|
|
Lance A. LaBelle | Principal
llabelle@bergerkahn.com
Orange County
Lance A. LaBelle, a principal in Berger Kahn's Irvine office, leads the firm's third-party Insurance Coverage Practice Group. With more than 25 years of experience, Lance focuses his practice on liability insurance coverage in the commercial and personal lines areas. He also serves as an arbitration and mediation panelist for the American Arbitration Association's Panel of Commercial Arbitrators. He is past Chair of the ADR Section of the Orange County Bar Association and presently serves on that Section's Executive Committee.
Lance has been chosen by his peers as a Southern California Super Lawyer in the area of Insurance Coverage for the past two years. Fewer than five percent of California attorneys receive this honor.
Lance’s extensive background in the commercial coverage area includes opinion work arising out of complex tort, directors and officers, professional liability, and construction defect claims.
He also has substantial experience handling opinion work arising under homeowners, automobile and various other personal lines coverages.
Lance also handles all aspects of coverage litigation including declaratory relief actions. A particular focus of his practice is addressing additional insured and “Cumis” issues. He was the trial attorney in Dynamic Concepts, Inc. v. Truck Insurance Exchange, 61 Cal.App.4th 999 (1998), a precedent-setting California decision involving “Cumis” issues.
Lance is co-founder of IDR Mediation Services, an alternative dispute resolution service that specializes in resolving insurance coverage disputes and other commercial matters. He is frequently asked to testify as an expert witness in the area of insurance coverage as well as to lecture before insurance professionals at company seminars, bar associations and other insurance-related events. He also has authored and contributed to various articles for both consumer and trade publications.
In terms of his work philosophy, Lance views his role as that of a problem solver — his goal, first and foremost, is to help clients come to viable and ethical solutions. “My approach is to listen intently to each client.” Lance explains: “Being a good listener is the best way to truly understand a client’s needs. I make it a point to appreciate the client’s perspective and understand the client’s goals before I recommend a potential solution or course of action.”
A lawyer since 1982, Lance is an AV-rated attorney and a member of both the California and Minnesota State Bars. He is admitted to the U.S. District Court of Minnesota; the Southern, Central and Northern U.S. District Courts of California; and the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Also, Lance is a member of the Orange County Bar Association, the Defense Research Institute, and the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel.
Lance received mediation training and certification through UC Irvine’s Conflict Management and The Use of Alternative Dispute Resolution program. He is a graduate of Hamline University School of Law where he earned a JD in 1982. He resides in Orange County with his family.
Back
|
