Christine E. Hiler

Senior Counsel

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Christine E. Hiler

Christine specializes in litigation, with a focus on insurance recovery. She represents policyholders in connection with coverage disputes under general liability, directors and officers liability, employment practices liability, general property, and other policies. Her experience ranges from providing coverage advice, to participating in state and federal litigation, as well alternative dispute proceedings. Christine has successfully litigated insurance coverage and bad faith claims to recover what is due to her clients.

Christine also represents companies, and officers and directors of companies, in business litigation disputes. She has further experience representing numerous public agencies in tort actions, including dangerous condition/design immunity matters.

Representative Work

Through insurance-coverage litigation, obtained contributions from multiple insurers towards the favorable settlement of an underlying construction defect claim against a developer concerning a large apartment complex.

Helped a business owner recover more than $500,000 from an insurance company who initially refused to defend or indemnify a claim for copyright infringement.

Obtained summary judgment that an insurance company improperly reserved its rights under Blue Ridge Insurance Company v. Jacobson (2001) 25 Cal.4th 489 to seek reimbursement of settlement expenses paid on behalf of the insured in a California state court hotel habitability action.

Obtained summary judgment in a case addressing whether a public agency retained design immunity for lack of a mediation barrier. The court found that technological advances do not strip an agency of design immunity where no dangerous condition exists. The case was appealed to the California Court of Appeals, and the decision was affirmed in full, and certified for publication.

Publications

"Why Technological Advancements Should Not Undermine Design Immunity," co-author, Daily Journal (January 2011)

"Ruling Affects Additional Insured Coverage for Public Entities," co-author, Public Agency Advisory (March 2010)

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Presentations

"Insurance Coverage Basics," Neighborhood Economic Development, Ocean Ave fire victims (October 2012)

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Community Involvement

Broadway Alumnae of the Sacred Heart, Board Member

Professional Affiliations

American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, Insurance Coverage

Bar Association of San Francisco

Academic Distinction

Legal Extern to the Honorable Justice Ming W. Chin, California Supreme Court (Fall 2005)

University of San Francisco Law Review

Advanced Moot Court Traynor Team, third place oral advocacy, third place overall

CALI Awards: Excellence in Wills and Trusts, Employment Discrimination and Contracts

First Year Moot Court, Best Brief

McAuliffe Honor Society

Education

J.D., magna cum laude, University of San Francisco School of Law (2006)

B.S., magna cum laude, University of Southern California (2003)

Admissions And Courts

California

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

San Francisco

415-995-5102 Direct Phone
415-995-3487 Fax

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