<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><edgarSubmission xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/ownership" xmlns:com="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">
  <!-- Generated by Workiva -->
  <headerData>
    <submissionType>144</submissionType>
    <filerInfo>
      <filer>
        <filerCredentials>
          <cik>0001235090</cik>
          <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
        </filerCredentials>
      </filer>
      <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>



    </filerInfo>
  </headerData>
  <formData>
    <issuerInfo>
      <issuerCik>0000011544</issuerCik>
      <issuerName>W R BERKLEY CORP</issuerName>
      <secFileNumber>001-15202</secFileNumber>
      <issuerAddress>
        <com:street1>475 Steamboat Road</com:street1>
        <com:city>Greenwich</com:city>
        <com:stateOrCountry>CT</com:stateOrCountry>
        <com:zipCode>06830</com:zipCode>
      </issuerAddress>
      <issuerContactPhone>2036293000</issuerContactPhone>
      <nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>Mark Shapiro</nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>
      <relationshipsToIssuer>
        <relationshipToIssuer>Former Board Member</relationshipToIssuer>
      </relationshipsToIssuer>
    </issuerInfo>
    <securitiesInformation>
      <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
      <brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
        <name>J.P. Morgan Securities LLC</name>
        <address>
          <com:street1>390 Madison Avenue</com:street1>
          <com:street2>6th Floor</com:street2>
          <com:city>New York</com:city>
          <com:stateOrCountry>NY</com:stateOrCountry>
          <com:zipCode>10017</com:zipCode>
        </address>
      </brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
      <noOfUnitsSold>53375</noOfUnitsSold>
      <aggregateMarketValue>3673268</aggregateMarketValue>
      <noOfUnitsOutstanding>379355841</noOfUnitsOutstanding>
      <approxSaleDate>07/28/2025</approxSaleDate>
      <securitiesExchangeName>NYSE</securitiesExchangeName>
    </securitiesInformation>
    <securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
      <acquiredDate>06/12/2024</acquiredDate>
      <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Compensation</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
      <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
      <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
      <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>3801</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
      <paymentDate>06/12/2024</paymentDate>
      <natureOfPayment>NA</natureOfPayment>
    </securitiesToBeSold>
    <securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
      <acquiredDate>06/14/2023</acquiredDate>
      <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Compensation</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
      <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
      <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
      <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>5219</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
      <paymentDate>06/14/2023</paymentDate>
      <natureOfPayment>NA</natureOfPayment>
    </securitiesToBeSold>
    <securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
      <acquiredDate>06/15/2022</acquiredDate>
      <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Compensation</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
      <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
      <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
      <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>4493</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
      <paymentDate>06/15/2022</paymentDate>
      <natureOfPayment>NA</natureOfPayment>
    </securitiesToBeSold>
    <securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
      <acquiredDate>06/15/2021</acquiredDate>
      <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Compensation</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
      <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
      <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
      <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>5967</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
      <paymentDate>06/15/2021</paymentDate>
      <natureOfPayment>NA</natureOfPayment>
    </securitiesToBeSold>
    <securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
      <acquiredDate>06/11/2020</acquiredDate>
      <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Compensation</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
      <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
      <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
      <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>7838</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
      <paymentDate>06/11/2020</paymentDate>
      <natureOfPayment>NA</natureOfPayment>
    </securitiesToBeSold>
    <securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
      <acquiredDate>06/05/2019</acquiredDate>
      <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Compensation</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
      <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
      <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
      <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>7091</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
      <paymentDate>06/05/2019</paymentDate>
      <natureOfPayment>NA</natureOfPayment>
    </securitiesToBeSold>
    <securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
      <acquiredDate>05/31/2018</acquiredDate>
      <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Compensation</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
      <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
      <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
      <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>8841</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
      <paymentDate>05/31/2018</paymentDate>
      <natureOfPayment>NA</natureOfPayment>
    </securitiesToBeSold>
    <securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
      <acquiredDate>05/17/2017</acquiredDate>
      <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Compensation</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
      <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
      <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
      <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>10125</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
      <paymentDate>05/17/2017</paymentDate>
      <natureOfPayment>NA</natureOfPayment>
    </securitiesToBeSold>
    <nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>Y</nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>
    <noticeSignature>
      <noticeDate>07/28/2025</noticeDate>
      <signature>/s/ J.P. Morgan Securities LLC as agent and attorney-in-fact for Mark Shapiro</signature>
    </noticeSignature>
  </formData>
</edgarSubmission>
