Catherine Reid - Partner

Professional Profile

M. Catherine Reid focuses her practice on policyholders with insurance claims involving liability and indemnity policies, such as:

Employment Practices Liability

Directors, Officers & Entity Liability

Commercial General Liability, Domestic and Foreign

Property

Representations & Warranties

Professional Errors and Omissions

Architects & Engineers Errors and Omissions

Media Errors and Omissions

Excess and Umbrella

International

Homeowners Association

Homeowners

and other types of specific risk policies.

Ms. Reid has successfully litigated insurance coverage cases for policyholders. Ms. Reid has also defended policyholders in litigation involving covered or potentially covered claims such as those involving trade secrets, business interruption and property loss or damage. In addition to litigation, Ms. Reid also consults with clients regarding their insurance needs, assisting them in obtaining the optimum coverage for their unique risks.

Ms. Reid has extensive experience with arbitration and mediation. Her focus is on the best method for obtaining the optimal result for her clients.

Ms. Reid has state and federal appellate experience. She also has trial court experience in numerous state and federal courts throughout the country.

Representative Appellate Decisions

Indian Harbor Insurance Company v. Hartford Casualty Insurance Company, No. B192829 2007 WL 2955564 (2nd Dist. (Cal.) 2007) Represented insurer which honored its obligation to reimburse defense costs. Obtained complete reimbursement of all defense costs plus interest from non-defending insurer.

Recent Trials and Arbitrations

March 31, 2008 - Johnson Outdoors Inc. v. General Star Ins. Co., Case No. 2:05-cv-522, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. The court granted Johnson Outdoors' Motion for Summary Judgment on the Duty to Defend and ordered the defendant to pay attorneys' fees and costs for defending the underlying action, as well as fees and costs incurred in the coverage action. Johnson Outdoors commented that this victory would benefit all 14,000 Johnson Outdoors employees.

Hewlett Packard Company v. ACE Property and Casualty Ins. Co., JAMS, San Francisco, Ca. (Jan. 2006). Represented policyholder litigating reasonableness and necessity of defense expenses owed by insurer that refused to defend, even after duty to defend determination. Policyholder was awarded all post-tender defense expenses as being reasonable and necessary to the defense.

Total Employee Management Co. v. Essex Ins. Co., Superior Court for the County of Los Angeles, Case No. BC 279303 (Oct. 2004). Represented policyholder litigating duty to defend underlying case involving stolen property. Trial court found the insurer owed a defense. The verdict was reversed on appeal.

Bar Admissions

State of California

All U.S. District Courts for the State of California

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin

U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Pro hac vice in numerous state courts and federal district courts

Education

University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles California (B.A. History 1982)

California State University, Los Angeles, Los Angeles California (M.A. History 1986)

University of San Diego School of Law, San Diego California (J.D. 1991)

Professional Memberships & Affiliations

Orange County Bar Association