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News & Insights
The Coastal Fire and What it Portends for the California Fire Season Ahead
The wildfire season in California is off to a regrettably raging start. Exemplified by the Coastal Fire, which began on Wednesday, May 11th, in the upscale Orange County area of Laguna Niguel, at least 20 luxury homes were destroyed by the flames. The fire was first reported near the South Orange County Wastewater Authority's Coastal Treatment Plant and it progressed from there through Aliso Wood Canyon, which is situated between Laguna Niguel and Laguna Beach. Fire officials say that ocean winds blew the flames quickly through the canyons and into hard to reach places for firefighters. The Coastal Fire torched 199 acres and mandatory evacuations were employed for the areas of Coronado Pointe and Pacific Island Drive, with voluntary evacuations in place for hundreds of others. In all, about 900 homes were evacuated in the wake of the approaching flames.
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- Tried over 1,000 cases to verdict; internationally recognized for exceptionally high rate of success
- #3 ranking on The American Lawyer’s 2020 Diversity Scorecard, which records the average number of minority attorneys at Am Law 200 and NLJ 250 law firms
- Recognized as one of the top 10 law firms in the nation for inclusiveness of women lawyers in the National Law Journal’s 2020 Women in Law Scorecard
- Named a "Go-To Law Firm" in ALM's annual edition of In-House Law Departments at the Top 500 Companies
- Top 150 ranking on the National Law Journal’s 2020 NLJ 500, an annual survey of the 500 largest law firms in the U.S.
- Top 200 ranking on Law360's 400 2019 list of largest U.S. law firms
Stephen Henning Named a Finalist for RISE 2022 Mentor of the Year Award
WSHB is proud to announce that Stephen Henning has been named a finalist for the RISE 2022 Mentor of the Year award. Steve wears many hats as a founding partner at WSHB, but none are more important than his role as a mentor to countless lawyers and industry professionals over the years. Steve leads with an approachable, empathetic demeanor, making him the perfect candidate for this meaningful award.
New Agreement on MICRA Averts Ballot Box Uncertainty in November
After decades of debate, the reform of medical malpractice claims in California is finally coming to fruition. Legislators and interested parties on both sides of the MICRA debate have reached a compromise and agreed to a deal that will avert a planned ballot measure in the upcoming election.
Who to Pay? Florida Court Weighs in on Claim Payments to AOB and Insureds
A constant struggle for Florida insurers is how to handle partial claim payments when the Insured assigns benefits under the Policy to entities that are not a party to the insurance contract, like mold mitigation and testing vendors. This is especially true when there may be insufficient limits available due to a mold or water limitation, or when considering how to apply the deductible. A recent Fourth District Court of Appeal decision highlights the conflicting viewpoints on how an insurer should handle these disputes.
Signed School Release Form Barred High School Football Player’s Claim
A football player injured during a game was barred from filing a claim against the school district and its employees after signing an express assumption of the risk agreement. The school followed all applicable CIF and school regulations regarding concussions and was not grossly negligent in its actions.