California

Minnesota

Tennessee 

Texas

J.D.

University of Chicago Law School

B.A. (summa cum laude)

College of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota

• Aftermath: Insurance Coverage Following the Social Unrest of 2020 , Coverage (ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee), March 4, 2021 
• Practice Guide — 50 States Reservation of Rights Compendium (co-written with Albert K. Alikin, Amanda Figueroa, Emily Williams), DRI, August 1, 2020
• What the Death of a Soldier in 1918 May Teach Us About Insurance Policy Analysis in the Time of COVID-19 (co-written with Barry Miller), Current Events (DRI), Volume 31, Issues 3 & 4, April 27, 2020
• New Jersey and New York Signal Intent to Force Coverage for COVID-19 Business Losses; Other States Will Follow Suit (co-written with Erin Lamb), BlogLine (Freeman Mathis & Gary LLP), March 16, 2020
• To Everything There is a Season — And a Causation Analysis, BlogLine (Freeman Mathis & Gary LLP), August 14, 2019
• If You’re Selling, Some Considerations Regarding Cannabis (co-written with Kristin Ingulsrud), Hot Topics (ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee), January 17, 2019
• You Acted in Bad Faith by Refusing to Settle for the Policy Limits, and Now the Policy Limits Are Open! (co-written with Rina Carmel and Albert K. Alikin), In-House Defense Quarterly (DRI),  April 2018 
• Competing for the Limited Limit (co-written with Albert K. Alikin), Insurance Coverage and Claims (DRI), April 1, 2017 
• Avoiding the Special Relationship Zone for Insurance Brokers (co-written with Albert K. Alikin), California Asian Insurance and Financial Professionals Association (CAIFPA) Annual Magazine, March 2016 
• Appellate Dissent Maps Potential Challenge to Bad Faith Punitive Damages (co-written with Albert K. Alikin), ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee, September 10, 2014 
• Practice Guide — 50 States Reservation of Rights Compendium (co-written with Albert K. Alikin and Jennifer Muse), DRI, January 2014 
• The Causation Question in Property Insurance, New Appleman on Insurance Law, Chapter 44, August 2011 
• Hurricane Storm Surges and Property Insurance: What’s the Coverage Climate?, Hot Topics (ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee), January 2009
• The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act: Standing to Bring a Civil Action, The Briefcase (ABA General Practice Section), May 1994 

Insurance Coverage and Litigation

• Winning summary judgment for insurer against insured seeking benefits under cancelled auto policy.
• Winning partial summary judgment limiting general liability insurance coverage, based on impaired property exclusion, for tens of millions of failed semiconductor chips due to gradual degradation.
• Defending insurance company in lawsuit over contingency non-appearance/event cancellation insurance coverage brought by worldwide entertainment group and decedent’s estate following unfortunate death of Michael Jackson.
• Defending insurance company against excess carrier’s claim of unreasonable failure to settle for policy limits following judgment of more than three times policy limit.
• Defending insurance company in lawsuit brought by leading television production company seeking business interruption coverage after moving production of TV series from Middle East based on rocket attack, army invasion, and initiation of war.
• Defending reinsurer against claims by excess insurer after two municipalities negotiated eight-figure settlement of underlying cases, including agreement on number of occurrences and apportionment of liability.
• Defending insurance company in property and business interruption coverage claims by lessee of four World Trade Center towers following 9/11 attack.
• Defending insurance company in property and business interruption claims by sublessee of concourse retail space in World Trade Center following 9/11 attack.
• Defending insurance company in business interruption claim by stock broker for alleged lost commissions over four days following 9/11 attack on World Trade Center.
• Defending insurance company in business interruption claim by California airport based on government shutdown of airspace following 9/11 attacks.
• Obtaining Missouri Court of Appeals decision affirming summary judgment for national insurance company accused of conspiring to drive public insurance adjusters out of business.
• Defending insurance broker against claims brought by named payee under property policy after insurer denied property damage claim following discovery of asbestos on building site.
• Defending national group life insurance broker in investigation by New York Attorney General for alleged kickbacks by insurers.

