Jonathan B. Sokol

Partner
Fax 310.201.2323

Insurance Litigation

Jonathan Sokol has over 25 years of experience representing policyholders in coverage and bad faith litigation against insurance companies in disputes arising under virtually every type of insurance policy in matters involving environmental contamination, exposure to toxic substances, construction defect litigation, securities-related claims, wrongful termination and other employment-related claims, patent, trademark and copyright infringement matters, employee dishonesty claims under fidelity bonds and commercial property damage claims.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS:

  • Represent Northrop Grumman in several insurance coverage matters seeking coverage for costs incurred in responding to various enforcement actions pending around the country involving sites formerly operated by entities acquired by Northrop.
  • Represented San Diego Gas & Electric in insurance coverage litigation against its insurers arising out of petroleum and PCB contamination of various sites.
  • In a highly publicized environmental insurance coverage action, represented Paco Terminals against 30 primary and excess insurers during the late 1980s that at the time was the largest insurance coverage case filed in California.  Case arose from underlying environmental actions against client arising from copper contamination of San Diego Bay.  Obtained $8.3 in settlements from insurers.
  • Represented Lincoln Properties, a shopping center owner, in the prosecution of insurance coverage litigation against 16 primary and excess insurance carriers in dispute arising out of property contamination caused by the operations of dry cleaner tenants at the shopping center.
  • Represented one of the nation’s largest real estate developers in multiple coverage lawsuits arising out of underlying 15 coordinated construction defect lawsuits in Imperial Valley, California, involving 13 different subdivisions, over 2,200 single family homes and in excess of $100 million in alleged property damage; negotiated settlements with insurers to fund settlements of underlying litigation.
  • Represented a developer in defense cost contribution action against five insurers arising out of insurers’ failure to contribute to the cost of defending 15 underlying construction defect lawsuits; obtained summary judgment that insurers obligated to contribute to the cost of defending underlying litigation and negotiated $750,000 settlement of action.
  • Represented a developer in coverage action regarding excess insurer’s obligation to drop down in place of insolvent primary insurers-to settle underlying construction defect litigation; obtained $650,000 settlement of action before court was to have heard client’s motion for summary judgment regarding “drop down” issue.
  • Represented a developer in insurance coverage and bad faith action against commercial property insurer arising out of insurer’s refusal to pay insured’s claim for a fire loss destroying 1,800 olive trees in residential subdivision valued at in excess of $1 million.
  • Represented a public utility company in two coverage lawsuits seeking coverage for underlying environmental cleanup actions involving petroleum and PCB contamination.