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- Lawrence A. Hobel
Lawrence Hobel advises domestic and international clients on policyholder coverage and complex environmental matters and litigation.
According to the latest edition of Chambers US (2015), sources say that Mr. Hobel 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.”
Mr. Hobel 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.
Mr. Hobel also co-chairs the firm’s Environmental Practice. Clients seek his 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.
Mr. Hobel has recently focused most of his pro bono practice on representation of veterans in benefits disputes.
Mr. Hobel 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.
Insurance
- 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
June 14, 2017
WASHINGTON—Covington’s Insurance Recovery practice has received the 2017 Chambers USA "Award for Excellence" in Insurance, marking the sixth time the firm has received this honor in the 11 years it has been awarded. The "Award for Excellence" is given to one U.S. firm representing policyholders in the insurance coverage field. In addition to the award, Covington ...
February 7, 2017, Covington Alert
Barely two weeks after taking the oath of office, President Trump is already moving quickly to implement his campaign agenda. This alert addresses the actions Donald Trump has already taken with respect to environmental policy, and what can be expected going forward.
May 21, 2015
WASHINGTON, DC, May 21, 2015 — Covington’s insurance recovery practice won the 2015 Chambers USA Award for Excellence in Insurance, marking the fifth time the firm has received this honor in the nine years it has been awarded. The Award for Excellence, presented at Chambers USA’s annual awards dinner in New York City on May 19, was given to only one U.S. firm ...
August 18, 2014
WASHINGTON, DC, August 18, 2014 — Best Lawyers named Covington & Burling’s Stuart Eizenstat and Gregg Levy each a 2015 “Lawyer of the Year” in international trade and sports law, respectively, citing their “abilities, professionalism and integrity.” Overall, Covington lawyers received 217 individual mentions in 58 areas of law in the newly released annual survey ...
August 15, 2014, Inside Energy & Environment
In a move designed to provide greater certainty to those purchasing, selling, or evaluating industrial or commercial properties, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently proposed to remove any lingering effect of ASTM International’s E1527-05, a nine-year-old industry standard practice for evaluating potentially contaminated sites under the ...
August 8, 2014
SAN FRANCISCO, August 8, 2014 — Northern California Super Lawyers named Tammy Albarrán one of Northern California’s “Top 50 Women” lawyers and Robert Haslam one of the region’s “Top 100” lawyers. The publication selected 33 Covington & Burling lawyers for its 2014 list of top legal talent. Super Lawyers selects no more than five percent of the total lawyers who ...
May 30, 2014
WASHINGTON, DC, May 30, 2014 — Covington & Burling advised Graham Holdings Company in its acquisition of Joyce/Dayton Corp., an Ohio-based manufacturer of screw jacks and other linear motion systems. The acquisition was announced earlier today. Graham Holdings is an education and media company whose principal operations include educational services, television ...
5/5/2014
SAN FRANCISCO, May 5, 2014 — Covington & Burling is pleased to announce that Martin H. (Marty) Myers has joined the firm’s insurance recovery practice representing corporate policyholders in complex coverage disputes with their insurers. Mr. Myers joins the firm as a partner, resident in its San Francisco office. A nationally recognized insurance recovery ...
May 6, 2014, Law360
Lawrence Hobel is mentioned regarding the Second Circuit ruling that the 9/11 attacks were “acts of war” under a federal pollution cleanup law.
March 21, 2014, Inside Energy & Environment
On March 19, 2014, the California Energy Commission, the state’s primary energy policy and planning agency, announced that it was initiating a regulatory process leading to the regulation of 15 categories of consumer appliances as to usage of electricity, natural gas, and water. This comes in part in response to the three-year drought period in...… Continue ...
January 6, 2014, Inside Energy & Environment
California’s Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources just issued final interim regulations (effective January 1, 2014) to implement California’s new fracking statute (SB 4), with permanent rules to follow by January 2015. For an overview of the fracking statute, see our September E-Alert. The Division’s interim regulations are supported by a narrative ...
12/09/2013
WASHINGTON, DC, December 09, 2013 — Covington & Burling is pleased to announce that Gary Guzy, most recently deputy director and general counsel of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, and a former general counsel of the Environmental Protection Agency, is joining the firm’s environmental, clean energy, public policy, and government affairs ...
