The law firms of Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP and Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon LLP today announced that they will merge on October 1, 2011 (you can read the press release here). The new firm, with 13 offices and 650 lawyers, will be known as Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP.
Read MoreThe Supreme Judicial Court recently rejected a direct summary judgment appeal from AIG Domestic Claims, Inc. (“AIG”) concerning AIG’s handling of a workers’ compensation claim. The plaintiff alleged, inter alia, that AIG acted outside the claims-handling process by improperly pursuing criminal insurance fraud charges against him.
Read MoreThe Massachusetts Appeals Court recently concluded that an insured could not claim property insurance benefits following a fire at its restaurant, because the insured had actual knowledge that its fire-suppression system was no longer functional, and because the insured had exclusive control over the system’s maintenance.
Read MoreThe Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that the state’s workers’ compensation statute does not bar a lawsuit by a subcontractor’s employee against the general contractor, even if the employee previously collected workers’ compensation benefits from the general contractor’s insurer. See Wentworth v. Henry C. Becker Custom Bldg., No. SJC-10806 (May 23, 2011).
Read MoreThe Massachusetts Attorney General appears to have broken new ground with a recent enforcement action and fine against Briar Group, LLC, a restaurant chain that sustained a security breach exposing credit and debit card data.
Read MorePlaintiffs Trenwick America Reinsurance Corporation and Unum Life Insurance Company of America purchased retrocessional coverage from defendant IRC Re Limited. The retrocession agreements did not contain follow the fortunes or follow the settlements clauses, and after a dispute arose under the agreements, the parties litigated (among other things) whether the follow the fortunes or follow the settlements doctrine applied.
Read MoreA Massachusetts federal judge has found that violations of a fee-sharing agreement between a lawyer and his former firm do not constitute legal services, and therefore do not fall within the scope of coverage afforded by the lawyer’s professional malpractice policy.
Read MoreNeles-Jamesbury Inc. v. Pohjola Ins. Co. Ltd. involved a breach of contract action between a Massachusetts-based insurer, Neles-Jamesbury, Inc. (“NJI”) and a Finnish reinsurer, Pohjola Ins. Co. Ltd. (“Pohjola”). Pohjola provided worldwide reinsurance coverage for Metso Oy, a Finnish corporation, and its subsidiaries. NJI was acquired by Metso Oy, and Metso Oy requested that Pohjola provide gap coverage for NJI during the acquisition period.
Read MoreJoe Murphy, the Commissioner of Insurance for Massachusetts, was recently interviewed by a local Boston news network affiliate regarding the managed competition for automobile insurance in Massachusetts, which, as discussed in our prior posts here, here and here, was introduced in 2007. According to the Commissioner, Massachusetts policyholders have seen lower rates resulting in nearly half-billion dollars in savings and new discounts such as “accident forgiveness.”
Read MoreA Massachusetts federal court recently held that a party’s lapse in reporting a multi-million dollar and complex lawsuit deprived an insurer of the right to associate and was prejudicial as a matter of law, precluding coverage.
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