James P. Koelzer
Experience
- Trial and courtroom experience in insurance, commercial, and maritime litigation.
- Dealt with many lines of marine and non-marine insurance, including property, general liability (coverage and defense), business interruption, sabotage and terrorism, war risk, directors' and officers' liability, employee infidelity, exploration and production, jewelers' block and specie, cargo, protection and indemnity (coverage and defense), and game show indemnity.
Other Experience
- Lloyd's Claims Office, London, England
- Tulane Maritime Law Journal, Permanent Advisory Editor (1998-Present)
- Law Clerk to the Honorable John C. Coughenour, U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington
- Judicial extern to the Honorable Wm. Matthew Byrne, Jr., U.S. District Court, Central District of California
Selected Results*
Obtained $5,800,000 settlement for subrogated insurer after winning liability phase of an inverse condemnation.
As co-counsel, obtained a directed verdict at trial in favor of foreign insurers in the U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington in litigation concerning a war risk insurance claim for the alleged theft of a commercial fishing vessel by the Admiral of the Uruguayan Navy and his son. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Obtained a summary judgment from the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California in favor of a commercial maritime port in litigation concerning the grounding and 72 day stranding of bulk cargo vessel. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Defended a series of lawsuits involving wake damage to yacht marinas located within the commercial Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach allegedly caused by tug boats. The results included a voluntary dismissal by a plaintiff, a summary judgment in favor of a tug boat company, and a nuisance value settlement. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Represented a pharmaceutical company in a breach of contract claim, and as part of a settlement obtained more than 50% of defendant company’s gross value on behalf of his client. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Was a member of a team of attorneys representing a former officer of Enron Corporation in the aftermath of Enron’s collapse. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Memberships
- Association of Average Adjustors of the United Kingdom (Associate Member)
- Chartered Insurance Institute of the United Kingdom (Member)
- Maritime Law Association of the United States
- American Bar Association, TIPS Leadership Academy
Civic Associations
- President, Marengo 8 Homeowners Association, Pasadena, California
Bar Admissions
- California
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
- U.S. Supreme Court
Education
Books and Articles
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Issues to Watch: Climate Change Litigation and Insurance
(March 13, 2008)
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Is Civil Authority Business Interruption Coverage a Soft Risk in a Post-9/11 World?
5 TortSource 1 (Issue 2)
(2003)
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Can Lloyd's Syndicates Come within Diversity of Citizenship Jurisdiction to Gain Access to Federal Courts?
11 Int'l L.R. 323
(1996)
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"Compulsory by Law" in a P&I Policy— When Can a Vessel Owner Recover the Cost of Wreck Removal?: Grupo Protexa v. All American Marine Slip
19 Tul. Mar. L.J. 177
(1994)
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Selected Speeches
- University of Southern California School of Law
International Business Transactions, Guest Lecturer (Los Angeles, California 2001-2003) - American Bar Association Tort and Insurance Practice Section
Business Interruption Insurance, Discussion Facilitator (Miami, Florida 2003) - Lloyd's List
Marine Insurance Seminar (London, England 2001) - Lloyd's of London
Series of presentations on U.S. practice, procedure and jurisdiction to various groups within the London insurance market (London, England 1997)
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