2012)
- Understanding Personal and Advertising Injury Risks (2011)
- Recent Trends in Environmental Insurance Coverage Under the CGL Policy, Chicago Bar Association Environmental Law Committee (2010, 2011)
- The Right to Independent Counsel Under Illinois Law, Chicago Bar Association Insurance Law Committee (2010)
- CGL Coverage for Antitrust Litigation: Does a CGL Policy Ever Provide Coverage for a Consumer Price-Fixing Claim? (2010)
- Examining an Insurer's Duty to Defend Under Illinois Law, Chicago Bar Association (2009)
- Lorman Education Services Seminar: Understanding the Current CGL Policy – Four Corners, Eight Corners & Beyond: An Insurer’s Duty to Defend Under Illinois Law
- CGL Absolute Pollution Exclusion: Applying the Absolute Pollution Exclusion in the ISO CGL Form, Liability Insurance Research Bureau Conference, Nashville (2006)
- CGL Insurance Workshop – Comprehensive multi-day presentation/workshop covering all aspects of CGL policy form (2005)
- "Personal and Advertising Injury Coverage," Educating the Insurance Professional, American Educational Institute, Inc. (2005)