W. Gustin Vandiford

Member

Gustin’s practice is focused on pursuing recoveries for large subrogation claims arising from fires, uncontrolled water releases, product failures, and construction defects. Additionally, he represents insureds’ and self-insureds’ uncovered losses in similar matters. Gustin has successfully litigated subrogation claims in state and federal courts in Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and New Mexico. He serves on Cozen O’Connor’s Members Committee.

Prior to joining the firm in 2021, Gustin was an associate at a law firm in American Samoa, where he represented corporate and municipal clients in a wide variety of matters, including insurance defense and coverage, workers’ compensation, creditors’ rights, and contractual disputes. As a former assistant attorney general in the Territory, Gustin leveraged his intimate understanding of local government to advise domestic and international businesses on regulatory compliance and navigating the Territory’s unique bureaucracy. After law school, he was an associate in Minneapolis, where he litigated insurance defense and product liability matters.

Gustin earned his Bachelor of Science, magna cum laude, from East Carolina University in 2012 and his Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University School of Law in 2015.

 

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Experience

News

Cozen O’Connor Promotes 31 Attorneys to Member and Senior Principal

March 20, 2025

“It’s always a pleasure to recognize the hard work and dedication of our attorneys and government relations professionals,” said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael J. Heller. “This outstanding class of new members and senior principals will undoubtedly propel Cozen O’Connor’s ongoing success.”

Publications

Waive or Do Not Waive Subrogation, But There is No Try [Subrogation & Recovery Law Blog]

November 30, 2022

A recent federal case provided an excellent example that not all supposed waivers of subrogation are, in fact, waivers. In National Surety Corp., et al. v. Bozeman, 2022 WL 953053, No. 1:20-cv-01187-WJM-GPG (D. Colo. March 30, 2022), National Surety filed a subrogation action alleging the defendant...

Can Your Insured be Sued? Carriers Should not Worry about Defendants Filing Counterclaims and Third-Party Complaints against their Insureds [Subrogation & Recovery Law Blog]

August 11, 2021

When evaluating the potential recovery for pursuing a subrogation action, insurance carriers must consider to what extent, if any, its insured negligently contributed to its injuries. Accounting for the insured’s potential liability is a significant part of the cost-benefit analysis for pursuing...

Industry Sectors

Education

  • Wake Forest University, J.D., 2015
  • East Carolina University, B.S., magna cum laude, 2012
  • Colorado
  • Nebraska

Minnesota’s Seventh Judicial District, Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable Robert J. Raupp

American Samoa Bar Association, Vice President, 2018-2019