Biography

Mr. Celebrezze has been practicing in the field of insurance law for virtually his entire legal career. As one of the country’s leading insurance industry litigators, he has represented a wide variety of international, national, and regional companies. In addition, Mr. Celebrezze is widely published and often quoted as a legal expert in the field.

Litigation Matters

• Hood v. Hartford Life & Acc. Ins. Co., Slip Copy, 2009 WL 453115 (E.D.Cal. Feb 23, 2009) (NO. CIV. S-07-01634 FCD/EFB) 
• Hood v. Hartford Life & Acc. Ins. Co., Slip Copy, 2008 WL 5101584 (E.D.Cal. Dec 2, 2008) (NO. CIV. S-07-01634 FCD/EFB)
• Hood v. Hartford Life & Acc. Ins. Co., 567 F.Supp.2d 1221 (E.D.Cal. Jul 28, 2008) (NO. CIV. 07-1634-FCD/EFB) 
• Lumbermens Mutual Cas. Co., v. DFG Restaurants, 2008 WL 5429585 (C.D.Cal. Jun 16, 2008) (NO. SACV 05-01190-CJC(MLGx)) 
• Keene v. Morgan Stanley d/b/a Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, Inc., (D.Alaska May 16, 2008) (NO. 2:04-cv-2564-RRB-DAD) 
• Caprio v. Hartford Life Ins. Co., 2008 WL 1766747 (N.D.Cal. Apr 15, 2008) (NO. C 08-338 CW)
• Finley v. Hartford Life & Acc. Ins. Co., Slip Copy, 2007 WL 4374417 (N.D.Cal. Dec 14, 2007) (NO. C 06-6247 CW) 
• Giottonini v. Therma-Wave, Ltd. Employee Benefits Plan, Slip Copy, 2007 WL 3478034 (N.D.Cal. Nov 15, 2007) (NO. C 06-7591 SI) 
• Caplan v. CNA Short Term Disability Plan, 479 F. Supp.2d 1108 (N.D.Cal. Mar 01, 2007) (NO. C 06-05865 CW)
• ABM Industries, Inc. v. Zurich American Ins. Co., Slip Copy, 2006 WL 1464917 (N.D.Cal. May 25, 2006) (NO. C 05-3480 SBA)
• Frei v. Hartford Life Ins. Co., Slip Copy, 2006 WL 1409360 (N.D.Cal. May 23, 2006) (NO. C05-01191 EDL)
• Atmel Corp. v. St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins. Co., 430 F.Supp.2d 989, (N.D.Cal. Apr 18, 2006) (NO. C 04-04082 SI)
• Atmel Corp. v. St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins. Co., 430 F.Supp.2d 984, (N.D.Cal. Mar 27, 2006) (NO. C 04-04082 SI)
• Atmel Corp. v. St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins. Co., 421 F.Supp.2d 1265 (N.D.Cal. Mar 21, 2006) (NO. C 04-04082 SI)
• Frei v. Hartford Life Ins. Co., Slip Copy, 2006 WL 563051 (N.D.Cal. Mar 07, 2006) (NO. C-05-01191 EDL)
• Atmel Corp. v. St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins. Co., Slip Copy, 2006 WL 163009 (N.D.Cal. Jan 09, 2006) (NO. C 04-04082 SI)
• Atmel Corp. v. St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins. Co., 416 F.Supp.2d 802 (N.D.Cal. Feb 21, 2006) (NO. C 04-4082 SI (BZ))
• Atmel Corp. v. St. Paul Fire & Marine, 426 F.Supp.2d 1039 (N.D.Cal. Oct 11, 2005) (NO. C 04-04082 SI)
• Atmel Corp. v. St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins. Co., 409 F.Supp.2d 1180 (N.D.Cal. Aug 31, 2005) (NO. C 04-4082 SI)
• Mizzell v. Paul Revere Life Ins. Co., 155 Fed.Appx. 254, 2005 WL 2043896 (9th Cir.(Cal.)) (9th Cir.(Cal.) Aug 25, 2005) (NO. 03-57130, 03-57211)
• Federal Ins. Co. v. Homestore, Inc., 144 Fed.Appx. 641, 2005 WL 1926483 (9th Cir.(Cal.)) (9th Cir.(Cal.) Aug 12, 2005) (NO. 03-55995, 03-56641, 03-56472, 03-56508, 03-56509, 03-56468, 03-56644, 03-56488, 03-56445)
• Davison v. Hartford Life and Accident Ins. Co., 2005 WL 807045 (N.D.Cal. Apr 07, 2005) (NO. C-05-0132 MMC)
• MV Transp., Inc. v. Omne Staff Leasing, Inc., 378 F.Supp.2d 1200 (E.D.Cal. Mar 22, 2005) (NO. CIV S032288DFLGGH)
• Hartog Rahal Partnership v. American Motorists Ins. Co., 359 F.Supp.2d 331 (S.D.N.Y. Mar 08, 2005) (NO. 02 CIV. 2293 (RO))
• Truck Ins. Exchange v. Unigard Ins. Co., 89 Fed.Appx. 43, 2004 WL 326390 (9th Cir.(Cal.)) (9th Cir.(Cal.) Feb 18, 2004) (NO. 03-15079, 03-15119)
• Mizzell v. Paul Revere Ins. Co., 278 F.Supp.2d 1146 (C.D.Cal. Aug 25, 2003) (NO. SACV 03-823 JVS(CTX))
• Schar v. Hartford Life Ins. Co., 242 F.Supp.2d 708 (N.D.Cal. Jan 23, 2003) (NO. C 02-1073 JL)

