EXPERT LISTING FOR STEVEN PLITT
Steven Plitt is the current author of COUCH ON INSURANCE 3D. He is on the editorial board of INSURANCE LITIGATION REPORTER. He has authored numerous other books and law review articles in the field of insurance law. He is a former adjunct professor of insurance law having taught the insurance curriculum at Arizona State University College of Law. He is a licensed insurance broker. Mr. Plitt has reviewed and analyzed thousands of claim files during his career. He has provided expert services in more than 9 states. He has analyzed insurance coverage and bad faith issues in more than 33 states. Mr. Plitt can provide expert services in the following areas:
• insurance agent malpractice claims
• legal malpractice claims involving insurance company dealings/coverage
• arson
• fire
• flood
• homeowners policies
• automobile liability policies
• commercial general liability policies
• umbrella/excess liability policies
• insurance company standard of care
• insurance company industry standards
• claim handling
• insurance policy duties and obligations
• insurance company bad faith
• mold
• surplus lines
Mr. Plitt has testified on behalf of both policyholders and insurance companies in insurance coverage and insurance bad faith cases. With respect to insurance coverage issues, whether coverage exists must be decided by the court as a matter of law. However, Mr. Plitt has successfully provided testimony regarding the reasonableness or unreasonableness of a particular insurance company’s interpretation of its policy and how that interpretation affected the claim handling process. Mr. Plitt has also testified in insurance agent and legal malpractice cases.
Mr. Plitt is an arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association and National Arbitration Forum. He has been a licensed insurance broker since 1974.
Background
Q: Please list your professional accreditations, degrees, licenses, and certificates granted:A: Editorial Board ñ Insurance Litigation Reporter
Arizona State University: B.S. Political Science, 1978
Graduated Summa Cum Laude and ìWith Honorsî
Honors Thesis ó The Panama Canal: A Question of Sovereignty
University Of Arizona: J.D. With Distinction, 1982
Recipient, Best Oral Advocate Award, Second Year Moot Court Competition
Member, U of A National Moot Court Team
Editor, Second Year Moot Court Board
National Order of Barristers
Representative from the College of Liberal Arts to Council of ASU Students (appointed by the Dean)
Chairman, Student Honors Council
Secretary, Vice President, Phi Sigma Alpha
Scholarships: Wilma D. Hoyal Memorial Scholarship; John F. Downing Memorial Scholarship; Emblem Club Outstanding Student Scholarship; and Deanís Academic Tuition Waiver.
Law Clerk to Judge Robert J. Corcoran, Arizona Court of Appeals, 1982-1983
Legislative Intern to the Chairman of the Committee on Banking and Insurance, House of Representatives, Arizona State Legislature, 1979
Q: Please list any teaching or speaking experience you have had, including subject matter:
A: Arizona State University College Of Law (former Adjunct Professor of Insurance Law, 2000-2005)
ìContemporary Problems in Insurance Related Litigationî (May 5, 1989) (Topic: Developments in the Law Regarding Uninsured and Underinsured Automobile Liability Insurance Policies) Sponsored by the State Bar of Arizona
ìArizona Bad Faith Insurance Law: What Every Practitioner Should Knowî (December 14, 1990) (Topic: Third-Party Bad Faith) Sponsored by the State Bar of Arizona
ìInsurance Coverage Litigation: An Overview of Key Areas of Concern to Lawyersî (March 9, 1990óPhoenix; April 20, 1990óTucson) (Topic: Multiple Coverage Problems and the Standard Automobile Liability Insurance Policy; Arizonaís Property and Casualty Insurance Guaranty Fund) Sponsored by the State Bar of Arizona
ìAuto Insuranceî (November 15, 1991) (Topic: Arizonaís Property and Casualty Insurance Guaranty Fund) Sponsored by Arizona Trial Lawyers Association
ìInsurance Coverage Litigation: An Overview of Key Areas of Concern to Lawyersî (November 18, 1993) (Topic: The Concurrent Causation Doctrine and the Standard Automobile Liability Policy) Sponsored by the State Bar of Arizona
ìInsurance Coverage Issuesî (March 1, 1994) (Topic: Reservation of Rights Defenses and Morris Agreements) Sponsored by the Arizona Association of Defense Counsel
"Tort Reform: The November 8 Vote, What's Law? What's Not" (November 10, 1994) (Topic: Insurance Bad Faith, the Defense Perspective) Sponsored by the Arizona Association of Defense Counsel
"Law of Insurance Bad Faith: A Beginning, but Not the End" (March 10, 1995) (Topic: Third Party Bad Faith) Sponsored by the State Bar of Arizona
"Essentials in Insurance and Bad Faith" (March 31, 1995) (Topic: Insurance Bad Faith from the Defense Perspective) Presented at the Arizona Statewide Minority Lawyers Bar Convention
"Recent Developments in Insurance Coverage Litigation: Environmental Coverage, Common Negligence and Bad Faith" (June 13, 1996) (Topic: Bad Faith) Sponsored by the Arizona Association of Defense Counsel
