TIMOTHY D. LAKE is a Partner of the Firm in its Sherman Oaks, California, office and is Chair of the Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Practice Group. Mr. Lake also serves as a member of the California State Bar Insurance Law Committee, and the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee. He has authored numerous publications on insurance coverage related topics and has been an invited guest speaker at numerous events in the insurance industry.
Mr. Lake also serves as coverage counsel for a nationwide insurance company for which he recently wrote and prepared new editions of insurance policies for all types of construction and service contractors, a policy for home inspectors, and for which he prepares special manuscript endorsements and provisions.
Mr. Lake also serves as coverage counsel for several nationwide insurance companies for which he has drafted revised editions of insurance policies involving commercial general liability coverage, commercial transportation coverage, homeowner property and liability coverage, as well as special manuscript endorsements and provisions. In his role as coverage counsel, Mr. Lake provides coverage opinions to insurer clients and assists in coverage determinations involving commercial general liability, commercial transportation, homeowner property and liability insurance claims.
During his 40 years of practice, Mr. Lake has represented key parties in high-exposure and complex cases. His litigation experience includes Federal and State jury trials, arbitrations and appeals involving:
• Residential, commercial and public works real estate and construction matters including claims for bodily injury, property damage, construction defects, and homeowners’ associations.
• Insurance litigation including breach of contract, bad faith, contribution and subrogation, additional insured endorsements, declaratory relief, insurance coverage disputes, equitable contribution litigation and insurance agency and broker E&O litigation.
• Bodily injury litigation including premises liability, governmental liability, auto and trucking liability.
Appellate Decisions in which Mr. Lake was lead counsel include:
• Midiman v. Farmers Insurance Exchange, (1999) 76 Cal.App.4th 102.
• El Dorado v. Fire Insurance Exchange, E039537, Second Appellate District.
• Sitthiso v. Fire Insurance Exchange, (2002) Cal.App. Unpub. LEXIS 9043.
• Wang v. Golden Eagle Ins. Co., (2005) Cal.App. Unpub. LEXIS 1570.
• Lyons v. Fire Insurance Exchange, (2008)161 Cal.App.4th 880.
• Tradewinds Escrow v. Truck Insurance Exchange, (2002) 97 Cal. App. 4th 704.
Memberships
American Association of Managing General Agents (AAMGA)
CA Bar Insurance Law Committee Member
California State Bar (CA Bar)
Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM)
CLM Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee Member
Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS)
Southern California Adjusters Association
