Philadelphia, April 4, 2017 — Cozen O’Connor is pleased to announce that it has welcomed six lawyers to its Global Insurance Department. All six lawyers bring substantial experience litigating complex insurance coverage and bad faith disputes.
The six lawyers joining Cozen O’Connor’s Global Insurance Department include Stephen P. Pate, formerly of Norton Rose, who comes to the firm as a member in the Houston office, Lauren E. Figaro who joins as an associate in the Houston office from Thompson, Coe, Cousins & Irons; Michael R. Davisson and Valerie D. Rojas, who both join as members in the Los Angeles office; Patricia M. Parisi, who joins as of counsel in the Los Angeles office; and Andrea J. Giovannone, who joins as an associate in the Los Angeles office. Davisson, Rojas, Parisi, and Giovannone all join from Sedgwick.
“We’re pleased to welcome such an accomplished group of litigators, all of whom are highly regarded in the insurance industry." Said Joseph A. Ziemianski, chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Global Insurance Department. "Their addition to our team brings even more depth to our nationally recognized litigation platform."
All six lawyers joining Cozen O’Connor’s Global Insurance Department will advise clients on litigation matters in a wide area of insurance issues, including coverage, bad faith, and directors and officers liability issues.
Focusing his practice on insurance litigation, Stephen Pate — who joins as a member and will be co-chair of the property insurance practice group — handles matters such as property insurance, directors and officers insurance, business interruption, CDL insurance, builders risk and commercial general liability disputes, among others. He was elected as a fellow of the American College of Coverage and Extracontractual Counsel and has been recognized as a leading lawyer for insurance law by Chambers. He is also a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and the American Law Institute.
A trial lawyer and insurance counselor, Michael Davisson, who also joins as a member and formerly served as the managing partner of Sedgwick's Los Angeles office, represents clients in a wide variety of insurance matters, including coverage litigation and bad faith matters. He also handles commercial litigation insurance matters involving directors and officers insurance, fidelity bonds, EPLI insurance, and errors and omissions insurance. Davisson is an active member of the Professional Liability Underwriting Society and the Tort and Insurance Practice Section of the American Bar Association.
Trial lawyer Valerie D. Rojas, a member, focuses on litigating insurance coverage and bad faith insurance claims. She also handles complex business claims and claims against public entities, such as school districts. Managing all aspects of litigation, Rojas represents single-plaintiff cases, as well as suits involving large, complex, multiparty actions. Rojas is a member of the Mexican American Bar Association and the Fidelity Law Association.
Patricia Parisi, who joins as of counsel, is an experienced insurance coverage and litigation lawyer, who represents insurance companies in complex coverage matters. She handles matters regarding all types of policies, focusing specifically on fidelity bonds, directors and officers insurance, and EPLI insurance. Parisi also advises her insurance company clients on coverage issues and complex and high-stakes claims handling.
Joining as an associate, Andrea Giovannone focuses on insurance practices and litigation, including, but not limited to, bad faith, directors and officers liability, EPLI insurance, and an array of first party insurances issues. Prior to focusing on insurance, Giovannone concentrated her practice on complex litigation involving product liability and environmental law.
Lauren Figaro, who joins as an associate, has considerable experience in complex insurance coverage disputes involving first-party and bad faith claims. Figaro has previously served as a judicial intern for The Honorable George C. Hanks and The Honorable Vanessa Gilmore in the Southern District of Texas.
“These lawyers are well known for their high level of client service and experience in these complicated insurance matters and they will be a true asset to our clients,” Ziemianski says. “As a recognized leader in this area of law, Cozen O’Connor continues to add top notch talent to our firm to serve our clients across the country."
Cozen O’Connor's Los Angeles office, located in the center of the downtown business district, is home to more than 20 attorneys providing a full range of legal services including complex commercial litigation, bankruptcy, environmental, insurance subrogation, insurance coverage, intellectual property, maritime, and the defense of products liability and construction cases. In addition to domestic clients, our attorneys represent clients from around the world, including Asia and the Pacific Rim.
Cozen O'Connor's Houston office is located in downtown Houston and provides clients with a wide variety of services in the areas of commercial litigation, labor and employment counsel and litigation, insurance coverage and defense, marine and maritime law, and subrogation and recovery.
About Cozen O’Connor
Established in 1970 and ranked among the top 100 law firms in America, Cozen O’Connor has more than 925 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle market companies, Cozen O’Connor services its clients’ needs through 26 offices across two continents.
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