Kimberly Blair focuses her litigation practice on professional liability, including accountants, attorneys, insurance agents, real estate agents, technology and media professionals, consultants, brokers, architects and engineers in addition to directors and officers liability, insurance coverage and bad faith matters. Kim is a co-chair of the firm’s Lawyers Liability practice. She has tried cases in Illinois and has appellate experience throughout the United States, including a number of published appellate decisions on coverage matters. She is an active member of the Professional Liability Underwriters Association (PLUS).
Carrier clients rely on Kim’s vast experience in all 50 states rendering coverage opinions on all types of professional liability insurance policies, as well as her resolute defense of wrongful denial claims and prosecution of declaratory judgment actions. Kim develops a strong rapport with the attorneys and other professionals she defends, envisioning herself in their positions and skillfully guiding them toward positive outcomes. To add further value to her client relationships, Kim frequently addresses in-house claims professionals and insureds on topics such as coverage, liability and damages.
In addition, Kim defends private- and public-sector employers in all aspects of federal and state employment discrimination laws, handling cases arising under state and federal fair employment practices statutes. She is quite literally at her clients’ side before such administrative and judicial tribunals as the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Labor Relations Board or the U.S. Department of Labor, including state and federal administrative agencies and courts. Recognizing that employers seek cost-effective resolutions to complex and potentially protracted cases, when appropriate she seeks to accommodate them through alternate resolution options, including arbitration, conciliation and mediation.
Jurisdictions
Kim has litigated actions in Illinois, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, California, Utah, Colorado, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Mississippi.
Representative Matters
Greenwich Ins. Co. v. Media Breakaway, LLC, 417 Fed.Appx. 642, 2011 WL 703474 (9th Cir. March 1, 2011).
Valley Forge Ins. Co. v. Carson Center for Human Services, Inc., Slip Copy, 2011 WL 864802 (D. Mass., March 10, 2011).
Continental Cas. Co. v . Auto Plus Insurance Agency, LLC, 676 F. Supp. 2d 657 (N.D. Ohio, 2009).
Westport Ins. Corp. v. Coffman, 2009 WL 243096, No. C2-05-1152 (S.D. Ohio, January 29, 2009).
Westport Ins. Corp. v. Jackson Nat. Life Ins. Co., 387 Ill.App.3d 408, 900 N.E.2d 377 (2nd Dist.,2008).
Sigma Chi Corp. v. Westchester Fire Ins. Co., 587 F.Supp.2d 891 (N.D. Ill., 2008).
Certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s of London v. Mandell, Menkes, & Surdyk, 2008 WL 4291160, No. 1:08-CV-718 AWI GSA (E.D. Cal., Sept. 18, 2008).
Albareda, Rosso, Maluje, & Nies, P.A. v. Westport Ins. Corp., 2008 WL 1766733, No. 07-22148-Civ. (S.D. Fla., April 17, 2008).
Westport Ins. Corp. v. Hanft & Knight, P.C., 523 F. Supp. 2d 444 (M.D. Pa., 2007).
In re Nanovation Technologies, Inc., 347 B.R. 314 (Bkrtcy. N.D. Ill., 2006).
Olson v. Jenkens & Gilchrist, 461 F.Supp.2d 710 (N.D. Ill., 2006).
Cummings v. Westport Ins. Co., 2006 WL 407631, No. Civ. 05-206-P-C (D. Me., February 21, 2006).
Continental Cas. Co. v. Jewell, Moser, Fletcher & Holleman, 2005 WL 1925964, No. 4:04CV002309 JMM (E.D. Ark., August 11, 2005).
Blair v. Sherman Acquisition, 2004 WL 2870080, No. 04 C 4718 (N.D. Ill., December 13, 2004).
Kemper Indem. Ins. Co. v. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., 2004 WL 1375400, No. 03 C 1554 (N.D. Ill., May 25, 2004).
In re HA 2003, Inc., 42 Bankr.Ct.Dec. 234, 2004 WL 609799, No. 03 C 9008 (N.D. Ill., March 24, 2004).
Travelers Indem. Co. v. American Cas. Co. of Reading, PA, 337 Ill.App.3d 435, 786 N.E.2d (1st Dist. 2003).