Steve Goldman is a nationally recognized trial lawyer with 30 years of experience litigating and trying a diverse range of cases throughout the United States. During that time, Mr. Goldman has served as counsel for insurers in many of the country's most significant property insurance coverage cases, including, most recently, Sher v. Lafayette Insurance Company (upholding the flood exclusion in Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina), Landry v. Louisiana Citizens Insurance Company (holding Louisiana's Valued Policy Law inapplicable to certain Katrina-related claims), and Streamline Capital v. Hartford Insurance (refusing to adopt the time necessary to rebuild the World Trade Center as the "period of restoration" for WTC tenants). As an advocate and advisor for international and domestic insurance carriers and insurance industry organizations, he has handled numerous high-impact cases arising from catastrophes such as Hurricanes Katrina and Andrew, the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and the anthrax scare in 2001. Mr. Goldman has appeared as counsel in trial and appellate courts in 22 states and has aggressively litigated and, in many instances, tried high-exposure cases throughout the Northeast and in jurisdictions as diverse as Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Iowa. He also has significant experience litigating class actions, especially those based on insurance coverage issues and insurer market conduct. Mr. Goldman is a prolific speaker on insurance coverage, litigation, and ethics matters and has published numerous papers on these subjects. He has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America® in the area of Insurance Law since 2006 (Copyright 2011 by Woodward/White, Inc., Aiken, SC). Mr. Goldman has also been named to the Connecticut Super Lawyers® list in the area of Insurance Coverage since 2006 and the Top 50 Connecticut Super Lawyers® for 2010 (Super Lawyers is a registered trademark of Key Professional Media, Inc.). Professional Associations - American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow - Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, Board of Directors (2005 to present); Member of Executive Committee (2007 to present); Admissions Committee (2001 to 2007); Vice President (2002 to 2005), Past Chair of Property Insurance (1998 to 2001) and Ethics and Professionalism (2001 to 2002) Sections - International Association of Defense Counsel, Property Insurance Committee - American Bar Association, Property Insurance Law Committee of the Tort and Insurance Practice Section, Past Chair - American Bar Foundation, Fellow - Connecticut Bar Foundation, Fellow - Loss Executives Association - Connecticut Defense Lawyers Association Community Involvement - Western New England College, teaches trial practice - University of Connecticut School of Law LL.M Program, Adjunct Professor, Property Insurance Law Honors and Awards - Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® in the area of Insurance Law since 2006 (Copyright 2011 by Woodward/White, Inc., Aiken, SC) - Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® as Hartford Lawyer of the Year in the area of Insurance Law for 2011 (Copyright 2010 by Woodward/White, Inc., Aiken, SC) - Listed in Connecticut Super Lawyers® in the area of Insurance Coverage Law since 2006 (Super Lawyers is a registered trademark of Key Professional Media, Inc.) - Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, John Alan Appleman Award, 2001 Experience - Represented a major insurance industry association as amicus curiae and worked closely with counsel representing the defendant insurer in Sher v. Lafayette Ins. Co., 2008 WL 928486 (La. Apr. 8, 2008), in which the Louisiana Supreme Court ruled that the water damage exclusion used in most homeowners insurance policies was applicable to the flooding that occurred in New Orleans at the time of Hurricane Katrina. The Louisiana Court of Appeal for the Fourth Circuit had ruled that the exclusion was ambiguous and inapplicable. If upheld, that decision would have cost the insurance industry more than $1 billion, according to media reports. In a unanimous decision, the Louisiana Supreme Court overturned the court of appeal, ruling in favor of the insurer. Also represented a leading insurer in litigation on the same issue in federal court, which resulted in a favorable decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which was quoted and relied upon by the Louisiana Supreme Court. (In re Katrina Canal Breaches Litigation, 495 F.3d 191 (5th Cir. 2007), cert. denied, 2008 WL 423587 (U.S. Feb. 19, 2008).) - Currently representing numerous insurers in defending class actions as well as litigation involving individual claims arising out of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the 2004 Florida hurricanes. Class actions involve challenges to the applicability and enforceability of flood exclusions. Additional class actions involve challenges to the application of the Valued Policy Laws in Louisiana and Florida. Individual claim litigation involves these issues as well as disputes over coverage for business interruption and losses of income caused by orders of civil authority. Litigation is pending in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida. Recent decisions coming of these cases include In re Katrina Canal Breaches Litigation, F.3d, 2007 WL 2200004 (5th Cir. Aug. 2, 2007) and Chauvin v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 450 F. Supp. 