Biography

Lori S. Blitstien concentrates her practice on professional liability defense and the defense of insurance or financial services providers. In nearly two decades of practice, she has defended against a wide variety of malpractice claims brought against lawyers and law firms, insurance agents and brokers, insurance marketing organizations, registered representatives and securities broker/dealers, financial advisors, actuaries and banks. She has also defended developers, contractors, subcontractors, employers and nonprofit organizations.

Ms. Blitstien’s litigation experience ranges from prelitigation counseling to appellate briefing and argument. She has litigated in the California state, federal and appellate courts, as well as pro hac vice in Arizona, Colorado, New Jersey and Kentucky, and before FINRA (formerly, the NASD) and in private settings such as arbitrations and mediations, both binding and non-binding.

Memberships & Honors

Ms. Blitstien serves as a settlement referee for the Superior Court of California in North Central District's "crash" program, and her participation as a settlement officer for the Northwest District's settlement program, led to her being featured in the article, "Program Helps Resolve 360 Cases in 10 Day," that ran in the Los Angeles Daily Journal in November, 2003.  She served as a judge for the American Bar Association’s 2008 National Mediation Competition, and over the years has served as a guest speaker and panelist for various bar associations and groups on various topics, including current issues facing legal professionals and those in insurance and financial services.

Ms. Blitstien has also served as a guest speaker and panelist for various bar associations and groups on the topic of federal court practice and procedure, served as a panelist for Loyola Law School's "Brown Bag Series," and at the American Bar Association’s Tort Trial & Insurance Practice’s Mid-Year Program in 2006 on the topic “Are Insurance Defense Counsel the New Malpractice Targets?” Ms. Blitstien also serves as editor of Sedgwick’s Professional Liability Newsletter and has authored articles on the subject of professional liability.