David M. Brenner
Principal
David heads both the Insurance Coverage and the Nonprofit practice groups at Riddell Williams. He has litigated numerous complex suits in the areas of insurance, antitrust, securities and corporate law.
In the course of prosecuting insurance actions and claims over the past twenty-two years, David has obtained multiple awards and settlements in the seven- and eight-figure range on a wide variety of insurance and reinsurance claims and losses. He also counsels clients on insurance claims, policies, and risk avoidance.
David has co-chaired several subcommittees of the Insurance Coverage Committee, ABA Section on Litigation and served on the Committee's Task Force on World Trade Center Claims. He speaks regularly at CLEs around the country and writes frequently on matters relating to insurance.
Representative clients include public companies such as Microsoft, Lockheed Martin, Puget Sound Energy and Idaho Power Company, as well as numerous private and family run businesses, nonprofits and religious institutions. David has a particular interest and long term experience in helping faith-based institutions deal with legal problems in a mission-appropriate way.
Prior to moving to Seattle in 1984, David clerked for U.S. Judge William H. Orrick, Jr., of the Northern District of California and practiced with the Washington, D.C. firm of Shea & Gardner for three years.
Education and Admissions
B.A., Stanford University, 1976
J.D., Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley, 1980; Order of the Coif; Editor-in-Chief, California Law Review
He is admitted to practice in Washington as well as California and the District of Columbia (presently inactive).
Memberships
American Bar Association, King County Bar Association, Washington State Bar Association
Professional and Community Activities
David has actively participated in the leadership of the Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee, ABA Section of Litigation since 1995, and is presently Co-Chair of the Ethics Subcommittee of ICLC. He currently serves as an Elder at Large of University Presbyterian Church and is counsel to the Presbyteries of Seattle and North Puget Sound and the Synod of Alaska-Northwest of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Awards and Recognition
David has been named a Washington Super Lawyer®, and has been selected as one of "The Best Lawyers in America" by Best Lawyers.
Speeches, Presentations, Faculty
"When Faith and Rights Collide: Resolving Conflicts Involving Faith-Based Institutions," 12th Annual ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Spring Conference, San Francisco, April 9, 2010
"Computer Modeling of Wind, Earthquakes, and Climate Change: Will It Significantly Change Insurance Underwriting and Coverage Litigation?" ABA Section of Litigation, Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee Mid-Year Program, Tucson, March 5, 2010
“Washington CLE Bootcamp – Essentials of Nonprofit Law,” The Seminar Group, December 8, 2009
“How to Settle a Complex Business Interruption Claim,” with Greg Thaler of LECG, Risk and Insurance Management Society, Seattle Chapter, February 10, 2009
“Wise as Serpents, Innocent as Doves: Risk Management for Faith-Based Institutions,” with Ed Snook, Fuller Northwest Seminary Extension, January 17/February 7, 2009
Organized “Divine Intervention: Dealing with Emotion, Principle and Other Challenges of Religious Institution Litigation,” 10th Annual ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Spring Conference, Seattle, April 3, 2008
“The Lawyer as Detective: The Ethics of Informally Acquired Confidential Information,” King County Bar Association CLE on Informal Discovery, Seattle, March 5, 2008
“Climate Change - A Bundle of Insurance Risks,” King County Bar Association, Environmental and Land Use Seminar, Seattle, December 12, 2007
“Mealey’s Global Reinsurance Forum: Thoughts in the Night: Nanoparticles = Asbestos? Greenhouse Gases = Superfund?,” Bermuda, November 15, 2007
“D&O Insurance for Health Lawyers: A Checklist of Considerations,” Washington State Society of Healthcare Attorneys, Hospital and Health Law Seminar, Vancouver, BC, November 10, 2007
“Advance Thinking about Church Property Disputes,” PC(USA) Middle Governing Bodies Counsel Meeting, Louisville, Kentucky, August 24, 2007
“When Disaster Strikes: Considerations for Effective Claims Development,” Washington State Bar Association CLE on Lawyers' Roles in Preparing and Responding to Disasters, Seattle, August 15, 2007
“Global Warming: What Companies Need to Know: Potential Liabilities and Claims Issues,” Mealey's Global Warming Insurance Litigation Conference, June 6, 2007, San Francisco, CA
“Managing Electronic Records for Success in Litigation and Business,” Washington State Bar Association, Business Law Section Midyear Meeting, June 1, 2007, Seattle
“Mealey’s National Teleconference: Nanotechnology - Impact on Environmental Health & Safety and Insurance,” January 27, 2007
“Insuring Nanotechnology Risks - Current & Potential Developments,” Risk and Insurance Management Society, Washington Chapter, November 14, 2006
“Beyond Hurricanes: Coverage of Other National Disasters,” Mealey's Catastrophc Loss Conference, Amelia Island, Florida, May 9, 2006
“First-Party Insurance Issues Arising from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita,” ABA Litigation Section, National Teleconference, March 13, 2006
“Running the Numbers: Effectively Preparing, Presenting, or Attacking the Insured’s Damages Case,” ABA Section of Litigation, Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee Mid-Year Meeting, Tucson, AZ, March 2-4, 2006
“E-Discovery Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure,” PricewaterhouseCoopers General Counsel Forum, Seattle, WA, February 15, 2006
“Electronic Evidence Discovery: New Risks and Challenges,” Risk and Insurance Management Society, Seattle Chapter, January 10, 2006
“The Lawyer as Detective: Effective Informal Discovery,” King County Bar Association, Seattle, WA, December 7, 2005
Co-chair Mealey’s Catastrophic Loss Conference: Business Interruption & Impact on the Insurance Industry, Las Vegas, NV, October 27-28, 2005
“Don’t Make a Scene! Ethics for Coverage Lawyers,” ABA Section of Litigation, Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee Mid-Year Meeting, Tucson, AZ, March 3-5, 2005
Mealey’s Lexis Conference on “The Changing Face of D&O and E&O Liabilities and Insurance in the Post Enron Era,” Short Hills, NJ, September 19-20, 2002
“Policyholder’s Perspective on Mold Claims,” CPCU Mold Mania Conference, Seattle, WA, March 13, 2002
“The New Terrorism Exclusions,” ABA Section of Litigation, Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee Mid-Year Meeting, Tucson, AZ, February 28 – March 2, 2002
“Regulatory and Industry Responses to the WTC Attack,” Mealey’s Business Interruption Conference, New York, NY, February 14-15, 2002
“Evaluating and Addressing Your Internet Risks,” Andrews Conference on Legal Risks in E-Business, San Francisco, February 1-2, 2001.
“Managing Risks in Web Site Design and Operations,” Mealey’s Technology Law Conference, Boston, MA, May 15-16, 2000.
