AREAS OF EMPHASIS

  • Complex Commercial Litigation
  • Insurance Coverage
  • Bad Faith Litigation
  • Insurance Program Analysis
  • Insurance Regulation
  • Insurance Defense Litigation
  • Class Action Litigation
MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS
  • Member, American Bar Association (Business Law and Tort and Insurance Practice Sections)
  • Member, Federal Bar Association
  • Member, Bar Association of the Fifth Federal Circuit
  • Associate Member, Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc.
  • Member, State Bar of Texas (Insurance and Litigation Sections)
  • Member, Dallas Bar Association (Litigation Section)
  • Admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the United States
  • Admitted to practice in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the United States District Courts for the Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas
PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS
  • "Risk Transfer Vehicles: An Analysis of Certificates of Insurance, Additional Insureds, Contractual Indemnity and Related Issues" - Presentation for City of Dallas, Risk Management and Legal Divisions, February 2012.
  • "Shifting Loss: Significant Issues Related to Contractual Indemnity, Additional Insureds and Certificates of Insurance" - Risk and Insurance Management Society, DFW Chapter Luncheon, June 2011.
  • "Texas Coverage Law Update" - Presentation for claims officers with insurance carrier client, May 2010.
  • "D.R. Horton v. Markel: Impact on Duty to Defend and Declaratory Judgment Actions" - TIPS Section, Dallas Bar Association, March 2010.
  • "The ABCs of SIRs" - 2009 University of Texas School of Law Insurance Law Institute.
  • "Update on Texas Insurance Law" Presentation for insurance carrier client, April 2008.
  • "Insuring the Construction Project: Drafting Strategies, Risk Management Considerations, and Insurance Options" - 2007 Construction Law Conference / University of Texas School of Law.
  • "Analysis of Indemnity Provisions" - Risk and Insurance Management Society, DFW Chapter, Summer Conference 2007.
  • "In the Crosshairs: Current Status of Agent/Broker Liability" - Fourth Annual Advanced Insurance Law Course 2007/ State Bar of Texas.
  • "Independent Counsel - A Comparative Law Debate" - Advanced Insurance Law Course 2006 / State Bar of Texas.
  • "Update on 'Prompt Payment' Statute and Employee/ Adjuster Liability Under Article 21.21" - paper and presentation for the Texas Independent Insurance Adjusters Association, November 1999.
  • "Bad Faith - A Claims Handling Update" - paper and presentation for the Texas Independent Adjusters Association, June 1998.
  • "Recent Developments in Bad Faith Law" - paper and presentation for the Annual Meeting of the North Texas Subrogation Association, October 1997.
  • "Bad Faith Law Update" - paper and presentation for the Texas Tort & Insurance Law and the New Millennium Symposium, August 1997.
  • "1995 Tort Reform - One Year Later" - presentation for the Annual Meeting of the North Texas Subrogation Association, October 1996.

NOTEWORTHY MATTERS

Represented and provided counsel to insurers and policyholders on many issues and matters, including:
  • Prevailed at Texas Supreme Court on critical indemnity issue for corporate policyholder - D.R. Horton- Texas, Ltd. v. Markel Int'I Ins. Co., Ltd., 300 S.W.3d 740 (Tex. 2009)
  • National counsel for insurers in multi-state class action litigation concerning worker's compensation regulatory issues
  • Lead counsel for Fortune 200 homebuilder in multicarrier coverage and bad faith litigation concerning underlying $1 billion copyright infringement matter
  • Successful recovery of policy proceeds and extracontractual penalties on behalf of national homebuilder in multiple coverage lawsuits under CGL, excess, umbrella, and EPL policies.
  • Declaratory judgment litigation in both state and federal courts
  • Coverage opinions
  • Insurance program analysis, including types of coverage, limits, terms and conditions, and complex deductible and retention issues
  • Premium calculation and recovery disputes
  • Litigation involving alleged improper claims handling on behalf of insurance carriers
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Defense and indemnification issues arising under various types of liability policies
EDUCATION
  • Georgetown University Law School (J.D., 1991)
    • Georgetown International Environmental Law Review - Editor, 1990-91
  • Georgetown University (B.A., magna cum laude, 1988)
RECOGNITIONS
  • AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell
PERSONAL
  • Baylor Tom Landry Center
    • Member Advisory Board
  • Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Texas
    • Liaison to Board of Directors 2003-2005
  • Dallas Summer Musicals
    • Curtain Call Fund-raiser Event Committee Chair 2007
  • Georgetown Alumni Admissions Program
    • Applicant Interviewer