Keith is a partner in Reed Smith’s Insurance Recovery Group and has represented policyholders in complex insurance coverage disputes for over 40 years. He has recovered more than $100 million in insurance proceeds for losses arising from product liability claims, toxic tort disputes, environmental issues, business interruption claims, employment liability matters, D&O issues, errors and omissions claims, and first-party property issues. His practice is nationwide, and his clients have included large corporate policyholders in a broad variety of businesses, including manufacturing, aerospace, energy, pharmaceutical, medical device, entertainment, communications, and technology.
Experience
Representative matters
Representative matters
Asbestos insurance coverage - Obtained a favorable settlement for a policyholder facing enormous present and future losses arising from asbestos claims. The insurer agreed to cover nearly all of the client's present and future defense costs in connection with the claim under policies issued more than 30 years ago.
Asbestos insurance coverage – Successfully obtained insurance coverage for policyholders faced with more than 15,000 lawsuits alleging injuries from products manufactured as early as 1951.
Asbestos coverage – Secured coverage for thousands of past and future asbestos liabilities for well-known conglomerate under historic liability policies.
Asbestos insurance coverage - Obtained a favorable settlement for a policyholder facing enormous present and future losses arising from asbestos claims. The insurer agreed to cover nearly all of the client's present and future defense costs in connection with the claim under policies issued more than 30 years ago.
Asbestos insurance coverage – Successfully obtained insurance coverage for policyholders faced with more than 15,000 lawsuits alleging injuries from products manufactured as early as 1951.
Asbestos coverage – Secured coverage for thousands of past and future asbestos liabilities for well-known conglomerate under historic liability policies.
Bodily injury claims - Successfully obtained defense and indemnity for a major nuclear technology company arising out of dozens of bodily injury claims stemming from a uranium mine, without filing a complaint.
Business Interruption coverage - Successfully represented technology company in pursuit of business interruption and bad faith claim where insurer's conduct resulted in the virtual demise of the business.
Business interruption – Successfully obtained business interruption insurance coverage resulting from major fire that destroyed corporation’s headquarters when company was set to launch innovative software platform.
Directors and officers coverage – Successfully represented an international corporation in a bad faith suit arising out of an insurer's failure to pay defense costs under a directors and officers policy in connection with three underlying class action securities claims.
Directors and officers coverage - Successfully obtained D&O insurance benefits for manufacturer faced with dozens of class actions arising from lead paint exposures.
Employment liability coverage - Successfully represented major Hollywood company in bad faith action against its employment liability insurer.
Environmental insurance coverage - Successfully assisted numerous corporate insureds in environmental insurance coverage actions involving hazardous waste sites throughout the country; many of these actions included claims of bad faith which eventually led to favorable settlements.
Errors and omissions – Successfully represented judgment creditor seeking payment from former law firm’s malpractice policy.
Lost policy issues - Successfully represented a corporate insured for environmental claims and asbestos losses under policies issued more than 50 years ago that had been lost or destroyed.
Media coverage – Successfully represented advertising company under media liability policy for claims arising from disputed advertisement and endorsement issues.
Products liability coverage - Obtained a favorable insurance settlement on behalf of a major aerospace manufacturer for product liability.
Products liability coverage - Successfully represented a medical device manufacturer in coverage litigation for losses arising from claims asserted by thousands of women who received silicone breast implants.
Products liability coverage - Successfully assisted a pharmaceutical company in obtaining coverage arising from a class action asserted by hemophiliacs infected with the HIV virus.
Products liability coverage - Successfully represented major manufacturer in pursuit of insurance coverage following highly publicized recalls of products containing lead paint.
Product liability coverage - Successfully represented a major petrochemical company seeking reimbursement of the costs of defending and settling numerous product liability suits.
Third-party property damage - Successfully represented a corporate insured seeking defense and indemnity costs in connection with earth movement claims arising from a quarry allegedly threatening nearby homeowners.
Recognitions
- Ranked in Chambers USA for California Insurance: Policyholder, 2024-2025
- Nominated as a Stand-Out Lawyer by Thomson Reuters, 2023
- Reed Smith’s Southern California Pro Bono Honor Roll, 2014
Credentials
Education
Education
- Loyola Law School, 1982, J.D., Member, St. Thomas Moore Law Honor Society; Chairman, Jessup International Moot Court Championship Teams (1981-1982)
- Claremont McKenna College, 1979, B.A., Political Science and History Double Major, cum laude
Professional admissions & qualifications
Professional admissions & qualifications
- California
Court admissions
Court admissions
- U.S. District Court - Central District of California
- U.S. District Court - Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court - Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court - Southern District of California
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