What are some of the department’s most satisfying successes and why? We recently achieved an across-the-board victory in a confidential arbitration arising from an insurance servicing agreement following a seven-day hotly-disputed hearing. In addition, we won two significant partial summary judgment victories for Travelers in a federal court action against Northrop Grumman, building upon our prior victories for Travelers in previous litigation. First, the court rejected Northrop Grumman’s claims for coverage under 29 policies for an estimated $300 million to $500 million in Natural Resource Damages based on late notice. Second, the court awarded Travelers partial summary judgment under the same policies based on late notice for claims filed by a class of individuals who have alleged cancer-related injuries and property damage.

We also won an important summary judgment ruling in a California state court action brought by lead paint manufacturers asserting claims for insurance coverage. The case concerns the novel legal issue of whether liability for creating a public nuisance is covered under a variety of traditional commercial general liability insurance policies. The California Superior Court held that Travelers was not liable based on a state statute precluding coverage for willful acts by the insured. In addition, we reached a favorable settlement of disputes arising from hundreds of millions of dollars of hurricane-related property damage and business interruption claims at the Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort, St. Thomas’ largest hotel property, on behalf of two major excess property insurers.