Biography | Shannon L. Santos

Shannon Santos handles a diverse range of matters on behalf of insurers, including coverage and extra-contractual litigation, coverage advice and defense of insurers. Shannon has had numerous summary judgment awards in her clients’ favor and affirmed by the California Court of Appeal and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

In 2019, Shannon spent the summer completing a secondment with the claims adjustment team of a syndicate of Certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s, London. The secondment provided Shannon with hands-on experience with day-to-day claims handling issues, providing a unique opportunity to assist with her clients’ needs and learn about the field from a practical perspective. She also routinely provides training to insurers and claims agents, including fulfilling certification requirements for California Regulations on claims handling and settlement practices.

Shannon acts as the Los Angeles office representative on Wilson Elser’s Pro Bono Committee and spends a significant amount of time handling pro bono matters, including adoptions of children in the foster care system. She also has served as a representative for the firm’s Women Attorneys Valued & Empowered (WAVE) Committee and acted as a mentor to multiple attorneys in the office as part of that work.

Areas of Focus

Insurance Coverage
Shannon’s practice emphasizes third-party liability and first-party commercial and personal claims for large domestic and international primary and excess insurers. She litigates in state and federal court, primarily in California with additional coverage work in Georgia, Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Washington. She has substantial experience with the industry and is familiar with a wide range of liability policies and claims. Shannon has handled a variety of coverage matters involving high-value claims for personal and advertising injury, wrongful death, construction defect, property, workers’ compensation under CGL, E&O, D&O, and homeowners’ policies.

Education

Loyola Law School (J.D., 2008)
University of Southern California (B.A., 2005)
- cum laude; Renaissance Scholar

Bar Admissions

California

Court Admissions

U.S. District Court, Central District of California

Newsletters

Coverage Matters

Q2 2025

Authors: Joanna Kocol, Shannon Santos, David Simantob, Thomas M. Spitaletto, James K. Thurston, Jane Young, Julia Young

Newsletters

Where There’s Fire, There’s Smoke … and Smoke Damage Disputes

Q2 2025 - Wilson Elser's Coverage Matters

Authors: Shannon L. Santos & David Simantob

Insights

SB 894 and Related Wildfire Legislation

May 23, 2019

Attorney Articles

Legal Tokes Betoken Weeding of Insurance Regs … and More

April 1, 2019 - Insurance Advocate

Press Releases

Wilson Elser Announces 28 New Partners

January 11, 2023

News Briefs

Santos and Simantob Obtain Summary Judgment for Insurance Company in Question of First Impression

November 28, 2022

Events

Shannon Santos handles a diverse range of matters on behalf of insurers, including coverage and extra-contractual litigation, coverage advice and defense of insurers. Shannon has had numerous summary judgment awards in her clients’ favor and affirmed by the California Court of Appeal and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

In 2019, Shannon spent the summer completing a secondment with the claims adjustment team of a syndicate of Certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s, London. The secondment provided Shannon with hands-on experience with day-to-day claims handling issues, providing a unique opportunity to assist with her clients’ needs and learn about the field from a practical perspective. She also routinely provides training to insurers and claims agents, including fulfilling certification requirements for California Regulations on claims handling and settlement practices.

Shannon acts as the Los Angeles office representative on Wilson Elser’s Pro Bono Committee and spends a significant amount of time handling pro bono matters, including adoptions of children in the foster care system. She also has served as a representative for the firm’s Women Attorneys Valued & Empowered (WAVE) Committee and acted as a mentor to multiple attorneys in the office as part of that work.

Santos Obtains Summary Judgment in Protracted Insurance Coverage Matter

Shannon Santos (Partner-Los Angeles) obtained summary judgment in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of Wilson Elser’s clients, an insurance company and an adjusting firm. The plaintiff insureds brought a coverage action, including claims for breach of contract, bad faith and elder abuse, alleging their first-party claim for water damage in their home was not fully paid. The plaintiffs argued that our insurer client was required to pay for the replacement of all flooring in the house, even though the damage was limited to the first floor.

While initially precluded at the pleading stage, Wilson Elser succeeded on summary judgment and removed the adjusting company from the lawsuit after establishing that it had no contractual relationship with the insureds. In successfully defending the client insurer, Shannon prevailed on two separate theories. First, as a matter of procedure, the "Suit Against Us" provision in the policy precludes the suit as the plaintiffs failed to commence the action within one year of the date of loss after the application of tolling authority. While a challenging argument, as the letters to the insureds were not “unequivocal denials” given the claim was partially paid, Shannon convinced the court that the letters showed which portions of the claim were paid and denied all other portions, sufficient to end the tolling period. Second, the Court agreed that, substantively, there was no coverage under the policy for the benefits sought as the replacement for flooring in areas directly damaged was paid in full.

Shannon L. Santos