Cozen O’Connor is pleased to announce the addition of veteran insurance litigator Wendy B. Hall to the Global Insurance practice. Hall brings nearly two decades of insurance litigation in the oil and gas sector having represented domestic insurance companies, Lloyd’s Underwriting Syndicates, London Companies, offshore drilling and subsea construction companies, and energy and oil service companies. She has been a trusted resource for advising insurers through a myriad complex coverage and claims handling issues. A veteran of both domestic and international insurance disputes, Hall has handled coverage litigation in first and third-party cases, including political risk, pollution, operators extra expense, control of well, general liability, and professional indemnity policies, as well as litigating subrogation matters. Hall was a founding shareholder of Hall Maines Lugrin, PC.

According to Joseph A. Ziemianski, co-chair of the Global Insurance Department, “Wendy’s knowledge, depth, and experience in the energy sector will provide our domestic and international clients with an outstanding resource to handle the most complex cases.”

 For the better part of a decade, she focused her practice in the Houston and London offices where she litigated coverage disputes and worked closely with Lloyds of London and their clients. Hall established herself as a policy expert and was invited to be seconded to a London Syndicate directly after the 9/11 tragedy. During that London secondment, she assisted the claims group in handling incoming claims, drafting policy wordings on the meaning of “occurrence,” and tailoring a policy for the upcoming World Cup.

The rapidly evolving energy industry has proven to be an area where Hall’s experience in policy analysis and litigation has proved invaluable. She was the lead trial counsel in federal court in Louisiana representing EED-control of well underwriters of an offshore oil facility in a subrogation matter relating to a massive offshore well blow out causing $18 million in damages. Her cross-examination was crucial to the defendants agreeing to pay 85 percent of underwriters’ damages.

As the lead trial counsel in a jury trial in federal court in Houston, Hall successfully negotiated an $80 million settlement from an energy package that involved multiple years of hydrocarbons being released into the atmosphere.

In a multi-national case, Hall litigated a nominal settlement of a $28 million coverage dispute in Texas state court arising out of a political risk claim regarding an oil and gas venture in Myanmar. The case was mediated and settled in London. Hall, however, traveled to Singapore to take witness statements and found examples of fraud that successfully busted the original settlement, resulting in a fractional settlement on behalf of her client.

“Wendy has proven time and again to be a tremendous asset for her clients. As both a skillful litigator and a trusted resource for coverage opinions, we are incredibly lucky to have someone with her level of experience and talent join the team,” said Jason S. Schulze Cozen O’Connor’s managing partner of the Houston office. “She is a welcome addition to a practice that has been experiencing incredible growth due to increased legislation and regulatory issues, particularly with regard to the energy sector, which will require someone with her knowledge and stature.”

“Being part of a team that has the depth of resources to critically evaluate and negotiate the complex issues that arise in the energy sector with regard to insurance is incredibly encouraging,” Hall said. “There will be significant economic and policy ramifications stemming from the administration change, and clients will need to be safeguarded. It is an exciting and challenging time to be practicing in this area, and I am pleased to have Cozen O’Connor and the firm’s vast network to support my clients.”

Hall earned her B.A. in journalism with a political science minor from the Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, and her J.D. from Tulane Law School where she graduated cum laude and was the winner of the Louisiana moot court competition.