William H. Howard, Esq.

Experience

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  United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio

  Jan 1978 - Jan 1980

  Law Clerk to The Honorable Timothy S. Hogan
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  Porter Wright Morris & Arthur

  Jan 1980 - Jan 1985

  Associate

  Diverse practice focusing on insurance defense and general civil litigation; bankruptcy, representing secured creditors and the Chapter 13 Standing Trustee; and environmental law, representing agricultural and manufacturing entities in regulatory matters. Daily appearances in federal and state courts, depositions, motion practice, jury and non-jury trials, and appeals. In 1983, Porter Wright acquired, by merger, Estabrook, Finn & McKee, which I had joined in 1980.

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  Cozen O'Connor

  Jan 1985 - Jan 2006

  Senior Member

  Beginning in 1990, practice focused on insurance coverage claims and litigation, with a sub-specialty in insurance coverage for environmental claims; some substantive environmental litigation. From 1985 to 1990, practice focused on insurance coverage, subrogation, and commercial litigation. Litigated in federal and state courts in multiple jurisdictions. Advised the client insurer as to coverage under pollution liability policies with respect to over 60 claims against the client’s insured, a gasoline distributor and retailer, arising out of MTBE contamination of groundwater.Obtained a summary judgment for the client chemical retailer and postured for settlement 12 cases having approximately 140 plaintiffs, alleging cancer and birth defects arising out of employee exposure to chemicals while working in “clean rooms”. Negotiated settlements on behalf of client property insurers in a multi-policy, multi-insurer, multi-site, declaratory judgment action brought by the policyholder, a public utility, for manufactured gas plant (MGP) contamination.Obtained a summary judgment on trigger of coverage, under law enforcement liability policies, in a multi-insurer, multi-policy, declaratory judgment action arising out of the policyholder municipality’s alleged wrongful arrest and conviction of the plaintiff to an ensuing civil rights action. Show less

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  Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney, Ltd.

  Jan 2006 - Jan 2008

  Of Counsel

  Established insurance coverage practice in Chicago-based firm’s Philadelphia office, developing a diverse insurance coverage practice, in federal and state courts, representing insurers with respect to environmental, commercial auto and trucking, and first-party property insurance claims; also, insurance regulatory matters and substantive environmental litigation.Negotiated a nuisance value settlement, during mediation, of environmental claims, under primary and excess umbrella liability policies, by demonstrating that the landfill at issue had opened after the expiration of the client insurer’s policies.Obtained a summary judgment in favor of the client commercial auto insurer under a “mechanical device” exclusion, as well as a finding that the exclusion was not contrary to Delaware law and public policy.Negotiated a nuisance value settlement for the client commercial auto insurer on an underinsured motorist claim, based upon an argument that a leased auto was not a “covered auto”. Show less

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  Zurich American Insurance Company

  Jan 2009 - May 2017

  Assistant Vice President and Coverage Counsel III

  Provided coverage opinions and other legal advice to claim professionals and managers in company’s North America Environmental Claims department (pollution liability policies) and field offices (commercial general liability, workers’ compensation/employers’ liability, commercial auto, and excess/umbrella liability policies); managed insurance coverage and bad faith litigation in which a member company was a party.In 2016 alone, managed litigation and pre-litigation efforts which resulted in the recovery of over $2,750,000 in defense costs and indemnity payments from other insurers, who owed additional insured coverage to the company’s policyholders.Previously, managed efforts to recover, from other insurers and their insured subcontractors, over $2 million in defense costs and indemnity paid on behalf of the company’s insured contractor, in connection with hundreds of FEMA trailer claims resulting from Hurricane Katrina.Actively participated in group of company insured vessel’s insurers to defeat BP’s claim for additional insured coverage for its pollution liability resulting from the April 2010 Gulf Oil Spill and to limit the company’s liability to its policy limits.Saved the company over $250,000 in negotiating the settlement of a $1,775,000 West Virginia pollution liability coverage/primarily bad faith claim, arising out of a leaking underground storage tank on the policyholder’s convenience store property.Managed separate settlements with the policyholder and the policyholder’s vendor in a complex, multi-party, multi-insurer, multi-million dollar, food contamination claim, arising out of salmonella contamination of a dry milk product, packaged by company’s policyholder. Show less

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  Law Office of William H. Howard, Esq.

  Oct 2017 - now

  Sole Proprietor

  Providing law firm clients with coverage opinions and draft reservation of rights and coverage denial letters and reviewing and coding documents. Serving as an arbitrator for federal district court (33 cases heard and decided in 2021). Available to serve as an expert or consultant, mediator, arbitrator, or master in insurance coverage and bad faith disputes; manage litigation; review claim determinations and handling or law firm billings; or assist in responding to regulatory complaints.