Helen K. Michael

Ms. Michael is one of the presenters for Workshop T1, “Allocation Issues in Construction Defect Claims,” on Tuesday afternoon. She specializes in complex commercial litigation, with an emphasis on the insurance coverage, products liability, and antitrust fields. She has been trial and appellate counsel in complex individual party, multiparty, and class action cases in both state and federal forums nationwide. Her extensive insurance coverage practice has involved high-stakes disputes in a wide variety of areas, including products liability and environmental claims, advertising liability, construction defect claims, directors and officers liability, and errors and omissions liability. Her work for Fortune 100 and other corporate policyholders has taken place in a variety of settings, including mediation, arbitration, trial, and appeal, and has included a multiphase trial resulting in one of the largest jury verdicts reported in 2003.

Ms. Michael also has substantial experience in class action practice and the formulation of effective strategies for defeating mass tort and other consumer claims, including theories governing the piercing of the corporate veil and the imposition of successor liability. She has counseled numerous clients on developing protocols and structuring transactions to guard against incurring liability for the obligations of corporate affiliates.

Ms. Michael serves on Howrey’s Pro Bono Committee and as firm Writing Czar. She has lectured and written on a variety of subjects relating to insurance recovery litigation and class action litigation practice.

She has served as co-executive editor of IRMI’s CGL Reporter—The Insurance Coverage Litigation Handbook, since 2007. Her articles include “Maximizing Policyholder Insurance in the Face of Insolvencies,” ABA Section of Litigation, Insurance Coverage Litigation (2007); “Allocation and Trigger: Dilemma and Doctrine,” Defense Research Institute, Seventh Annual Insurance Coverage and Claims Institute, Spring 2007, with Jill B. Berkeley, Seth Lamden, Thomas M. McMahon, Andrew M. Reidy, and David W. Steuber; “New Allocation Methodology for Minimizing Losses Potentially Created by Gaps in Insurance Coverage,” Risk (Q2 2007); “California Trial Court Issues: Pro-Policyholder Allocation Decisions,” Risk (Summer 2005), with Joanne E. Caruso and Robert H. Shulman; and “Pursuing a Comprehensive Strategy for Defending Class Actions and Other Mass Tort and Consumer Claims in a Hostile Jurisdiction through Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution,” The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, Vol. 5 (September, 1997) at 9, with Erik Bertin, and Robert H. Shulman.

Her presentations include “Show Me the Money,” 16th Annual Insurance Coverage Committee Midyear Meeting, American Bar Association, Tort, Trial & Insurance Section, February 29, 2008; “Insurer Liability to Cover Stipulated Judgments,” 15th Annual Coverage Litigation Committee Midyear Program, American Bar Association, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section, Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee, February 16, 2007; “Issues Arising from the Tripartite Relationship,” American Bar Association, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section, Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee, University of Arizona, Tucson, February 14, 2007; “Best Claims-Handling Practices,” Mealey’s 5th Annual Advanced Insurance Coverage Conference, Philadelphia, PA, January 23, 2007; “Emerging Limitations on Punitive Damages Awards,” Mealey’s 5th Annual Advanced Insurance Coverage Conference, Philadelphia, PA, January 23, 2007; “Houston, We Have a Problem: Punitive Damages Control,” ABA Section of Litigation Annual Conference (May 6, 2004).

She has served as co-chair, Employment Practices Liability Subcommittee, American Bar Association, Insurance Litigation Committee; member, Publications Committee, Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee, American Bar Association, Tort, Trial & Insurance Section; American Bar Association, Member Antitrust, Appellate, Litigation, Torts and Insurance Practice Sections; Bar Association of the District of Columbia; Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia; and Maryland Bar Association.

She has extensive experience in litigating insurance recovery, products liability and class action, and other complex commercial disputes. She is admitted to practice in the following courts: United States Supreme Court; United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit; United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; United States Court for the District of Columbia; United States Court of Federal Claims; Maryland—Court of Appeals; District of Columbia—Court of Appeals.

Ms. Michael earned an L.L.M. degree from George Washington University in 1989 with highest honors; a J.D. degree from University of North Carolina in 1986 with high honors, and a B.A. degree from Hampshire College in 1981.