Chip Merlin | Property Insurance Coverage Law Blog | September 16, 2019 Ian Dankelman is a former federal judicial law clerk who is a fantastic attorney at Merlin Law Group. We were talking about how our firm could hire other judicial law clerks who want to help people and small businesses fighting insurance companies. He said… Continue reading Policyholder Law Firms Should Ethically Be Hiring More Judicial Clerks
Month: September 2019
Probate Attorneys, Personal Representatives, and Insurance Agents Need to Carefully Change Named Insureds Following Death and Probate
Chip Merlin | Property Insurance Coverage Law Blog | September 15, 2019 Death of a named insured and probate proceedings have insurance policy consequences. Insurance agents, probate attorneys, and personal representatives have to prepare to purchase or change policies so the correct parties are insured following death and probate. In a recent case, a court… Continue reading Probate Attorneys, Personal Representatives, and Insurance Agents Need to Carefully Change Named Insureds Following Death and Probate
Arson of Vacant House: Covered Fire Loss or Excluded Vandalism?
Paul LaSalle | Property Insurance Coverage Law Blog | September 14, 2019 In a recent case,1 a federal appeals court addressed the issue of whether fire damage to a vacant dwelling from an arsonist was considered distinct from vandalism, so as to not implicate an exclusion within a homeowners insurance policy. In that case, Wells Fargo… Continue reading Arson of Vacant House: Covered Fire Loss or Excluded Vandalism?
California Supreme Court holds that “Notice-Prejudice Rule” Is a “Fundamental Public Policy” of California for the Purpose of Choice of Law Determination
Susan White | Buchalter | September 12, 2019 On August 29, 2019, the California Supreme Court issued a decision on an important issue to many insurance coverage disputes. In Pitzer College v. Indian Harbor Insurance Co., the Court held that California’s “notice-prejudice rule”—which requires an insurer to prove it was substantially prejudiced by an insured’s untimely… Continue reading California Supreme Court holds that “Notice-Prejudice Rule” Is a “Fundamental Public Policy” of California for the Purpose of Choice of Law Determination
Ethical Issues Surrounding Arbitration Provisions in Attorney Retainer Agreements
Matthew S. Marrone | Goldberg Segalla | August 22, 2019 There’s a common belief among lawyers that it’s better to have disputes resolved through private arbitration rather than in court. Juries are unpredictable, and judges can be too. Litigation in court can be long and costly, and private arbitration may seem a more desirable alternative.… Continue reading Ethical Issues Surrounding Arbitration Provisions in Attorney Retainer Agreements