White and Williams LLP Ranked in the Chambers USA 2026 Guide
June 15, 2026 —
White and Williams LLPWhite and Williams LLP is proud to celebrate the Chambers USA 2026 Guide which has ranked several of the Firm's attorneys and practice groups, underscoring the Firm's overall commitment to providing client service excellence.
The Chambers USA 2026 Guide recognized attorneys Tim Davis, Managing Partner, and Nancy Frantz, Chair of the Real Estate Group, for Real Estate: Finance in the state of Pennsylvania. Randy Maniloff, Partner, Patricia Santelle, Chair Emeritus/Former Managing Partner, and Robert Walsh, Partner were ranked for Insurance in Pennsylvania, and Thomas Pinney, Partner, was ranked in Pennsylvania for Bankruptcy/Restructuring. In the state of Maryland, Partners David Gilliss and Eric Korphage were recognized for their work in Construction.
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White and Williams LLP
Vacant Building Negates Coverage for Broken Pipe
September 01, 2026 —
Tred R. Eyerly - Insurance Law HawaiiThe Michigan Court of Appeals found the insured was not covered for water damage because the commercial space was left vacant. Cherry Hill Recreation Center, Inc. v. Conifer Ins Co., 2026 Mich, App. LEXIS 5099 (Mich Ct. App. June 18, 2026).
Alan Abbas purchased a bowling alley. Due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and executive orders issued by the governor, Abbas was unable to operate the bowling center for several months. During the winter, Abbas allowed the thermostat to drop significantly, with the building expected to be around 43 degrees Fahrenheit. He later admitted the sprinkler system’s pipes were not protected against freezing.
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Tred R. Eyerly, Damon Key Leong Kupchak HastertMr. Eyerly may be contacted at
te@hawaiilawyer.com
Congratulations to Gianna Liddy on Her Promotion to Partner
September 21, 2026 —
Dolores Montoya - Bremer Whyte Brown & O’Meara, LLPBremer Whyte Brown & O’Meara, LLP is proud to announce that Gianna Liddy has been promoted to partner. Gianna’s dedication, leadership, and exceptional contributions to the firm have earned her this well-deserved recognition. Please join us in congratulating her on this exciting achievement!
Meet Gianna Liddy!
Gianna has been with BWB&O since 2019 and has been practicing law since 2017. Her practice focuses on complex civil defense litigation, including high-exposure personal injury, premises liability, transportation, construction defect, habitability, and general liability matters. As a Supervising Attorney in the firm’s Encinitas office, she oversees a team of attorneys, collaborates closely with clients and insurance professionals, and develops litigation strategy in complex matters.
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Bremer Whyte Brown & O’Meara, LLP
Jurisdiction Over Foreign Manufacturers in Construction Litigation
May 14, 2026 —
Timothy J. Repass & Miki J. Saito - Wood Smith Henning BermanA recent decision from the Washington Court of Appeals provides important guidance on personal jurisdiction over foreign product manufacturers in construction and infrastructure litigation. In King County v. Aquatherm GmbH, No. 85572-7-I (Wash.Ct. App.Div.I)(unpublished), the court addressed whether a German manufacturer could be sued in Washington for alleged defects in piping used in major public infrastructure projects. The ruling offers a detailed, fact-driven roadmap for how Washington courts evaluate jurisdiction over foreign manufacturers operating through layered distribution networks. It also reflects a broader trend toward focusing on real-world commercial conduct rather than formal corporate structure.
Background of the Case
King County sued after widespread failures in polypropylene piping installed at the King County Correctional Facility. The pipe, manufactured by Aquatherm GmbH in Germany, was marketed, distributed, and installed through a network of U.S.-based entities. Following a six-week trial, the jury returned a verdict exceeding $18 million on claims under the Washington Product Liability Act and Consumer Protection Act. Aquatherm challenged, among other things, the trial court's exercise of personal jurisdiction.