2d 660 (E.D. La. 2006), aff'd, 2007 WL 223074 (5th Cir. Aug. 6, 2007). - Represented insurers in defense of numerous large lawsuits arising out of claims for business losses resulting from events of September 11. Largest claims were in excess of $100 million, and most were in excess of $10 million. Litigation spawned many of the country's most frequently cited judicial decisions in business interruption, including Streamline Capital, L.L.C. v. Hartford Casualty Ins. Co., 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 468 (S.D.N.Y., Jan. 7, 2005), Lava Trading, Inc. v. Hartford Fire Ins. Co., 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 466 (S.D.N.Y., Jan. 10, 2005) and Paradies Shops, Inc. v. Hartford Fire Insurance Co., No. 1:03-CV-3154 (N.D. Ga. Dec.15, 2004). - Defense of insurer in arbitration and state court proceedings in Florida in $300 million property damage, business interruption, and consequential damage claim brought by owners of Miami Beach resort because of Hurricane Andrew. - Represented property insurer in Florida and Louisiana litigation arising out of $19 million contractor kickback scheme arising out claims by owners of subsidized housing for damage caused by Hurricane Andrew. - Represented property insurer in a property loss claim in excess of $30 million caused by anthrax contamination of a commercial building. - Successfully represented property insurer in trial of coverage case in Oklahoma involving claims in excess of $30 million for mold and other contamination. - Representation of an insurer concerning Big Dig builder's risk policy. Litigation involved three claims for which construction company sought coverage for the costs associated with the infiltration of water into an underwater tunnel crossing the Fort Point Channel in Boston. - Obtained summary judgment from federal court in Atlanta in defense of civil authority claim prosecuted by owner of airport stores throughout the United States. - Obtained summary judgment for property insurer in coverage litigation arising out of claim for termite and other related damage to condominium complex in Jacksonville, Florida, area. Decision was affirmed on appeal. - Obtained summary judgment for property insurer in litigation arising out of claim for collapse of apartment building garage in Yonkers, New York. Decision was affirmed on appeal. - Obtained Summary Judgment from federal court for Insurer on "Loss in Progress" defense to claim arising out of damage to hotel in Eastern Kentucky built on top of mine spoil. - Represented property insurer in arbitration against coinsurer arising out of $40 million fire loss in Connecticut. - Obtained Summary Judgment for property insurer in litigation in Kansas and New Jersey arising out of losses claimed to result from collapse due to failure of defective building materials. Judgments affirmed by Third Circuit and Kansas Court of Appeals. - Represented property insurer in coverage analysis arising out of presence of mold in a motel in South Carolina. - Represented property insurer in connection with a claim in excess of $20 million resulting from a catastrophic loss at a regional composting facility. - Represented property insurers regarding coverage and claim analysis for property insurance claims for damage relating to presence of mold in a public school building. - Representation of insurers in complex insurance dispute in federal court, Eastern District of Louisiana, involving Hurricane Katrina property damage and business interruption claim for over $27 million and bad faith claims of over $100 million, where bad faith claims were dismissed based on summary judgment briefing and expert was precluded from testifying as to damages included in initial report based on motion in limine. - Defended a major insurance company in a case brought in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in which the plaintiff sought to bring a class action involving two classes of allegedly aggrieved policyholders. The first class was allegedly deprived of payment of general contractor overhead and profit as a part of its damages. The second class was allegedly deprived of payment of sales tax as a part of its damages. After extensive discovery and motion practice, the class action allegations were voluntarily dismissed and the case was resolved on favorable terms. - Represented an affiliate of a national insurance company in a declaratory judgment action seeking a declaration that there is no coverage under property insurance policies for the cost of replacing and remediating the effects of Chinese drywall. After oral argument before the federal district court for the Eastern District of Virginia, summary judgment was entered in favor of our client in the first federal court case in the country deciding coverage issues for Chinese drywall under homeowners' policies. - Member of trial team for $100 million Hurricane Katrina commercial property case. First Hurricane Katrina case the client insurance company allowed before a New Orleans jury. Tried to verdict and settled on appeal for less than 2% of the claim. Publications & Presentations Articles - "Property Insurers' Rights and Obligations Under Policy Provisions that Provide Coverage of Personal Property on Others" (Spring 1997), published in Tort and Insurance Law Journal - "Coverage Under Property Insurance Policies for Personal Property of Others" (1997), published in Tort and Insurance Law Journal, also presented to the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel - "The Standard Mortgage Clause in Property Insurance Policies" (1997), published in Tort and Insurance Law Journal - "Recent Developments in Property Insurance Law" (Winter 1996), published in Tort and Insurance Law Journal - "First Party Pollution: Asbestos Coverage Issues" (1996), published in ABA Property Insurance Committee - "Property Insurance Update" (7/1995), published in Federation of Insurance and Corporate Counsel Update - "Property Insurance Law: 1991-1992 Developments" (Winter 1992), published in Tort and Insurance Law Journal - "Protection of Insurance Company and Lawyer's Files, What Investigation Information if any, from both Good Faith and Strategy Standpoints Should be Shared with the Claimant Insured" (10/1991), published in Defense Research Institute - "Asbestos Coverage Under Property Insurance Policies" (5/1991), published in Defense Research Institute - "Conflicts Creating Ethical Dilemas for the Property Insurance Attorney" (3/1990), published in ABA Property Insurance Committee, Tort and Insurance Practice Section - "Reservation of Rights Letters" (1988), published in Defense Research Institute - "The Broker, The Agent and Good Faith - Caught in the Middle" (3/1987), published in ABA Property Insurance Committee, TIPS National Institute - "The Standard Mortgage Clause - Protecting All Parties" (1987), published in American Bar Association Monograph Presentations - "Strategies for Dealing with Difficult Opposing Counsel in Complex Litigation" (8/2009) presented at Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel's Annual Meeting, Hot Springs, Virginia - "Layered and Quota-Share Property Insurance Claims and Litigation" (March 2009) presented at Property Loss Research Bureau (PLRB) annual Claims Conference in Seattle, Washington - "Roundtable - Coverage and Litigation Issues Arising Out of the 2004 and 2005 Hurricanes" (Spring 2006) presented at Annual Spring CLE Meeting of the Property Insurance Law Committee of the Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section of the American Bar Association - "Property Insurance and Business Interruption Issues Arising Out of Catastrophes" (11/2005) presented at European Meeting of Excess/Surplus Lines Claims Association, Zurich, Switzerland - "The Different Types of Business Interruption Coverage" (4/2005) presented at Defense Research Institute - "The Different Types of Business Interruption Coverage" (4/2005) presented at Property Loss Research Bureau - "Period of Restoration" (9/2004) presented at joint meeting of Property Loss Research Bureau and Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel - "Business Interruption Coverage: What is Interruption, Extra Expense, How Do Policy Forms Differ?" (3/2004) presented at Property Loss Research Bureau - "Appraisal in Large Losses--What Are the Unique Aspects?" (2004) presented at Loss Executives Association - "The Direct Physical Loss Requirement: Does It Still Exist?" (3/11/2003) presented at New England Claim Executives Association - "Different Types of Business Interruption Coverage" (2003) presented at Property Loss Research Bureau - "The Direct Physical Loss Requirement: Does It Still Exist?" (2003) presented at Loss Executives Association - "Re-Examining Liability in the Face of Terrorism: Property Insurance" (5/2002) presented at Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel 2002 Risk Analysis Symposium - "Bio-Terrorism Coverage Issues" (1/31/2002) presented at Property Loss Research Bureau Symposium, Impact of Terrorism on Claims - "Coverage Under Property Insurance Policies for Loss of Data and Loss of Software" (7/2001) presented at Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel and Underwriters at Lloyds, Lloyds Library - "Appraisal Provisions in Property Insurance Policies" (2001, 2002) presented at Property Loss Research Bureau Symposium - "Waivers of Subrogation in the AIA Contract" (2/2000) presented at Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel workshop - "Coverage for Collapse Under Property Insurance Policies" (1999) presented at Defense Research Institute - "Work Product and Attorney Client Privilege Issues Arising Out of Property Insurance Claims" presented at Mealey's (1999) and the Defense Research Institute (1988) - "Coverage for Asbestos Removal Under Property Insurance Policies" (1998) presented at Property Insurance Committee of Tort & Insurance Practice Section of American Bar Association - "Conflicts Between Primary and Excess Property Insurers and Their Reinsurers Arising out of Catastrophe Losses" (1997) presented at the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel - "The Impact of NFPA 921 on the Subrogating Property Insurer" (1997) presented at the Property Insurance Committee of Tort & Insurance Practice Section of American Bar Association - "Business Interruption Coverages" (1991), presented at a PLRB workshop - "Actual Cash Value and the Broad Evidence Rule" (1990), presented at a PLRB workshop - "Subrogation Against an Entity Insured by the Subrogating Insurer" (1987) presented at the American Bar Association Annual Meeting News 5.31.11, Insurance Attorney Leads Pro Bono Session for Legal Aid Lawyers 11.10.10, Best Lawyers Names Five Robinson & Cole Attorneys as Lawyers of the Year, Most Chosen in the Hartford Community 3.30.09, Robinson & Cole Partners Speak at Annual PLRB Claims Conference 10.30.08, Robinson & Cole Insurance Attorneys Speak at PLRB/FDCC Seminar 4.10.08, Robinson & Cole Partner Admitted to American College of Trial Lawyers |