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    • Apr 08, 2021

Christine S. Haskett

Partner

San Francisco +1 415 591 7087

  • About
  • Representative Matters
  • Credentials
  • About

    Christine Haskett is a trial lawyer who represents insurance policyholders in litigation, arbitration, and claims disputes with commercial insurance carriers. Christine’s practice encompasses almost every type of insurance coverage dispute, and she frequently litigates nine-figure claims on behalf of corporate policyholders. She has a chemical engineering background, which gives her special expertise in insurance cases involving the chemical, oil, and manufacturing industries.

    Christine represents policyholders with insurance claims involving:

    • Property and business interruption insurance
    • Asbestos and other long-tail liabilities
    • Construction defect claims
    • Representations and warranties insurance
    • E&O and D&O insurance

    Christine has also tried patent and intellectual property cases on behalf of semiconductor and pharmaceutical companies.

    Christine is a Fellow of the American College of Coverage Counsel. She also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of United Policyholders, a consumer advocacy group dedicated to advancing the interests of insurance policyholders.

    Prior to law school, Christine worked as a Process Engineer for Shell Oil Company.

    Christine was named as a 2019 Insurance MVP by Law360.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Practices and Industries
  • Representative Matters
    • Co-first-chair trial counsel in successful jury trial in which Delaware jury awarded $35.5 million to Noranda Aluminum for business interruption insurance coverage after Noranda experienced two major accidents at its aluminum smelter (Noranda Aluminum Holding Corp. v. XL Insurance America, Inc., et al., Del. Super. Ct.). Argued successful appeal to Delaware Supreme Court resulting in full affirmance of trial court's judgment.
    • Lead insurance coverage counsel for Cyprus Mines Corporation in bankruptcy adversary proceeding and in California state court litigation over insurance coverage for talc product liability lawsuits (Imerys Talc America, Inc., et al. v. Cyprus Amax Minerals Company, et al., Del. Bankr. Ct.; Columbia Cas. Co., et al. v. BP Corp., et al., San Francisco Super. Ct.).
    • First-chair counsel in successful arbitration in which panel awarded $6.5 million to private equity firm for representations and warranties insurance coverage in connection with an acquisition.
    • Counsel to Micron Technology, Inc. in disputes with its property insurers over coverage for business interruption losses arising from incidents at its manufacturing facilities (Micron Technology, Inc., et al. v. Factory Mutual Insurance Co., et al., N.D. Cal.).
    • Counsel to Wilbur-Ellis Company, a leading international marketer and distributor of agricultural products, animal feed, and specialty chemicals and ingredients, in an insurance coverage dispute relating to product sales (Ironshore Specialty Ins. Co. v. Wilbur-Ellis Co., San Francisco Super. Ct.).

    • Counsel to a property developer in disputes with its liability and property insurers over coverage for damage to a 58-story apartment tower in downtown San Francisco.
    • Counsel to two major chemical companies, as co-owners of a chemical plant, in obtaining more than $550 million in property damage and business interruption insurance losses through negotiation and successful arbitration.
    • Counsel to Hudson Transmission Partners in an insurance coverage lawsuit involving business interruption coverage for a power transmission cable (Hudson Transmission Partners, LLC v. National Union Fire Insurance Co. of Pittsburgh, PA, et al., N.J. Super. Ct.).

    Areas of Expertise

  • Credentials
    Education
    • University of California, Hastings College of the Law, J.D., 1996
        • magna cum laude
        • Hastings Law Journal, Associate Technical Editor
    • University of California, Berkeley, B.S., 1991
        • Chemical Engineering
    Bar Admissions
    • California
    • U.S. Supreme Court
    Accolades
    • Law360, Insurance MVP (2019) 
    • Northern California Super Lawyers, Insurance Coverage (2017-2019)
    • Legal 500 US, Intellectual Property - Patent Litigation (2015)
    • Northern California Super Lawyers, Intellectual Property Litigation (2014-2016)
    Memberships and Affiliations
    • Fellow, American College of Coverage Counsel
    • Member of the Board of Directors, United Policyholders 
    • State Bar of California
    Previous Experience
    • Prior to law school, Christine worked as a Process Engineer for Shell Oil Company.

    Areas of Expertise

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