Insurance Coverage Attorneys - insurance recovery lawyers

Singular Focus, Undivided Loyalties, Unparalleled Strength

In these challenging times, corporations, non-profit institutions and public entities face unprecedented risks both at home and abroad... In this environment, a strategic plan to maximize coverage and enforcement prospects is absolutely critical to any organization's long term business success. Retaining seasoned, qualified, un-biased counsel to assist you should be step one in the plan. Wood & Bender is the nation's leading law firm in the fast-growing practice of insurance policy enforcement. It's all we do. We represent policyholder interests exclusively, and help organizations of all types optimize the benefits of insurance coverage as part of a comprehensive risk management strategy.
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In Focus

Attorneys participate in Corporate Counsel Summit

The Firm was a sponsor at the General Counsel Summit in Las Vegas June 1-3. More than 100 general counsels and outside law firms met to discuss current events in corporate litigation and transactions practice, including insurance-policy enforcement at the Green Valley Resort and Spa. Wood & Bender partner David E. Wood and counsel Jeffrey A. Kiburtz represented the firm at the event.
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Firm backs nonpartisan legal advocacy center

The Firm strongly supports the Atlantic Legal Foundation, a nonprofit, public-interest law firm that advocates for individual liberties, free enterprise, limited, effective government as well as sound science in the courtroom. Atlantic Legal provides effective and decisive legal representation, without fee, to parents, scientists, educators and other individuals, corporations and trade associations.

The foundation also does invaluable work in the area of corporate governance, working hard to protect America's economic prosperity while insisting that corporations make themselves more openly accountable to customers and shareholders. Atlantic Legal's cases in the past year alone have resulted in the protection of the rights of thousands of schoolchildren, employees, independent business owners and entrepreneurs. In case after case, Atlantic Legal brings about favorable resolutions for individuals and corporations who continue to be challenged by those who use the legal process to deny fundamental rights and liberties.

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Wood & Bender Welcomes New Associates

One of the fastest growing law firms in its region, Wood & Bender had added two associates.

Carolyn J. Vondriska brings to the Firm a wide range of experience, including complex litigation, product liability, intellectual property rights and criminal law.

Vondriska, who holds a law degree from the University of California, Davis, has won numerous honors. A truancy program she developed for a Juvenile Court in Washington state won the 2007 John D. And Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation's Model for Change award. Read more about Vondriska.

John L. Corbett, a 2007 cum laude graduate of Pepperdine University School of Law, has for the past five years performed legal work for public entities. His experience includes the U.S. Department of State and the Superior Court of California, Santa Barbara.

While in law school, he was secretary of the International Law Society - a winning team at the London Moot Court Competition - and he served on the staff of the Pepperdine Law Review. Read more about Corbett.

Newspaper Recognizes Wood & Bender as a Great Place to Work

Wood & Bender ranks among the best places to work in its region, according to an article published in the Pacific Coast Business Times.

In its May 30 edition, the business newspaper designated the firm in the top 3 among businesses with fewer than 50 employees.

The rankings in the annual survey are based on employee assessments.

The publication, which circulates in the California counties of Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, cited partners David Wood's and David Bender's focus on treating employees with respect.

Noting that legal practice is notorious for burnout, Bender said his firm offers attorneys flexibility in scheduling their hours to help them balance work and family.

He added because the firm's focus is insurance-policy enforcement, its 14 practicing attorneys are encouraged to think of creative strategies to trigger an insurer to pay.

"If it's a fire, they have to become experts in fire science. If it's a stock back-dating debacle, on comes the securities law hat," said Stephen Nellis, a staff writer with Pacific Coast Business Times.

In his article about Wood & Bender, Nellis noted the firm offers excellent benefits, including top-notch health insurance, a pension and profit sharing.

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Partner honored by Pacific Coast Business Times

The Pacific Coast Business Times honored David Bender, co-founder of Wood & Bender in their Who's Who in Professional Services in the May 9-15, 2008 issue.
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Lawsuit 'Climate' study shows California warming to class-action suits

Corporate attorneys gave California low marks for the fairness and reasonableness of its justice system, according to the recently released 2008 Legal Climate rankings.

The Golden State ranked in the bottom six nationally in the study that gauges punitive damages awards, treatment of class-action lawsuits, judicial impartiality and the timeliness of summary judgment or dismissal.
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Green Waste Recycler Agromin

Selects Wood & Bender As Corporate Legal Counsel

News Release

January 29, 2008

CAMARILLO, CALIF.--Agromin, the second largest green waste recycler in California and a premium soil manufacturer, has selected the Ventura law firm of Wood & Bender as its corporate legal counsel.

Agromin, the green waste recycler for 19 southern and central California cities is projecting strong company growth as cities and businesses plan for new, stricter conservation laws, says Agromin's CFO Bill Camarillo. "We needed a law firm that could help us in our growth process," Camarillo says. "Wood & Bender has the experience and legal ability, the staffing and infrastructure to support our growth. The firm will be a huge asset to us."

