MaKenna Stoakes

Counsel

MaKenna concentrates her practice on insurance coverage and litigation nationwide. She provides complex coverage analysis, evaluates risk transfer opportunities, and prepares coverage position letters for clients. In litigated disputes, MaKenna has consistently achieved favorable outcomes for clients through mediation, summary judgment, directed verdict, and appeal, often involving significant financial exposure and novel legal interpretations.

Before joining Cozen O'Connor, MaKenna litigated complex claims across various states and provided coverage opinions on a wide range of insurance policies. She brings previous experience in first-party property, commercial general liability, auto, and excess policies. This includes counseling clients on handling insured misrepresentations and prosecuting rescission actions. She successfully represented clients in bad faith and breach of contract actions involving substantial punitive damage claims and allegations of unfair claims settlement practices. 

MaKenna is actively involved in the insurance law community and routinely publishes and presents on key issues in the insurance industry. She earned her B.A. from Simpson College and her J.D. from Creighton University School of Law, where she was the lead article editor for the Creighton Law Review. Outside of the office, she enjoys being outdoors and spending time with her husband and their two children.

Industry Sectors

Education

  • Creighton University, J.D., 2015
  • Simpson University, B.A., 2012

Awards & Honors

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, Insurance Law, 2025

Lyle E. Strom Scholar in Trial Advocacy

  • Iowa
  • Missouri
  • Nebraska
  • New York
  • U.S. District Court -- Nebraska
  • U.S. District Court -- Southern District of Iowa
  • U.S. District Court -- Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court -- Southern District of New York

Claims Litigation Management Alliance: Omaha Chapter, Board Member and Property Committee Member

Defense Research Institute: Life, Health, and Disability Committee

Iowa State Bar Association

Iowa Defense Counsel Association

Nebraska State Bar Association