Richard George	Richard Bane	Michael Velladao
Chair	Chair	Chair
Directors & Officers	pROPERTY & cASUALTY	cOVERAGE

Richard Wolf	Jay Pardini	Linda Lasley
Chair	vice-Chair	vice-Chair
BAD fAITH	pROPERTY & cASUALTY	Insurance Regulatory/ Reinsurance

Danny Worker	Rebecca Weinreich
Vice-Chair	Vice-Chair
Coverage	Bad Faith

Insurance Coverage Analysis and Litigation

We represent insurers in coverage and bad faith litigation and provide opinions and advice involving:

• Insurance coverage and litigation in all lines, including general liability, professional liability, homeowners, title, disability, accident and health, life, jeweler’s block, inland marine, multi-peril business, and customized (“manuscript) policies;
• Insurance coverage for employment practices including wrongful termination, sexual harassment, employment discrimination, Federal Title VII and EEOC, State Fair Employment and Housing Act, employment contract claims and age discrimination claims;
• Insurance coverage disputes arising out of national products liability litigation;
• Insurance coverage for intellectual property litigation (including patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade names, licenses and trade secrets) such as “advertising injury or “personal injury policy provisions, coverage analysis and defense of insureds;
• Insurance coverage for securities litigation, antitrust litigation, and business litigation;
• The rights and obligations of parties under directors and officers liability policies;
• Interpretation of errors and omissions policies, including policies issued to lawyers, accountants, insurance agents and real estate agents;
• Claims involving the interpretation of excess and umbrella policies, including “drop down issues; and litigation involving the rights and duties of parties under insurance policies when the insured has filed for bankruptcy;
• Insurance insolvency issues involving liquidation of insurance companies;
• Reinsurance;
• Business interruption and similar insurance;
• Title insurance;
• Fidelity and Surety;
• Advising insurers on Gramm, Leach Bliley Act disclosure requirements and other similar regulations;
• Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA) analysis and litigation;
• Representing insurers in Department of Insurance proceedings;
• Monitoring of, and fee arbitrations against, independent counsel selected by insureds; and
• Policy drafting, insurance form drafting;
• Government investigations, including prosecutions of insurance fraud and advice concerning organizational compliance procedures.

Directors and Officers Coverage and Litigation

Since its inception, the firm has had a D&O practice group specializing in this unique and complex insurance coverage. This long-standing practice has resulted in the firm being involved in virtually every significant development in the area. Read more . . . 

Insurance Regulatory and Reinsurance

Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP’s Insurance Regulatory and Reinsurance Practice Group is comprised of attorneys with diverse backgrounds who represent insurance, reinsurance, technology, manufacturing, and other businesses in a wide array of litigation, transactional, regulatory, and corporate matters. The group’s attorneys have experience in both the private and public sectors, having served as corporate general counsel and counsel with regulatory agencies. While the majority of the group’s clients are within the insurance industry, including insurers, reinsurers, joint powers authorities, risk retention groups, risk purchasing groups, agents, brokers, surplus lines brokers, managing general agents, reinsurance intermediaries, third-party administrators, and adjusters, the group’s attorneys also represent technology and manufacturing companies and businesses. Read more . . . 

First Party Claims

We represent insurers in claims arising under first party property policies, including concurrent causation issues, as well as losses due to pollution, soils subsidence, fire, theft and fraud.

Title Insurance

We represent major insurers and their policyholders in real estate and title disputes and litigation. We defend title insurers against extra-contractual claims and litigation. We are members of the California Land Title Association (CLTA) and have represented CLTA and American Land Title Association as amicus curiae in appellate matters.

Insurance Associations

We have represented statutory authorities and associations of insurers, such as the California FAIR Plan Association, the California Insurance Guaranty Association and the California Earthquake Authority.

PUBLICATIONS 

Insurance Coverage Update Newsletters

Directors and Officers Newsletter

related practice groups 

Insurance Regulatory and Reinsurance

Directors and Officers Coverage and Litigation