Pillsbury's Insurance Team Named a Law360 Practice Group of the Year for the Second Year in a Row

Among the many notable insurance-related outcomes identified by Law360 was Pillsbury’s successful $72 million jury verdict for client Lion Oil Co. The decision – deemed the largest insurance jury verdict in 2015 by National Law Journal – was led by Pillsbury Insurance practice co-leader Peter Gillon. The same team is currently advising Sinclair Oil in an approximately $100 million dispute against Swiss insurer Infrassure for property damage and business interruptions incurred due to an explosion in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Having defeated the insurer’s initial motion to dismiss bad faith claims, the case is expected to go to trial later in 2017. In California, Insurance practice co-leader Robert Wallan is heading a team litigating coverage and bad faith for more than $100 million in products liability class and mass actions against Fluidmaster. Trial in that case is set for this coming summer, and the court already has ruled in the client’s favor on summary judgment that Fireman’s Fund owes a duty to defend.

“It’s an honor to be selected as Insurance group of the year two times in a row,” said Gillon. “This track record of recognition reflects how committed we are to our clients, to representing policyholders against insurance companies and to continually achieving great results for them.”

Law360 also emphasized the practice’s work in New York on matters resulting from damages incurred when Superstorm Sandy hit the northeast in 2012. One example is the “extremely favorable” settlement Greeves and partner Jaime Bobotek negotiated for Edge Fund Advisors against two insurers over damage incurred to one of the fund’s office towers during the storm. Another involves New York University’s NYU Langone Medical Center. Partner and 2015 Law360 MVP Joseph Jean has already helped NYU secure $125 million from insurers and $1.13 billion from FEMA for property losses due to Sandy. Jean is currently representing NYU in a suit against its property and business interruption insurer, FM Global, that seeks more than $1.4 billion in Sandy-related damages and losses.

According to practice co-leader Robert Wallan, Pillsbury is regularly involved in high-profile cases because it is “one of the few major law firms in the nation dedicated to representing policyholders and not liability insurers.”

Other noteworthy Pillsbury Insurance recovery matters from 2016 include:

• Representing a national bank in directors and officers coverage claims arising from a long-term Ponzi scheme that has led to multiple class and mass actions in state and federal court seeking more than $130 million in damages.
• Obtaining more than $50 million in property damage and business interruption settlements on behalf of a national developer arising from construction defects at a 400 –unit residential property; and
• Seeking liability insurance coverage for IMS Health in a bad faith insurance claim brought against Zurich American Insurance Company.

Over the past 12 months, the team also has provided counsel to several of the largest international mining companies, utilities, oil refiners and railroads on major environmental claims; Takata Corporation on insurance issues relating to the recall of automobiles with Takata airbags; and  Sony Corporation in connection with cyber loss. 

In addition to an impressive case load, Pillsbury’s Insurance Recovery & Advisory practice also continued to expand its market presence in 2016. In January, the firm added a high-profile team from Orrick led by Mark Plumer, David Klein and Alex Lathrop, and promoted Alex Hardiman to its partner ranks. To further cement its reputation as a thought leader when it comes to insurance coverage law, Pillsbury also launched Policyholder Pulse to provide of-the-moment news, commentary and analysis on the subject.

All this success follows an equally impressive 2015 in which Pillsbury recovered more than $1 billion for Insurance clients and achieved Practice of the Year honors for the first time. Major victories included a landmark $55 million bad faith and punitive damages jury verdict for Victaulic Company over three AIG entities that marked the largest verdict in the Superior Court of California, County of Alameda in a decade and a $23 million summary judgment for Pavarini Construction in connection with claims arising from a high-profile condo building project in Miami.

Pillsbury exclusively represents policyholders against their insurance companies and has become one of the largest and most respected Insurance Recovery & Advisory practices in the United States. The group advises clients on negotiating the correct policy language and regularly helps them obtain broad insurance coverage to address the risks inherent in business today, and when litigation is necessary, the group has a demonstrated track record of trying cases and achieving favorable outcomes for clients. The group has been lauded by Chambers USA, The Legal 500 U.S. and Best Lawyers.

Read Law360’s profile of the Insurance Group (subscription required).