Most Highly Regarded Firms: Texas 2008 - Insurance & Reinsurance
Once again the insurance and reinsurance chapter is one of the largest in Who's Who Legal: Texas with 36 lawyers from 25 firms making the grade.
The lawyers on the following pages have practices of varying range and scope. They may concentrate on insurance or reinsuance; leading policyholder lawyers sit alongside those who represent carriers. A number of regulatory and legislative experts feature; as do those who exclusively represent corporate policyholders or who focus the majority of their timae on dispute resolution for industry clients.
Civil litigation and insurance firm Thompson Coe Cousins & Irons LLP is, for the second consecutive edition, the best-represented firm in the state with four partners making the final listing. The "outstanding" Brian Martin was consistently endorsed to researchers - sources noted consider him among the leading coverage lawyers in the state. Martin is chairman of the insurance law section of the State Bar of Texas and is "absolutely first rate - one of the best around", according to one prominent source. Jay Thompson represents his clients in legislative, regulatory and litigation matters and over the years has worked for insurance companies and trade associations. Rivals rate him as "one of the very best regulatory lawyers in town". Roger Higgins once again puts in a good performance and is currently on the firm's management committee. He is said to be "first rate for class action litigation" and an "excellent insurance company lawyer". His regulatory and coverage advice was also brought to our attention. Richard Geiger, of counsel, completes the picture at the firm. From 1973 to 1977 Geiger served in the Texas House of Representatives and his practice focuses on the representation of clients before the legislature, the commissioner of insurance and the Texas Department of Insurance. One source remarked: "The lawyers at Thompson Coe always impress me with their profound industry knowledge."
Haynes and Boone LLP boasts three entries on the following pages, two more than in the previous edition - Werner Powers and David Taubenfeld appear for the first time. Powers founded the insurance coverage practice at the firm and comes recommended as a "top-tier insurance litigator"; his practice incorporates insurance torts, insurance coverage disputes and large contract disputes. Taubenfeld is an "outstanding policyholder lawyer" who would be "on top of anyone's list", according to rivals. Ernest Martin is a "prominent and able trial lawyer" who once again emerges among the most nominated practitioners in the chapter. "One of the top lawyers for policyholders", he "is regarded statewide as a leading authority in the field". Martin is a co-founder of the insurance law section of the State Bar of Texas and among other matters he handles hurricane, construction defect and IP claims and coverage claims on of all aspects of oil and gas facilities, including weather damage to oil platforms.
Quilling Selander Cummiskey & Lownds also provides three highly rated individuals for the following pages. The "outstanding" Hamp Moody is perhaps one of the most respected names in the state and boasts over 30 years' experience handling a variety of tort, contract and business disputes. Sources particularly praised his work for insurance carriers. His mediation practice was pointed out to us on more than one occasion. Lance Lewis once again excelled in our survey. A source praised him as "one of the best trial lawyers I have come across." Greg Winslett chairs the firm's professional liability and insurance groups and spends much of his time on complex insurance defence.
Litigation boutique Martin Disiere Jefferson & Wisdom LLP was founded in 2000 and boasts an excellent reputation for insurance coverage and bad faith litigation. Founding partner Christopher Martin was professor of Insurance Law at the University of Houston for 10 years and continues to be a prolific author and speaker. Martin "is widely considered as one of the experts in the coverage field", according to sources who went on to praise his first-party insurance work. Fellow founding partner David Disiere also put in a strong performance in the research and is recommended for his work on complex insurance coverage and related litigation. Disiere has a wealth of industry knowledge following 13 years at State Farm Insurance and was a "definite for inclusion".
Tollefson Bradley Ball & Mitchell LLP once again excels in our research - both John Tollefson and Beth Bradley were consistently endorsed. Tollefson's practice focuses on property, casualty and professional liability and one rival noted: "John is a fine lawyer, technically very strong and with extensive experience on the insurance carrier side." Bradley is another "outstanding" carrier-side lawyer and over the years she has represented primary and excess insurers, agents and reinsurers on a wide array of coverage related litigation. Fulbright & Jaworski LLP's Reagan Brown appears in the chapter for the first time this year and comes recommended as a "top-notch trial lawyer on the insurance coverage side". Stephen Pate appears prominently once again and is well regarded for his first-party insurance litigation. Pate chairs the firm's insurance litigation practice group and continues to deal with matters arising out of Hurricane Katrina. His mould-damage claims work was also widely respected.
Cozen O'Connor is the final firm with more than one entry on the following pages. Joseph Ziemianski received sufficient nominations to be included for the first time this year. He comes recommended for his work on a variety of matters concerning first- and third-party claims. Gene Creely completes the duo and his insurance defence work was once again noted.
