Bryan M. Weiss

Bryan M. Weiss is a Partner and Co-Chair of the firm's Insurance Law Practice Group, specializing in providing coverage advice to insurers and representing insurers in declaratory relief, bad faith actions and insurance-related appeals. In particular, Mr. Weiss' expertise includes intellectual property and Coverage B coverage matters, first party property matters and coverage issues arising under general and professional liability policies. Mr. Weiss also represents and counsels insurers in disability and ERISA matters, including bad faith actions related to Life, Health and Disability insurance.

He is a frequent author and speaker on insurance related issues, including serving as Co-Editor of the DRI Insurance Law Newsletter and having been a speaker at PLRB/LIRB Regional and Annual meetings for several years.  Mr. Weiss is "AV" rated by Martindale Hubbell.

Representative Published Decisions

• Colony Ins. Co. v. Crusader Ins. Co. (2010) 188 Cal. App. 4th 743;
• Hudson Ins. Co. v. Colony Ins. Co. (9th Cir. 2010) 624 F.3d 1264;
• Monticello Ins. Co. v. Essex Ins. Co. (2008) 162 Cal.App.4th 1376;
• Essex Ins. Co. v. Five Star Dye House, Inc. (2006) 38 Cal.4th 1252;
• Church Mutual Ins. Co. v. U.S. Liability Ins. Co. (S.D. Cal. 2004) 347 F.Supp.2d 880;
• Scottsdale Insurance Company v. Essex Insurance Company 98 Cal. App. 4th 86 (2002);
• Mez v. Pacific National Insurance Company 76 Cal. App. 4th 856 (1999), review denied (March 22, 2000);
• Floveyor International, Ltd. v. The Superior Court Of Los Angeles County (1997) 59 Cal.App.4th 789;
• Hartford Fire Insurance Company v. Irene Macri (1992) 4 Cal.4th 318;

Unpublished Decisions:

• Strauss v. Sheffield Ins. Corp., 2008 WL 2229817;
• Scholle Corp. v. Agricultural Ins. Co., Not Reported in Cal.Rptr.3d, 2008 WL 948335, Nonpublished/Noncitable (Cal. Rules of Court, Rules 8.1105 and 8.1110, 8.1115), Cal.App. 4 Dist., April 09, 2008;
• Entertainment Industry Development Corp. of Southern Cal. v. U.S. Liability Ins. Co., 254 Fed.Appx. 586, 2007 WL 3390912, (Not Selected for publication in the Federal Reporter), C.A.9 (Cal.), November 14, 2007;
• Giannetti v. Burlington Ins. Co., 170 Fed.Appx. 461, 2006 WL 544305, (Not Selected for publication in the Federal Reporter), C.A.9 (Cal.), March 07, 2006;
• Moser v. Trans-General Life & Casualty Group Inc., 161 Fed.Appx. 666, 2006 WL 9836, (Not Selected for publication in the Federal Reporter), C.A.9 (Cal.), January 03, 2006;
• Great American Assur. v. McCormick, Not Reported in F.Supp.2d, 2005 WL 3095972, N.D.Cal., November 15, 2005;
• Zurich Specialties London Ltd. v. Gemini Ins. Co., Not Reported in Cal.Rptr.3d, 2005 WL 1102650, Nonpublished/Noncitable (Cal. Rules of Court, Rules 8.1105 and 8.1110, 8.1115), Cal.App. 4 Dist., May 10, 2005;
• Rio Vista Associates v. Hartford Cas. Ins. Co. (2005) 2005 WL 408007;
• Figueroa v. CNA/Continental Cas. Co. Ins., Not Reported in Cal.Rptr.2d, 2001 WL 1649220, Nonpublished/Noncitable (Cal. Rules of Court, Rules 8.1105 and 8.1110, 8.1115), Cal.App. 2 Dist., December 21, 2001;
• Figueroa v. Avis Rent-A-Car-System, Inc., Not Reported in Cal.Rptr.2d, 2001 WL 1650057, Nonpublished/Noncitable (Cal. Rules of Court, Rules 8.1105 and 8.1110, 8.1115), Cal.App. 2 Dist., December 21, 2001

Professional Associations and Memberships

• International Association of Defense Counsel - Vice-Chair, Bad Faith Subcommitte
• Defense Research Institute - Co-Editor, Insurance Law Committee Newsletter; Member, Insurance, Appellate, and Life, Health & Disability Committees
• Association of Southern California Defense Counsel
• Los Angeles County Bar Association
• Secretary, USLAW Network Insurance Coverage Practice Group

Honors and Awards

• American Jurisprudence Award, Contracts and Comparative Law

Published Works

• "California Courts and the Duty to Initiate Settlement Negotiations: Ramifications of the DU Decision(s)," IADC Committee Newsletter, Insurance and Reinsurance, Bad Faith Subcommittee, February 2013
• "The Duty to Defend 'Inextricably Intertwined' Actions," IADC Committee Newsletter, Insurance and Reinsurance, April 2012
• "Covered Events", Defense Research Institute, Co-Editor
• "E-risk: Managing Risk in the Information Age", AIC, Allianz Insurance Company, April, 2001
• "Insurance Coverage for Inducement to Commit Patent Infringement Claims", Federation of Insurance and Corporate Counsel Quarterly, Spring, 2000
• "Article, Liability of Service Personnel for Injuries Caused by Defective Products", Phi Magazine (Germany), March, 1996
• "Article, Coverage Issues Raised By Employment Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Claims", Defense Research Institute Insurance Coverage Seminar, June, 1994
• "Sexual Harassment: What It Is, What It Isn't, and Who Signs the Check for Defense or Indemnity", Federal of Insurance and Corporate Counsel Quarterly, Summer, 1996
• "1983 California Court of Appeals Survey-Entertainment Law", 6 Whittier L. Rev. 391, 1984

Classes/Seminars Taught

• Vice Chair, DRI Insurance Bad Faith and Extra-Contractual Liability Seminar, June 5-7, 2013, Boston, MA
• "Coverage B of the CGL Policy--Exclusions and Defenses to Coverage," Insurance Coverage Claims Institute, Defense Research Institute, April 10-12, 2013, Chicago, IL
• "Insurance Coverage for Intellectual Property and Business Torts--Coverage B and Beyond," USLAW Client Conference, April 4-6, 2013, Tucson, AZ
• "Personal and Advertising Injury Coverage--Emerging Issues," PLRB Claims Conference, March 19-20, 2013, Boston, MA
• "Investigating the Duty to Defend," PLRB/LIRB 2012 Eastern Regional Adjusters Conference, June 26 - 27, 2012, Providence, RI; Central Regional Adjusters Conference, September 5 - 6, 2012, Schaumburg, IL; November 13 - 14, 2012, Dallas, TX
• "Fast and Furious: The Insurance Coverage Five-Minute Drill," Spring 2012 USLAW Network Client Conference, April 12-14, 2012, Dana Point, CA
• "Reserving Rights and Potential Impact on Coverage," PLRB/LIRB 2011 Regional Adjusters Conferences, June 22-23, 2011, Baltimore, Maryland (eastern region); September 7-8, 2011, Indianapolis, IN (central region); November 8-9, 2011, Sacramento, California (western region)
• "Defense of Intellectual Property Claims, PLRB Regional Claims Conference," 2009
• "Recent Developments in Advertising and Personal Injury Coverage," PLRB Regional Claims Conference, 2008
• "Handling Bodily Injury Claims from a Coverage Perspective," PLRB Regional Claims Conference, 2004 - 2006
• Instructor, "Advanced Legal Skills," Whittier College School of Law, 1991 - 1993