Global law firm Clyde & Co is pleased to announce further growth in the United States with the hire of 15 insurance and litigation partners from Sedgwick LLP, a California origin law firm.
The partners are highly regarded insurance coverage, trial and litigation lawyers, with a focus across insurance lines and represent US and international insurance carriers, corporates and public sector bodies. They are predominantly based in three offices in California – San Francisco, Los Angeles and Orange County – as well as Chicago, New York and Miami.
In addition to the 15 partners, the group will include more than 65 other attorneys and staff, including a Kansas City, Missouri, shared services team, comprising finance, business acceptance and IT and other business staff.
Simon Konsta, Clyde & Co Senior Partner, says: “Our global growth strategy is focused on our core sectors and our ability to hire the very best teams in the locations in which our clients need us. We have been growing in the United States for nearly 12 years and the addition of these 15 partners complements our existing west coast and national business. These partners are all focused on core areas of practice that complement our own and our objectives in North America, as well as our strategic ambition of being pre-eminent in our chosen sectors in any market in which we operate.”
Simon Konsta, Clyde & Co Senior Partner, says: “Our global growth strategy is focused on our core sectors and our ability to hire the very best teams in the locations in which our clients need us. We have been growing in the United States for nearly 12 years and the addition of these 15 partners complements our existing west coast and national business. These partners are all focused on core areas of practice that complement our own and our objectives in North America, as well as our strategic ambition of being pre-eminent in our chosen sectors in any market in which we operate.”
Bill Casey, Clyde & Co San Francisco Managing Partner and Chair of the firm’s US Board, says: “We are pleased that our strategy of hiring the leading lawyers in the insurance sector continues to deliver results. This is a close-knit team that we have known for some time. They will help us build our insurance, trial and litigation capabilities, particularly in northern and southern California, and further enhances our ability to provide our US and international clients with nationwide services.”
Ralph Guirgis, former Chair of Sedgwick’s Insurance Division, adds: “We’re very pleased to be joining Clyde & Co and its world leading insurance practice, which has an unrivalled global footprint and a strong reputation in the US among carriers and the London market. We’re proud to bring with us a team with strong experience and expertise across insurance lines as well as exceptional trial and litigation capabilities. We look forward to being able to hit the ground running.”
The expansion is the latest growth for Clyde & Co in the US, where it first launched in 2006. It follows the opening of offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, DC in 2017. The firm now has ten offices and over 60 partners and over 350 people nationally in offices including Miami, Atlanta, San Francisco, Long Beach, New York City and New Jersey.
Clyde & Co operates as a single global partnership and focuses on five core sectors globally: insurance, infrastructure, trade and commodities, energy and transportation. The United States is a core market for many of its clients, which include many US and international insurance carriers.
The team starts on January 1 2018. The joining partners are:
Four partners in Orange County:
Ralph A. Guirgis was firmwide chair of Sedgwick’s Insurance Division and investigates, litigates and advises insurers on policy wordings while representing insurers in complex coverage disputes in the US and internationally.
Margaret M. Holm is a trial lawyer defending healthcare organizations and providers, and national and regional insurers against allegations of professional malpractice including wrongful death, abuse, and catastrophic injury.
Curtis D Parvin is a trial lawyer focusing on business, transportation, products liability, professional liability, environmental litigation, and the defense of serious personal injury cases.
Sean R. Simpson specializes in complex commercial (re)insurance matters, representing US and London market insurers in litigation and counseling in high profile matters across insurance lines.
Four partners in Los Angeles:
Craig S. Barnes is a trial lawyer who practices in the area of catastrophic loss litigation, including child sexual abuse, as well as complex business litigation, product liability and general tort litigation
Alison K. Beanum is a trial lawyer who defends public and private entities against claims of intentional and negligence-based torts alleged to have caused catastrophic injuries.
James J.S. Holmes was office managing partner of Sedgwick’s Los Angeles office and is a trial attorney and litigator, representing major media and entertainment entities and insurers on a variety of intellectual property matters
Susan Koehler Sullivan is a commercial litigator, specializing in corporate insurance matters including coverage investigations, disputes and trials.
Four partners in San Francisco:
Bruce D. Celebrezze is a leading insurance industry litigator with a national practice that focuses on complex general liability work and commercial disputes for insurers.
Brian D. Harrison has extensive experience representing insurers in a variety of litigated and non-litigated matters involving complex insurance coverage disputes.
Martin J. O’Leary handles professional liability insurance matters, including litigation and coverage under a range of insurance lines from directors and officers to cyber liability.
Alexander E. Potente is an experienced trial lawyer who represents insurers in complex commercial insurance litigation matters.
One partner in New York:
Katelin O’Rourke Gorman counsels US and London insurers on matters involving public company, private company and not-for-profit D&O liability policies.
One partner in Miami:
Alfred C. Warrington V provides litigation counsel to international (re)insurers and intermediaries across a range of matters including aviation, construction defect, environmental, and bad faith claims.
One partner in Chicago:
Catalina J. Sugayan represents domestic and international insurers providing coverage and claims resolution in matters including civil rights, law enforcement liability, sexual misconduct, professional liability and class and collective actions.