"Sing a Song of Six Torts" (April 18, 1997) (Topic: First Party Bad Faith) Sponsored by the State Bar of Arizona
"The Law of Insurance Bad Faith: A Balanced Perspective" (April 24, 1998-Tucson; May 1, 1998-Phoenix) (Topic: Third-Party Bad Faith) Sponsored by the State Bar of Arizona
"The Phoenix Mini-Bar" (June 19, 1998) (Topic: How to Understand and Litigate Insurance Coverage in Arizona) Sponsored by Continuing Legal Education Options (CLE-Ops)
ìArizona Liability Insurance Coverageî (April 30, 1999) (Topic: Insurance: Developments in Judicial Rulings on Reservation of Rights Defenses and Morris Agreements) Sponsored by the State Bar of Arizona
ìThe Most Advanced Insurance Seminar of the Yearî (October 1, 1999) (Topic: Morris/Damron Agreements ñ How to Avoid the Often Subtle and Serious Pitfalls) Sponsored by the Arizona Trial Lawyers Association
ìAdvanced Litigation Techniques Seminarî (December 10, 1999) (Topic: Bad Faith and Coverage Issues) Sponsored by the Arizona Association of Defense Counsel
ìInsurance Litigation in Arizonaî (October 20, 2000) (Topic: Morris Agreements and Third-Party Bad Faith) Sponsored by Lorman Education Services
ìArizona Liability Insurance Coverageî (September 20, 2001) (Topics: Damron/Morris Agreements and Third-Party Bad Faith) Sponsored by the State Bar of Arizona
ìThe Nuts and Bolts of Litigating Insurance Coverage Questionsî (January 8, 2003) (Topic: Discipline Without Assumptions, A Systemic Approach to Coverage Analysis) Sponsored by Arizona Association of Defense Counsel
ìTort Lawî (December 5, 2003) (Topic: Insurance Bad Faith Analysis and Litigation) Sponsored by State Bar of Arizona
"Learn at Lunch" (January 14, 2004) (Topic: Waiver of Attorney Client Privilege and Advice of Counsel in the Context of Insurance Bad Faith) Sponsored by Arizona Association of Defense Counsel
ìArizona Liability Insurance Coverageî (May 14, 2004) (Topic: Analyzing and Litigating Insurance Coverage Cases) Sponsored by the State Bar of Arizona
ìInsurance Coverage Topicsî (February 9, 2005) (Topic: Use of Demonstrative Exhibits for Bad Faith Trials) Sponsored by Arizona Associate of Defense Counsel
ì2005 NDDLA/SBAND Seminarî (September 23, 2005) (Topic: Discipline Without Assumptions, A Systematic Approach To Coverage Analysis) Sponsored by State Bar Association of North Dakota
Provided in-house training seminars on bad faith and Arizonaís Unfair Claim Settlement Practices Act to the following insurance companies:
Aetna Casualty & Surety Co.
United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co.
The Hartford
Metropolitan Property & Casualty Co.
Guaranty National Insurance Co.
Colonial Insurance Company of California
Universal Underwriters
Industrial Indemnity Co.
Orion Specialty
American States Insurance Co.
Royal & Sun Alliance/Royal Specialty
MetLife Auto & Home
Provided in-house training seminars on bad faith and Californiaís Unfair Claim Settlement Practices Act to the following insurance companies:
Legacy Insurance Services
Q: Have any of your accreditations ever been investigated, suspended or removed? (if yes, explain)
A: No.
Q: On how many occasions have you been retained as an expert?
A: 64
Q: For what area(s) of expertise have you been retained as an expert?
A: Insurance Coverage, Bad Faith, Legal Malpractice, Insurance Agent Malpractice, Arbitrations and Mediations.
Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the plaintiff?
A: 20% policyholder/Plaintif
Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the defendant?
A: 80% insurance company/Defendant
Q: On how many occasions have you had your deposition taken?
A: 14
Q: When was the last time you had your deposition taken?
A: January 2006
Q: On how many occasions have you been qualified by a court to give expert testimony?
A: 4
Q: On how many occasions have you testified as an expert in court or before an arbitrator?
A: 3
Q: For how many years have you worked with the legal industry as an expert?
A: 5
Q: What services do you offer? (E.g.: consulting, testing, reports, site inspections etc.)
A: File analysis, trial preparation and as a testifying expert.
Q: What is your hourly rate to consult with an attorney?
A: $300/hour.
Q: What is your hourly rate to review documents?
A: $300/hour.
Q: What is your hourly rate to provide deposition testimony?
A: $350/hour.
Q: What is your hourly rate to provide testimony at trial?
A: $350/hour in 4 hour blocks. Therefore it is $1,400 for the morning session of testimony and $1,400 for the afternoon session of testimony.
Q: Please list any fees other than those stated above (E.g.: travel expenses, copy fees, etc.)
A: Travel expenses are charged at actual cost. Copy fees are .15/pg. Associate Attorney billed at $175/hour. Paralegal time billed at $110/hour.
References
Lynn M. Allen, Esq.Allen & Lewis, PLC
4835 E. Cactus Road, Suite 340
Scottsdale, AZ 85254
602-443-0402
602-443-0403 Fax
lallen@allenandlewis.com
Bradley R. Jardine, Esq.
Jardine, Baker, Hickman & Houston, P.L.L.C.
3300 N. Central Avenue, Suite 600
Phoenix, AZ 85012-2504
(602) 200-9777
(602) 200-9114 Fax
Bjardine@jbhhlaw.com
