Jessica Gopiao

Jessica dedicates her practice to helping policyholders recover funds from insurers when they wrongfully refuse to pay, underpay, or act in bad faith.

As a member of the firm’s top-ranked, policyholder-focused practice group, Jessica has recovered millions of dollars from insurers for a wide range of companies and individuals in high-stakes coverage and bad-faith litigation. She has guided businesses and individuals from pre-litigation ADR to trial, where she has conducted direct and cross-examinations. Licensed in California and Florida, she has extensive experience assisting companies, condominium associations, real estate developers, and professionals in securing insurance funds after natural disasters and other catastrophic losses.

Though ready to advocate aggressively in court or arbitration, Jessica has also successfully resolved disputes without litigation. She is skilled in navigating notice and proof-of-loss provisions, structuring claims for optimal recovery, and negotiating with insurers to reverse denials, secure defense funding, and obtain settlements. Jessica has advised corporations, directors and officers, risk managers, insurance brokers, builders, retailers, hospitals, utility companies, and financial institutions on coverage issues involving D&O, EPLI, cyber, CGL, and E&O policies.

To help maximize protection and minimize risk, Jessica proactively counsels clients on policy placement, renewal negotiations, and coverage audits. Jessica combines her deep understanding of clients' operations with industry experience to identify gaps and propose commercially practical solutions that help maximize insurance coverage.

Jessica has been recognized for her work in insurance. She was named a Circle of Excellence winner for Insurance Litigation in 2024 by the Miami-Dade Bar and a Rising Star for Insurance Coverage in the Florida Super Lawyers Magazine.

In addition to maintaining a robust pro bono practice throughout her career, Jessica has served her community in the following capacities:

Reed Smith LLP, Pro Bono Committee: Miami Co-Chair
Reed Smith LLP, Associates Committee: Miami and Orange County Chair
Reed Smith LLP, Women’s Initiative Network: Miami Associate Liaison
Reed Smith LLP, Insured Success Podcast: Attorney Coordinator
American Bar Association, Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee: Co-Chair, D&O Subcommittee; Co-Vice Chair, Women in Insurance; Co-Chair, Young Lawyers
Orange County United Way
Federal Bar Association, OC: Young Lawyers Planning Committee
Dress for Success Miami: Board of Directors
Miami-Dade Bar Young Lawyers Section: Treasurer; Secretary; Board of Directors
Florida Association of Women Lawyers, Miami-Dade Chapter, Women Making History: Co-Chair

Jessica has been recognized for her professionalism and work ethic. In 2024, she was named to the Top 36 Lawyers Under 36 list by the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division and selected as the Miami-Dade Bar Young Lawyers Section MVP of the Year. In 2023, she was named to the Miami-Dade Bar Young Lawyer Section’s 40 Under 40 list and named the Rising Star Asian American Excellence in Florida winner by the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of South Florida.

During law school, Jessica served as an extern for the Honorable Karen E. Scott of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Experience

Representative matters

Served as lead associate in two-week trial seeking extra-contractual and punitive damages arising out of insurance claim for damage caused by Hurricane Irma in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida

Served as lead associate in three-week trial seeking damages for breach of contract and breach of covenant of good faith and fair dealing arising out of insurance claim for damage caused by the Thomas Fire in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Served as lead associate in ten-day trial seeking extra-contractual and punitive damages arising out of insurance claim for damage caused by Hurricane Wilma in Florida state court.

Achieved multimillion-dollar settlements following considerable litigation efforts on behalf of corporate policyholders in lawsuits arising out of first-party property insurance claims for damage caused by Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Ian.

Represented policyholder advocate organization as amicus curiae in appellate proceedings for Merck & Co., Inc. et al. v. Ace American Ins. Co. et al., a $1.4 billion case of first impression involving the unprecedented application of a “hostile or warlike action” exclusion to a crippling cyberattack.

Assisted as coverage counsel for individual who lost his home due to the Palisades Fire in Southern California.

Assisted as cyber insurance coverage counsel for publicly traded C corporation that invests in mental health facilities by developing and prosecuting claim arising out of company-wide data breach, answering insurer’s information requests, and responding to insurer’s reservation of rights letters.

Developed and implemented legal and technical strategies to maximize recovery of defense and indemnification costs for D&O coverage dispute involving potential presidential pardon of the client’s former director.

Identified and evaluated insurance coverage for business interruption claim arising out of damages caused by Winter Storm Uri.

Assisted as cyber insurance coverage counsel for American corrugated packaging company by negotiating and resolving coverage disputes between client’s cyber and kidnap and ransom insurers to recover from company-wide data breach.

Conducted comprehensive insurance audits to identify coverage issues and gaps in insurance program for several companies, including a well-known candy manufacturer, an American mass media company, and a global leader in drug delivery, consumer product dispensing, and active material science solutions.

Recognitions

Named among the Miami-Dade Bar Circle of Excellence for Insurance Litigation, 2024
Selected as a Rising Star for Insurance Coverage in the Florida Super Lawyers magazine, 2024
Named Miami-Dade Bar Young Lawyers Section MVP of the Year, 2024

Credentials

Education

The George Washington University Law School, J.D., Dean’s Fellow, Moot Court Board, Mock Trial Honors Board
Chapman University, B.A., Legal Studies

Professional admissions & qualifications

California
Florida

Court admissions

All State and Federal Courts - Florida
U.S. District Court - Central District of California
All State Courts - California

Professional affiliations

ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation Section, 2022-present
- Co-Chair, Directors and Officers Liability (D&O) Subcommittee, 2025-present
- Co-Chair, Young Lawyers Subcommittee, 2022-2025
- Co-Vice Chair, Women in Insurance Subcommittee, 2024-2025
Member, Planning Committee, The Federal Bar Association, Orange County, California Chapter (FBA/OC), Young Lawyers Division, 2024-present
Member, Orange County United Way
Miami-Dade Bar, Young Lawyers Section (MDB YLS), 2021-2025
- Treasurer, 2023-2025
- Secretary, 2022-2023
- Director, 2021-2022
Director, Suited for Success & Dress for Success Miami, 2022-2025