Insurance Recovery and Subrogation

• Obtaining multimillion-dollar property insurance recovery for world’s largest rubber plantation after rebels overran plantation during Liberian Civil War.
• Obtaining multimillion-dollar property insurance recovery against reinsurer in property and business loss claim following application of unapproved pesticide, Dursban, to raw oats used in Cheerios, causing recall of 55 million boxes of cereal.
• Obtaining multimillion-dollar recoveries against manufacturer and installer of spray-on polyurethane foam, a hazardous building material, that caused $100 million fire and destroyed steel plant.
• Obtaining coverage for home furnishings manufacturer in rescission action brought by products liability insurer following child death allegedly caused by manufacturer’s product.
• Obtaining multimillion-dollar recovery for large warehousing/logistics employer against workers’ compensation insurance broker for mishandling insurance placement and reporting.

Business and Commercial Litigation

• Winning complete defense verdict and full recovery on counterclaim for national hardware distributor against retailers claiming RICO conspiracy to drive retailers out of business.
• Winning summary judgment based on qualified (recreational) immunity defense, affirmed by California Court of Appeal, for Arizona city sued by California tour bus company after bus ran over tourist on city property.
• Defending national health care provider against civil RICO and fraud claims and criminal investigations for admissions and billing practices, resulting in company-saving resolutions of all actions.
• Winning landmark Supreme Court of California decision on non-reviewability of arbitral awards on behalf of intimate apparel franchisee against international franchisor.
• Winning summary judgment for traffic control systems supplier alleged to have infringed patent.
• Winning summary judgment on behalf of international airport board in equal protection lawsuit by landowners seeking to block runway-expansion project.
• Obtaining multimillion-dollar recovery against staffing agency’s former officer in trade secrets lawsuit to protect client list and other confidential information.
• Obtaining multimillion-dollar executive compensation settlements for former CEO, CFO, and general counsel of international bank.

• ABA Litigation Section, Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee (Property Insurance Subcommittee Co-Chair, 2007-2022), Member, 2007-present
• Loss Executives Association, Member, 2013-present
• Claims and Litigation Management Alliance, Member, 2015-present
• ABA General Practice Section, Litigation Committee, Vice-Chair, 1992-1994

• Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers – Southern California, 2025-2026
• Best Lawyer, The Best Lawyers in America, 2023

• Freeman Mathis & Gary Insurance Coverage Academy, Planner and Lecturer from inception, 2024-present
• “Multiple Claims and Insufficient Limits,” Client webinar, September 2, 2021 
• “Peaceful Protests or Violent Disturbances:  Insurance Coverage in Times of Social Unrest,” Annual Conference Seminar (ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee), March 18, 2021 
• “COVID-19:  Current Litigation and Potential Bad Faith Cases,” Client webinar, January 13, 2021 
• “Social Unrest in 2020, and Property Insurance:  The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, But It May Be Covered,” PLAN Seminar Series, December 17, 2020 
• “Time Limited Demands And Multiple Claims With Insufficient Limits,” Client webinar, August 11, 2020 
• “Mediator’s Round (Kitchen) Table:  Insurance Coverage for COVID-19 Claims,” Podcast Episode 4, Steve Schulwolf Mediation, August 25, 2020 
• “The Battle Lines Being Drawn:  A Survey of Lawsuits Seeking Coverage for Losses Related to COVID-19,” PLAN Seminar Series, April 22, 2020
• “Navigating Claims Arising From Novel Coronavirus And COVID-19,” FMG Webinar Series, March 19, 2020
• “Time Limit Demands and Bad Faith Liability,” PLAN Seminar Series, July 18, 2018 
• “Is There a Target on My Back? (or, Understanding E&O and Minimizing Your Exposure),” California Asian Insurance and Financial Professional Association (CAIFPA) Property and Casualty Seminar, August 2011
• “The ABC’s of Insurance Coverage Claims,” Insurance broker seminar, March 2011
• “Defending Employment Litigation:  Looking for Coverage in All the Right Places,” Southern California Labor and Employment Law Seminar, November 2011
• “Understanding Products Liability Insurance & Product Recall Insurance,” Client seminar, November 2010 
• “The Wide, Wide World of Insurance:  Recent Developments,” Insurance broker seminar, October 2007
• “Shaken, Not Stirred:  Adjusting Earthquake Losses,” Client seminar, May 2006 
• “Staying Out of the Thicket:  California Fair Claims Settlement Practices,” Client seminar, October 2004, November 2005