September 27, 2013, Covington E-Alert
June 27, 2013, Covington E-Alert
Top Environmental Lawyer Don Elliott Joins Covington
January 8, 2013
WASHINGTON, DC, January 8, 2013 — E. Donald Elliott, a leading environmental and administrative lawyer and scholar, has joined Covington & Burling, strengthening the firm’s top-ranked environmental and product liability practices. Mr. Elliott has more than 30 years of experience in environmental law, administrative law and product liability and toxic torts. He ...
August 27, 2012
WASHINGTON, DC, August 27, 2012 — Covington & Burling LLP lawyers received 196 individual mentions in 57 areas of law in the 2013 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. This annual compilation of top U.S. lawyers is based on peer-review surveys and is used as a referral guide in the legal profession. The Covington lawyers recognized are as ...
8/23/2012
SAN FRANCISCO, August 23, 2012 — Northern California Super Lawyers selected 24 Covington & Burling lawyers for its 2012 list of top legal talent. Super Lawyers selects no more than five percent of the total lawyers who practice in Northern California based on peer review and the publication’s independent research. Robert Fram and Robert Haslam were named among ...
June 11, 2012
WASHINGTON, DC, June 11, 2012 — Covington & Burling’s insurance practice won the 2012 Chambers USA Award for Excellence in Insurance, marking the fourth time the firm has received this honor in the six years it has been awarded. The Award for Excellence, presented at Chambers USA’s annual awards dinner in New York City on June 7, was given to only one U.S. ...
Spring 2012, ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section, The Brief
Coverage Triggers
April 2012, 2012 Property Insurance Law Committee Annual Spring CLE Meeting – Business Interruption Issues in Catastrophic Claims
Insurance 101: Understanding and Interpreting Your Policies
April 2012, RIMS 2012 Annual Conference and Exhibition
September 7, 2011
WASHINGTON, DC, September 7, 2011 — Covington & Burling LLP lawyers received 184 individual mentions in 56 areas of law in the 2012 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. This annual compilation of top US lawyers is based on peer-review surveys and is used as a referral guide in the legal profession. The Covington lawyers recognized are as follows: ...
July 13, 2011
SAN FRANCISCO, July 13, 2011 — Twenty-two Covington & Burling LLP lawyers are recognized in the 2011 edition of Northern California Super Lawyers. The annual list by Super Lawyers selects only five percent of the total lawyers in the state based upon peer review and the publication’s independent research. Fourteen Covington lawyers were named Northern ...
June 10, 2011
WASHINGTON, DC, June 10, 2011 — Covington & Burling LLP received 123 individual mentions and 45 practice mentions in Chambers USA 2011. The guidebook, which ranks lawyers by state and national practice area, is designed to identify the most skilled legal practitioners based on the qualities most valued by clients. Here are the Covington lawyers and practices ...
Discovery in the Bad Faith Context
April 2011, ABA Property Insurance Law Committee Annual Spring CLE Meeting - Litigating the Catastrophic Property Insurance Claim
February 15, 2011
WASHINGTON, DC, February 15, 2011 — For the seventh time, Practical Law Company has awarded Covington & Burling LLP its worldwide first place ranking in the Life Sciences Regulatory Super League category. PLC also singled out Covington’s Antitrust/Competition, Corporate, and Insurance practices, along with lawyers from each group, in its practice-specific ...
Money Talks: Coverage Issues Implicated By the Current Financial Crisis
February 2011, ABA 19th Annual Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee Midyear Program - Finding Balance in the Shifting Sands of Insurance Coverage
Financial Crisis-Related Coverage Issues
February 2011, ABA 19th Annual Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee Midyear Program - Finding Balance in the Shifting Sands of Insurance Coverage
January 11, 2011
NEW YORK, January 11, 2011 — Scout Partners LLC has announced that it has made a growth capital investment in The Hinckley Company. Terms of the transaction, which closed on December 30, 2010, were not disclosed. Covington & Burling LLP advised Scout Partners on the deal. Scout Partners, a partnership between David Howe and Peterson Capital LLC, was created ...
November 17, 2010, Covington E-Alert
November 11, 2010, Covington E-Alert
October 12, 2010
NEW YORK, October 12, 2010 — King Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer announced today that they have entered into an agreement for Pfizer to acquire all of the outstanding stock and stock equivalents of King for $14.25 in cash per share, or aggregate consideration of $3.6 billion. Covington & Burling LLP advised King on the transaction. King is a vertically integrated ...