Reprinted courtesy of
Timothy J. Repass, Wood Smith Henning Berman and
Miki J. Saito, Wood Smith Henning Berman
Mr. Repass may be contacted at trepass@wshblaw.com
Ms. Saito may be contacted at msaito@wshblaw.com
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Suit Against Broker Untimely Filed
November 09, 2026 —
Tred R. Eyerly - Insurance Law HawaiiThe insured’s suit against the broker alleging insufficient coverage was dismissed as untimely. Elite Rental Properties, LLC, et al. v. Nautilus Ins. Co., et al., 2026 La. App. LEXIS 1704 (Aug. 26, 2026).
Elite retained Southern General Agency (SGA) and The Lincoln Agency, LLC to procure insurance coverage for multiple properties. SGA/Lincoln obtained a property insurance policy from Nautilus. The property had two structures, a single-family home and a rear structure, which contained a small apartment. Elite claimed that it understood the policy to cover both structures. On September 9, 2022, a fire caused catastrophic damage to the rear structure and exterior damage to the primary structure. Nautilus denied payment for the rear structure, claiming it was not covered in the policy.
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Tred R. Eyerly, Damon Key Leong Kupchak HastertMr. Eyerly may be contacted at
te@hawaiilawyer.com
Ahlers Cressman & Sleight Is Pleased to Announce Our Recognition in the 2027 Edition of Best Law Firms®
November 09, 2026 —
Ahlers Cressman & Sleight PLLCAhlers Cressman & Sleight is pleased to announce our recognition in the 2027 edition of Best Law Firms®, ranked by Best Lawyers. ACS received a Tier 1 ranking in Seattle for both Construction Law and Construction Litigation; and a Tier 2 national ranking in the same areas.
Best Law Firms® rankings are assessed through analyzing feedback provided by clients and professional references, information supplied by the firm, industry leader interviews, and lawyer evaluations collected through the Best Lawyers research process. For the 2027 edition, more than 110,000 client references were submitted as part of the Best Law Firms research process.
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Ahlers Cressman & Sleight PLLC
Same Insurers, Different Results: Another Chapter in Acuity v. Kinsale and the Limits of Co-Carrier Recovery Under Colorado Law
October 27, 2026 —
David McLain - Colorado Construction Litigation BlogWhen multiple insurers potentially owe coverage for the same construction defect claim, can one insurer force another to participate in the defense or indemnification of their common insured? If the other insurer refuses, what remedies are available?
As is often the case in insurance coverage litigation, the answer depends on precisely what claim is being asserted, whose rights are being enforced, and when the claim is brought.
In our earlier article,
Acuity v. Kinsale Insurance Company: Co-Carrier Obligations and Subrogation under Colorado Law, we examined the United States District Court for the District of Colorado’s decision in Acuity v. Kinsale Insurance Company, 750 F. Supp. 3d 1229 (D. Colo. 2024). That decision addressed the circumstances under which an insurer that funded a construction defect settlement could pursue another insurer for equitable contribution, contractual subrogation, and alleged bad-faith conduct.
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David McLain, Higgins, Hopkins, McLain & Roswell, LLCMr. McLain may be contacted at
mclain@hhmrlaw.com
Greg Katz Quoted in Insurance Journal Article About How Big Data & AI Are Driving Up Verdicts, Settlements
October 06, 2026 —
Lewis BrisboisNational Managing Partner Greg Katz was recently quoted in an Insurance Journal article about how plaintiff's lawyers are harnessing big data and artificial intelligence to attempt to drive up jury awards and settlement demands.
The article, titled "The Big Data/AI ‘Revolution’ Is Driving Up Verdicts, Settlements as Plaintiffs Buy In," points out that a growing number of personal injury and claims law firms, some of which are working with an influx of cash from investors and litigation funders, are using a multitude of high-tech tools to try to gain an advantage in litigation. They are using large online mock juries to test legal theories, big data to find sympathetic jurors and venues in which to try cases, and AI programs to analyze their own arguments and those of opponents.
“They’re taking instincts and intuition out of the equation,” Mr. Katz told Insurance Journal. “They think they’ve come up with a different way to ring the bell and, in their words, add zeroes to awards.”
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Lewis Brisbois