"Agromin is a cutting edge company that helps our community and our environment," says David Bender, Wood & Bender partner. "Agromin enables all of us to live better lives because of what it does. We're very excited to represent Agromin so it can reach its growth goals."

Wood & Bender maintains a national practice representing Fortune 100 companies as well as companies experiencing rapid growth.

Agromin, based in Camarillo, collects about 20,000 tons a month of yard trimmings from homes and businesses in Ventura, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties. It cleans and processes the green waste so it becomes mulch and other soil amendments, and then redistributes it back to the soil on farms, landscapes and in consumer products.

Partner throws heart into children's charities

Firm co-founder David E. Wood devotes many volunteer hours to children's causes, especially those that help special-needs or at-risk kids.

Mr. Wood recently was named secretary of the board of directors of Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families, located on a rural 23-acre campus five miles from the Pacific Ocean. Casa Pacifica serves abused, neglected and severely emotionally disturbed children and adolescents in Southern California. Casa Pacifica offers residential treatment, emergency shelter care, assessment, educational programs, family support, medical services, psychiatric/psychological treatment and a variety of community-based interventions to children and their families.

He has been on the Casa Pacifica board since 2003.

Mr. Wood also serves on the board of directors for the Boys & Girls Club of Camarillo, which provides a healthy place for kids to learn core values as well as educational and life skills necessary to good citizenship. He has been a director of the club since 1997.

Gold Sponsorship of Habitat for Humanity

Wood & Bender is pleased to announce its Gold Sponsorship of Habitat for Humanity's 25th Anniversary Gala to be held on October 25, 2008 at the Ronald Reagan Library. Senior Associate, Caroline Hurtado, continues to serve as an active Board Member for the organization as a member for their Policies & Procedures and Bylaws Committees.

Lumber Party

Los Angeles Daily Journal

July 23, 2007

In June, 15 attorneys and staff from Ventura-based insurance policy enforcement firm Wood & Bender helped build two Habitat for Humanity homes in Villa Cesar Chavez, an Oxnard, California low-income housing development.

The project was headed by Associate Caroline Hurtado, a newly appointed member of the Ventura County Habitat for Humanity board of directors. Partner David Wood pushes a wheelbarrow.

Recent Success Stories

The Firm focuses solely upon insurance policy enforcement matters. Here are some of their recent engagements and achievements.

In response to an SEC investigation and shareholder derivative litigation over allegations of stock option backdating, the Firm represents a Fortune 100 technology company in disputes with insurers over coverage for $13 million in defense expenses incurred to date.
For a Fortune 500 retailer, the Firm recovered $25 million under partially-manuscripted umbrella policy arising out of a premises liability claim.
The Firm represented a consortium of builders of a $180 million public works project in enforcing claims arising from the design professionals' errors and omissions under a project-specific insurance policy.
The Firm was selected to serve as general counsel to Agromin, California's second largest green-waste recycler. The company's CFO stated Wood & Bender has the skills and drive to guide his company through increasingly stricter environmental regulations.
Partner David P. Bender was selected for the Who's Who in Professional Services by the Pacific Coast Business Times. The publication noted that in 2007 he successfully represented his client against reinsurers in London and Bermuda, who had refused to pay claims resulting from the 2003 California wildfires.
Partner David E. Wood was elevated to the executive board of Casa Pacifica, a residential facility for abused, neglected and severely emotionally disturbed children in Southern California. The organization is nationally recognized as a leader in creating therapeutic protocols for troubled youngsters.
Wood also presented a paper at the Center for International Legal Studies in Salzburg, Austria, in February on "Risk and Insurance Managment Strategies for European Companies with United States Operations: Hedging Against A Downturn in The American Economy."
Associate Katie Pietrolungo was selected as president of the Barristers of Ventura County, Calif., Bar Association, an organization of attorneys who are either younger than 36 or who have been in practice for fewer than seven years.

Associate to lead young attorneys group

Associate Katie Pietrolungo will serve this year as president of the Barristers of the Ventura County (Calif.) Bar Association - an organization of attorneys who are either younger than 36 or who have been in practice for fewer than seven years. To kick off her term, Wood & Bender LLP played host to the group's luncheon meeting on Jan. 8.

On Jan. 26, the Barristers will present "Bridging the Gap" for six Minimum Continuing Legal Education credits. The session will offer a judicial perspective panel featuring Ventura County Superior Court Presiding Judge Colleen Toy White, as well as judges David W. Long and Kevin J. McGee. Along with more MCLE programs, the group's 2008 events will include the second annual Barristers' Bowling Night and a Judges' Pizza Night.

Ventura County Journalist Colleen Cason to Head Enforce Legal Magazine August, 2007

News Release

August 31, 2007

Colleen Cason, a long-time Ventura County journalist, has been named publisher-editor of Enforce magazine.

Published by the Ventura, Calif., law firm of Wood & Bender LLP Enforce provides news and analysis in the field of insurance-policy enforcement. Wood & Bender is a local law firm with a national practice representing corporate policyholders when their insurance carriers fail to pay as promised on claims.
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