New York’s Highest Court Holds Insurer Responsible Up to Policy Limits Where It Refused to Defend Attorney in Underlying Suit Alleging Professional Malpractice for the Lawyer’s Conduct Acting in His Capacity as a Principal of a Business and Insurer Could Not Invoke Policy Exclusions to Coverage

Posted on by Carson J Tucker, JD MSEL

Amicus Curious

This is a rather unremarkable case from the point of view of the legal rules expressed by the opinion, but I wanted to highlight a few significant points for clients to consider when addressing the parameters of an insurer’s duty and the risk involved in not taking affirmative action if a dispute arises or, better yet, is anticipated.

The facts are somewhat peculiar, bringing into question a professional liability insurer’s duty to defend and indemnify claims regarding a business deal engaged in by its insured (an attorney) in which there appears no doubt the attorney was acting as a businessman and not an attorney in the endeavors that gave rise to the underlying claims.

The opinion, K2 Inv Group LLC v American Guarantee And Liability Ins Co, N.Y. Court of Appeals, No. 106, June 11, 2013, was released by New York’s highest court in June.  It demonstrates intolerance courts…

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Published by Carson J Tucker, JD MSEL

Owner of law firm since July 2014; Handles all types of appellate matters and assists other lawyers with complex litigation and insurance coverage issues; Admitted to the Supreme Court of the United States, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and the State Bar of Michigan; Expertise in prosecuting and defending appeals with several significant successes in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Michigan Supreme Court and the Michigan Court of Appeals; Author of briefs amicus curiae in the Michigan Supreme Court for the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel and the Insurance Institute of Michigan; Represents Insurance Companies, Major International Business, Governmental Entities, Law Enforcement Officers and County Sheriffs. Board of Directors, Michigan Defense Trial Counsel Amicus Committee Co-Chair, Michigan Defense Trial Counsel Military - Retired Major in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps of the United States Army, Brigade Judge Advocate and Staff JAG officer for the Maneuver Training Center, Camp Grayling, Michigan; Recipient of the Army's Meritorious Service Medal (the highest medal of honor available to Soldiers serving in non-combat roles); 2012 Graduate of the Judge Advocate Officer Advanced Course, at The Judge Advocate Legal Center and School, Charlottesville, Virginia. United States Navy Reserves, Combat Warfare Qualification, January 1989 to July 2003 Former law clerk to Justice Stephen J. Markman, Michigan Supreme Court, Research Attorney, Michigan Court of Appeals. Insurance Coverage Associate Plunkett Cooney; Environmental Law Attorney at Squire Sanders, now Squire Patton Boggs; Master's Degree in Environmental Law; Environmental Law Scholar, ALI/ABA Washington, D.C., Juris Doctorate, Vermont Law School, Environmental Editor, Vermont Law Review; Treasurer and Finalist, Moot Court Advisory Board.

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