Covington & Burling LLP operates as a limited liability partnership worldwide, with the practice in England and Wales conducted by an affiliated
limited liability multinational partnership, Covington & Burling LLP, which is formed under the laws of the State of Delaware in the United States
and authorized and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority with registration number 77071..
Lawrence Hobel advises domestic and international clients on policyholder coverage and complex environmental matters and litigation.
According to a recent edition of Chambers USA, sources say that Larry is “very creative in his approach to insurance issues and looks at a complicated problem and finds two or three ways to solve it that others wouldn’t,” and that he is “well spoken, has a fantastic grasp of the case law, is a good strategic thinker and is an all-around strong coverage attorney.”
Larry has served as lead counsel in numerous major coverage actions, and has secured in excess of $1.5 billion dollars in insurance recoveries for extraordinary losses. He has represented policyholders in litigation and negotiations on a broad range of insurance recovery claims and coverage, including first party property damage and business interruption loss, D&O and E&O disputes, privacy and data breach claims, third party toxic tort, asbestos, product liability, property damage claims, and environmental liability coverage.
Clients seek Larry's counsel and representation on a broad range of environmental issues, including waste and hazardous materials and substances, air, water, natural resources, Proposition 65 and other disclosure laws, and land use siting and permitting. He has represented clients in corporate transactions in due diligence and to resolve environmental issues, including risk and cost allocation, structuring, use of insurance. He has defended clients in governmental enforcement litigation and negotiations, provided regulatory counsel and representation on federal, state and local environmental regulations impacting both project development and ongoing operations, and litigated CERCLA, private property damage and toxic tort disputes.
Larry has recently focused most of his pro bono practice on representation of veterans in benefits disputes.
Larry has been an Assistant Adjunct Professor of Insurance Law at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law and a panelist at numerous programs on insurance coverage and environmental issues.
Represented large industrial company litigating coverage for asbestos bodily injury, noise-induced hearing loss and other bodily injury claims and negotiated settlements as to which insurers were obligated to pay over $1 billion.
Represented mining company on open pit mining first-party property and business interruption loss in Indonesia, resulting in a nine-figure settlement with reinsurers.
Represented large industrial company in first- and third-party coverage negotiations following catastrophic explosion in Louisiana. Negotiated nine-figure settlement with first-party carriers of client’s property damage and business interruption loss and negotiated payment of eight-figure third-party liability claims.
Represented client in coverage litigation over hurricane/flood/wind loss damage and business interruption loss.
Represented financial institution in coverage litigation respecting insurer obligations under policy protecting against loss from faulty appraisals.
Representation of companies as insureds or additional insureds in disputes with insurers over coverage for significant personal injury and property damage claims.
Advising company on cyber coverage.
Representing companies and Directors and Officers in disputes with insurers over D&O coverage.
Providing insurance advice on structuring of corporate transactions.
Environmental
Represented industrial company in litigation and in negotiations with EPA, water purveyors and other PRPs respecting Baldwin Park Operable Unit Groundwater Site, including negotiations of 15 year agreement for a groundwater cleanup and water supply project in Southern California.
Represented industrial company as to its many thousand acre NPL site in Northern California, including negotiations with EPA, DTSC, and Regional Board over remedy issues.
Represented industrial company in negotiations with nearby property owners and with water purveyors respecting replacement water supply claims.
Represented companies in Proposition 65 litigation or claims, including food products, consumer products and environmental exposures.
Advised companies and negotiate contractual provisions relative to environmental issues associated with various acquisitions and divestitures.
Advised client on compliance with NEPA, CEQA and various environmental siting and natural resource laws.
Provided advise to company relative to CEQA and water supply issues to support large mixed commercial/residential development
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