Philip W. Savrin

Partner

Atlanta, GA
D 770.818.1405
psavrin@fmglaw.com

Education

  • J.D., Boston University School of Law, cum laude
  • B.A., Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts, cum laude
Overview

Phil Savrin is a founding member of Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP, where he serves on its Executive Committee and leads the firm’s Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith National Practice Section.  His areas of expertise include commercial insurance coverage issues, litigation of extra-contractual claims, and defense of professional liability claims.  In addition, he represents local governments, school districts, and all types of governmental entities and officials in defending civil rights claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. His work in the firm's government practice also includes representing governmental entities in constitutional challenges and election and voting disputes.

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Bar Admissions

Georgia

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia

U.S. Supreme Court

Publications & Engagements
  • “A Necessary Schizophrenia? Splitting Claim Between Coverage and Defense,” For The Defense
  • “The Evolving Duty to Settle: A Foundation Made of Shifting Sands,” Georgia Defense Lawyers Association Law Journal 
  • “United States Supreme Court Decides the Constitutional Parameters of High Speed Police Pursuits,” (Parts One and Two), For the Defense
  • “The Perils of Defending without a Reservation of Rights,” For the Defense
  • “Supreme Court of Georgia Upholds Bad Faith Damages for Failing to Offer Policy Limits,” Covered Events
  • Does a Defense Without Reservation of Rights Waive an Insurer’s Coverage Defenses?,” FMG LawLine
  • “Mercer Law Review’s Eleventh Circuit Survey of Trial Practice and Procedure,” (1996-2003)
  • “Qualified Immunity in the Excessive Force Context,” For the Defense
  • “Substantive Due Process Rights: Paradigms of Analysis,” Defense Research Institute’s Governmental Liability Committee Newsletter

Representative Cases & Clients

Federal

  • Reed v. Town of Gilbert, 135 S. Ct. 2218 (2015)
  • Scott v. Harris, 550 U.S. 372 (2007)
  • Collegiate Licensing Co. v. American Casualty Co., 713 F.3d 71 (11th Cir. 2013)
  • Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company v. Harris Medical Associates, LLC, 973 F. Supp. 2d 1045 (E.D. Mo. 2013)
  • Sentinel Insurance Company v. Action Stop, LLC, 958 F Supp. 2d 1368 (M.D. Ga. 2013)
  • North American Specialty Insurance Co. v. Pen Pals Productions, LLC, 789 F. Supp. 2d 1343 (M.D. Ga. 2011)
  • Nationwide Mutual Fire Insurance Co. v. Dillard House, Inc., G51 F. Supp. 2d 1367 (N.D. Ga. 2009)
  • Acceptance Indemnity Insurance Company v. Southeastern Forge, Inc., 209 F.R.D. 697 (M.D. Ga. 2002)
  • Gainor v. Douglas County, 59 F.Supp.2d 1259 (N.D. Ga. 1998), aff’d 189 F.3d 486 (11th Cir. 1999), cert. denied 529 U.S. 1072 (2000)

State

  • Popham v. Landmark Am. Ins. Co., 340 Ga. App. 603, 798 S.E.2d 257 (2017)
  • Herren v. Sucher, 325 Ga. App 219, 750 S.E.2d 430 (2013)
  • LabMD, Inc. v. Admiral Insurance Company, 323 Ga. App 906, 749 S.E.2d 11 (2013)
  • Aetna Workers’ Comp. Access, LLC v. Coliseum Medical Centers, 322 Ga. App 641, 746 S.E.2d 148 (2013)
  • Maxum Indemnity Co. v. Jimenez, 318 Ga. App 669, 734 S.E. 2d 499 (2013)
  • Hoover v. Maxum Indemnity Co., 291 Ga. 402, 703 S.E.2d 413 (2012)
  • L.P Gas Industrial Equipment Co. v. Burch, 306 Ga. App 156, 701 S.E. 2d 602 (2010)
  • Fortis Insurance Co. v. Kahn, 299 Ga. App 319, 683 S.E.2d 4 (2009)
  • Porter v. Urban Residential Development Corp., 294 Ga. App. 828, 670 S.E. 2d 464 (2008)
  • BBL-McCarthy, LLC v. Baldwin Paving Company, 285 Ga. App. 494, 646 S.E.2d 682 (2007)
  • Scottsdale Ins. Co. v. Great American Assur. Co., 271 Ga. App. 695, 610 S.E.2d 558 (2005)
  • Dolphin Realty v. Headley, 271 Ga. App. 479, 610 S.E.2d 99 (2005)
  • Cooper Tire & Rubber Company v. Merritt, 271 Ga. App. 16, 608 S.E.2d 714 (2004)
  • Cotton States Mut. Ins. Co. v. Brightman, 276 Ga. 683, 580 S.E.2d 519 (2004)
  • Brock v. Allen, 256 Ga. App. 397, 568 S.E.2d 536 (2002)
  • Arrow Exterminators, Inc. v. Zurich American Insurance Company,136 F.Supp.2d 1340 (N.D. Ga. 2001)
  • Anderson v. Atlanta Committee for Olympic Games, Inc., 273 Ga. 113, 537 S.E.2d 345 (Ga. 2000)
  • Hardaway v. U.S. Fire Insurance Company, 724 So.2d 588 (Fla. App. 1998), cert. denied 735 So.2d 1285 (Fla. 1999)
Affiliations
  • Defense Research Institute
  • Federal Bar Association
  • Georgia Defense Lawyers Association
  • Leadership DeKalb
  • Leadership Cobb
Client Successes
Awards and Recognition

  •  2023-2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®
  • Recognized by Best Lawyers in America®, 2021 Edition in the fields of Insurance Law, Litigation – Insurance and Litigation – Municipal
  • Georgia Super Lawyers 2014 to present
Classes/Seminars Taught
  • “High Speed Police Pursuits”; DRI Governmental Liability Seminar
  • “Failure to Train as a Theory of Section 1983 Liability”; DRI Governmental Liability Seminar
  • “Defending an Insured Without a Reservation of Rights”; Continuing Legal Education Seminar
  • “Police Liability and Civil Rights Litigation in the Eleventh Circuit”; PESI Continuing Legal Education Seminar
  • “Qualified Immunity Analysis Under Recent Supreme Court Pronouncements”; DRI Teleconference Seminar on Civil Rights
  • “Reservations of Rights, Declaratory Judgments, and Waiver and Estoppel in Third Party Liability Actions”; Lorman Continuing Legal
  • Education Seminar
  • “Failure to Train as a Basis for Municipal Liability under Section 1983”; Institute of Continuing Legal Education Seminar
  • “First Amendment Implications of Hiring and Firing Decisions”; Institute of Continuing Legal Education