Miles specializes in litigation, with a focus on insurance recovery and construction matters. He has litigated commercial insurance coverage actions, construction-related disputes, and other cases in both state and federal courts.
In the insurance area, Miles has represented both insureds and insurers in connection with coverage disputes under general liability, directors and officers, professional liability, errors and omissions, builder’s risk, OCIP, pollution liability, general property, business interruption, inland marine, pollution remediation and other policies. Concerning construction disputes, Miles has represented owners, contractors, and designers/engineers in a wide variety of matters.
His experience ranges from providing coverage advice to participating in jury trials and arbitration proceedings. While in law school, Miles was a trial bureau intern for the Office of the District Attorney, Kings County in Brooklyn, New York.
Representative Work
Insurance Recovery
Through insurance-coverage litigation, obtained contributions from multiple insurers toward the favorable settlement of underlying construction defect claims against a developer concerning a large apartment complex.
Helped a large public agency recover insurance funds close to $4 million related to a public works dispute with a general contractor and its surety.
Assisted a publicly traded company in collecting over $500,000 from its insurer with respect to an environmental dispute involving pollutants migrating under the client’s apartment complex from a neighboring commercial property.
Successfully advocated for a subcontractor’s entitlement to a defense of construction defect claims from its liability carrier after the insurer’s initial coverage declination.
Obtained settlement payments from two CGL insurers in connection with CERCLA claims asserted against a commercial property owner.
Convinced a liability insurer to provide its commercial property owner insureds with a defense against personal injury and other claims after the carrier’s initial denial of coverage.
Construction
Secured the early dismissal of an engineering firm and its principal from an action alleging residential property design and construction defects.
Helped an engineering firm secure the successful settlement of claims arising out of the construction of a high-rise tower.
Publications
"Please Excuse the Delay: The Consequences of Untimely Notice, Slow Investigation, and the Failure to Communicate," co-author, American Bar Association’s Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee (March 2012)
See All Publications
Presentations
"Placing the Right Insurance Coverage and Uncovering Found Money: Maximizing the Value of Insurance Resources," County Counsels' Association of California's Public Works and Contracts & Environmental Law and Regulation Conference in San Diego, CA (May 2013)
"Choose Your Weapons Wisely: Rescission, Reformation, Cancellation, and Other Coverage Litigation Artillery", American Bar Association’s Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee CLE Seminar in Tucson, AZ (March 2013)
"Please Excuse the Delay: The Consequences of Untimely Notice, Slow Investigation, and the Failure to Communicate," American Bar Association’s Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee CLE Seminar in Tucson, AZ (March 2012)
“Insurance Basics,” Black Founders Startup Ventures’ Startup Learning Series: CYA Your Startup in San Francisco, CA (March 2012)
See All Presentations