Overview
Robinson Bradshaw represents policyholders exclusively for insurance coverage counseling and dispute resolution. We provide trusted counsel, frequently in collaboration with clients' risk managers and brokers, in identifying, negotiating and securing coverages, both in the ordinary course and relative to significant transactions. Our attorneys are leaders in recognizing emerging risks and related coverage issues. Our insurance coverage clients include public and private enterprises in all sectors.
When insurers deny promised coverage (as they often do), Robinson Bradshaw's recovery team brings to bear our experience litigating against virtually every major insurer to secure the coverage our clients paid for. We have successfully litigated coverage claims in state and federal courts nationally, including precedent-setting cases, and many for statutory treble damages. Robinson Bradshaw has extensive experience securing our clients' coverage rights relative to bet-the-company asbestos, environmental, and other toxic tort and mass product liability claims.
Robinson Bradshaw has handled these matters under a variety of alternative fee arrangements, including full and partial contingent fee engagements.
Experience
- Represent a global supplier of HVAC equipment and its successors in multiyear litigation against primary, umbrella and excess insurers concerning coverage for asbestos liabilities, successfully recovering millions of dollars in coverage.
- Represented a client with respect to insurance coverage for asbestos claims in a path-breaking mass tort bankruptcy case and defended the consensual plan of reorganization against objections by insurance companies. In re Garlock Sealing Techs. LLC, 2017 WL 2539412 (W.D.N.C. 2017).
- Represented Duke University in a federal action seeking coverage for antitrust claims under a D&O policy. Duke University v. National Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh, Pa., et al., No. 5:23-cv-00744-M (E.D.N.C.).
- Represent a multinational manufacturer of highly engineered materials for the automotive industry in a federal action for coverage of business losses resulting from the COVID-19 virus and pandemic. Teijin Auto. Tech. NA Holding Corp. v. Sompo America Ins. Co., No. 1:24-cv-159 (M.D.N.C.).
- Represent a shopping center owner in an action against insurers that wrongfully denied coverage for more than $50 million in loss or damage to property caused by the COVID-19 virus and pandemic. Tanger Properties L.P. v. Ace American Ins. Co., et al., No. 25-CV-5614-400 (N.C. Bus. Ct.).
- Represented United Policyholders, the nation's leading advocate for policyholder rights, in a precedent-setting North Carolina Supreme Court case holding that insureds are entitled to coverage of their COVID-19-related business interruption losses. The case, known as North State Deli, has drawn national attention.
- Represent United Policyholders in a case of first impression concerning whether a standard CGL policy, once triggered by injury or damage during the policy period, provides coverage for a policyholder’s liability in full up to policy limits (“all sums”), rather than some lesser, prorated amount — a question of immense importance to policyholders facing long-tail bodily injury and property damage claims.
- Represent Lowe’s Home Centers in a federal lawsuit to recover $10 million (plus statutory treble damages) from an excess insurer that wrongfully refused to contribute its layer of coverage to the $90 million settlement of a wrongful death/catastrophic injury action in Texas. Lowe’s Home Centers, LLC v. Indem. Ins. Co. of North America, No. 5:24-cv-101 (W.D.N.C.).
- Represent a public company in a federal lawsuit against 22 of its insurers for coverage related to thousands of claims against our client in the PFAS multidistrict litigation. BASF Corp. v. AIU Ins. Co., et al., No. 2:24-cv-993 (D.S.C.).
- Represent a public company to secure insurance coverage for premises liability lawsuits arising from a fatal shooting and a separate vehicle accident involving catastrophic injuries at our client’s retail store. Estate of Goodman v. Pilot Travel Centers LLC, et al. No. 23-CVS-14632 (Mecklenburg County Superior Court); Wright v. Montmarquet, et al., No. 25-CVS-043451-590 (Mecklenburg County Superior Court).
- Successfully sued an insurer to recover a client’s attorneys’ fees incurred defending underlying catastrophic personal injury litigation in Texas. Martin Marietta Materials Inc. v. United Fire Group Inc., No. 24-CVS-000827-910 (Wake County Superior Court).
- Represented a public company seeking to recover losses associated with underlying class action securities and stockholder derivative litigation. Travelers Casualty and Surety Co. of America v. Jeld-Wen Holding Inc., No. 3:21-cv-173 (W.D.N.C.), including Fourth Circuit appeal.
- Represent a pharmaceutical manufacturer to secure coverage for mass toxic-tort claims, including a federal coverage action that resulted in a cost-sharing agreement among our client’s insurers. Broadview Investments LLC v. Continental Casualty Co., No. 3:18-cv-00119 (M.D. Ga.).
- Negotiated the favorable mediated resolutions of two related lawsuits seeking over $26 million in coverage under all-risk property policies sold to our client, the owner of a luxury apartment complex, which included winning a crucial choice-of-law ruling in the North Carolina Business Court. American Realty Advisors v. Lloyd's Underwriters, No. 5:16-cv-940 E.D.N.C.); SVF Weston Lakeside LLC v. Lexington Ins. Co., No. 18-CVS-5171 (NC Bus. Ct.).
- Represented a prominent national law firm as a plaintiff in the North Carolina Business Court to seek coverage under a management liability insurance policy for claims related to a cyber incident. Also asserted claims for bad faith and unfair and deceptive trade practices.
Accolades
Honors & Recognitions
- Best Law Firms, Charlotte Tier 1 for insurance law, 2014, 2020-26; Charlotte Tier 1 for litigation - insurance, 2020-22, 2024-26