August 6, 2010
WASHINGTON, DC, August 6, 2010 — Covington & Burling LLP received 138 individual mentions in 40 areas of law in the 2011 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. This annual compilation of top US lawyers is based on peer-review surveys and is used as a referral guide in the legal profession. The Covington lawyers recognized are as follows: Administrative: ...
July 16, 2010
SAN FRANCISCO, July 16, 2010 — Eighteen Covington & Burling LLP lawyers are recognized in the 2010 Northern California Super Lawyers. The annual list by Super Lawyers selects only five percent of the total lawyers in the state based upon peer review and the publication’s independent research. Eleven Covington lawyers were named Northern California Super ...
June 23, 2010
WASHINGTON, DC, June 23, 2010 — Covington & Burling LLP received 85 individual mentions and 23 practice mentions in the Legal 500 US 2010 edition. Legal 500 reviews the strengths and strategies of law firms in more than 90 countries in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North and South America, and the Caribbean. Here are the Covington lawyers and practices ...
June 16, 2010
WASHINGTON, DC, June 16, 2010 — Covington & Burling LLP received 112 individual mentions and 44 practice mentions in Chambers USA 2010. The guidebook, which ranks lawyers by state and national practice area, is designed to identify the most skilled legal practitioners based on the qualities most valued by clients. Here are the Covington lawyers and practices ...
Insurance Law 101
May 2010, RIMS 2010 Annual Conference & Exhibition
August 7, 2009
WASHINGTON, DC, August 7, 2009 — Covington & Burling LLP received 131 individual mentions in 38 areas of law in the 2010 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. This annual compilation of top US lawyers is based on peer-review surveys and is used as a referral guide in the legal profession. The Covington lawyers recognized are as follows: Administrative: ...
7/15/2009
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, July 15, 2009 — Eleven Covington & Burling LLP partners are recognized in the 2009 Northern California Super Lawyers. The annual list by Super Lawyers selects only five percent of the total lawyers in the state based upon peer review and the publication’s independent research. In addition, seven lawyers have been named Northern California ...
June 12, 2009
WASHINGTON, DC, June 12, 2009 — Covington & Burling LLP received 100 individual mentions and 40 practice mentions in Chambers USA 2009. The guidebook, which ranks lawyers by state and national practice area, is designed to identify the most skilled legal practitioners based on the qualities most valued by clients. Here are the Covington lawyers and practices ...
Mining Industry
April 2009, RIMS 2009 Annual Conference & Exhibition
Gotcha! Top 10 Litigation Traps for Risk Managers
April 2009, RIMS 2009 Annual Conference & Exhibition
September 29, 2008
WASHINGTON, DC, September 29, 2008 — Covington & Burling LLP received 124 individual mentions in 40 areas of law in the 2009 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. This annual compilation of top US lawyers is based on peer-review surveys and is used as a referral guide in the legal profession. The Covington lawyers recognized are as follows: Administrative: ...
8/27/2008
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, August 27, 2008 — Eleven Covington & Burling LLP partners are recognized in the 2008 Northern California Super Lawyers. The annual list by Super Lawyers selects only five percent of the total lawyers in the state based on peer review and the publication’s independent research. In addition, San Francisco partners Anita Stork and Donald Brown ...
Covington Adds David Goodwin and Lawrence Hobel to its Premier Policyholder Coverage Practice
7/1/2008
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, July 1, 2008 — Covington & Burling LLP is pleased to announce that David Goodwin and Lawrence Hobel have joined the firm’s policyholder insurance coverage practice as partners. Both will be resident in Covington’s San Francisco office. Mr. Goodwin is one of the nation’s leading insurance coverage practitioners, placed in the first rank by ...
2008, Mealey’s Emerging Insurance Disputes
- Chambers USA (National and California) (Insurance)
- Best Lawyers in America (Insurance)
- Legal 500: US Recommended Lawyers (Environment)
- The Practical Law Company (PLC) - Insurance and Reinsurance, The Law and Leading Lawyers Worldwide
- Euromoney’s Guide to the World’s Leading Insurance and Reinsurance Lawyers
- Who’s Who Legal (Insurance and Reinsurance)
- Northern California Super Lawyers (Insurance and Environmental)
Practices
Industries
Education
University of California, Berkeley School of Law, J.D., 1976
- California Law Review
University of California at Berkeley, A.B., 1973
- Phi Beta Kappa
Government Service
- Federal Trade Commission
Bar Admissions
- California
- District of Columbia
- New York