Colleen P. Sorensen is a skilled litigator with substantial experience in resolving insurance coverage disputes. She represents insurance companies in coverage litigation in federal and state courts at both the trial and appellate court levels. Colleen also regularly advises companies regarding coverage outside the litigation context. She has authored a broad range of coverage opinions, analyzing coverage for claims under commercial general liability (occurrence-based and claims-made), excess and umbrella liability, product liability, pollution legal liability and Bermuda forms. Over the past several years, a significant portion of her practice has been devoted to coverage for life science risks, including hip implants, prescription opioids, NMDA contamination and IVC Filters. She is a member of BatesCarey’s Opioid Coverage Task Force.
Representative Matters |
Avrio Health L.P. v. AIG Specialty Ins. Co. (In re Purdue Pharma L.P.), Bnkr. Case No. 19-23649-SHL, Adv. Case No. 21-07005-SHL (Bnkr. S.D.N.Y. 2021). Currently represents multiple insurers in a coverage action brought by Purdue Pharma, L.P., and certain of its affiliates, seeking coverage for thousands of opioid lawsuits against it. Westfield Ins. Co. v. Dynacom Mgmt., Inc., No. 2015-CH-10596 (Cir. Ct., Cook Cnty., Chancery), aff’d 2022 IL App (1st) 191804-U, leave to appeal denied, No. 128701 (Ill. Sept. 28, 2022). Obtained judgment after a bench trial that entitled her client to additional insured coverage under plaintiff’s policy and successfully defended the judgment on appeal. KVK-Tech, Inc. v. Navigators Specialty Ins. Co., No. 1:21-CV-286-KD-N, 2021 WL 6092463 (S.D. Ala. Dec. 23, 2021), aff’d, No. 22-10245, 2023 WL 6154384 (11th Cir. Sept. 21, 2023). Obtained judgment on the pleadings in favor of Navigators based on KVK-Tech’s untimely tender of hundreds of underlying lawsuits against it, arising out of its manufacture and distribution of generic opioids, and successfully defended the judgment on appeal. Mission Coal Wind Down Co. v. Nat’l Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh, Pa., 2:20-cv-00302 (S.D. W. Va. 2020). Represented an insurer in a dispute regarding coverage for claims arising out of a mining accident under a policy issued to the claimants’ alleged predecessor. Navigators Specialty Ins. Co. v. Depomed, Inc., 4:19-cv-00255-HSG (N.D. Cal. 2019). Represented an insurer in a dispute over coverage for opioid claims under a series of claims-made life science product liability policies. CNA Fin. Corp. v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyds, London, 2017-CH-09627 (Cir. Ct. Cook Cnty., IL Chancery). Represented an insurer in a dispute with its fidelity insurer regarding coverage for its underwriters’ embezzlement of policy premium. Wausau Underwriters Ins. Co. v. The Cincinnati Ins. Co., 1:17-cv-05952 (N.D. Ill.). Represented an insurer in a dispute regarding coverage under an excess liability policy for a catastrophic personal injury claim. Confidential Pre-Suit Mediation. Represented an insurer in a dispute regarding coverage for MTBE claims under Bermuda form policies. |