Presentations

Mr. Celebrezze has written papers for, and participated as a lecturer, in various continuing legal education courses in the area of insurance coverage, including:

• PLRB/LIRB 2010 Claims Conference, "Litigation Management College," given in San Antonio, TX (March 23-24, 2010);
• Dean – Litigation Management College Graduate Program, Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, Emory University, Atlanta, GA (June 2009);
• Excess Surplus Lines Claims Association, "Claims/Legal Issues in 2009 and Beyond," given in New York, NY (June 2009); 
• PLRB/FDCC Critical Issues for Senior Insurance Executives and In-House Counsel seminar, "Litigation Holds," given in Rosemont, IL (September 2008);
• Dean – Litigation Management College Graduate Program, Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, Emory University, Atlanta, GA (June 2008);
• PLRB Conference, "Litigation Holds," given in Boston, MA (April 2008);
• Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, "Use of Experts in Resolving Indemnity Agreement/Additional Insured Scenarios in Construction Defect Litigation," given in Sun Valley, ID (July 2007);
• Lexis Nexis Mealey's, Global Warming Insurance Litigation Conference, "Risk Management Inquiries," given in San Francisco, CA (June 2007); 
• PLRB Conference, “Class Action Coverage Issues,” given in Orlando, FL (April 2007);
• PLRB/FDCC Critical Issues for Senior Insurance Executives and In-House Counsel seminar, "Update on Rescission Issues," given in Rosemont, IL (October 2006);
• Assistant Dean - Litigation Management College Graduate Program, Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, Emory University, Atlanta, GA (June 2006);
• PLRB Conference, “Class Action Coverage Issues,” given in Nashville, TN (April 2006);
• The Recorder Roundtable, “Insurance Coverage Issues Arising from Hurricane Katrina” (November 2005);
• Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel Convention, “Clarifying Insurance Policies for Jurors,” given in San Diego, CA (July 2005);
• Lecturer – Litigation Management College, Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL (May 2005);
• Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, “The Role of the Outside Lawyer Dealing with the In-House Lawyer,” given in Marco Island, Florida (March 2005);
• Association of California Insurance Companies, "California Business and Professions Code § 17200," given in Las Vegas, Nevada (July 2004);
• Lecturer – Litigation Management College, Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL (May 2004);
• Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, "Commercial General Liability Policies and Construction Defects and Losses, Including Mold: The Road to Perdition," given in La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada (July 2003);
• Mold Summit, "Coverage: Third Party Claims," given in St. Louis, Missouri (May 2003);
• Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, "Directors, Officers, and Professionals: Finding an Oasis Following Enron/Worldcom and Sarbanes-Oxley,” given in Rancho Mirage, California (February 2003).

Publications

Mr. Celebrezze has authored or co-authored numerous published articles, including:

• "A Matter of Opinions," GC California (March 2008);
• "Understanding Insurers' Relationship With Outside Counsel," GC California Magazine (Autumn 2007);
• "New Year, New Laws," GC California Magazine (Spring 2007);
• "Update on Rescission Issues," given at the PLRB/FDCC Critical Issues for Senior Insurance Executives and In-House Counsel seminar (October 2006);
• "Risky Business," GC California Magazine (Autumn 2006);
• "A Look at New Insurance Laws," GC California Magazine (Spring 2006); 
• "The Year in Legislation," The Recorder's annual supplement, Insurance 2006 (January 2006);
• "Mr. Spitzer's Lasting Legacy," GC California Magazine (Autumn 2005); 
• "The Year in Legislation," GC California Magazine (Spring 2005);
• "How to Avoid the Paper Chase," GC California Magazine (Summer 2004);
• "2003 Insurance Legislation Wrap-Up: New Laws Expand Employee, Consumer Rights," The Recorder's annual supplement, Insurance 2004 (January 2004);

Memberships & Honors

Mr. Celebrezze is a member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC), the Defense Research Institute, and the Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California and Nevada. He also participates regularly in the functions of other insurance industry organizations.

In the FDCC, Mr. Celebrezze is a vice president, chair of the Website Committee and a member of the FDCC Leadership Institute. He formerly served as Dean of the FDCC’s Litigation Management College Graduate Program. He is the former chair of the FDCC’s Insurance Coverage Section and a recipient of the FDCC’s John Alan Appleman Award.

Mr. Celebrezze served as a member of the civil grand jury for the City and County of San Francisco for its 1996-1997 term. He is a member and former president of the Board of Trustees of the Mechanics' Institute, a 6,000 member, 165,000 volume non-profit library in San Francisco. He also serves as a member of the President's Visiting Committee of St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ohio.