Bryce Adams represents clients in insurance litigation across the public and private sectors, with an emphasis on defending multinational property insurers. Operating from Wilson Elser’s Portland office, Bryce helps lead a litigation team that includes many of Oregon’s most experienced and successful coverage attorneys. Bryce’s advocacy begins well before active litigation, offering insurers impactful coverage analysis on challenging claims where the right coverage decision made upstream can mitigate millions of dollars in exposure should litigation commence. But once litigation is underway, Bryce effectively guides clients through all stages of their defense, with a particular emphasis on winning summary judgments and negotiating financially beneficial settlements for clients who face unique statutory exposure if forced to trial. In all instances, Bryce approaches his practice with a clear understanding of clients’ goals and specific business needs, striving to provide value to their bottom line through cost-effective and early resolution.

Prior to joining Wilson Elser, Bryce practiced at an established defense firm handling all aspects of insurance defense and coverage litigation. Previously, he was in-house counsel at a regulatory automation firm specializing in permitting and licensing technology, where he managed public sector contract procurement.   

Areas of Focus

First-Party Bad Faith
Bryce is a prolific writer, speaker, and thought leader for Oregon’s defense bar on the evolving subject of property insurer negligence per se, which has arguably transformed Oregon into one of America’s highest-volume litigation venues for property insurers overnight. He is particularly focused on crafting novel defense theories to break the nexus between insurer claim handling, emotional distress allegations, and a policyholder’s quantum of cognizable bad faith damages. From his cochair position on the board of the Oregon Association of Defense Counsel, Bryce works to connect different aspects of the defense bar – be it construction defect, professional liability, or products liability – into a unified community of practitioners, collaborating to stop bad actors in the plaintiffs’ bar from exploiting this new bad faith doctrine to transform Oregon into an anti-insurer landscape that ultimately harms every property owner who calls Oregon home.

    Education

    • Lewis & Clark Law School (J.D., 2013)
      • Dean’s Scholarship
      • Administrative Law Focus on Natural Resources & Energy Fields
    • University of Michigan (M.A. Middle Eastern Studies, 2010)
      • U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholar, Farsi
      • U.S. Department of Education Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellow, Arabic, Indonesian
    • University of Oregon (B.A. Political Science, 2004)
      • Highest Honors in Undergraduate Thesis Research

    Bar Admissions

    • Oregon

    Professional Affiliations

    • Multnomah Bar Association
    • Oregon Association of Defense Counsel, Cochair of Insurance Law Group
    • Property & Liability Resource Bureau, Affiliate Advisory Board Member

    Awards & Honors

    The Best Lawyers in America® Ones to Watch™, Insurance Law, 2022-23

Events

Bryce Adams represents clients in insurance litigation across the public and private sectors, with an emphasis on defending multinational property insurers. Operating from Wilson Elser’s Portland office, Bryce helps lead a litigation team that includes many of Oregon’s most experienced and successful coverage attorneys. Bryce’s advocacy begins well before active litigation, offering insurers impactful coverage analysis on challenging claims where the right coverage decision made upstream can mitigate millions of dollars in exposure should litigation commence. But once litigation is underway, Bryce effectively guides clients through all stages of their defense, with a particular emphasis on winning summary judgments and negotiating financially beneficial settlements for clients who face unique statutory exposure if forced to trial. In all instances, Bryce approaches his practice with a clear understanding of clients’ goals and specific business needs, striving to provide value to their bottom line through cost-effective and early resolution.

Prior to joining Wilson Elser, Bryce practiced at an established defense firm handling all aspects of insurance defense and coverage litigation. Previously, he was in-house counsel at a regulatory automation firm specializing in permitting and licensing technology, where he managed public sector contract procurement.   

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