Michael Huddleston of Shannon Gracey Ratliff & Miller LLP is "one of the stalwarts of the Texas insurance Bar", according to one source. An "excellent lawyer with experience representing both insurance carriers and policyholders", rivals have a "high degree of respect for his lawyering skills". David Schubert practises at Schubert Evans in Dallas and boasts a reputation as an "outstanding insurance coverage lawyer". Since the previous edition, Robert Allen has moved from Baker & McKenzie LLP to Meckler Bulger & Tilson, bringing with him a reputation as "the premier coverage lawyer in the state". Allen is the lead partner of the firm's Dallas office and an "excellent insurance lawyer who represents both insurance companies and policyholders" on matters including insurance coverage, bad faith, fraud, reinsurance as well as regulatory matters. Mid-sized firm Cooper & Scully PC comes recommended for its trial and appellate work with lawyers from the firm litigating and handling appeals in Texas and nationwide. Brent Cooper is a "superstar", according to sources who note that he is "responsible for a couple of landmark cases in Texas". An "excellent lawyer both in the area of coverage and in the courtroom" he is "highly respected by all concerned with the field". James Cooper co-chairs the insurance coverage group at Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP. A "first-rate lawyer", his policyholder work is said to be "second to none". Cooper works extensively in the oil and gas, and construction industries and representative clients include Tesco Corporation, Smith International and Lennar Corporation to name but a few. The "outstanding" James Cornell at Cornell & Pardue is "one of the leading authorities in the field in Texas", according to one high-profile source. He is a "great policyholder lawyer - as good as they come" and over the years he has worked on cases relating to general liability, commercial property, D&O liability and homeowners' insurance among other things. Mark Lawless at Nickens Keeton Lawless Farrell & Flack LLP is "probably the go-to-guy for policyholders in and around Austin". He is said to be particularly strong when it comes to disputes relating to environmental, asbestos and other ‘long-tail' coverage claims. Lee Shidlofsky is a former partner of Lawless's at Nickens Keeton and now practises with his own firm: Visser Shidlofsky LLP. The firm focuses on insurance law and commercial real estate and Shidlofsky is rated as "one of the finest insurance coverage lawyers in the state - he will be a leader in the field for decades." His construction defect work is said to be particularly noteworthy with one corporate source labelling him "the best CD coverage lawyer in the state". Patrick Wielinski at Cokinos Bosien & Young PC is another construction defects lawyer of repute and his book Insurance for Defective Construction: Beyond Broad Form Property Damage Coverage is said to be "excellent". Vincent Morgan at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP comes recommended on the policyholder side and is said to be "an excellent lawyer with a great academic curiosity about the field". Morgan is a member of the council of the insurance law section of the State Bar of Texas.
William Chriss has his own firm in Corpus Christi and is one of only two lawyers in the chapter hailing from that city. Chriss comes recommended for homeowner's and personal lines work and is "one of the smartest lawyers I know", according to a rival. Another went on to remark: "If I were in trouble and in need of a heavyweight intellectual lawyer then I would hire him in a flash." Russell McMains also practises at his own firm in Corpus Christi and is said to be "a fantastic appellate lawyer". If there is a major case in Texas, our sources say he will probably be in it. Thomas Bond is the sole entry from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP in the chapter and was Texas's commissioner of insurance in the early 1980s. Recommended as "an outstanding regulatory lawyer" it is said that "everybody knows him and everybody goes to him for advice and representation". Michael Quinn at Quinn Hayes & Quinn is regarded as the "godfather of insurance lawyers in Texas" and comes recommended for policyholder and defence work. Sources also note that he is "an accomplished and great speaker to boot".
David Brown practised at Vinson & Elkins before setting up his own firm Brown & Kornegay LLP in Houston. Brown's policyholder work was brought to our attention and he was variously described as a "worthy adversary", "outstanding", "knowledgeable and talented" and "one of the sharpest policyholder's lawyers in the state". Veronica Bates at Hermes Sargent Bates LLP is a new addition to the publication, receiving a number of recommendations from some of the practice area's leading lights. Bates typically shows up on the insurance carrier side of cases and one source who recently worked with her on a property damage coverage case noted: "She did a great job and has a very good reputation as a coverage lawyer." Mark Kincaid at Kincaid & Horton LLP in Austin is another new entry this year. Kincaid works on the policyholder side and is said to be a "very experienced and honourable attorney". A "very smart" lawyer he has worked on cases relating to liability insurance, life insurance, E&O, D&O, homeowners, automobile and workers compensation among others. Veronica Carmona Czuchna at Jordan & Carmona PC completes our round up of Texas's leading insurance attorneys. Another new entry this year, Carmona is a past chair of the insurance law section of the State Bar of Texas and an "outstanding and highly capable attorney".